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cor123 EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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SPEED.com has confirmed through multiple sources involved with the negotiations that the American Le Mans Series and the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series will announce an agreement that will see the two series race under a single banner, likely beginning in 2014.

Full details on the merger are still unclear, and offers extended to both series for comment were declined, but it’s believed GRAND-AM will serve as the sanctioning body for the new-look championship, which could feature a mix of existing classes from both the ALMS and Rolex Series.

The announcement is expected to come on Wednesday in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Speaking with ALMS President and CEO Scott Atherton in the Baltimore paddock, the longtime head of the series denied such an agreement being in place, while a GRAND-AM Road Racing spokesman declined comment.

SPEED.com's sources, including a number of manufacturers, representatives and participants, have revealed that both sides are coming together. News of this developing story first emerged two weeks ago, building to a head this weekend in Baltimore.

Founded by pharmaceutical giant and entrepreneur Don Panoz in 1999, the ALMS brought the cars and technical regulations of the 24 Hours of Le Mans to North America, becoming the first full-season championship to embrace the rules set forth by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest.

Initially a mirror-image to the twice-around-the-clock French endurance classic, the series has diversified in recent years by opening its class structure to more affordable machinery, including the addition of Prototype and GT Challenge categories.

Its marquee event, the 12 Hours of Sebring, maintained its international presence, while the Petit Le Mans, the 1,000-mile/10-hour Road Atlanta enduro formed by Panoz in 1998, grew to become a mainstay on the global scene as well.

The ALMS has traditionally strived on manufacturer support, namely from Audi, Chevrolet, Porsche, BMW and Ferrari over its 14-year history and has seen recent growth in its production-based GT category, which currently sees six automakers represented.

However, its prototype categories have struggled to reach acceptable numbers following Audi’s withdrawal from P1 competition in 2009 and the end of Porsche and Acura’s factory programs. As a result, both P1 and the recently relaunched cost-capped P2 categories have almost exclusively featured customer entries.

Having signed a new one-year licensing contract with the ACO late last year, it’s understood the ALMS had renewed its agreement with the Le Mans organizers for one additional year in June.

Established one year after the ALMS in 1999, GRAND-AM grew out of the roots laid by the U.S. Road Racing Championship (USRRC) and featured the Rolex 24 at Daytona as its premier race and annual season kickoff.

While having a strong influence from the onset, GRAND-AM was acquired by NASCAR Holdings in 2008 and has operated under the leadership of executive vice president Jim France through its 13-year history.

The series has typically embraced privateers through its two categories, although receiving support from manufacturers such as Chevrolet, Ford and BMW in the premier Daytona Prototype ranks. No fewer than a half-dozen automakers are represented in GT, with a third category, GX, is scheduled to be added next year for experimental machinery.

Despite having been rival series since the onset, there has been a significant crossover between manufacturers, with Chevrolet supporting programs in both DP and ALMS GT, along with Ferrari, Mazda, Porsche and other marques and drivers that participate in both championships.

Like the ALMS, GRAND-AM’s prototype component has seen a recent drop-off of entries, but has typically strived, notably with the introduction of new GT3-based cars adapted to Rolex Series’ GT category.

SPEED.com will have more on this developing story as it breaks.

John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at askdagys@gmail.com

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/articl ... and-am-finalizing-merger/
Posted on: 2012/9/1 18:01
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BillH Re: EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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Thanks, Charlie.
Just saw that on Speed. Wow.
Posted on: 2012/9/1 18:28
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BrianCunningham Re: EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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Are they keeping the Cup cars?

Posted on: 2012/9/1 18:54
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bogus Re: EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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I have wondered about this for a while... they are 2 organizations that are just too close to be unique.

I feel that ALMS is the stronger, but GrandAm has NASCAR behind it.

Which at one time IMSA had... about 40 years ago!

However, GrandAm was created as a result of various pissing contests between Andy Evans, John Bishop and, I guess, Dr Don, but I think Bishop was already off on his own by the time Don came in and picked up the bits.

I would like to see them structure it in this manner:

Merge the GT under the AOC rules.

Keep the LMPC car, and offer the DP as another class.

LMP1 and such could race if they wish to, under AOC rules.

I would like to see the WSC stay... very important for Sebring to keep that event. When 60 cars show, including all four Audi's...

As for the Cup, that's a support race, so I would expect it to stay. With such a huge car count, it would be impressive.

Posted on: 2012/9/1 23:59
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BrianCunningham Re: EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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Posted on: 2012/9/2 0:58
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cor123 Re: EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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and use Grand-Am's media so that everyone can watch not just the ESPN3 subscribers. Grand-Am makes it so nice to watch and listen online.
Posted on: 2012/9/2 1:00
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bogus Re: EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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They do, and that's NASCAR for you.

My think is this... I hate DP cars... sure, the new Vette is nice, but gee... they still look old and clunky compared to the AOC cars.

But can you imagine the grid of GT cars???
Posted on: 2012/9/2 1:26
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j3studio Re: EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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Methinks this is a good overall ...
Posted on: 2012/9/2 1:46
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cor123 Re: EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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Peter De Lorenzo: NEW perspective on the Grand-Am/ALMS mash-up: http://www.autoextremist.com/fumes1/

Posted on: 2012/9/3 0:49
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bogus Re: EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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I agree with Peter's column.

And his schedule proposal mirrors the one I was mentally putting together in the car tonight.
Posted on: 2012/9/3 8:08
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BrianCunningham Re: EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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Quote:

cor123 wrote:
Peter De Lorenzo: NEW perspective on the Grand-Am/ALMS mash-up: http://www.autoextremist.com/fumes1/



Quote:
After talking with various players at several different levels of involvement in this situation, I have pieced together some details about this "merger." First of all, this is anything but a merger. In fact Grand-Am is buying the ALMS lock, stock and barrel in a straight-up cash deal (I know the number but I'm choosing not to reveal it now), including Road Atlanta and Sebring International Raceway, the two road racing facilities the ALMS owns. I doubt whether this was planned to be unveiled on Wednesday at the announcement in Daytona Beach, but there you have it. (Besides, if this truly was a "merger" you would think that the announcement would come at a neutral site or at least near a major media center, instead of at the home of Grand-Am and of course, NASCAR, right?)


That really changes things
Posted on: 2012/9/3 17:17
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cor123 Re: EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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Oliver Gavin's take on Baltimore as well as on the "merger":

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/201 ... hting-for-a-championship/

Posted on: 2012/9/3 18:45
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cor123 Re: EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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Leo Parente and ShakeDown present a special 2-part show - First, taking you
to the Baltimore GrandPrix to get a look as tro how a street course effects the racing experience. Second, we talk with Speed.com's John Dagys, the journalist that broke the story of the impending merger between American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am to create a unified North American sports car racing enterprise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7eE7OGDVAU&feature=youtu.be
Posted on: 2012/9/4 1:49
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bogus Re: EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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OFFICAL:

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20120 ... content=20120905-Grand-Am,-American-Le-Mans-race-series-to-merge&utm_campaign=awAlert

Posted on: 2012/9/5 15:03
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cor123 Re: EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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Scott Atherton: ALMS GT? "Current GT content of ALMS has been agreed to be part of the new series. Going forward, that's the plan."
Posted on: 2012/9/5 15:22
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bogus Re: EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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I saw where he is slated to be on the new board of directors.

I hope they retain the name "IMSA". Serious name recognition there.
Posted on: 2012/9/5 16:08
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cor123 Re: EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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Somemore info-read both the 09/04/12 and 09/05/12 comments:

http://www.autoextremist.com/fumes1/
Posted on: 2012/9/5 16:10
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bogus Re: EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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interesting.

I still feel the DP class should go south and be replaced with, over time, the LMPC.

LMP2 should simply be converted and called what we want it to be called - GTP. Let's relive that glorious day.

Rolex GT? Why not? Let it become a support event. Keep ALMS GT as the primary. These cars are so modified and nothing like the street cars, and at the same time, are not as fast as the ALMS GT cars.

BC asked about the Koni Cup (or whatever). I see keeping it as a support series, too, perhaps merging the Rolex GT in with it for a super GT support series, ala Firehawk once was. With a 2-6 hour endurance event, held on Friday before the Saturday big show.

Also, NASCAR radio this morning was talking about integrating with NASCAR weekends. I think that is brilliant. Watkins Glen, Indy... if they don't screw this up, they might get 50k+ at these events JUST for the road race! Which would be a huge improvement over what GrandAm is getting now. Did anyone actually ATTEND the GA race at Indy?

I would also like to see this new class be a support series when F1 comes to the states, Texas would be better.

Posted on: 2012/9/5 16:33
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cor123 Re: EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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If you missed this morning's conference here is a replay:

http://www.alms.com/video/future-unveiled
Posted on: 2012/9/5 18:07
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bogus Re: EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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thanks! I will watch it tonight. Can't do streaming video at work, unless it is work related.
Posted on: 2012/9/5 20:03
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BrianCunningham Re: EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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I think it's good that the actual merged competition won't be until 2014 that gives them a year to work out the details
Posted on: 2012/9/5 22:01
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BillH Re: EXCLUSIVE- ALMS, GRAND-AM Finalizing Merger
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Quote:

bogus wrote:
NASCAR radio this morning was talking ... if they don't screw this up,


Taking bets in Reno.
Posted on: 2012/9/5 23:55
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