trench

Don't know if anyone here follows Grand Am prototype racing (I prefer the ALMS but like Grand Am as well - can't get enough racing I guess), next year they are moving away from the expensive carbon-tubbed cars with exotic motors to a tube-frame chassis wrapped with GTP-esque body work with production derived motors that will run air restrictors and have an 8500 RPM rev limit to provide roughly equal power output. These cars are being called "Daytona prototypes" and will be the main focus of the Grand Am series from 2003. I noticed on the approved engine list was the Mercedes 5.0 V8. Since the series is geared more towards privateers rather than factories I wonder if any wealthy Mercedes enthusiast/privateer will be running a Mercedes in this new series. Mercedes stock blocks have generally done pretty well in the past in sportscar racing (including the late 80s Sauber and the 97-98 AMG efforts).

Guess what I really want is to root for my favorite marque in a form of racing that we can see here in the US.

Cheers, BT

A picture of a Fabcar/Porsche prototype

Norm C32

That would awesome if MB had a few cars that we could route for at Rolex 24 next year. I did not go this year as we ran a TSD winter rally. But would definitely be going in '03 since Speedvision/Speed Channel has moved away from flag-to-flag coverage.

Thanks for the update!

Norm

JamE55

I'm assuming that's an AMG engine right? How much hp does it put out?

trench

I don't think the Grand Am rule makers bother to differentiate between AMG and Mercedes. My guess is it's the standard SL500 motor - of course built up for racing. I haven't seen any horsepower figures for what should be expected but each engine will have to run with a sized air restrictor to give them "about" the same amount of HP. My guess is they are shooting for somewhere in the 500-600 HP range, enough to be reasonably spectacular but not so much that the development costs spiral out of control.

BT

allenjdmb

This is an area that the board of Directors would not even think of touching. After their last humiliation on a worldwide scale at LeMans, the Stuttgart types ain't about to let Bill France and his buddies tell them what kind of sports car they can build. And what would it matter anyway, given the sorry state of affairs in the racing department at MB anyway? Do you really want to see them humiliated by a stock block Ford, or a developed old engine?The only series they can avoid embarassment in is the DTM, and look at the lousy competition....I don't think you'll see any much more emphasis on racing at Benz until they get their house cleaned up otherwise...if they care at all. Now that the company is controlled by finance guys instead of car guys, racing just isn't that important to them. Sux.

trench

Actually, I never thought that there would be a factory effort in this category. Was just wondering if any super-wealthy MB fan would consider running in this category as a privateer. I've seen it before in lesser categories here in the states.

Cheers, BT