Panoz did a lot. Bought and rejuvenated Road Atlanta, started the ALMS, built the Panoz brand and even the Chateau Elan Winery & Resort. I used to drive by the old Panoz building somewhat regularly.
I live 45 miles (73k) from Michelin Raceway at Road Atlanta, and I went to the very first race there in 1970. The Petit LeMans has ALWAYS been a destination event. I've met folks from all over the world there, and they are some of the most knowledgable race fans extant! Also, there was the year the GT class won overall at Daytona over the DPs. They were "gah-bage!!
Great vid Jake, definatley makes sense of things. ALMS was my go to series growing up and i'm glad to see IMSA unified once more, long live sportscars.
Imsa doing better than NASCAR? Not exactly, nascar is still way more popular but imsa is definitely growing faster because it’s more globally recognized.
IMSA is certainly outpacing its expectations, and reaching new heights. Many events had record attendance in 2024. Meanwhile NASCAR continues to struggle to live up to its previous successes
Part of the reason why people don't think of it as much is because it wasn't as nasty/tragic as the open wheel split. CART-IRL was a civil war brought about by incompatible personalities that doomed one of the most popular motorsports on the planet. IMSA meanwhile was already basically dead, and there were two competing visions for its reconstruction. Likewise I think Grand Am and ALMS coexisted better, and when they did merge they quickly advanced their series' profile much more than reunited IndyCar has (honestly modern IndyCar is probably worse off than either of its predecessors were in 2000).
I hated the Daytona Prototypes... They were anything, but prototypes... MK1's had no carbon fiber allowed with spec chassis and steel brakes. They said it was for cost savings... But like NASCAR Cup cars, spec stuff, the part supplier can make the price be whatever they want and teams have to pay or quit.
@@Dexter037S4 There's massive differences between the DPs and anything NASCAR was running at the time. Among things, the DPs had IRS and rack and pinion steering, meanwhile the Busch series cars ran live axles and recirculating ball steering. NASCAR Busch series used carbureted, OHV V8s connected to a four speed transmission only, DPs could run DOHC, fuel-injected engines and ran either 5 or 6 speed gear boxes. All they really have in common is using a tube frame.
At one point the glorious IMSA GTP series was truly spectacular and exhilarating. But eventually, the manufacturer's competition was getting waxed by the Toyota Eagle Gurney program and all the others fell off the necessary mark to make the series competitive as it had been just a few years earlier. Even the Jaguar (Cosworth) machine (an F1 car with a shell on it) was struggling to keep pace with that Toyota. The privateers simply lacked the budget to keep up with factory entries. What propelled the WSC directly thereafter was the Ferrari 333SP and while a big lure for spectators, even this fell off. This series has had quite the evolution.
It's had some ups and downs for sure! It’s not quite the same as the split in IndyCar. Several different groups had different ideas on what endurance racing should be like, and there was a power vacuum in the 90s which led to two series.
Confusing and constant change of regulations after the death of GT1. It even happened in Europe as well where the prototype class was in shambles. No one really knew what to do until the factory efforts for prototype efforts post gt1 interested manufactures. They would start to bring much needed stimulation to the sport.
It was the style at the time, just like tying an onion to your belt. Now, to attend the race cost a nickle and in those days nickles had pictures of bumblebees on them. Give me five bees for a quarter you'd say. Now where were we? The important thing was I had an onion tied to my belt, as was the style at the time. We didn't have white onions because of the war, the only thing you could get were those big yellow ones...
We are definitely in the new golden age of sports car racing
Don Panoz creating ALMS out of the ruins of a dead series almost entirely out his own pocket, what a hero.
He really was
Panoz did a lot. Bought and rejuvenated Road Atlanta, started the ALMS, built the Panoz brand and even the Chateau Elan Winery & Resort. I used to drive by the old Panoz building somewhat regularly.
I live 45 miles (73k) from Michelin Raceway at Road Atlanta, and I went to the very first race there in 1970.
The Petit LeMans has ALWAYS been a destination event. I've met folks from all over the world there, and they are some of the most knowledgable race fans extant!
Also, there was the year the GT class won overall at Daytona over the DPs. They were "gah-bage!!
We truly are living in a Golden Age of Sports Car racing unlike any we've had before. Long live IMSA!
Great vid Jake, definatley makes sense of things. ALMS was my go to series growing up and i'm glad to see IMSA unified once more, long live sportscars.
As an imsa fan I had NO idea they were owned nascar. They seem to be doing so much better than them.
Imsa doing better than NASCAR? Not exactly, nascar is still way more popular but imsa is definitely growing faster because it’s more globally recognized.
IMSA is certainly outpacing its expectations, and reaching new heights. Many events had record attendance in 2024. Meanwhile NASCAR continues to struggle to live up to its previous successes
@@joeygold24 you can't lie 2024 nascar has been very good, good racing product even if you don't like oval racing.
Imsa is so enjoyable
The racing is exciting! They can follow and they can pass and they can go back and forth basically what a series should be
Part of the reason why people don't think of it as much is because it wasn't as nasty/tragic as the open wheel split. CART-IRL was a civil war brought about by incompatible personalities that doomed one of the most popular motorsports on the planet. IMSA meanwhile was already basically dead, and there were two competing visions for its reconstruction. Likewise I think Grand Am and ALMS coexisted better, and when they did merge they quickly advanced their series' profile much more than reunited IndyCar has (honestly modern IndyCar is probably worse off than either of its predecessors were in 2000).
Or because Indycar racing is so much more popular than IMSA/SportsCar Racing has ever been in this country. Sports Car racing is still extremely niche
World Endurance Championship next?
Can you make video about history of German Touring Car Racing known as DTM.
I hated the Daytona Prototypes... They were anything, but prototypes... MK1's had no carbon fiber allowed with spec chassis and steel brakes. They said it was for cost savings... But like NASCAR Cup cars, spec stuff, the part supplier can make the price be whatever they want and teams have to pay or quit.
I liked the Corvette DP. though. I agree with you on the rest. I hated those Riley rectangles.
Funnily enough Daytona Prototypes were basically Gen 4 Busch Cars lol.
@@Dexter037S4 There's massive differences between the DPs and anything NASCAR was running at the time. Among things, the DPs had IRS and rack and pinion steering, meanwhile the Busch series cars ran live axles and recirculating ball steering. NASCAR Busch series used carbureted, OHV V8s connected to a four speed transmission only, DPs could run DOHC, fuel-injected engines and ran either 5 or 6 speed gear boxes.
All they really have in common is using a tube frame.
At one point the glorious IMSA GTP series was truly spectacular and exhilarating. But eventually, the manufacturer's competition was getting waxed by the Toyota Eagle Gurney program and all the others fell off the necessary mark to make the series competitive as it had been just a few years earlier. Even the Jaguar (Cosworth) machine (an F1 car with a shell on it) was struggling to keep pace with that Toyota. The privateers simply lacked the budget to keep up with factory entries. What propelled the WSC directly thereafter was the Ferrari 333SP and while a big lure for spectators, even this fell off. This series has had quite the evolution.
I didnt even know american endurance racing had a split 👀
IMSA and ALMS
@@thegreattreon0177 IMSA and Grand Am (ALMS was IMSA)
@@thegreattreon0177IMSA/ALMS (same org) and Grand-Am (NASCAR).
They should take up the old name - could call it the "WeatherTech - IMSA GT Championship"
Only when they replace GT3 with something more like GTO and GTU.
IMSA finally has succumbed to the nascar FCY… racing this last season were too many cautions for too many laps
The GTO era of IMSA will never be matched by any other GT or touring car series.
Change my mind.
200 mph around Daytona banking, Robby Gordon full on power sliding out of that hairpin at Long Beach what more could you want
Not really a Fan of Endurance Racing or have knowledge of it but Really ? I didn't know IMSA went through a lot like IndyCar
It's had some ups and downs for sure! It’s not quite the same as the split in IndyCar. Several different groups had different ideas on what endurance racing should be like, and there was a power vacuum in the 90s which led to two series.
@@JakeSimRacingEach series was 50% correct about what sports car racing should be. It just them too damn long to realize it.
what is it with North American racing series and them splitting in the 1990s
Confusing and constant change of regulations after the death of GT1. It even happened in Europe as well where the prototype class was in shambles. No one really knew what to do until the factory efforts for prototype efforts post gt1 interested manufactures. They would start to bring much needed stimulation to the sport.
It was the style at the time, just like tying an onion to your belt. Now, to attend the race cost a nickle and in those days nickles had pictures of bumblebees on them. Give me five bees for a quarter you'd say. Now where were we? The important thing was I had an onion tied to my belt, as was the style at the time. We didn't have white onions because of the war, the only thing you could get were those big yellow ones...
Grand Am sucked. ALMS was the future. Thank god they consolidated into IMSA.
Someone should do a video on Andy Evans.
That guy was pretty interesting for sure
@@JakeSimRacing I still come accross Andy Evans sucks shirts on Ebay from time to time hahaha.
IMSA is still well behind Indycar in terms of TV ratings and attendance though