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Can one of the three Grasser Racing Teams
Lamborghini Huracan's give the Austrian GTD squad an unlikely Three-peat at
Daytona? (Image source: imsa.com)
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Although playing a "Supporting
Role," Hey Ain't It Oscar Time, El Correctomundo? Making up the Bulk of
the Field are the Tintop Boys'; Err Saloon Drivers, since Thars' One All Femme
Fatales Chariot on thoust Grid.
(GT LM) GT Le Mans Class
The Tide seems to be going Out upon this Gran
Torismo (GT) Category, which is reduced to a paltry Two-by-Two of Works entries
from BMW, Corvette and Porsche, with a solitary Ferrari interloper thrown in.
Day-1 of testing saw Boobie Ruble', nee Bobby
Rahal & Company's GT LM BMW M8 GTE Squad's IndyCar Darling Colton Herta
running second fastest aboard the #25 behind one of the Porsche 911 RSR's.
Then Colton finished the first day P1 before
the mighty Porsche 911 Panzerwagons flexed Thar Teutonic Muscle, ending the
3-Day Test quickest of the GT Le Mans runners.
Speakin' of Herta's, ran across the
interesting news via Racer that BHA, nee Bryan Herta Autosport has reunited with
former IndyCar Driver Gabby Chaves, expanding its Michelin Pilot Challenge Hyundai
"Velociraptor" squad to three cars,
along with former Indy Lights racer Ryan Norman.
As the Michelin
Pilot Challenge series appears to be the "Indy Lights" version of IMSA
Touring Cars to Mwah, making me ponder if BHA will one day move up to IMSA GTD
competition?
But back to the Big Boyz' of GT Le Mans,
, albeit this category's highly diminished
with thou absence of Chip Ganassi Racing's brace 'O Ford GT's!
And although the Porsche's most likely will
win again, many eyes will be focused upon the Debut of Corvette's first ever
Mid-engine racecar, while the Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTE may wish to
throw a Spanner in everybody else's Party!
(GTD) GT Daytona Class
With this category comprising of nearly 50%
of thoust Grid, I simply AIN'T Gonna even attempt covering all of them in Depth;
CRIKEYS!
Other then I'll note Thars' 2 Acura's, 2 Aston Martin's, 1 Audi, 1 BMW, 1 Ferrari, 5
Lamborghini's, 2 Lexus's, 1 Mercedes and 3 Porsche's on thou entry list; Aye
Karumba!
Acura NSX GT3 Evo
Engine: 3.5-litre V-6 turbo
Team: Meyer Shank Racing Nos. 57 & 86
SuperMario', nee Mario Farnbacher returns
as the Defending GTD Champion with new Co-driver Matt mcMurray, who'll be
partnered at DayToner' by Jules
Gounon, son of Jean Marc Gounon, former Minardi &
Simtek Formula 1 Driver, and Shinya Michimi.
The #57 Heinricher Racing with Meyer Shank
Racing sports an All new Driver line-up with Misha Goikhberg and former MSR
Standout Alvaro
Parente this year, with the Damaged NSX having been
repaired Justin-time' for the Rolex 24.
Once again the #57 sees 'Ol Walldinger', nee
NBC Sports Talkin' Headz A.J. Allmendinger playin' Ketsup by Moonlighting
behind its Keyboard, with Trent Hindman filling out the Driving roster.
Aston Martin AMR Vantage GT3
Engine: 4.0-litre V-8 Turbo
Teams: #23 Heart of Racing & #98 Aston Martin
Racing
Although I'm not expecting much from the
brand new Aston Martin's this year, naturally I'm hoping for good things for my
Home Team's #23 Heart of Racing/Team Seattle effort which I've previously
scribbled bout here upon No Fenders.
While the No. 98 Factory effort seems to be
playing Ketsup since one of its Works Drivers, Paul Dalla Lana
had to Scratch due to injury suffered during a Skiing accident, and a last
minute replacement found, with AMR Junior Driver Andrew Watson Deputizing for
the injured Dalla
Lana.
Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo
Engine: 5.2-litre normally aspirated V-10
Teams: #11 GRT Grasser Racing Team, #19 GRT GEAR Racing
Team, #44 GRT Magnus Racing Team, #47 Precision Performance Motorsports and #48
Paul Miller Racing
While Y'all cannot count out past GTD
Champions Paul Miller Racing or the Magnus Racing Boyz', who've now merged with
GRT Grasser Racing to form an Austrian Three-piece Lambo' "super-team!"
I'm most interested in the newly reconstituted #19 Hurricane Squad.
As Thy Leggy Juan', nee Katherine Legge and
Cristina Nielsen have moved Thar le Femmes' Driving Squad here with a brand new
100% Femme Fatales effort under the Girls Empowered Around Racing (GEAR)
Banner!
As Legge & Nielsen who'll contest the
Full-season will be joined at Daytona by aspiring Formula 1 Alfa Romeo Racing
Test Driver and FIA F2 racer Tatiana Calderon
and Rahel Frey.
As I believe that Frey, who I've never paid
Attenzione to before is a last minute replacement for BIA', aka Ana Beatriz,
whilst ironically Rahel replaced Legge in DTM. And the 43yr old Switzerland
Driver who's carved out a career in Sports Car racing is probably tired of
hearing 'bout fellow Swiss "Simona-Simona's" (de Silvestro) exploits,
Ya Sure Yuh Betcha!
As I say I haven't paid Attenzione to Rahel Fray since
ironically, I did include her name in a brief No Fenders story I penned a
decade ago regarding Tres le Femmes contesting le 24 Heurs du Mans, when the
only Femme Fatale Driver I knew then was former Firestone Indy Lights
competitor Cyndie
Allemann...
Lexus RC F GT3
Engine: 5.0-litre normally aspirated V-8
Team: AIM Vasser Sullivan Nos. 12 & 14
Arguably the No. 14 AIM Vasser Sullivan (AVS)
racecar with some good 'Ol Roundy Round Taxicab Driver by the name of Kyle
Busch is the race's Biggest Star? Not to mention the GT Daytona classes Biggest
Name, with All eyes focused upon 'Ol "Rowdy!" Who'll assist the
regular Driving tandem of "Union" Jack Hawksworth and Parker Chase.
With Michael De Quesada filling out the Daytona Quartet 'O Drivers.
But certainly thou Seester' #12 with NBC
Sports Booth Boy (Townsend) T-Bell' and Frankie Montecalvo will have Somme-thun' to prove vs.
that Taxicab Driver. As they'll have their own Star onboard with Thee Giz', nee
Aussi V8 Supercars Star Shane
van Gisbergen running another Rolex 24, along with Aaron Telitz at Daytona.
Porsche 911 GT3R
Engine: 4.0-litre Flat-Six, normally aspirated
Teams: #9 Faf Motorsport, #16 Wright
Motorsports and #54 Black Swan Racing
Have read via Racer, Arse-sumedly from Crack
Motorsports Reporter Marshall Pruett - hat those adorable Hosers from Up North
Eh! The FAF Motorsports Crew have Ditched Thar Plaid Lumberjack look in favour
of a new "softer" livery; Hya!
With Zachery Robichon being the only Holdover from last year's
squad, as he and Scott Hargrove gave the #86 MSR Acura NSX
Boyz' Fits last year, pressing them hard for the title before finishing
runner-up in class if I remember correctly? so watch out for that Number Nine,
No. 9, Number Nein; Ja Volt!
Other GTD entries...
Or should these be denoted as the "One
Hit Wonders?" As Thars the #63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 488 GT3, the #74
Mercedes/AMG Team Riley with Robinson Racing Merc' GT3 Evo, the #88 Audi Sport
Team WRT Speedstar Audi R8 LMS Evo and the #96 Turner Motorsports BMW M6 GT3 All
in thoust Fray, or is it Fringes?
Although one should never count out 'Ol
Bimmer Billy', nee Bill Auberlen, his able Full season co-driver Robby Foley &
Co. in the #96, since after all, Auberlen's Hell Bent upon Besting Scotty
Scooter' Pruett for most Overall IMSA career victories, which they're currently
tied upon at 60 apiece!