And can they even possibly share any of the
Limelight?
Yeah, suppose it’s the same ‘Ol yearly Copout, But!
Y’all try chronicling some 24 LMP2 and 21 LMGTE Am entries, Yikes! For which
your Haggard No Fenders Scribe Tomaso’s not even gonna try! Especially since feeling
pretty Dejected over the Farcical ending of this year’s Indy 500 right now!
Not to mention that All of the focus of this
year’s Centenary 24 Heurs du Mans will be upon the massive 16-car Hypercar
category. Which surely once again, Toyota’s gotta be the favourite, Groan!
Although I did have “Zoey the Princess Warrior!”
My current Zoomtext Fusion 2023 Screen Reader read me the entire 62 Car entry
list, Zoinks! And was somewhat surprised that only two current IndyCar drivers
are participating this year.
With Scott Dixon naturally aboard one of Cheeps’,
aka Chip Ganassi Racing’s Cadillac V-Series.R Hypercar entries. Whilst Simon
Pagenaud is listed aboard the No. 47
Cool Racing LMP2 entry.
This is also a “Bridge” year for the Saloons
category, with Porsche and Ferrari dropping their LMGTE Pro teams in favour of
graduating to the Hypercar Class, meaning that Corvette was stuck scrambling to
prepare an entry for the Grand Touring Amateur category. Since the ACO/FIA
cancelled the GTE Pro category this year, and next year will feature only GT3
machinery.
Meanwhile, I still think that the lone #33 Corvette
C8.R with Ben Keating, Nicky Catsburg and Nicolas Varrone at it’s controls will
be hard pressed to win it’s Class, due to the shear volume of competitors it
faces in the 21 strong LMGTE Am field.
Since Porsche has the most Class entries with
eight Porsche 911 RSR-19’s, with seven Prancing Horses Hot on it’s Heels! With
la Scuderia’s venerable Ferrari 488 GTE Evo giving chase. Along with a strong
contingent of five Aston Martin Vantage AMR’s, including the defending TF Sport
Class winner. entered.
Whilst I’d be happy with the No. 16 Proton
Competition’s Porsche entry with Ryan Hardwick, Jan Van Hagar’ Heylen and Zacharie
Robichon winning this Class!
Although I’ve subsequently discovered,
following a little, deeper digging. That the No. 33 Vette’ has been tearing up
the Competizione in the Weckity Wec’s first three races. Having won the 1000
Miles of Sebring and Six Hours of Portimoa races! Along with finishing
runner-up in the most recent Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps round.
Interestingly, according to Racer’s Stephen
Kilbey. Pratt & Miller have built a brand new 2023 Spec C8.R for Corvette’s
FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) LM GTE AM assault this year. With the
chassis being prepped by Larbre Competition, a longtime Le Mans competitor.
While Corvette has just unveiled the forthcoming Corvette Z06 GT3.R racecar at Daytona International Speedway, and is busy Homologating it for 2024 competition in both IMSA GTD Pro and GTD classes, along with the WEC. In what apparently will be primarily Customer based entries worldwide. Although expect a two car Factory GT entry in IMSA next year, albeit I don’t know if that means two GTD Pro cars or one Z06 GT3 apiece for the two GTD categories?