Nissan Delta Wing Races at Le Mans, 16-17 June 2012

[Space Racer]

Check out this race car. It was designed to have half the weight, half the motor, half the fuel consumption, and fewer tire changes than conventional LMP (Le Mans Prototype) race cars.

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2012/03/nissan-deltawing/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LMP1
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2012/06/2012-le-mans/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_DeltaWing

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/deltawi...ure443211.html

This link removed as per posters request

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/deltawi.../pictures.html
http://wot.motortrend.com/nissan-del...ng-180841.html

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...-accident.html

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...-in-video.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_Juke

[Nuclrchiller]

Watched a little of that race. Was watching when that car was taken out by one of the LMP cars. Several were overtaking it going into a left turn. They all passed it to it's left, to gain the inside line. Last car through veered slightly to the right, to flatten it's apex through the curve. Hit the Delta Wing, sending it into the wall. Announcers speculated the driver of the LMP may have thought he had cleared the Delta Wing, due to the smallish front end of it may have been hard to see. Sounded plausable to me. Made me think of being out there in a Moto GP motorcycle! No thanks!

[hvacker]

Maybe the car was too light and didn't have enough down force in the turns? But I guess they know what they are doing. The Audi's are amazing and have been for years. It was exciting to see the Corvettes do so well with the competition that's there.
I'm surprised that as popular as the race is world wide my paper gave it 4 inches on page 3. These are the thoroughbreds of racing.

[Nuclrchiller]

I have to admit the only reason I watched any at all was that a few days earlier I saw on one of the cable channels a documentary type show about a horrific crash that occurred years ago. About 1953 or so, I think. Eighty - something spectators lost their lives in the front grandstands, along with one driver (I think) in a two car collision that resulted in one being launched into the stands. The first part of the hour-long show was about the drivers and the teams they drove for, and the events leading up to the race. That part was quite enjoyable. The part about the wreck was tastefully done. Just seeing some of the history of that race got me interested in it. I was dissappointed that they no longer run to their cars at the start. That is the race where they used to do that, isn't it? Oh well, I still enjoyed what I watched. And I learned they run 4 classes of cars at the same time (5 counting the "Experimental Class", which consisted of only the one Delta Wing). Similar to the 24 Hours of Daytona - don't remember what series that is.

[Space Racer]

If you want to get a low-cost taste of sports car racing, look for a local road course website and check their FAQ's about volunteering and camping. Also check your local SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) and other similar organizations for info about volunteering.

http://www.atlantascca.org/volunteers/specialties.html
http://www.atlantascca.org/volunteers.html
http://www.roadatlanta.com/
http://www.roadatlanta.com/faqs.lasso

Several years ago I got to participate on a flag crew for a weekend as a guest of a volunteer. I camped out at the track. I packed my own food. The whole event cost me almost nothing out of pocket. My only expenses were gas and bottled water. I worked all kinds of races, from kart to formula. I saw several crashes, including one where a car crashed at my feet while I stood on a short wall of tires.

I enjoyed the weekend, but I was beat by the time I got home!
You definitely need to pace yourself.

[Space Racer]

I just got a warning that the carblog link in the first post is malicious. Don't click on it.
(Yes, I reported it.)

[Dad]

I just got a warning that the carblog link in the first post is malicious. Don't click on it.
(Yes, I reported it.)

I opened this link, scanned it for malicious ware and Trojans. I found no issues.

Any one else get a warning?

[hvacker]

[QUOTE=Space Racer;13519031]If you want to get a low-cost taste of sports car racing, look for a local road course website and check their FAQ's about volunteering and camping. Also check your local SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) and other similar organizations for info about volunteering.

Bonneville salt flats is also open for volenteers. Even if you don't volenteer it's still the best deal in racing. A four day pass thet includes the pits was $10 the last time I was there, 09. Free camping at the big turn.

[Space Racer]

The Delta Wing is coming back for a rematch at Petit Lemans:

http://www.alms.com/articles/nissan-...-petit-le-mans

[Space Racer]

How A Tiny Group Of Designers Built The Most Efficient Racecar In History

(6 pages, few photos)

http://www.popsci.com/cars/article/2012-08/light-speed

[Space Racer]

The Petit Lemans race can be seen today at 11:30 AM EDT on ESPN3
http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_...esented-mazda#

and here:
http://www.vipboxsports.eu/motorspor...am-online.html
(I am not familiar with this website.)

You may have to disable a popup blocker to watch ESPN3 online.
How? Try this:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4853078_disa...p-blocker.html

Other info:
http://www.lemans-tv.com/#21071
http://www.roadatlanta.com/news_deta...Token.id=34159
http://www.motorsport.com/alms/news/...petit-le-mans/
http://features.rr.com/article/03ds1Qd9ETbfM?q=Nissan

http://www.alms.com/races/petit-le-mans-6
http://www.alms.com/alms-tv/episode/...ad-atlanta-car
http://www.alms.com/alms-tv/episode/...s-road-america
http://www.alms.com/

YouTube videos:

Delta Wing at Petit Lemans:
http://www.youtube.com/results?searc..._date_uploaded

Other Petit Lemans videos:
http://www.youtube.com/results?searc..._date_uploaded

[Space Racer]

No luck with the vipbox site.

[Space Racer]

ABC is covering Petit Lemans on TV today at 1:00 PM EDT.