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I have been involved in pro level sports car racing since the early 80's and SCCA prior to that, so over 30 years.
There has always been a tension between the competitors - factories - sanctioning body. With the bifurcation of Grand Am and ALMS the sanctioning bodies went either to the factory camp ALMS or the competitor side Grand Am.
IMSA was always pulled between the two and for many years was able to maintain some sort of equilibrium.
FIA and ACO were another matter - Europe vs N. America.
The market for sports car racing is not large enough for two series in N. America and both have suffered as did open wheel.
Who loses, the fans, the competitors. The factories come and go as they have for the last 30 or 40 years as it suites their marketing departments, or as a function of their lobbying of the sanctioning bodies for rules favorable to them.
As a fan and a competitor I long for the days of IMSA and John Bishop when there was one series for N America focused on the fans and the ability to balance the needs of all concerned to the betterment of the sport.
I feel like both sanctioning bodies are trying to do this but both are not able to pull it off.
Until there is one series that balances the needs of the factories and the independent competitors sports car racing in this country will be the worse off.
Excuse this rant but I care about road racing.
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