My Predictions: Grand Am Racing at Barber Motorsports Park

So everybody who can make it to Alabama this weekend is in for a packed weekend of racing: IndyCar runs at Barber Motorsports Park on Sunday, and Grand Am has Rolex and Continental Tire Challenge races on Saturday.

Having a few minutes’ spare time, I decided to take a shot at picking the Grand Am winners.

In the Rolex Porsche 250, for a welcome bit of variety, the SunTrust Dallara Ford is on the pole. The Spirit of Daytona Coyote Porsche is in second place! Buddy Rice has spent so many years trying to make the chassis/engine combo work. Could this be his breakthrough race?

Gainsco and Ganassi are only third and fourth. Could we see a new winner this race? I'd love to see Buddy Rice or Shank Racing take one from the giants.

Sadly, I think the win goes to Telmex-Ganassi. When it comes to raceday, Ganassi always seems to get it right, and I don’t foresee mechanical failures, as short as the race will be. Scott Pruett just turned fifty, and will probably want to give himself a birthday present.

In GT, it is Mazda—Mazda—generic-tuber GM (Camaro.) SpeedSource gets my nod as the most reliable Mazda team, so I'd give them the advantage. (Plus they have four entries, at least three of which are definite contenders (the rookies, Adam Christodoulou and John Edwards, are fast but maybe too new, but they could break through any time.))

The BMWs, which ran fifth and sixth at Homestead, are mired mid-pack. Well, is mired mid-pack; the Level 5 Motorsports entry is not running at Barber. I guess Scott Tucker is happier running in the ALMS LMPC class, where he has shown he can win.

I notice that all the Porsches but one have left the series. I hear that they are protesting the fact that a Class-One (unibody) Porsche can't run with Class-Two (tube-frame) car, and the Porsche teams simply refuse to play when they can't win. A lot of really good teams are not represented at Barber.

Conti GS is an all-Mustang show, with my personal favorite, the APR Audi S4 the only non-pony in the top six.

The S4 has yet to run a complete race, but has always been near the front when it ran. I'd like to see what it can do against the Mustangs. If it lasts, I’d say it has an even chance. If it breaks, I’d lean towards the Roush Mustang, based on experience in preparation.

The Fall-Line and Turner BMWs ought to do well (especially the Andrew Hendricks/Terry Borcheller and Paul Dalla Lana/Bill Auberlen cars) but for some reason they are way back in the grid. Hard as it is to pass at Barber, I don’t see them getting into contention unless someone sets off a Talladega-style “Big One.”

ST is a much more varied grid, with three different makes: #80 BimmerWorld BMW 328i, #27 Freedom Autosport Mazda Speed 3, #171 ST APR Motorsport Volkswagen GT as the top three.

APR has a new chassis. If it lasts, I’d expect it to do well, but I am also impressed with the Compass360 Honda Civics, one of which is in fifth place. I guess I’d give the edge to the Compass 360 team, but really I have no clue. Too close to call.

The Grand Am Rolex Porsche 250 will be broadcast on SPEED at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 10. The IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama will be televised at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, April 11 on VERSUS.

Tickets are available at the Barber Motorsports Park ticket Web page. This is a great racing weekend if you can make it; plenty of top-flight action all weekend long.

The Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Barber 200 will be televised on SPEED TV at 3:00 p.m. EDT on April 17, 2010.