Panoz Set to Rumble at Sears Point

Braselton, Ga., 14th July 2001.   Some four months since it last raced in the US, the Panoz Motor Sports team has now returned from its sojourn in Europe and is looking forward to round three of the American Le Mans Series with great enthusiasm.

The desire to return to the twisty, roller-coaster challenge that is Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma is heightened by the fact that the team will be running the proven 2000 LMP-1 Roadster S cars instead of the new LMP-07s which were introduced at the beginning of the season.  The roar and rumble of the 6-liter V8 engines, firm favorites with the fans at race tracks throughout North America, will be powering the two scarlet-liveried Panoz cars for much of the remainder of the season.

The team has been testing the cars at its home track of Road Atlanta in preparation for next weekend's 2.45 hour race at the Californian track.  While both David Brabham and Jan Magnussen have Sears Point experience under their belt, it will be Franck Lagorce's first outing in the LMP-1 and a new track for both he and partner Klaus Graf to learn.

David Brabham of Australia echoed the thoughts of all the drivers when he said, "I am really looking forward to getting back in a car again.  Sears is a good track, always challenging, and you have to get the car on the edge the whole time there to get a good lap. It's a real race track!

"We are all looking forward to getting into a race car which should be quicker and more reliable than we have had so far this season.  This will lift the whole team and for us drivers it's a bit like the start of another season and we are determined to make the most of it."

Frenchman Lagorce, who will be driving for the Panoz team for the remainder of the season, thoroughly enjoyed his first taste of the LMP-1.  "It was like driving a great, big go-kart," he enthused.  "The engine was fantastic, and there was so much torque.  I found it easy to drive and Klaus and I are developing a really good working relationship so I feel very at ease with the car and the team."

Klaus Graf, who has temporarily moved from his home in Germany to the US for the rest of the season, was of similar mind to Lagorce.  "Franck and I have got to know each other quite well in the last few months, and I think we have a very strong team now.  I'm sure this will be good competition too for David and Jan and we will all be pushing each other hard."

Dane Jan Magnussen, who has just returned from a scuba diving trip on a huge wreck in the Mediterranean isle of Cyprus, was keen to return to the action.  "We've all got over the disappointment of Le Mans now and are looking forwards not backwards.  It won 't be easy to beat a very strong opposition in the ALMS races, Audi and Cadillac, but we all feel confident that the LMP-1 will give us the best opportunity available at the moment to go for it."

The race begins at 12 noon (PDT) on Sunday, 22nd July and will be screened live on NBC Sports television in the US (delayed broadcast on Eurosport in Europe) or can be heard live via the American Le Mans Series Radio Web -  http://www.americanlemans.com

Ends

For further information contact Fiona Miller at Panoz Motor Sports on +44 7770 371 331 or email to fiona@panozmotorsports.com