Panoz back in LMP1 in 2010???

[harvick#1]

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090319/ALMS/903199991

the front engined beast could be back :D would be wonderful news if true

[SportscarBruce]

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090319/ALMS/903199991

the front engined beast could be back :D would be wonderful news if true


I think you're warm, but if I'm going to go way out on a limb. My guess is Sparky II! It's been over a decade since his bold, abet uncompetitive at the time, attempt at future-tech race car engineering took to the track. Don Panoz is just the kind of guy to give it another go. The man isn't a mere businessman, he's a visionary. So maybe some of the youngins are wondering "what the #### is, or was, a Sparky?"

pic:
http://ll.speedhunters.com/u/f/eagames/NFS/speedhunters.com/Images/JohnBrooks/PLM%2098/1998_PLM_jb_0021.jpg


The Panoz/Lola GT1 hybrid powered race car;

Panoz earlier in 1998 installed a hybrid drive train in a Panoz Q9 GT hard top which only missed qualification by 10 secs in the ‘98 24 Le Mans in France with a lap time of 3.53 min. Details of the Q9 were printed in the Electrifying Times Preview 2000 issue.

This 'Sparky' concept is a parallel hybrid, and involves installing a Zytec permanent magnet brushless DC motor independently coupled to the transaxel with a mid-engine Roush tuned Ford V8. The idea is to use both the gas V8 and electric motor when accelerating out of the corners and parts of the 200 plus mph straights, then use the electric motor as a brake going into the turns, recovering the braking energy via generator to the batteries (called regenerative braking). Hopefully this will reduce break wear and increase fuel efficiency and hence reduce the number of pit stops which is very important in a 24 hr Le Mans race.

This revolutionary racing drive train will be installed in a LMP-1 Spyder convertible whose Panoz gas version is running so well at present. The LMP-1 Spyder recently won at the Petit Le Mans series race at the PIR Raceway in Portland, Oregon. This revolutionary Panoz hybrid Spyder entry in the Road Atlanta Petit Le Mans could prove very advantageous and possibly an automatic entry to the following 24 Heures Du Mans in June 2000. It is also Don Panoz's intention to sell customer versions of the Spyder and he claims to already have one order in the book

read more here:
http://www.electrifyingtimes.com/bird.html



Maybe I'll eat crow on this one, but remember I called it first if its right! And no secret emails lead me there either.

[wmcot]

It's nice to see a racing series where innovation is still king! I hate the dumbing down of F1!

[rob01]

it would be great for le mans and its image but i think they'd struggle up against the big teams

[SportscarBruce]

It's nice to see a racing series where innovation is still king!

I'll second that!