Panoz, LLC

Panoz, LLC
Corporation
Industry Automotive
Founded 1989
Headquarters Braselton, Georgia, U.S.
Key people
 Don Panoz, Dan Panoz
Products Limited-production luxury cars
Website www.panoz.com

Panoz, LLC is an American manufacturer of sports automobiles founded in 1989 as Panoz Auto Development by Dan Panoz and currently owned by Don Panoz. Panoz products have included the Panoz Roadster and AIV Roadster, the Panoz Esperante, and the Panoz Avezzano.

Panoz and racing

Panoz Esperante.

Since 1997, Panoz cars have competed in racing series around the world. Panoz has shifted its American Le Mans and European racing programs toward production-based classes that allow Esperante variants to be raced in modified form. In addition to Le Mans series wins, an Esperante GTLM won the GT2 class at the 2006 24 Hours of Le Mans. For the 2007 American LeMans season, Panoz has contracted longtime BMW Motorsport partner Prototype Technology Group to campaign the GTLM in the ALMS and Le Mans. Panoz has also provided IndyCar with the G-Force GF05 and GF09; and the Champ Car World Series with their final race car, the Panoz DP01.

Road cars

Race cars

Panoz Motor Sports Group

The Panoz Motor Sports Group was sold to NASCAR in 2012. It was made up of the motorsports-related holdings of Don Panoz. Headquartered in Braselton, Georgia, the group includes several racing series, a racetrack and a leasing agreement at another racetrack. The group also owns a racing school operating at multiple locations.

American Le Mans Series

The American Le Mans Series (ALMS) was created by Don Panoz in 1999. It held its inaugural event, the 1998 Petit Le Mans as part of the Professional Sportscar Racing series. The ALMS has a partnership with the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, the organizers of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, to allow teams to compete to the same regulations. The series now holds 12 rounds across North America.

In 2014, the series merged with the Rolex Sports Car Series to form United SportsCar Racing.[1]

Panoz also owns the International Motor Sports Association, the organization that sanctions the ALMS.

Circuits

The Panoz group previously owned Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, as well as previously operated Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida. They also previously owned Mosport International Raceway in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada but was sold in 2011. The tracks host the American Le Mans Series, in addition to other top-level auto and motorcycle racing series.

Élan Motorsport Technologies

Élan Motorsport Technologies is an umbrella company containing the racing car manufacturing companies owned by Panoz. Panoz began by making their own car, the Esperante GTR-1, and have since acquired other manufacturers, including famous Formula Ford builders Van Diemen and Indy Racing League constructor G-Force Technologies. Élan-built cars now race in the Indy Racing League, Champ Car World Series, American Le Mans Series, Le Mans Series, and other championships.

Panoz Racing School & Series

The Panoz Racing School was a driver training school previously operated at Road Atlanta and Sebring International Raceway. Students learned racing techniques in purpose-built Panoz GT-RA cars. Following completion of the course, students were eligible for a SCCA regional racing license. The school also included programs where customers could receive instruction in their own road cars.

The Panoz Racing Series was a one-make series made up of the Panoz school cars, as well as the more powerful Panoz GTS model. The series was designed for amateurs to learn racing in a low-cost environment.

Leisure holdings

Don Panoz, owner of Panoz LLC, Panoz founded and previously operated Château Élan Resort & Winery in Braselton, Georgia, the Diablo Grande Winery & Resort in Patterson, California, and the St. Andrews Bay hotel in St Andrews, Scotland.

References

  1. ↑ "Grand-Am, ALMS to become 'United SportsCar Racing' series in 2014". Autoweek. Archived from the original on 2013-05-24. Retrieved 2013-07-21.
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