Panoz wins GT-2 Class in Atlanta Region

[Dawgfan]

I recieved my invitation today for the awards banquet in Atlanta for the SCCA Atlanta Region. I just wish we could get more Panoz to the tracks.

[NZGTRA17]

Originally Posted by Dawgfan

I recieved my invitation today for the awards banquet in Atlanta for the SCCA Atlanta Region. I just wish we could get more Panoz to the tracks.

Nice one, good to see a Panoz doing well in the class. What was the main opposition?

Kel.

[eric1h]

Nice! Way to represent!

[boothkc]

Nice,
we have 4 Panoz GTSs that are regulars in our local San Francisco SCCA. This year 1st, 2nd ,3rd went to GTSs!! We don't have too many 996 Cup cars....although I'm getting the bug. They are about 2-3sec faster/lap. Usually they only make a few races so attendance counts alot. Also had a couple of 997 Cup cars that signed up in GT2 (they are GT1) and were kicking butt until we took a look at the cars and they were DQ'd.

Kevin
GTS

[Dawgfan]

Yes, the Cup cars are quick. I would love to have one but the S in Porsche look a lot a DOLLAR sign. With that being said, I know they would be nice to drive.

[NZGTRA17]

Originally Posted by boothkc

Nice,
we have 4 Panoz GTSs that are regulars in our local San Francisco SCCA. This year 1st, 2nd ,3rd went to GTSs!! We don't have too many 996 Cup cars....although I'm getting the bug. They are about 2-3sec faster/lap. Usually they only make a few races so attendance counts alot. Also had a couple of 997 Cup cars that signed up in GT2 (they are GT1) and were kicking butt until we took a look at the cars and they were DQ'd.

Kevin
GTS

We should start a thread on Panoz running costs Kevin as I note some comment about them being expensive to run. If a Panoz is expensive to run what would a GT3 Cup Car cost to run.......?? I understand that they run engines for around 40 hours and these will not be cheap to overhaul. I also understand that transmissions are so expensive to overhaul that Quaiffe have come out with a replacement dog engagement trans to replace the Porsche trans.

What areas of running a Panoz are the rest of you finding expensive?

Kel.

[Dawgfan]

Tires are very expensive. I feel I have been very lucky with my engine. Like I have said before, the transmission is the weak link. I am going to nurse my transmission next weekend for the NASA event at Road Atlanta. It is jumping out of 4th gear on some but not all of the laps aroubnd the track. I could have got a guy to patch the transmission but it would have cost around $500.00 +/-. I plan of changing to the 6 speed over the winter. PAD in my opinion is not cheap at all. I need the plastic part the connects to the front clip and the air duct to my left rotor and PAD wanted $80.00 for it. I know a great guy that has some used parts and he sold me a used one for $5.00. Great deal. Also the brakes and rotors are expensive.

[boothkc]

Costs are all relative and the Panoz is pretty cheap. We use 2-3 sets of brakes and rotors/season (pads $600 rotors about $1k I think), Hoosier slick tires are about $2k/set and we use them 1.5 weekends, we replace all joints and suspension parts on a 2 yr rotation (cost = alot), engine is refreshed every 100h or 2-3 seasons (about $10k), transmission and clutch with the engine ($2k), transport and track support ($3600/event for 2 cars 6-10 events/season). Race prep and minor repairs around $6-10k/season. My biggest expense so far was repairing the car after a major (>100mph head on crash Infineon turn 11) crash that destroyed the front of the car. We replaced everything firewall forward (engine and trans ok) and totally rebuilt the car front to back and painted it red....cost = $40k. Car was essentially new and perfectly set up. The next time out I turned my PBL with 2 seconds improvement. So racing is expensive, but depends alot on where you want to be. We finished first with a couple of seconds (@#! Porsches) in every GT2 race we entered this year. One DNF for a tire puncture.

Note I don't do any work on my car myself as my business schedule prevents this. So this is an "arive and drive" type program. I don't track the expenses, but I suspect $20-40k/yr or about 1/3 -1/2 the cost of campaigning a Cup car.

I looked a little at a Cup car and ran some crude numbers. I think I figured it would be around a $1000/hr to drive just to cover the engine and transmission rebuilds. Likely another $3000/weekend for tires and brakes. This is not a group that runs old tires etc. To be serious also would require a spares package that included a back up engine and trans axel ($40k+)

I looked at running one in the GT3 challenge and about $10-15/event for support or about a $100k/yr....would be fun but my wife would/should kill me.

Kevin

[Dawgfan]

I get 3 weekends out of a set of tire. Tire are $1,600.00 per set at the track. I do all the work myself except the set up. I take that to a great guy and he scales the car. I do not do the engine work but I have a great guy to do that when I need something done. I must be running on a Wal Mart budget.

[Fast Viper Dan]

15k a year was my budget. I did all of the repairs as well as set up. I guess that was the hardest part, learning how to do set ups. I disassembled the engine had the machine work done then reassembled myself. I am vary picky about assembly. I guess that's because I build Rocket ships for a living (sort of) lol.

Kevin, I think you should move to a Pcar. you know you want to!

I'll write you a note to give your wife that says it's much needed therapy to help you help others.

I hope to be back as soon as I recover from moving my shop into a building I just bought.

[panozracing]

Tires, rotors, brake pads, etc are always expensive in a race car. Unless its SLOW.

What you have to look at is what else can u run for less at these speeds? NOTHING!

The Porsche cup cars, vipers, corvettes, etc. will make our panoz seem inexpensive. I had a prosche race car and it was MUCH more money and working on it myself was not an option.

Drive slower and the parts will last longer......

I have similar numbers to Kevin.

I go thru 1 set of front tires and 2 sets of rear tires if there is steep competition otherwise less. This also depends on the track, setup, me, etc.

I get about 2-3 events per pads and 3-5 events per rotors also depending on tracks and other issues. I really don't track some of this since I always carry spares and just buy them as I use them. I replace all the suspension components on a 1-2 yr. rotation.

I do almost all the work myself. I have a race shop do the set-downs and other work when I need them.

[PanozDuke]

Kevin,
You are already on borrowed time, back away from the P car. Besides the Panoz is not part of a big crowd at every event. Don't you just love beating the high dollar cars. You know it just really ticks them off. Half the money to run and a fourth the cost of the car. More reliable and easier to work on. Sounds like a winner to me. A couple of upgrades and they'll be consistently getting schooled.

Mike