Panoz wins 1st NZ Endurance Championship 1 Hour Race

Motorsport NZ are again running a New Zealand Endurance championship this year with both 3 hour and 1 hour titles up.

I entered the car in the 1 hour championship as my co-driver was overseas for the first race last weekend at Manfield race circuit.

The car qualified 4th outright and 1st for the 1 hour cars. Qualifying was tight with 2 - 4th qualifiers all running within the same second. Qualling 4th was not a bad effort given I had not raced at this track for over 10 years and had not driven the Panoz there at all. A 997GT3 with a pro driver qualled on pole for the 3 hour race.

The Panoz performed well throughout the race and ended up taking the victory by 2 laps. This included an infield spin.

I ran the car for the first time on slicks, 280/680/18 Hankooks. A tall tyre for our car that I may not otherwise have run. But hey when you pay $15 per tyre for slicks in good condition who is going to nitpick!!

The final round of the championship is held 8 - 9 March so will update post this.

Kel.

Nice work Kel!

I run 650 front and 705's on the rear. I like the tall rear tire....a little more compliance on the rumble strips etc.

Did the slicks feel faster? Since it was a new to you track you don't have any history but seat of the pants is all the data I have every used? My tush is highly accurate at this point. Its funny that I have never ponied up for some data acquisition but there seems to always be something else more important.

Keep up the good work.

Nice work Kel!

I run 650 front and 705's on the rear. I like the tall rear tire....a little more compliance on the rumble strips etc.

Did the slicks feel faster? Since it was a new to you track you don't have any history but seat of the pants is all the data I have every used? My tush is highly accurate at this point. Its funny that I have never ponied up for some data acquisition but there seems to always be something else more important.

Keep up the good work.

Cheers Brian. Hard to say re the slicks as I hadn't run the car at that track before and I didnt have any data to compare. I think it is carrying more mid corner speed but I did have problems on turn in with understeer. I put this down to not knowing the track well enough and carrying to much speed into corners. A rear bar would possibly have helped to balance out my ineptitude!!

The next round is at a track that I have DOT data for so I will be able to directly compare. Again this is a track that is new to me as the last time I ran there was my first. Given this I expect to pick up time through experience and the slicks.

The car was certainly faster due additional power though Brian. I had to 2 gear the track (3rd & 4th) as the gearing on the tall slicks was to high. This alone possibly cost up to a second a lap as coming off slower corners the engine was right down around 2500rpm. Using second though was marginal as it is such a short gear with 600hp. Car was grouse though on the straights with way more pull from 5000rpm up. Ran through to 6600rpm in 4th down into the braking chutes. Car was radar gunned at 8 - 10kph quicker down the front straight than the 997GT3 but had nothing on it through the twisties and out of corners where its 6 speed sequential made a huge difference.

Was funny to watch the Panoz apparently, as coming off infield corners in 3rd it was laying down black stripes on the track under acceleration off the apex of corners. Was certainly a lot of fun in the car. The spin was due to trying to multi task, I got distracted popping my drink tube out and missed my braking marker. Turned in but just to hot, so a nice rotate to the outfield. Didnt lose much time though as managed to keep the car running and pointing in the right direction.

By the way, the larger oil cooler dropped the oil temps from 130 degs C to between 100 - 110 degs C.

Would have posted video but seems camera either wasnt turned on properly or existing files on it stopped it from recording. Next time........

Kel.

Kel, congratulations on the win. I certainly enjoy keeping up with your progress.

Congrats Kel... would love to see some video one of these days.

Kel, congratulations on the win. I certainly enjoy keeping up with your progress.

Thanks. Likewise looking forward to seeing your car hit the track again in its new guise!

Kel.

Congrats Kel... would love to see some video one of these days.

Will try and rectify the video this next race Brian. Now that I have a camera in the car it always seems to be the last thing that gets attended to on the start grid. Own goal for the last race due to not erasing previous files........

Yeah they can be annoying... you get all strapped in and forgot to turn it on. Or you think you have it on and find out afterward some setting was off.

You guys need one of these. It works with most camera systems. I have one and it gives you all the feedback you need. Works great with camcorders and chasecam and anything with a LANC connection.

http://www.sports-camera.com/lanc_sport.htm

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cam-Eye-SPORT-LANC-Remote-SONY-CANON-V1-4-6-8-SKYTOOLS-/350220523695

Kel;

Nice win! You've made great headway with the car, and your results show it. SLicks are a blast, even though DOT's can be plenty fast. Any other changes planned before your next race?
God luck with your next race.
Jerry

Kel;

Nice win! You've made great headway with the car, and your results show it. SLicks are a blast, even though DOT's can be plenty fast. Any other changes planned before your next race?
God luck with your next race.
Jerry

Thanks Jerry. No major upgrades for the final race. Have spent hours going over the car. Will have "fresh" set of used V8 Supertourer slicks ($20 per slick...) and we will re-set the car up for the new track.

I expect to be sharper times wise at the next track as we recently did a 4 hour race there with the car so have data and some seat time.

Trick for the next race is for us to to pay attention to who we need to race and keep it fast but clean.

Kel.