#1- #2 Father-Son Finish Highlights GTS Class During Panoz GT PRO Series
Race Debut March 16 At Sebring
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#1- #2 Father-Son Finish Highlights GTS Class During Panoz GT PRO Series Race Debut March 16 At Sebring
In GT Class, Winner Rebounds From Major Crash In 2000
SEBRING, FL (Mach 16, 2001) -- The inaugural event of the Panoz GT Racing Series here at Sebring International Raceway late this afternoon saw a father and son from the San Jose, California, area finish one-two in the faster GTS class and a Fort Myers auto dealer, recovering from injuries in a crash last year in a non Panoz-related event, take first among GT drivers.
Brian Angen, 23, of San Jose, dominated the 351-cubic-inch, Ford-powered GTS class from pole to finish. Businessman father, Rocky Angen, 42, from Campbell, CA, beginning third, finished just 18.5 seconds behind his son. Third went to Paul Liccardo, 40, a Braselton GA, business owner who took off from 6th position.
In the 4.6-liter GT class, Gavin Riches, the Panoz Racing School series champion for 2000, recovered sufficiently from a late season crash last year to finish first in class after qualifying 12th overall in the combined GTS/GT field of 20 cars.
GT second went to Sonja Bayer, 25, of Munich Germany, defending champion of the former Woman' GT Series who qualified right behind Riches. (Cars and drivers in the Woman's Series became part of the new Panoz GT Racing Series which debuted here today at Sebring.) Business owner Barry Davison, 39, from Duluth, placed third in the GT class.
The Panoz GT Racing Series is a timed race, this one originally scheduled for 45 minutes. Delays incurred from a previous race cut the event to 30 minutes. Both the GTS and GT winners logged 12 complete 3.7-mile laps, with Angen averaging 89.377 mph in his GTS and Riches 85.986 in the GT.
Unlike yesterday's qualifications, the race was marked only by a few spinoffs.
Belinda Endress of Newbury Park, California, third overall in 2000 in the former women's series, was shaken up on the first lap yesterday when her GT rolled over and was to damaged to compete in. She was allowed to re-enter today when a back-up car became available. Beginning 20th, in last place, Endress was able to finish 12 out of the full field of 20 who started --and finished-- and fourth overall in her GT Class.
(box score follows)
SEBRING, Fla. (March 16, 2001) -- Finish of Friday's 30-minute Panoz GT Pro
Series sports car race at 3.7-mile Sebring International Raceway with
starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown or country, type car,
laps completed and reason out, if any:
1. (1) Brian Angen, San Jose, Calif., Panoz
GTS, 12.
2. (3) Rocky Angen, Campbell, Calif., Panoz GTS, 12.
3. (6) Paul Liccardo, Braselton, Ga., Panoz GTS, 12.
4. (2) Gary Curtis, Chanhasen, Minn., Panoz GTS, 12.
5. (8) Dave Dunlap, Livermore, Calif., Panoz GTS, 12.
6. (7) Dan Guterman, Tulsa, Okla., Panoz GTS, 12.
7. (9) Brad Ward, Marietta, Ga., Panoz GTS, 12 .
8. (12) Gavin Riches, New Zealand, Panoz GT, 12.
9. (13) Sonja Bayer, Germany, Panoz GT, 12.
10. (14) Barry Davison, Duluth, Ga., Panoz GT, 12.
11. (15) Audrey Zavodsky, New Boston, Mich., Panoz GT, 12.
12. (20) Belinda Endress, Newbury Park, Calif., Panoz GT, 12.
13. (11) Robert Granado, Campbell, Calif., Panoz GTS, 12.
14. (18) Bill Todd, Brentwood, Calif., Panoz GTS, 12.
15. (19) Jeff Wade, Buford, Ga., Panoz GT, 12.
16. (10) Phil Eiselin, Petaluma, Calif., Panoz GTS, 11.
17. (16) Milka Duno, Venezuela, Panoz GT, 9, broken wheel.
18. (4) Don Barnes, Irving, Tex., Panoz GTS, 4, mechanical.
19. (17) Steven Lewis, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Panoz GTS, 1, mechanical.
20. (5) Bob Deeks, Avon Lake, Ohio, Panoz GTS, 0, accident.
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