Not So Lucky Laguna
MAZDA RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA, CALIFORNIA
Sunday, 9th September 2001
NOT SO LUCKY LAGUNA
The Panoz Motor Sports winning streak faltered today as both cars were retired by lap 80 of the race. The sense of disappointment felt throughout the team was heightened by the fact that at least one Panoz has finished no lower than 3rd in every race since Sears Point in July.
Jan Magnussen, driving the Panoz LMP-1 Roadster S #50, once again made a spectacular start and went from 4th place on the grid into the lead by the end of Turn Two. He and the Audi of Frank Biela exchanged the lead twice more before the first round of pit stops, and the Panoz continued to be a strong challenge to the Audi.
On lap 58, as Magnussen was coming out of Turn Ten, he was hit twice by Johnny Herbert's Champion Audi and the force of the contact caused him to spin across the sand and enter the pit entrance backwards. The car came to a halt in the tire wall at pit entrance and the damage was too great to continue. David Brabham did not, therefore, race today.
Franck Lagorce had had a solid run in the #51 Panoz, climbing to 4th position before handing the car over on lap 61 to Klaus Graf. Lagorce reported that everything was good on the car and he had had no problems out on the track.
Graf had some minor contact with a car early in his stint and felt that the car had picked up a vibration. A short time later, coming out of Turn 6, the car left the track and went over kerbs which caused damage to the floor and bodywork. The bodywork damage also impacted on an oil line which was leaking and a potential fire hazard. For this reason, the car was retired on lap 80.
For further information contact Fiona Miller at Panoz Motor Sport on 678 300 6452 or email to fiona@panozmotorsports.com. Team info and photographs can be found on www.panozmotorsports.com
Final Results:
1 2 Biela/Pirro Audi Sport North America 120 laps
2 38 Herbert/Wallace Champion Racing 120 laps
3 18 Johansson/LeMarie Johansson Racing 119 laps
4 8 Taylor/Angelelli Team Cadillac 117 laps
5 7 Collard/Tinseau Team Cadillac 116 laps
6 26 Konrad/borcheller Konrad Team Saleen (GTS) 112 laps
7 3 Fellows/O'Connell Corvette Racing (GTS) 111 laps
8 4 Pilgrim/Collins Corvette Racing (GTS) 111 laps
9 42 Lehto/Muller BMW Motorsport (GT) 110 laps
10 43 Ekblom/Muller BMW Motorsport (GT) 110 laps