TMS/Panoz today | FerrariChat

TMS/Panoz today

Discussion in 'Texas' started by vlamgat, May 14, 2004.

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  1. vlamgat

    vlamgat Formula Junior

    Jan 9, 2004
    776
    With the risk of rain, only 15 cars turned up. Besides my F-car, 5 Vettes including a Lingenfelder (sp), Camaro, 350z, Lotus Esprit, RX8, and some others. Only the Lotus and I represented the great Euroland.

    It did not rain a drop, consequently it was fast! I saw 150 coming off turn 3 before braking for the chicane set uop before turn 1. What a a fabulous facility. They gave us access to the garages where there was power and air and we used the Media Building as our meeting place where they had high speed internet available for those who thought they were going to do some work between sessions. We ran as one group, 4 x 25 minute sessions or about 135 track miles which ate 19 gallons of our increasingly more expensive finest 93 octane. The 3 day Panoz school was going on at the same time so we ran literally non stop from 9 am to 2 pm when we handed it over to them.

    Apparently the staff found the 512 quite amusing as few of them had ever seen a flat 12 Ferrari and the noise to my self imposed 6.5 red line is apparently quite unusual for these guys. Anyway I had real fun and 130 plus on the banking is much harder work than i thought it would be. Lack of ABS is a challenge after my ITE A4 where I can mash the brake pedal pretty much as hard as I can. Relearned threshold braking and was surprised how much work the rear brakes do on this car. On all but the I5 Audis, the rears are just along for the ride!

    Rumor is that Panoz might pull out of Dallas because they are not getting enough support here to justify the effort. that would be a loss because they have a lot to offer smaller groups like ours especially those who really want to strech their cars as opposed to .... well I wont go there! I wonder if it makes sense to have a Ferrari/Maser event at this facility. They can do everything from catered meals in an a/c facility, a theatre for those Euro racing films that even Speed cant find the time to show, or Le Mans which Speed featured tonight.. Anyway just musing.
     
  2. WJHMH

    WJHMH Two Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 5, 2001
    25,364
    Panther City, Texas
    Full Name:
    WJHMH
    Oh crap, that was today?...
     
  3. vlamgat

    vlamgat Formula Junior

    Jan 9, 2004
    776
    Yup. Next one is September.
     
  4. GhostRider

    GhostRider Formula Junior

    Dec 20, 2002
    999
    Tulsa, OK
    Full Name:
    Matt
    The rumor of Panoz pulling out of Dallas, would that be the racing school, the dealership, or both? Would definitely be a shame to lose the dealership, small car companies are few and far between anymore, yet they (Saleen, Noble, Panoz, etc.) are the ones presenting the most interesting cars in my opinion. The old days of small Italian car companies seem to be over, it seems these American motored exotic cars are the only thing left that are really different. I'm really pretty excited that people are turning to off-the-shelf motors for low-production/exotic cars. It was quite prolific in the 60s and 70s (DeTomaso, Iso, Bizzarini, Intermeccanica, etc.), and made such cars more affordable, at the least in the maintenace areas. Look at Lotus going to Toyota, a great marketing move I think.
     
  5. wax

    wax Five Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jul 20, 2003
    51,458
    SFPD
    Full Name:
    Dirty Harry
    Were there Esperantes running around the track? If so, what was the consensus?
    Haven't driven/ridden, but have seen a few at car shows & recently saw & heard a (lovely sounding) Georgia-Manufacturer-Plated one rolling in L.A. at 35 mph (posted speed).
    Obviously I like 'em, but are they all that?
     
  6. GhostRider

    GhostRider Formula Junior

    Dec 20, 2002
    999
    Tulsa, OK
    Full Name:
    Matt
    A better question would be--"Who else is?" Even if they aren't "all that", you have to respect the small auto manufacturer who produces interesting cars. Let's face it, Ferrari and Lamborghini made poorly built cars for a long time (and just about every other Italian car maker), struggled to be profitable, and were sold time and again. But they captured the eyes and hearts of car lovers everywhere. Only now do Ferrari and Lamborghini have really well built cars, and have an established brand. It's extremely hard to startup a biz in the likes of what they have become.
     
  7. vlamgat

    vlamgat Formula Junior

    Jan 9, 2004
    776
    Its the school that will close as it has already at Mosport. Its a franchise and the returns are not worth the work involved.

    Also no Esparantes, just the school cars.
     
  8. wax

    wax Five Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jul 20, 2003
    51,458
    SFPD
    Full Name:
    Dirty Harry
    Can't add or take away to/from Matt Bradley's astute nutshell.

    *snaps* fingers, as in "darn!"
    vlamgat, maybe next time there'll be Esperantes. They're enticing, intriguing & many other -ing words.
    I take it you will return to the facility?
     

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