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| Company type | Corporation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Predecessor | Thompson Motor Company (Assets) |
| Founded | 1989; 36 years ago (1989) (as Panoz Auto Development) |
| Founder | Dan Panoz |
| Headquarters | 1089 Hwy. 124Hoschton, Georgia 30548 U.S.[1] |
Key people | Dan Panoz John Leverett John Leverett Jr |
| Products | Limited-productionluxury cars |
| Website | www |
Panoz is an American manufacturer ofluxurysports automobiles founded in 1989 as Panoz Auto Development byDan Panoz, son ofDon Panoz (1935 – 2018). The company has also been extensively involved in professional racing, and designs, engineers and builds its own race cars (including chassis and components).[2][3] Panoz products have included thePanoz Roadster andAIV Roadster, thePanoz Esperante, and thePanoz Avezzano.
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Since 1997, Panoz cars have competed in racing series around the world. Team Panoz Racing race thePanoz Avezzano in the Pirelli GTS class, and in 2018 won the Manufacturer's Championship. In addition toLe Mans series (Now European Le Mans series) wins, anEsperante GTLM won the GT2 class at the2006 24 Hours of Le Mans and in the same year, won the2006 12 Hours of Sebring and was on the podium at the endurance season finale,2006 Petit Le Mans. For the2007 American Le Mans season, Panoz contracted longtimeBMW Motorsport partner Prototype Technology Group to campaign the GTLM in the ALMS and Le Mans. Panoz has also provided IndyCar with theG-Force GF05 andGF09; and theChamp Car World Series with their final race car, thePanoz DP01 which was the final chassis used under ChampCar until the unification of the American open wheel series in road racing.
Panoz Motor Sports Group was sold toNASCAR in 2012. The assets of the sale included theAmerican Le Mans Series,Road Atlanta,Sebring International Raceway and Panoz Racing Schools.Mosport International Raceway was sold separately to a Canadian consortium led byRon Fellows and Carlo Fidani.
Panoz, LLC., is an automotive manufacturer that builds and designs street cars and race cars. Élan Motorsports is a company that builds and designs race cars too. Both these two companies are still owned by the Panoz family.
The American Le Mans Series (ALMS) was created byDon Panoz in 1999. Panoz also owned theInternational Motor Sports Association, the organization that sanctions theALMS. It held its inaugural event, the1998 Petit Le Mans as part of theProfessional Sportscar Racing series. TheALMS has a partnership with theAutomobile Club de l'Ouest, the organizers of the24 Hours of Le Mans, to allow teams to compete to the same regulations. In 2012, theALMS was sold toNASCAR and then in 2014, the series merged with theRolex Sports Car Series to formUnited SportsCar Racing.[4]
The Panoz group previously ownedRoad Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, United States as well as previously operatedSebring International Raceway inSebring, Florida, United States. They also previously ownedMosport International Raceway inBowmanville, Ontario, Canada but was sold in 2011. The tracks hosted theAmerican Le Mans Series, now theIMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, in addition to other top-level auto and motorcycle racing series.
Élan Motorsports is a company that designs and builds race cars from top-level professional racing cars, through to amateur race cars. The company is owned by the Panoz family. Élan acquired other manufacturers, including famousFormula Ford buildersVan Diemen andIndy Racing League constructorG-Force Technologies. Élan-built cars have raced in theIndy Racing League,Champ Car World Series,American Le Mans Series,Le Mans Series, and other championships.
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The Panoz Racing School was a driver training school previously operated at Road Atlanta and Sebring International Raceway. Students learned racing techniques in purpose-built Panoz GT-RA cars. Following completion of the course, students were eligible for anSCCA regional racing license. The school also included programs where customers could receive instruction in their own road cars.
The Panoz Racing Series was a one-make series made up of the Panoz School cars, as well as the more powerful Panoz GTS models. The series was designed for amateurs to learn racing in a low-cost environment.
