When did Panoz enter racing?
Daniel Panoz and his father Donald created Panoz Motor Sports in 1996. They tapped racing guru Adrian Reynard to help build two front/mid-engined, rear-wheel drive Esperante GTR-1 to compete in races such as the grueling 24-hour Le Mans, Le Mans Prototype, and the USRRC Team Championship. Bucking conventional wisdom, these were the first front-engined racing cars to compete at Le Mans in decades. With no racing experience, Panoz went head-to-head with Porsche, Mercedes, and Ferrari. After 18 hours of racing, Panoz was running ninth overall when an oil failure knocked it out of contention. Though neither of the two Panoz works cars finished, it was one of the most impressive showings by an independent manufacturer in the history of Le Mans. The thunderous Panoz cars left an indelible mark on the racing community and are still favorites for their chest-pounding blast.
