The Popularity of Sports Cars, In America anyway

[KC]

Two years ago when Don Panoz announced his alliance with the ACO and took over the WSC/PSCR arm of sports car racing in America, many believed he would fail because he did not come from a racing background. They did not reckon with the forceful personality of Panoz and his expertise in presenting the racing to the public and press for the spectacle that it is. How popular is sportscar racing becoming in America? Last year motor homes arrived to pick over the choice camping/viewing areas about 20 days early, this year they have arrived over one month early. Press credentials have jumped from 130 last year to 450 this year. The pits have been completely replaced with new modern areas. New specatator viewing areas have been added as well as more toilets and food vendors around the 3.7 mile circuit. For the Fans indeed.

[marcus]

thats great to hear KC ...Don Panoz has done alot for the sport in the states and I believe that he will move into the international scene in the future..this is the kind of man we need at the helm of all racing to give the fans what they want and bring the racers back to say "look this series is boomin and I want in"

[enemy-ace]

To echo KC's testament of what an excellent job Panoz is doing, we just have to look at what he has done and is planning to do for Mosport in Canada. I for one applaud Mr.Panoz's efforts, and will this year take my father to the ALMS race (Father's Day Gift) instead of the CART race. The idea of choosing to see a race on a beautiful road-course like Mosport as opposed to the sponsor driven street-circuit in downtown Toronto is a no-brainer. I am sure that some Fans will in no time discover what I and some other lucky Fans have already discovered; the ALMS is for you; the FANS!

[Joe Fan]

Yes, there is renewed interest in sportscar racing in the U.S. again. Even our local sportswriter wrote an article stating such in Fridays sports page. Don Panoz has done a great job with ALMS so far, my hats off to him. I think CART better look over its shoulder and keep one eye on this series in the future. With the deaths that occurred in CART last year which I believe tarnishes its image in the public's eyes, I see the future of road racing and open wheel racing moving towards closed cockpits and safer car designs. This undoutably plays into the hands of Panoz's series which is made up of many closed cockpit sportscars already and since he allows closed cockpits even for the prototypes.