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The Paper | Thursday, August 14, 2014
Panoz leading the way The Paper staff reports
BRASELTON – Don Panoz, the man behind many successful businesses ranging from automotive development and manufacturing and racing to international resorts and pharmaceutical breakthroughs, has been named the grand marshal of the 2014 Palos Verdes Concours d’Elegance to be held Sept. 14, at the Trump National Golf Course in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. This is the 22nd annual Palos Verdes Concours d’Elegance and the 2014 theme is automotive innovation. Featured marques are Tucker and Cord. Past grand marshals include Carroll Shelby, Andy Granatelli, Parnelli Jones, Peter and Merle Mullin, Jack and Helen Nethercutt, Bob Bondurant and Peter Brock. “Don really is the perfect grand marshal,” said Peter Kunoth, Palos Verdes Concours d’Elegance chairman. “His automotive and motorsports accomplishments, such as leading the DeltaWing endurance racing team and working to bring its technol-
ogy to street cars, demonstrate his pioneering spirit and focus on innovation.” Panoz is chairman of DeltaWing Technologies Inc., and is working with international auto manufacturers to bring the groundbreaking DeltaWing® architecture – a highly aerodynamic and lightweight design currently competing in IMSA sports car endurance road races in the form of the DeltaWing race car – to the street. Intended as a solution for manufacturers facing the more stringent CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standard of 54.5 mpg by model year 2025 and tougher emissions standards, the platform offers efficiency benefits whether using small, light and efficient gas or diesel powertrains, alternative fuels like compressed natural gas (CNG), or today’s and tomorrow’s hybrid and all-electric powertrains. The goal is to partner with mass-market auto companies to offer cars with the DeltaWing® architecture to a broad global audience and significantly expand the design’s efficiency and environmental benefits.
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She said the team’s “biggest strength” is tumbling. “We have two amazing boy tumblers who bring a lot of wow factor to the team,” Bell explained. “We also have some really good girl tumblers on the team, too.” She’s also looking forward to sharing her last year of cheering with Butler’s first year of coaching. “As a coach, she (Coach Butler) is very positive and always keeps a positive vibe going throughout practice,” she said. “(Coach Schuster) has helped us tremendously in the past two seasons with choreography and stunting/tumbling skills. I see them becoming a great coaching team in the
THRILLER
Continued from 1B it. To me, I think it was just rubbing. I barely got into (Grissom), just got him a little free and that’s all it took. It’s not like I went there and wrecked him. I’m sure he’s not happy, I wouldn’t be. But, that’s just racing, you have to get out here and give it all your heart and that’s what I did.”
In addition to official Concours duties, Panoz will bring a special guest – the 2015 25th anniversary edition Panoz Esperante Spyder, a new 430-horsepower, 3,128-pound, limited-edition, two-seat sports car from Panoz LLC. This new Panoz Esperante sports car is the lightest and most desirable Esperante ever produced and only 25 examples will be made to commemorate the company’s 25th anniversary. With a focus on one-to-one customer service including “your dream car” customization, no two Esperante Spyders will be alike. The Esperante Spyder and its more powerful cousin, the Esperante Spyder GT, are available for order. Prices are $179,120 and $204,750, respectively. Overseeing key Concours d’Elegance As grand marshal, Panoz will join in many important activities over the busy weekend. This includes the Road Rallye on Saturday, Sept. 13, that starts at Rolling Hills Country Club and celebrates historic locations on the pic-
ter every single time we pitted. “The pit crew did really good tonight. Just everybody worked really hard and got us back up to where we needed to be…It was a good time, for sure, just trying to catch my breath right now. Long race. Every single time the car steps out, you lose a little bit more energy, so you’re getting (more) and (more) tired.” Daniel Hemric and Jeff Choquette rounded out the top-five finishers. Augie Grill led nearly twothirds of the 300-lap affair, but after losing the lead on lap 239, he found himself behind the wall on lap 245 and wound up finishing 10th. The action heated up
quickly as a three-car melee off Turn 4 on lap four brought out the night’s first caution. On lap 39, Allen Karnes brought out the second caution when he blew his engine. The third caution didn’t fly until lap 135. After that, the yellow flag waved five more times including one for Bubba Pollard, who cut a tire while leading with nine laps to go. The stage was then set for the Grissom-Hemric-Roderick showdown. Grissom snagged the lead from Hemric with eight laps to go and Roderick bypassed Hemric the next lap. Roderick then chased Grissom down to make the last-lap pass for the win.
Charles Phelps The Paper
dive at me and was able to make contact and got me. “So that was kind of all it took, but we just came up a little bit short.” Thirteen-year-old Harrison Burton – son of former NASCAR Sprint Cup race winner Jeff Burton – overcame a rough start early on to finish third. “We just started off way to tight. We still don’t know why,” he said. “We just kept on swinging at it and got bet-
Doug Chellew The Paper
which include dizziness, confusion, blurred vision and nausea. “We want to be clear that it doesn’t diagnose a concussion, but it does tell you when a player has sustained a hit hard enough where their chances of experiencing a concussion go up dramatically,” Edison said. The Impact Counter Plus by Brain Sentry is also used by select schools in the NCAA and
design.” Panoz has a long and storied entrepreneurial history. He founded Panoz Motor Sports Group in 1997 and commissioned the Panoz Esperante GTR-1, the first successful front-engine prototype race car in more than 30 years. He also founded the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) endurance racing championship and the Petit Le Mans endurance sports car race, one of the largest car races on earth. Panoz also is a pioneer in racing technology, debuting the world’s first successful modern hybrid race car that won its class at the 1998 Petit Le
The Jackson County Panther co-ed cheerleading practices their choreographed routine on Aug. 7. The routines feature cart wheels, cheers, lifts and more during a twoand-half-minute window.
Kyle Grissom (No. 31) and Casey Roderick (No. 7) take the white flag during Saturday night’s World Crown 300 at Gresham Motorsports Park. Roderick passed Grissom on the last lap for the win.
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turesque Palos Verdes Peninsula and ends at the Palos Verdes Golf Club where the evening’s Concours kickoff celebration will be held. On Sunday, he will preside over the Palos Verdes Concours d’Elegance fulfilling many official duties including the presentation of the coveted Best of Show trophy. “I’m very honored and humbled to have been named this year’s grand marshal,” Panoz said. “As a car lover and someone who’s witnessed a lot of history over the years, I’m really looking forward to this Concours and the many examples of spectacular automotive art and
Mans race. Panoz race cars have won the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, 24 Hours of Le Mans,and four Indy 500 races. Panoz also founded Élan Technologies, engineering, design and manufacturing company servicing the automotive, motorsports, aviation, aerospace and defense industries. Previously, Panoz had a successful career in the pharmaceutical business. In 1961, he and fellow West Virginal University alum Milan “Mike” Puskar founded Milan Pharmaceuticals and in the 1970s, he created Élan Corp., which became a leader in drug delivery products and technology. Panoz has registered more than 300 pharmaceutical and other patents, including the transdermal patch, better known as the nicotine patch. Panoz LLC is located in Braselton with a mailing address of 1089 Highway 124, Hoschton, GA 30548.
near future.” When the moment arrives for performance time, Bell and her teammates lean on faith to help guide them through the performance. “Before we compete, I always lead my team in a big group prayer,” she explained. “Then, I say a silent one for myself. It really helps calm my nerves down so it’s easier to concentrate on the routine, because with God, all things are possible.” The co-ed team begins its season Sept. 13 at Morgan County.
Second-place finisher Grissom – son of former Busch Grand National Series champion (now the Nationwide Series) Steve Grissom – said he didn’t get off of Turn 2 “quite as good” as he needed to on the last lap. The slip gave Roderick enough room and time to reach Grissom. “He got a good run off (Turn 2),” Grissom explained. “He was just close enough to make that last-lap
HELMET SENSOR
Don Panoz sits behind the wheel of the Esperante Spyder GT as the burst of applause came from guests at Panoz LLC’s April unveiling of its newest and 25th anniversary edition luxury sports car.
the Arena Football League. Edison said the Impact Counter Plus is also beneficial because it records the number of hits to the head a player has taken. If one player registers an abnormally high number, it could be a sign to instruct that player again how to tackle safely. Green hopes that the response to the new product to promote player safety is positive enough that it becomes more wide spread in 2015. “This is going to show us who’s sustained a heavy blow and needs to be evaluated for a concussion,” Green said.
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Pro Truck World Crown 300 30-Lap Main Event Results 1. Curt Britt 2. Matt Vassar 3. Kevin Vassar 4. Jami Weimer 5. Cecil Flowe 6. Hollywood Hodirsky 7. Ronnie Wehunt 8. Matt Wortman Outlaw Late Model World Crown 300 30-Lap Main Event Results 1. Lee Langford 2. Russell Shore 3. David Murphy 4. Shawn Simpson 5. Brian Hardman 6. Stewart Smith 7. Hoyt Stephens 8. Alex Leverett