Panoz Buys Reynard

[macdaddy]

http://www.autosport.com/newsitem.asp?id=22212&s=7

The Reynard Champ Car project has been taken over by American racing car constructor Panoz G Force, according to this week's AUTOSPORT magazine.

Panoz G Force, which currently builds cars for the IRL IndyCar Series, has agreed to terms to buy the rights to the 02I design from Walker Racing, which acquired the project last March when Reynard went bust.

Bosses at Elan Motorsport Technologies, which owns Panoz G Force, finally secured a deal with team boss Derrick Walker after three months of talks.

A windtunnel development programme will begin next month, with the first developments available to customers in time for the European races in May.

All new parts for the Reynard will be made at EMT's headquarters in Georgia, but the car will continue to be called a Reynard for the remaining two seasons of the ban on new chassis designs.

[macdaddy]

Curiosity: What is Adrian Reynard doing these days?

[danhx]

I've heard nothing about him since the collapse of his business. I think he may have been somewhat associated with Walker Racing in helping them with developements, but I'm very unsure of that. As for right now i have absolutely no clue.

[cos]

The latest version of that Autosport story says that it is Van Deimen (owned by Panoz) who have bought the Reynard design.

[evo]

That's what CART.com says too

[mp356a]

The IRL lads will not be pleased.

[DNQ]

This is good news, glad to see that we're not going to slip into a single chassis series.

[Tailwind]

OK. I understand now. I had read that Panoz and Van Deimen had bought Reynard in seperate articles. I didn't realize that one was owned by the other. I learn a lot of good information from you folks.

[sgw2]

Originally posted by mp356a
The IRL lads will not be pleased.

Makes no difference actually. Panoz G Force is doing well. Many late sales due to perceived performance advantage over Dallara.

This is a small deal, a trade really with Walker. It is part of a continued expansion of the Panoz racecar building empire. He picked up the spare parts contract in exchange for the design rights. His Van Diemen unit will build them. This unit just landed the Formula SCCA contract. Reynard NA will also increase the number of teams he supports with parts in ALMS and Grand-Am. He also provides engines through his Elan unit.

Since it is Van Deimen and not G Force building the parts I doubt it has any impact upion his growing IRL business.

[mp356a]

Well the first time this rumor (when it was a rumor) surfaced, it jeopardized his IRL deal. TG did not want a company that might help his mortal enemy in "his" series.
Now that G-Force is in, the rumor becomes reality. Timing is everything. I hope G-Force has an iron-clad contract with the IRL or they'll be screwed.
Of course, I could be wrong....
Mike

[ss_collins]

Curiosity: What is Adrian Reynard doing these days?

the last I heard of him was giving a guest lecture at oxford brookes about why his firm went bankrupt. Apparently the students gave him a hard time about it, I missed it as I was off racing.

[Crash Test]

Errrmmm, what wind tunnel developments can they do under the chassis freeze?

[climb]

Originally posted by sgw2
Makes no difference actually. Panoz G Force is doing well. Many late sales due to perceived performance advantage over Dallara.
.........

Since it is Van Deimen and not G Force building the parts I doubt it has any impact upion his growing IRL business.

1) About G Force: I' don't think they're having increased sales: everybody knows that famous AJ Foyt team has switched to Dallara.
I also heard rumors that another Gforce team has purchased one or two Dallara chassis to keep them as an alternative during the season.
Any comments about that in England?

Van Diemen and GForce belong to the same group, such a distinction being a pure formality.
I don't think TG will ignore it

[MolsonBoy]

Official press release from Walker Racing:

Walker Racing and Van Diemen Team Up to Develop Reynard Chassis

INDIANAPOLIS (March 14, 2003) - Walker Racing LLC, the company that Derrick Walker established last year to continue the supply and support for the Reynard Champ Car, announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Van Diemen Racing International Racing Service Ltd, of Snetterton, England, for the
development of the Reynard chassis for the 2003 and 2004 seasons.

"We are pleased to have additional support from Van Diemen to focus exclusively on areas of development under
the current rules and of course on the much-needed future development of the 2004 update packages,” said
Derrick Walker, president of Walker Racing.

“We are delighted that our group will be able to offer development and manufacturing support to the teams
competing with the Reynard chassis in the Champ Car World Series and we are particularly pleased to be entering into partnership with Derrick Walker on this project,” said Ralph Firman, Chairman of Van Diemen.

Walker Racing also announced the renewal of its agreement with Oxford Racing Developments (ORD) to continue to supply technical support and manufacture current car parts.

"Since the unfortunate closing of Reynard and Reynard North America last year, we have been able to subcontract the production of Reynard parts needs through Simon Dowson and the employees at Oxford Racing Developments in the UK," Walker said. “We are pleased to say this relationship will continue and the teams
running Reynards will benefit from the combined efforts of Van Diemen and ORD.”
“ORD is very pleased to remain involved in the Champ Car program with Walker Racing LLC,” said Simon Dowson, ORD’s managing director. “With the resources of all the teams running the Reynard coming together and the combination of LLC, ORD and Van Diemen, the package looks in a strong position going forward.”

As Van Diemen begins this venture, it marks the company’s initial involvement in the Champ Car World Series. “We enthusiastically welcome Van Diemen to Champ Car,” said Champ Car Vice President of Racing Operations John Lopes. “Van Diemen delivers a deep pool of talented engineers and experience as a chassis constructor to the Champ Car paddock and we are pleased that the Reynard chassis and our teams will benefit from these resources, particularly for aerodynamic development.”

Walker Racing LLC will supply six drivers with the Reynard chassis for the 2003 Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford including Walker Racing rookies Rodolfo Lavin and Darren Manning, Conquest Racing’s Mario Haberfeld, Fittipaldi-Dingman Racing’s Tiago Monteiro, and America Spirit Team
Johansson’s Jimmy Vasser and Ryan Hunter-Reay.
------------------------------------

[Snrub]

How far off the pace do you guys think Reynard was in St. Petes? It seemed they were pretty competitive. Was there an appreciable difference between the cars behind NH & Forsyth?

[macdaddy]

PT couldn't get by Monteiro, and Haberfeld ran really strong. I'd say the Reynard looked pretty good.

[BootsOntheSide]

I'm not convinced tha the Lola is the better package, looking at the performances in St. Pete's. Remember that the Reynard runners are almost exclusively rookies. Who'd've placed Haberfeld and Manning in the Top 10 on the grid, ahead of so many experienced runners, all bar Vasser and in Lolas?

Indicatively, Montiero managed to hold Tracy off for four laps, and Tracy insisted on driving a Lola this season as a condition of joining Players.

[429CJ]

Ah, he is starting a real Panoz Emporio...

[macdaddy]

Walker: "Van Diemen (owned by Panoz) has come on board as the entity that will develop the car and we will share the cost of development between us. And they will share in any profits."

"Van Diemen will be using our wind tunnel model, our wind tunnel days, our wind tunnel and facility. They will make pieces in the U.K. and send them to use and we will sell them to our customers."

"The rules forbid us from changing tunnels or sidepods until next year so we're caught in a time warp. The Lola makes more downforce and it was still able to evolve last year while we fought for our life."

"We're beginning to understand the car better but we still need to catch up and that's not likely since CART has mandated no update kits until 2004. Just to build a new front wing right now is an expensive excercise because it's only amortized over six drivers and Lola has 13."

"What I'd like to see is an evaluation halfway through this season. See where the Reynard is compared to the Lola and, if necessary, give the Reynard a one-time change. Not the sidepods but one underbody. Give us a chance to make a tunnel that works a little better off the ground."

He chuckles after stating CART is a democratic organization. "Leave the Lola alone and give Reynard a one-time upgrade. You can imagine what that vote would be can't you?"

[Snrub]

I tend to agree that they did pretty well. Monteiro did hold Tracy up, but even with a full load of fuel, PT was ~1.5secs a lap faster when he got by. Haberfeld was clearly the Reynard poster boy.

If the owners truely wanted what was best for CART they'd vote in favour of letting Reynard catch up. Surely they want to win by merrit not by having an unfair advantage.

[brightline]

Originally posted by macdaddy
PT couldn't get by Monteiro, and Haberfeld ran really strong. I'd say the Reynard looked pretty good.

Not only that but Jimmy Vasser went from 19th to 6th. Not bad in the Reynard and could have been higher if he wouldn't of used up his tires.

[racer69]

Great news, as mentioned above it will put abit of variety in, and keep the teams that stuck with the Reynard competitive.

Won't affect the IRL deal, they are locked in there for 3 years, so positives for both sides.

[gttouring]

good to here someone is foreseeing a merger, Panoz is hedging their bets, nice to be billionaire you can buy up race car manufacturers put your name on it make a couple of goofy cars and viola you are a motorsports force to deal with. Panoz is everywhere now.

[Inside_Info]

Originally posted by mp356a
Well the first time this rumor (when it was a rumor) surfaced, it jeopardized his IRL deal. TG did not want a company that might help his mortal enemy in "his" series.
Now that G-Force is in, the rumor becomes reality. Timing is everything. I hope G-Force has an iron-clad contract with the IRL or they'll be screwed.
Of course, I could be wrong....
Mike

I thought TG decided not to let in any manufacturers to the IRL who were involved in the Champcar series... hence Lola didn't get the contract... So I guess we'll soon see the "Indy Racing League by Dallara" at oval events in the US!

Couldn't happen to a nicer bloke than Mr P. A millionaire who forced a small company into administration so that he didn't have to pay off all his debts, made most of the staff redundant or forced others to leave by making the workplace such a s%&$hole that it wasn't worth staying there despite the promises of investment and expasnion (which never happened). I wonder how many of those companies he owed money to went to the wall in the end?

[rookie]

the Reynard does need to be better but also theres the fact that most of the feild is running lolas.