Lowndes to drive ALMS Panoz
Australian touring car star Craig Lowndes will drive a Panoz Roadster LMP in the final round of this year's American Le Mans Series. Lowndes, who has won the Aussie V8 Supercar series for 5-litre 'big banger' Fords and Holdens three times, will race a works supported entry in the 'Race Of 1000 Years'
The 26-year-old is the biggest name in Australian motorsport, and hence the perfect choice to publicise the race, part of Don Panoz's American Le Mans Series. With David Brabham also in one of Panoz's cars, the team has the highest-profile Australian contingent it could wish for.
The Prancing Horse Team will run the car. The Panoz marks something of a departure for the squad which, as the name suggests, usually runs a Ferrari 360 GT car. The team's regular driver Mark Noske will partner Lowndes.
The Australian was involved in a photoshoot to publicise the race earlier this week, with one of the current Panoz Roadsters, though if the team's new prototype is ready for the race, it is likely that Lowndes will get to drive the newer car.
Lowndes has been phenomenally successful in Australian V8 touring cars over the last five years, as part of Holden's young driver squad. However, forays away from touring cars have been less successful, the last being Lowndes' ill-starred campaign in F3000 with RSM Marko in 1997. The large capacity V8 sportscar should prove less of a departure for the Holden star.
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