Panoz pair set for title showdown

Despite trailing championship leader Elliott Forbes-Robinson [Riley & Scott Ford] by three points, the Panoz pair, who are tied on 124 points, are expected to have the upper hand in the eighth round of this year's series.

The 3.6km Las Vegas Motor Speedway circuit, which is known for its sharp bends and a slippery surface, is expected to favour the Panoz drivers.

Bill Auberlen, one of the four BMW sports car drivers who has raced in Las Vegas, says the track requires 'good traction and lots of power'.

He has taken two victories on the circuit for BMW in the GT class.

'The key area is a tight left-hand bend in front of the long straight, that's where you've got to gather momentum,' he explained.

'Our experience from Laguna Seca should help us in our choice of tyres, where the Michelins proved that they can deal with slippery surfaces and with the heat - and we can expect both of those in Vegas.'