Supercars, Le Mans were to combine under secret plan
26/2/2001 16:50 (V8 Wire - Jason Whittaker) -
A blueprint to run a combined V8 Supercar/Le Mans event in Adelaide was drawn up by the South Australian Government before the Le Mans race was scrapped, it was revealed today.
Speaking at the wake following the sudden death of his Australian showcase last Friday, American Le Mans Series founder, billionaire entrepreneur Don Panoz, said a merger between the two events was initially agreed upon.
Explained Panoz, “The Minister (SA Tourism Minister) had called a meeting with our people the day before (February 21) to explain her difficulties in obtaining a sign-off on our agreement and was suggesting the investigation of combining the Le Mans Series race with the Clipsal 500.”
“This was my original concept and an idea we have fostered including reiterating this offer with the Premier during a meeting on Friday the ninth of February,” Panoz said.
The plans would have included a change of date for the Clipsal 500, possibly towards the end of the year.
“The Minister proposed holding the combined races in March and I explained that it would have to be at the end of the year in order to allow for the inclusion of European and American competitors,” Panoz explained.
Exactly a fortnight after that meeting, South Australian Premier John Olsen told a business lunch (which included many Adelaide Le Mans investors) that the race had been canned. Race organisers had to rely on the media to learn of the decision.
The government has not closed the door on Le Mans racing completely, insisting the event could make a return beyond 2001, possibly combined with the Clipsal 500 as mooted. However this possibility seems remote.
While Perth’s Events Corp. organisation work hard behind the scenes to entice Panoz to the West Coast in 2003, the American tycoon is adamant Le Mans racing will return to Australia this year.
The Australian-based Asia Pacific Le Mans Series office claims it has received proposals from every mainland Australian state (excluding South Australia) to hold a round of the series later this year. Adelaide’s successor will be announced next month.
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