<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><HTML><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2">Hi guys,<BR>
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I got an e-mail from Rusty French; he's the owner of one of the 14 original factory Gr4 race Panteras (he has had it since 1975!), as well as a pair of Euro GTS Panteras that have been set up for vintage racing (nominally Gr3 spec).<BR>
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He got a little aggressive with the tech, and was running fiberglass panels, but he was recently yanked back into line and was forced to run stock body panels. He wrote:<BR>
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</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"> I thought you might like to know that I ran the Pantera GTS last weekend with great results , I had to run steel panels, engine cover and front bonnet instead of fiberglass , however we got the job done regardless and broke my last years lap record by 1.34 seconds ,<BR>
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Regards Rusty French<BR>
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Not only did he break his personal best lap time, but he qualified third out of a field of 40 starters (against everything from Corvettes to Shelbys to Porsche 911s, as well as smaller cars like Alfas and Triumphs, and also another Pantera). <BR>
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There were three races that weekend, and his results were:<BR>
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Race 1: First place<BR>
Race 2: First place<BR>
Race 3: First place<BR>
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Not bad! Everybody who was grumbling about his 'unfair advantage' in the past had to pretty much slink back to their trailers and go home!<BR>
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Mike<BR>
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