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The inaugural Women's Global GT Series (WGGTS) was held on April 18, 1999, at Road Atlanta.
The championship was the first professional women's auto racing series in North America.
The series ran its course and ended with the 2000 season finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
In 2001, the Panoz Racing Series replaced the WGGTS, which allowed both genders to participate.
In 2003, there were two racing schedules, the GT and GT Pro series. Depending on an individual's interests and skill level, it was possible to compete in either or both series. The 2003 Panoz GT Pro / GTS Pro Race Series was an official support race for the American Le Mans Series. The Pro division participates at four events – Sebring, Mosport and two visits to Road Atlanta. The Pro GT class cars are "spec" vehicles fielded by the Panoz Motor Sports Group. All are equally-prepared Panoz Esperantes. The Pro GTS category is for privately entered cars. They are also built by Panoz Auto Development. The Pro GTS and Pro GT cars race together at four Panoz Racing Series events but are scored separately. The competitors drive the Panoz Esperante sports cars. The race version of the Esperante, the Panoz GT-RA, is a tube-frame chassis powered by a Ford DOHC 4.6-liter engine, which produces 320-horsepower. Fitted to the motor is a five-speed Tremec T-45 transmission. Stopping the 2,680-pound cars are four-piston AP calipers with 13-inch vented rotors on the front and 12-inch on the rear. Round three of the 2003 North American Panoz GT Pro Racing Series was held at Mosport International Raceway as a support event for the American Le Mans Series. Drivers would compete on the ten-turn 2.459-mile road course in a forty-five-minute timed event. The event attracted only one Panoz GTS competitor, Wes Ramsdale. Ramsdale qualified twelfth fastest but started at the rear of the field. He landed in the gravel trap on lap-17 of the twenty-seven completed.
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Last season's GTS champion, Eddy Mady, drew the No. 21 Panoz GT for round three of the series at Mosport International. To date, Mady had collected two runner-up results and trailed the championship leader, Gavin Riches, by two points. He topped the qualifying timesheet in the first session but lost the top spot to Riches. Mady followed Riches for the first three laps before making a successful pass and claiming the win. |
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On the strength of first and third-place finishes, the points leader was Gavin Riches. He was driving the No. 3 Panoz GT in round three. The qualifying was dominated by Eddy Mady, but Riches found some extra speed at end of the second qualifying session and captured the pole. He would lead the first three laps before being passed by Mady. Riches finished second by a margin of 5.266-seconds. |
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Finishing third in the GT Pro category was Barry Ellis. Ellis qualified on the pole for round one at Sebring International but was classified with a fourteenth place result after retiring with a mechanical issue. This weekend, he was piloting the No. 15 Panoz GT. Early in the race, Ellis was passed by the fourth-fastest qualifier, Adam Fichtelman, but a spin by Fichtelman gave Ellis the final spot on the podium. |
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Also benefitting from Adam Fichtelman's miscue was the local entrant David Thorndyke. Thorndyke had not participated in any of this season's North American Panoz GT Pro Racing events but finished third in last year's race at Mosport International Raceway. He was racing the No. 23 Panoz GT with backing from Thorsons EVT at round three. A solid performance was rewarded with a fourth-place result. |
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The winner of round one for the 2003 North American Panoz GT Pro Racing Series was Audrey Zadvodsky. Zadvodsky finished a disappointing fifth at Road Atlanta and trailed the points leader, Gavin Riches, by six markers. During the qualifying sessions at Mosport International Raceway, she recorded the seventh-fastest time in the No. 5 Panoz GT. Zadvodsky would improve on her starting position and finish fifth. |
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The podium for the 2003 North American Panoz GT Pro Racing Series held at Mosport International Raceway. In the center is the winner and new championship leader for the Panoz GT Pro category, Eddie Mady. Standing on the left side of the rostrum is the former points leader and runner-up finisher, Gavin Riches. Completing the podium is the third-place finisher, Barry Ellis. |
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| POS. | START | CLASS | DRIVER | ENTRANT/CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | GTS | Eddie Mady | Panoz Racing Series / Panoz GT | 27 | - |
| 2 | 1 | GT | Gavin Riches | Panoz Racing Series / Panoz GT | 27 | - |
| 3 | 3 | GT | Barry Ellis | Hop-a-Jet / Panoz GT | 27 | - |
| 4 | 6 | GT | David Thorndyke | Thorsons EVT / Panoz GT | 27 | - |
| 5 | 7 | GT | Audrey Zavodsky | Visteon / Panoz GT | 27 | - |
| 6 | 5 | GT | Charlie Putman | PESCO / Panoz GT | 27 | - |
| 7 | 11 | GT | Dave Colledge | Panoz Racing Series / Panoz GT | 27 | - |
| 8 | 8 | GT | Tracy Krohn | W&T Offshore / Panoz GT | 27 | - |
| 9 | 12 | GT | Frank Rossi | Panoz Racing Series / Panoz GT | 27 | - |
| 10 | 13 | GT | Randy Wars | Panoz Racing Series / Panoz GT | 27 | - |
| 11 | 9 | GT | Fraser Wellon | Hop-a-Jet / Panoz GT | 23 | Did Not Finish |
| 12 | 10 | GTS | Wes Ramsdale | Worst Offender / Panoz GTS | 19 | Did Not Finish |
| 13 | 4 | GT | Adam Fichtelman | Panoz Racing Series / Panoz GT | 2 | Off Course |
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