Here's the scoop from Champ Car:
As the 2006 Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford season continues to sneak closer, officials from Élan Motorsports Technologies (EMT) and Champ Car have their eyes even further down the road as EMT put a scale model of the 2007 DP01 chassis in the wind tunnel for the first time.
EMT engineers and officials from Champ Car were on hand at the Penske Technology Group wind tunnel for the debut of the half-scale model of the Panoz DP01 chassis. The group put the model through its introductory tests and were pleased with the results they achieved.
“We are still in the early stages of developing the new car,” said Champ Car Technology Director Scot "Puddin' "Elkins. “We did everything we wanted to do during this first test and the results are outstanding. This first test is where we are creating a baseline set of data for the model. We concentrated on creating aerodynamic balance throughout the car the so we could then start the detailed development we are planning.”
The new Panoz DP01 takes much of its look from the current Champ Car chassis, keeping alive the style that has made the series a favorite of racing fans around the globe. But the cutting-edge technology designed into the package incorporates many new aerodynamic features that make this car better suited to the urban race tracks which host Champ Car's highly successful three-day festivals of speed. The design will also lead to more competitive racing on the permanent road courses and ovals that mark the Champ Car World Series as the most diverse racing series in the world. The Panoz DP01 is smaller than the current Champ Car in both length and width and weighs 165 pounds less than the current machine, providing a more nimble and quicker machine that will put driver skills at a premium. The aerodynamic changes on the new chassis will allow for more passing via smaller wings and bigger tunnels which will create less turbulence for cars in traffic.
Champ Car announced in October the Panoz DP01 would replace the current Lola chassis at the beginning of the 2007 season. Engineers at Élan Motorsports Technologies will continue development of the Panoz DP01 chassis with the first prototype expected to hit the track in July. Champ Car
ATLANTIC
Along with that, the 2006 Atlantic season continues to balloon. Orders have been taken for over 50 cars. Forsythe Racing recently announced a four-car Super Team made up of 2003 Barber Dodge Champ Leo Maia, 2004 Formula BMW Champ Andreas Wirth, 2004 Formula BMW runner-up James Hinchcliffe and 2005 BMW Champ Richard Philippe, younger brother of Champ Car Driver Nelson. You can read more about it all at http://www.toyotaatlantic.com/News/Article.asp?ID=1979
Front view of the 2007 Panoz DP01 half-scale model 
11 weeks to Long Beach...
JHS
