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Engen repeats as overall B.R.M. Chronographes Endurance winner at Sebring Historics while Craig Ross of Tampa Florida took third in his 1970 No. 72 Cross Ross Boss Racing Ford Mustang Boss 302.

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emailBy: HSR | 16 hours ago

Travis Engen scored a repeat win in his 2005 No. 2 Audi R8 LMP in the one-hour B.R.M. Chronographes Endurance Challenge race while Dennis Olthoff scored a flag-to-flag HSR Sasco Sports International/American Challenge victory in the 1970 No. 9 Ford Mustang Boss 302 to highlight a competitive day of Historic Sportscar Racing action Friday at Sebring International Raceway.

Both the B.R.M. Endurance Challenge race, which included Prototype, Historic and GT Modern classes, and Friday’s HSR Sasco Sports International/American Challenge sprint are part of this weekend’s HSR Sebring Historics schedule.

The season-ending event for the year-long HSR championships, the HSR Sebring Historics sets the stage for this weekend’s fourth annual HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour, Pistons and Props, presented by the Alan Jay Automotive Network, which begins at noon on Saturday.

While Classic Sebring 12 Hour competitors qualified Friday, the day’s racing excitement came in a string of HSR Sebring Historics events. Engen soloed in the GMT Racing-prepared Audi R8 LMP to take the overall and Prototype-class B.R.M. Enduro victory for the second consecutive year at Sebring.

Engen, who is also two-for-two in B.R.M. Enduro wins this weekend after a Vintage-class victory Thursday, shared today’s Prototype class and overall podium with runner-up Robert Tornello and third-place finisher Larry Huang.
Tornello crossed the finish line in his 2013 No. 90 Corvette Daytona Prototype from Hudson Historics just 4.486s behind Engen. Huang, who set the fastest race lap and finished on the same lap as the top-two, crossed the line third at the wheel of his 2009 No. 25 Oreca FLM09 Prototype Challenge “PC” car.

The GTM class victory went to Stuart Fain who was was the highest overall finishing GT entry. Fain took the class win crossing the finish line fifth overall in his Autometrics 2010 No. 990 Porsche 997 GT3 Cup.

Henri Sicotte finished second in GTM in his 2010 No. 88 Camaro GT.R prepared by GT Racing while Greg Griffin completed a rare Porsche-Camaro-Ferrari top three result. Griffin finished third in his 2013 No. 71 Ferrari F458 prepared by Speed Works Ferrari Racing Services.

The Historic class victory went to Kenneth Greenberg in his 1996 No. 836 Porsche 993 RSR with Chip Halverson and Larry Webster co-driving to second in a 1976 No. 93 Chevron B36.

In the Sasco Sports finale, Olthoff led an all-Mustang sweep (pictured above) of the American class in the Vintage Race Car Restorations No. 9 Boss 302. Gary Moore finished second overall and in the American division in his Cobra Automotive 1966 No. 98 Shelby GT350 while Craig Ross of Tampa Florida took third in his 1970 No. 72 Cross Ross Boss Racing Ford Mustang Boss 302.
Mike Banz scored yet another Sasco Sports Porsche-class win and spoiled a Mustang sweep of the overall top three. Banz took class honors and finished third overall, just ahead of Ross, in his Heritage Motorsports 1974 No. 13 Porsche 911 RSR.

A pair of Porsche 914 entries completed the Porsche-class podium and cracked the overall top 10 in the 25-car field.

John Deford finished second in the Porsche class and ninth overall in his 1970 No. 57 Porsche 914/6 prepared by the 901 Shop. Frank Beck finished 10th overall and completed the Porsche podium in third place in his Beck’s European prepared No. 58 1970 Porsche 914/6.

Another small car making a big impression in a field of mainly larger and more powerful machinery was the 1966 No. 94 Ginetta G4 (pictured above) of Thomas Grudovich.

Grudovich finished fifth overall and took the Sasco Sports International class win in the quick Michael’s Vintage Racing-prepared Ginetta.

Second in Vintage went to Rob Albino in his Hudson Historics 1999 No. 99 BMW Z3 Coupe while Michael Oritt made it two Ginettas on the class podium with a third place showing. Driving the oldest car in the race, Oritt also cracked the top-12 overall in his 1961 No. 82 Ginetta G4, which is also prepared by Michael’s Vintage Racing.

This weekend’s Classic Sebring 12 Hour, Pistons and Props, features HSR historic and vintage sports car racing and a full “fly-in” and display of equally iconic military and civilian aircraft from the last half century and beyond.
Another highlight of Friday’s schedule was the now traditional parade of planes from nearby Sebring Regional Airport to the HSR paddock. The vintage aircraft will be on display alongside historic race cars in the HSR paddock through Sunday morning.

Among the aircraft arriving in Sebring Friday is a rare North American P-51D “Mustang” of Jim Lyons and a North American T6-G “Texan” that was flown to Sebring by Jon Rising.

Other returning planes include a 1942 Vultee BT-15 Valiant piloted by Tom Smith, the similar 1943 Vultee BT-13 Valiant of Bryce Bock and the 1973 British Aviation LTD Bulldog of Tony Green. A Beechcraft T-34 Mentor is also on display at Sebring along with a Boeing N2-S3 Stearman and a first-time Howard DGA.

The weekend’s featured HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour starts at 12 p.m. EST tomorrow with each of the race’s four Run Groups taking to the track three times in succession on Saturday for a symbolic 12-hours of non-stop racing action. The format ensures each Group will have at least one nighttime session with Saturday’s final session scheduled to be checkered just before midnight tomorrow.

Classic Sebring 12 Hour competitors return to the track Sunday morning at 11 a.m. EST with each Group getting one final segment to decide this year’s winners. Overall Run Group winners will be presented with special-edition Classic Sebring 12 Hour edition B.R.M. Chronographes.
Detailed event information for the Classic Sebring 12 Hour and Sebring Historics, including weekend schedules and entry lists, is available at www.HSRRace.com.
Among the notable entries that will miss the HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour is top Porsche driver Todd Treffert who was uninjured in an accident Friday morning in qualifying. Already a two-time race winner this weekend — and a familiar visitor to HSR Victory Lane throughout each season — Treffert was exiting Sebring’s final Turn 17 section when his Speedconcepts 1974 No. 141 Porsche 911 IROC spun. Treffert made heavy contact with the outside retaining wall leading on to the front straight and the Porsche was too damaged to continue.
Treffert now shifts his focus to his sister, Dawn Myers, who is competing in Run Group A this weekend in a 901 Shop 1969 No. 52 Porsche 911S. Myers is making her second HSR race start in the Porsche and now has the full attention of her race-winning brother to help her through her first HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour.HSR, Classic Sebring, Vintage Motorsport / Historic

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Action hits halfway at Classic Sebring

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emailBy: HSR | 3 hours ago

The fourth annual Historic Sportscar Racing Classic Sebring 12 Hour hit the halfway mark early Saturday night at Sebring International Raceway where four Run Groups of vintage and historic sports cars kept the close competition going on the legendary 3.74-mile road course until just before midnight.

All four Run Groups having completed their first two of four rounds in the 12 Hours of Sebring tribute race that is officially named the HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour, Pistons and Props, presented by the Alan Jay Automotive Network.

Early contenders have emerged and at least won reigning HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour winning team has moved its title defense off to a solid start.

Group A has once again turned into an all McClendon International Lola battle with the 1970 No. 20 Lola T165 of Marco Fumagalli and the 1970 No. 77 Lola T70 of Toni Seiler running one-two in the competitive class.

Last year at Sebring, Seiler — who took Group A honors in the No. 77 in last month’s HSR Classic Daytona 24 Hour race — just edged his Lola T165 teammates for the 2018 Classic 12 Hour Group A win. A victory this weekend would be Seiler’s third-straight “HSR Classics” victory, but he faces a strong challenge from his McClendon stable mate.

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Part 2Fumagalli swept each of Group A’s opening races in the No. 20 T165 to build a more than two-minute and 30-second lead over Seiler at the halfway point.

Gray Gregory and Randy Buck co-drove the Phil Reilly and Co. 1974 No. 29 Chevron B26 to the Group B victory in the 2018 Classic 12 Hour and are halfway home to a repeat win this year.

Winning both opening rounds, Gregory and Buck have built an 80-second lead at midrace, but a more than capable competitor looms in second place.

Alain Ruede — fresh off the Group B victory in the HSR Classic Daytona — trailed the No. 29 Chevron to the finish in both opening rounds in his 1982 No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro IROC. Ruede finished second to Gregory and Buck last year in the Classic 12 and will no doubt keep the pressure on to the finish again as he looks for a 2019 “HSR Classics” sweep.

Group C, which is home to modern prototypes and GT machines that are the fastest cars in the race, has produced some of the closest racing of this year’s HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour

Michel Frey, in a 2008 No. 15 Lola B07/18, and David Porter, in his GMT Racing 2007 No. 7 Peugeot 908 HDi FAP, split the first two Group C races.

Frey won the opening round by 8.8s over Porter who then used a well-timed pit stop under yellow to take the race two win in the Peugeot. Frey pitted under green before the race two caution and then lost additional time in the ensuing safety car period. Porter now holds a nearly two-minute and 30-second lead over Frey at the halfway point.

Featuring more modern GT and sports cars, Group D has seen several Porsche GT3 Cup cars step up to set the top-three pace in the tightest battle of the race. The leader is the Ebimotors 2012 No. 561 Porsche 997 GT3 Cup of Gianluigi Candiani and Sabino de Castro that swept both opening races.

The Zotz Racing 2010 No. 119 Porsche 997 GT3 Cup of Chris Ruppel and Eric Zitza finished second to the No. 561 in race one by a slim 1.8 seconds and now trails the Ebimotors entry by just 23 seconds at the halfway mark.

The schedule picks up again Sunday at 11 a.m. ET when the fourth and final segments for all Groups will be held in succession to bring the 2019 Classic Sebring 12 Hour at Sebring, Pistons and Props, presented by the Alan Jay Automotive Network, to a conclusion.



Classic Sebring, HSR, Vintage Motorsport / Historic

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Racing underway at HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour

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emailBy: HSR | December 6, 2019 2:59 AM

The fourth running of the Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) Classic Sebring 12 Hour officially began with opening practice Thursday at Sebring International Raceway where the first race winners of the season-ending HSR Sebring Historics were also crowned after a rapid-fire run of three-straight races brought the afternoon to a competitive close.

Saturday’s and Sunday’s HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour, Pistons and Props, presented by the Alan Jay Automotive Network, is the weekend’s featured event, but all 2019 HSR season championships will be decided in a full schedule of HSR Sebring Historics races over the course of the next three days.

The opening trio of races ran in quick succession Thursday afternoon and included 2019’s final B.R.M. Vintage and GT Classic (GTC) Enduro and season-ending sprints for the HSR Global GT and HSR Classic RS Cup series.Todd Treffert scored his third straight Sebring B.R.M. Enduro overall and GT Classic (GTC) win in his Speedconcepts 1974 No. 141 Porsche 911 IROC. Less than an hour later, Treffert backed up the B.R.M. Enduro win with a flag-to-flag sweep of the HSR Classic RS Cup finale.

The Vintage class victory in the B.R.M. Enduro went to Travis Engen who crossed the finish line second overall behind Treffert in his GMT Racing 1962 No. 1 Lotus 23B.

Thursday’s other big winner was former Audi Sport LMP factory driver Marco Werner who returned to Sebring victory lane after winning the HSR Global GT finale in the Britec Motorsports 2013 No. 007 Aston Martin Vantage. In the heart of the dominating Audi Sport LMP1 era, Werner co-drove to three overall 12 Hours of Sebring victories in 2003, 2005 and 2007. Treffert was joined on the B.R.M. GTC podium by runner-up Fred Schulte in his 1973 No. 31 Porsche 911 IROC and the husband-and-wife driving duo of Mike Banz and Kathy Blaha in third in Blaha’s 1974 No. 40 Porsche 911 RS. Both the No. 31 and No. 40 Porsches are prepared by Heritage Motorsports.Banz and Schulte made return visits to the podium in the HSR Classic RS Cup sprint. Banz was second in his Heritage Motorsports 1974 No. 13 Porsche 911 RSR while Schulte wheeled his No. 31 Porsche to a third place showing.

Along with Engen and his Lotus, the B.R.M. Vintage and overall podium included runner-up Daniel Brown in the B-G Racing 1975 No. 85 Ford Escort RS. Rob Albino was third in Vintage in his Hudson Historics 1999 No. 991 BMW Z3 Coupe. A pair of Porsches chased Werner’s Aston Martin to the finish line in the HSR Global GT race.Last year’s Sebring Global GT winner Stuart Fain was second today in his Autometrics 2010 No. 990 Porsche 997 GT3 Cup while Chris Ruppel was third in his 2010 No. 119 Porsche 997 GT3 Cup from Zotz Racing.

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Part 2

The Classic Sebring 12 Hour, Pistons and Props, features HSR historic and vintage sports car racing and a full “fly-in” and display of equally iconic military and civilian aircraft from the last half century and beyond.

Still in part an active airport, Friday afternoon will once again see the arrival of vintage aircraft on one of the Sebring runways. The planes will later taxi into the paddock at 4:30 p.m. EST to be displayed right alongside the historic race cars through Sunday morning.

Aircraft scheduled to appear this weekend include a rare North American P-51D Mustang of Jim Lyons and a North American T6-G Texan being flown to Sebring by Jon Rising. Other returning planes scheduled are a 1942 Vultee BT-15 Valiant (pictured above with Porsche 935 K3) piloted by Tom Smith, the similar 1943 Vultee BT-13 Valiant of Bryce Bock and Tony Green and his British Aviation Bulldog. A Beechcraft T-34 Mentor is also on the list along with a Boeing N2-S3 Stearman and a Howard DGA.

Classic Sebring, HSR, Vintage Motorsport / Historic

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Lola, Chevron, Peugeot and Porsche prevail at Classic Sebring

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emailBy: HSR | 23 hours ago

Iconic sports car racing marques Lola, Chevron, Peugeot and Porsche — raced in competition by top teams and drivers from around the world — emerged as winners this weekend in the fourth annual Historic Sportscar Racing Classic Sebring 12 Hour at Sebring International Raceway.

A tribute race to the timeless Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, which will be run for the 68th time this March, the Classic Sebring 12 Hour features four different Run Groups of vintage and historic sports cars that each took to the legendary Sebring road course four times in the last two days.

Officially titled the HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour, Pistons and Props, presented by the Alan Jay Automotive Network, the Sebring race weekend again culminated with the presentation of custom-made HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour edition B.R.M. Chronographes watches to the four overall Run Group winners.
Saturday’s schedule included the first three 42-minute rounds for each Group — appropriately within the span of a 12-hour period — while the fourth and final segments today determined the overall winners.In Group A, the McClendon International team produced its third consecutive “HSR Classics” winner from its stable of classic and competitive Lolas.

Toni Seiler won both last month’s HSR Classic Daytona presented by IMSA and last year’s HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour in a 1969 Lola T70, but it was a first-time winner and race car from McClendon that stepped up to score this weekend’s third-straight victory.

Debuting driver Marco Fumagalli swept the first three of Group A’s four race segments at the wheel of the McClendon 1970 No. 20 Lola T165. Seiler rebounded from some early-round setbacks to win the fourth and final segment in the No. 77, but the gap Fumagalli had built on the field by that stage was enough for the quick Italian driver to seal the overall Group A victory.
The Group B victory went to the Phil Reilly Co. 1974 No. 26 Chevron B26 of Gray Gregory and Randy Buck for the second-straight year. Similar to Fumagalli’s winning performance, the No. 26 swept the opening trio of Group B races but then gave way to the second-place 1982 No. 21 Chevy Camaro IROC of Swiss driver Alain Ruede, who finished first in the fourth and final segment.
Although narrowly losing to the No. 26 Chevron at Sebring for the second-straight year, Ruede’s runner-up placing capped a strong 2019 performance in “HSR Classics” events. Last month, Ruede raced the Camaro to the overall Group B victory in the HSR Classic Daytona, presented by IMSA, classic 24-hour race. Group C was a race-long battle between David Porter in his GMT Racing 2007 No. 7 Peugeot 908 HDi FAP and Michel Frey in a 2008 No. 15 Lola B07/18.

Frey crossed the line first in Saturday’s opening race before Porter stepped up to sweep the final three segments to win his second HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour title. The victory gave Porter a sweep of this year’s “HSR Classics” races after winning his Group last month in the Classic Daytona, and returned the Peugeot to victory lane at Sebring. Porter’s 908 HDi was raced in its competitive prime to the overall 12 Hours of Sebring victory in 2011.

Home to more modern GT and sports cars, Group D again stepped up to deliver the closest battle of this year’s HSR Classic Sebring 12 Hour. The Ebimotors 2012 No. 561 Porsche 997 GT3 Cup of Gianluigi Candiani and Sabino de Castro was first in the opening three Group D segments and then withstood a late charge by the Zotz Racing 2010 No. 119 Porsche 997 GT3 Cup of Chris Ruppel and Eric Zitza.

While the Zotz No. 119 finished first in segment four, the Group D victory went to Ebimotors after what appeared to be a relatively trouble-free and calculated race to the finish. The other three Group winners all overcame some late drama in their fourth and final segments.

Fumagalli pitted from the lead with a vibration in the final Group A segment but returned to the race without issue after the McClendon crew checked and tightened the Lola’s wheels.

Gregory and Buck felt the Chevron come out of gear once or twice in Saturday’s long schedule of races, so the Reilly Co. crew changed out the gearbox internals on the Chevron before today’s finale.

Porter led from the start of the Group C final segment only to spin in his No. 7 Peugeot in Turn 7 on lap one. Porter rejoined the race in last, and over 45 seconds behind the leader, but still managed to come back and take the segment win and seal the overall Group C title.

Next up for HSR is 2020’s season-opening event that brings the series right back to Sebring International Raceway, March 26 – 29, for the HSR Spring Fling Weekend.Classic Sebring, HSR, Vintage Motorsport / Historic