Apr 14, 2015The Foametix 100 - Round 1 of the 2015 Trans Am Championship at Sebring International Raceway
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlWmZcSDAVI

 

RETRO GALLERY: 1976 12 Hours of Sebring

Thursday, 17 March 2016

Marshall Pruett archives
Take a #ThrowbackThursday look back at some of the top contenders at the 1976 12 Hours of Sebring.
How times have changed in 40 years. In those days, there was no prototype category so the IMSA Camel GT Series was just that – run exclusively for GTO (2.5-liter and larger-displacement engines) and GTU (under 2.5L) grand touring cars.

Al Holbert and Michael Keyser claimed the overall win with their GTO class Holbert Porsche-Audi Porsche Carrera RSR, covering 230 laps in the 12 hours. A Porsche 911 S won in GTU, too, as Dave White and David McClain claimed class honors with a ninth overall finish. In fact, RSRs swept the first four places overall and standard Carreras the next two, beginning a 13-year winning streak for the Porsche marque at the grueling Sebring enduro.



Diego Febles leads eventual winner Al Holbert

 

https://www.tamparacing.com/forums/general-car-chat/819758-road-racing-history.html

 

[h=2]Downforce Aerodynamics at Sebring Michael Shank Racing[/h]

 

2016 Sebring......the whole race.....official broadcast
by sports car racing by IMSA radio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GAI_R2ulzQ

2016 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship round 2: Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, Sebring International Raceway,Sebring, Florida.

 

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The thrill of attending a sports car race is an experience that should be on the bucket list of any motorsports fan. The palpable atmosphere created by each event is spectacular, and in some cases, life-changing.
For many fans, attending a race also means staying at a nearby hotel or camping in the infield of the racetrack. However, some tracks are able to provide something else altogether – luxury trackside accommodations.
The Chateau Elan Hotel and Conference Center at Sebring International Raceway is one example of such accommodations. Enjoy an IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race from the privacy of your own balcony overlooking the legendary Hairpin Turn at one of the most historic tracks on the circuit. Whether you’re spectating or competing, Chateau Elan is the perfect place to stay while attending the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring fueled by Fresh From Florida.
Take it easy – swim in the pool or relax while watching the cars race the track or retreat into the facility to experience the area’s only European-style spa, complete with a full range of beauty and body treatments.
If you work up an appetite, which is easy to do while watching the excitement provided by WeatherTech Championship race cars in action, stop in Esperante, the hotel’s full service restaurant, and enjoy the winning combination of a laid back atmosphere and delicious food. If it’s just a drink you’re looking for, you can quench your thirst with a trip to the newly renovated Hairpin Lounge.
Rooms are available for the 65th running of the Twelve Hours, so call the Chateau Elan Hotel & Conference Center today at 888-84-HOTEL or visit www.cesebring.com to plan your stay.

 

Classic Sebring Race Cars DEC 1-4 2016
https://www.tamparacing.com/forums/g...ml#post9383205

 

Legends set to gather for SVRA show at Sebring
See also post #66 The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association will host some of the biggest driving stars of Trans-Am history at its March 3-5 race weekend at the iconic Sebring airport course. Current Trans-Am series champion Amy Ruman will join with legends of previous eras including George Follmer, Lyn St. James, Willy T. Ribbs and David Hobbs to help celebrate SVRA's salute to the 50th anniversary of the first Trans-Am race and season. As announced earlier, Bob Tullius, a winner at that first Trans-Am race at Sebring in 1966, will be on hand as the weekend's grand marshal.

Along with Tullius, Follmer was a star performer during the series' early days. Follmer, one of the most versatile drivers ever to strap on a helmet, was Trans-Am champion in 1972, driving an AMC Javelin to four victories. He picked up a second Trans-Am championship in 1976 with Porsche. The three-time Indianapolis 500 starter also won the Can-Am championship in 1972 driving Roger Penske's Porsche 917/10. Prior to that he was, in 1965, the SCCA United States Road Racing Champion and in 1970 the SCCA Formula 5000 Continental Champion. Follmer is also known in Trans-Am lore as Parnelli Jones's teammate in Bud Moore-prepared Mustangs during the 1969 and '70 seasons. He raced in the series for Penske in 1966.


Beyond SCCA and Trans-Am, Follmer drove in Formula One for the American-owned UOP Shadow team to score a podium finish in the 1973 Spanish Grand Prix. In 1974 he won an International Race of Champions (IROC) race at Riverside and in 1969 won the Indy car race at Phoenix International Raceway. He also competed at the highest level of NASCAR in 1974 to score three top-five finishes and a pole position at Riverside. After retiring he returned to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1986 and his team earned a podium finish for Porsche.
St. James, a seven-time starter in the Indianapolis 500, raced in 15 Indy car races in her career. While many fans know Lyn best for her Indianapolis 500 achievements, she is an accomplished road racer and has earned numerous laurels at the wheel of a variety of racecars. She is a two-time competitor in the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1989 and '91). She raced in the 12 Hours of Sebring nine times, winning the GTO class in 1990, and was a two-time winner in the GTO Class at the 24 Hours of Daytona. Lyn raced in 53 Trans-Am races with seven top-five finishes. She was even more successful in 62 IMSA GT events, amassing a stout record of six wins, 17 top-five and 37 top-ten finishes. Her 1985 GT victory at Watkins Glen remains the only time a woman has scored a win in that series driving solo. Through it all she has held 31 international and national closed-circuit speed records and is a member of the Automotive Hall of Fame.


Willy T. Ribbs was Trans-Am's most prolific winner across three seasons, 1983 through 1985, when he scored 18 victories, including 13 for Jack Roush-prepared Mercury-Ford Capris. He was series rookie-of-the year in 1983, winning five times and more than any other driver. After conquering Trans-Am and becoming the series all-time money winner up to that point he moved to Dan Gurney's IMSA Toyota team for two years and picked off 10 overall victories.
Ribbs is best known as the first black driver to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, starting the race in 1991 and again in 1993. He was also the first black driver to test for a Formula One team, getting that opportunity in 1986 with none other than Bernie Ecclestone, who owned the Brabham team at the time. A versatile driver, Ribbs also competed briefly at the top level of NASCAR as well as in their truck series. Like St. James he is no stranger to SVRA competition, scoring a podium finish at the 2014 Brickyard Invitational Indy Legends Charity Pro-Am for Group 6 classic era Trans-Am racers.


Also on hand will be Ribbs' 1983 Trans-Am teammate David Hobbs who was the series champion that year. Hobbs' resume includes seven Formula One starts, four Indianapolis 500 starts and two in NASCAR Cup competition. He also competed in an IROC race at Riverside in 1979. In 1971 he dominated the SCCA L&M Continental Formula 5000 championship, winning five of eight races. He competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans an impressive 20 times, scoring two class wins and overall podium finishes twice.


After racing Hobbs built a highly successful career in broadcasting beginning in the 1970's. He has provided commentary for auto racing events covered by CBS, the Speed Channel and currently the NBC Sports Network where he is especially well known for his work in the Formula One announcers' booth. He is a member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame.


Among other fan-friendly activities, all these legendary drivers will participate in a panel discussion moderated by auto racing author and journalist Rich Taylor. Taylor has written numerous books on auto racing history and promises to draw out little-known tales from a panel responsible for some of road racing's greatest moments over the past 50 years. Current Trans-Am champion Amy Ruman will take her rightful place on the panel. Ruman, a 20-year veteran of American road racing, is not only the first woman to take the Trans-Am crown but is also the series' winningest driver the past two seasons with 10 victories.
In addition to these legendary drivers the SVRA's hundreds of vintage racers will share the Sebring venue with today's Trans-Am series. The Historic Trans-Am series will also bring their show to the weekend. These authentic and historic Trans-Am machines stage their own competition contest. Among the entries are cars once driven by Parnelli Jones (Boss 302 Mustang), Mark Donohue (Javelin and Camaro), Sam Posey (Dodge Challenger), and a Dan Gurney/Swede Savage Plymouth Barracuda.

 

A tribute to Mark Donohue

 

Sebring International Raceway: Where American Endurance Racing Was Born
Saturday, January 21, 2017
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The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship schedule kicks off with a bang each year with the prestigious twice-around-the-clock Rolex 24 At Daytona. However, a few weeks later is a race that fans and drivers alike consider to be just as iconic, the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled By Fresh From Florida.
Deemed America’s oldest road racing track, the 3.74-mile circuit sits just two hours from Tampa, Orlando, and the Palm Beaches, making it easily accessible to much of the state’s population and its incredibly loyal fan base.
“It’s a tradition for people from the office to go out and greet the campers when they come in on Wednesday morning,” said Track President and General Manager Wayne Estes. “When I first got here, I went out to see just how many people I could speak to. Virtually everyone told me how many years they’ve been coming to this race. They roll their windows down and say ‘I’ve been coming here for 35 years!’ or ‘Been coming here since 1965!’ It was great. The third week in March is just as important to people here as their favorite holiday or their birthday.”
While action on the track is the focus of the weekend, Sebring has continuously looked for ways to increase the entertainment value for the fans, and this year’s 65th anniversary of the endurance class is no exception. Along with carnival rides on the Midway and vintage car displays, the Spring Brake Party Zone hosts a range of activities including a St. Patrick’s Day party on Friday, the annual bikini contest and for the first time, a restaurant-by-day, nightclub-by-night concept.
”The Spring Brake Party Zone has been a part of this for many years and adding this concept is going to be an entirely new experience,” explained Estes. “It’s going to create a hotbed of entertainment unlike anything we’ve ever had before.”


HISTORY
In the late 1940s, Alec Ulmann transformed the runways of Hendricks Field, originally a World War II training base for B-17s, into a racing circuit that forever altered the landscape of American sports car racing.
By the end of 1950, Ulmann’s vision came to fruition with the running of the Sam Collier Memorial Grand Prix of Endurance, won by Ralph Deshon and Fritz Koster in a Crosley Hot Shot loaned to the team by a racegoer. The contest ran for six hours and marked the first sports car endurance race in the United States. The first 12-hour race followed just two years later.

Despite instant success, Ulmann strongly considered moving the event to Fort Lauderdale in 1957, only to change his mind soon thereafter. He had the same notion again 10 years later with his eyes on West Palm Beach, but the destination circuit was hit with heavy rains and Ulmann ultimately kept the race at Sebring.

Sebring’s popularity continued to rise throughout the years, hosting the first F1 race in the United States in 1959, the circuit’s first Trans-Am race in 1966, its first IMSA race in 1973 and debuted ALMS in 1999. The year following IMSA’s first contest at Sebring saw the famed track’s gates close due to the energy crisis in 1974 and the year following the first ALMS race at Sebring, the father-son duo of Dale Earnhardt and Dale Jr. tested their Corvette for the Rolex 24 At Daytona, only two months before the former tragically passed away.

Given all the different racing series that have visited Sebring, many cars and stars have taken to the track’s bumpy surface in hopes of winning the famed endurance classic. Atop the manufacturer standings for most wins stands Porsche, Ferrari and Audi, while Tom Kristensen, Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien rank amongst the track’s most winningest drivers. The track has also hosted Hollywood stars looking to step away from the camera and behind the wheel, including Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Gene Hackman and Patrick Dempsey.

“This place is boiling over with heritage and history from the very beginning,” said Estes. “A lot of the things that were here during those army airfield years are still in place and in addition to that, there’s just so much history on the racetrack itself. The winners here read like an international motorsports hall of fame. It’s a very special place and the people who come here take great pride in it.”

DRIVER PERSPECTIVE
Eric Curran, co-driver of the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Racing Cadillac DPi: “Sebring International is a pretty special place. It’s essentially been the same racetrack for 50+ years. It’s built on an old runway with big concrete sections that are built into a track and it’s all flat, it doesn’t have any elevation.”

“The most challenging part of it, outside of racing there for 12 hours straight, is just how old the surface is and how bumpy it is. The first thing you hear when you mention Sebring from racing drivers is the bumps. The Sebring 12 hour also runs into the night and there’s no lighting there at the track, so you’re going upwards of 180 mph in our Prototype cars and you’re solely relying on your headlights to see where you’re going. Then you add in 50 some odd cars racing around so it’s just an unbelievable challenge.”

“Last year, in 2016, Dane Cameron and I along with Scott Pruett ran the Sebring 12 hour and finished second. We feel like our brand new Whelen Engineering Cadillac is ready to challenge that place. Our teammates won there in 2015, but we feel like it’s Dane Cameron’s and my turn to win it this year in 2017.”

TRACK PERSPECTIVE

• Turn 1: A incredibly wide lefthander that seems to barely require any entry braking when viewed as a spectator. Turn 1 is deceiving in that there is really only one fast line through despite its width, as the exit becomes very narrow very quickly if a competitor runs too wide.
• Turns 2 – 5, Kristensen Corner Complex: A tight section of low speed corners focused around the recently named Turn 3 where precision is of the utmost importance. Deviations too far from the racing line or improper throttle modulation can easily cause a car to become unsettled to a detrimental level.
• Turns 6 – 7, Big Bend to Hairpin: A rare corner where the track appears far more narrow as a spectator than behind the wheel. Smooth steering inputs allow this long sweeper to be taken flat, and viewing the corner from closer to Turn 5 provides one of the most enthralling views on the entire circuit. The exit of Turn 6 leads into Sebring’s heaviest braking zone, where cars must haul down from high speeds to almost a crawl right in front of Chateau Elan.
• Turns 12 – 13, Tower: This quick pair of corners really tests an engineer’s ability to set up a car well and a driver’s ability to maintain control. Entering Turn 13 often sees a car’s suspension heavily loaded on the left-hand side as braking needs to begin. Consequences for a lapse in focus here are great.
• Turn 17, Sunset Bend: By far the bumpiest section of the entire track, choosing the proper line through this tricky sweeper is imperative for starting the next lap off on the right foot. Cars speed down the Ullman straight directly into Sebring’s famous golden hour, and some drivers have said it feels as though they are literally driving into the setting sun.

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship returns for the 65th annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled By Fresh From Florida on March 15-18, 2017. Tickets can be purchased online at https://sebringraceway.com/.