60th Running of 2012 Twelve Hours of Sebring Opens and Finishes Big

Photo Credit: DPPI

First held in 1950, the Sebring International Raceway has provided the United States motorsport fans a chance to witness the world’s most awesome sports car operating at the peak of performance. As the American Le Mans Series and the newly formed World Endurance Championship arrived at the Sebring 5.95-kilometer (3.7-mile), the venue was prepared to play host to the 60^th running of their famous 12-hour event. The 2012 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida recorded a stellar 64-car field starting the event from race team representing countries of Germany, France, the United Kingdom as well as the United States.

A hot day where the sun toasted the asphalt/concrete surface of the Sebring International Raceway at 26 degrees Celsius, the race commenced with the three Audi R18 TDI prototype sports cars storming away through the advantage of the lead track position on the start. Deeper in the field, the traffic of 60-plus cars played a part in a collision between two GT cars as the race was just beginning. The #45 Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 RSR and the #51 Ferrari both sustained serious damage to sports cars requiring extended work in the garage area.

Photo Credit: DPPI

The story of the 60^th anniversary of the 2012 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida would circulate around a high frequency of caution periods. With the first full course yellow slowing the sports car field at the 13 minute mark for a stopped #61 Ferrari F458 Italia, the 12-hour race proved to be a close one in several of the five categories racing at the track. It was only in the lead LMP1 class that a race car was able to dominate.

The lead prototype category presented the least amount of suspense but still featured a historical performance of the three-car effort that was Audi Sport Team Joest. While the #1 car (consisting of Andre Lotterer, Benoit Treluyer and Marcel Fassler) took pole on Friday, it the #2 Audi R18 would control much of the Sebring race. In the middle of the fifth hour, the #1 Audi R18 TDI suffered an electronic issue in the gearbox shifter. Originally making an unscheduled stop to repair the issue at the end of hour four of the Sebring event, the Audi Sport Team Joest operation realized their #1 car needed extended repairs costing the 2011 driving combination a chance to win.

Like clockwork, the remaining two Audi R18 TDI sailed to prototype and overall victory. At the end, the #2 car helmed by Allan McNish, Tom Kristensen and Dindo Capello took the top honours with a four-lap lead over the #3 car. Finishing in the top-2 overall positions at the 2012 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida, the Audi R18 TDI executed a near masterful run for this 10^th win in 14 starts at the Florida sports car track.

Photo Credit: Porsche Cars

Third overall, the class-winning P2 entry from Starworks Motorsports found success with the Honda-powered HPD-ARX 03b race machine. The #44 prototype picked up the third overall in the 12-hour event due to a fuel rig failure with the Muscle Milk Pickett Racing #6 car in the race‘s late stage. Vicente Potolicchio, Ryan Delziel and Stephane Sarrazin made up the driving team for the #44 car’s win. The #44 Starworks Motorsports poached the lead from the #055 Level 5 Motorsports operation competing in an identical HPD-ARX 03b P2 sports car by 32.27 seconds. Finishing third in P2 category was the #24 Oak Racing Morgan-Judd. Leading the P2 class early in the event, the Oak Racing Morgan lost touch with the top spot in class partly due to a spin in turn four that resulted in a full course yellow to retrieve the car.

In what proved to be the most competitive class during the entire 12-hour running of the Sebring event, the production car-based GT category ended as a fight among multiple teams. In the first hour of the race, the Ferrari F458 Italia cars were planted in the top three GT class positions. However, as the Sebring event clock continued to tick, the #17 Team Falken Tire Porsche 911 GT3 RSR took the lead. The #155 BMW M3 car prepped by Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing were also in the hunt early but a stop and start penalty on pit road robbed the team of momentum early.
In hour two, the #17 Porsche encountered a vibration that took the victory-contending race machine out of the GT lead pack. With Porsche’s losing a chance to claim the primary GT class victory out, the German sports car maker still only had the GTE-AM sub category and the GT Challenge consisting of all-Porsche 911 Cup cars to cheer.

Photo Credit: Porsche Cars

By hour five in the Sebring 12-Hour race‘s GT contest, the Chevrolet Corvette C6R ZR1 race cars appeared to gain the upper hand. Having won the GT class seven times before at Sebring International Raceway, he Corvette Racing squad were motivated by the performance of both the #03 and #4 car. As night time dawned on the Sebring race, the Chevrolet Corvette C6R ZR1 continued to pace their class until the #56 BMW M3 poured on some serious speed in the final two hours. Setting a class fast lap just above 2-minutes flat, the second Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing BMW M3 car took the lead from the Corvette team cars into the final hour.

In the last hour, the GT class of the 2012 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida provided a terrific on-track bout where five cars on the lead lap fought. The #56 BMW M3 continued leading while the Corvette Racing squad efforts to keep pace fell short of class victory. One GT with the best chance to spoil the #56 BMW M3 was the #71 AF Corse Ferrari F458 Italia. Closing from 4.64 to 1.64 seconds within the last minutes of the event, the #71 Ferrari caught the #56 and bravely fought for the GT category victory on the last lap. Almost capturing the lead, the #71 AF Corse Ferrari handled by Oliver Beretta went off course, dramatically costing the team Sebring victory as well as second place as the #03 Corvette C6R ZR1 crept by for second place. The #56 BMW M3 of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing soared to win the GT class for the second straight year at Sebring.

Photo Credit: BMW Motorsports

While each category of racing in the American Le Mans Series and the FIA World Endurance Championship competitions provided their own level of excitement, the 60th annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring supplied a memorable, lively sports car event. Topping the 12 hours of on-track racing, the Audi fulfilled their near-duty by capturing overall victory  Due to a multitude of full course yellow flags in the 2012 edition of the Sebring sports car competition, an overall distance of 1,201.6 miles recorded this year was the shortest since the 2000 race.



2012 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida 
American Le Mans Series/ FIA World Endurance Championship
Race Results

LMP1/P1

1 #2 McNish, Kristensen, Capello, Audi R18
2 #3 Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas,Loic Duval, Audi R18
3 #16 Collard, Boullion, Jousse; Pescarolo Judd
4 #6 Dyson, Smith, Kane Lola B12/60 Mazda
5 #21 Kane, Leventis, Watts; HPD ARX-03a Honda

LMP2/P2

1 #44 Sarrazin, Potolicchio, Dalziel; HPD ARX-03b Honda
2 #055 Tucker; Bouchut, Barbosa, HPD ARX-03b
3 #24 Pla, Nicolet, Lahaye; Morgan/Judd
4 #49 Kaffer, Ayari, Companc; Oreca/Nissan
5 #41 Julian, Zugel, Gonzalez; Zytek Z11SN-Nissan

PC

1 #06 Papow, Viso, Frisselle; Oreca FLM09
2 #52 Leitzinger, Dobson, Junco Jr; Oreca FLM09
3 #05 Bennett, Braun, Lux; Oreca FLM09
4 #7 Sanchez, Ducote, Echeverria; Oreca FLM09
5 #5 Guasch, Gidley, Wills; Oreca FLM09

GT/GTE-PRO

1 #56 Mueller, Summerton; Hand; BMW E92 M3
2 #03 Magnussen, Garcia, Taylor; Corvette C6-ZR1
3 #71 Beretta, Cioci, Bertolini; Ferrari F458 Italia
4 #4 Gavin, Milner, Westbrook; Corvette C6-ZR1
5 #055 Auberlen, Alzen, Muller; BMW E92 M3

GTE-AM

1 #88 Ruberti, Ried, Roda; Porsche 911 RSR 997
2 #70 Belloc, Bourret, Gibon; Corvette C6-ZR1
3 #50 Lamy, Bornhauser, Canal; Corvette C6-ZR1
4 #57 Jonsson, Rugulo, Krohn; Ferrari F458 Italia
5 #55 Camathias, Binnie, Palttala; Porsche 911 RSR 997

GTC

1 #023 Moltke, Sweedler, Bell; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
2 #022 Keen, Dumoulin, MacNeil; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
3 #34 Faulkner, Bleekemolen, Lesaffre; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
4 #66 Di Guida, Bunting, Pumpelly; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
5 #11 Estre, Cumming, Bullitt; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

2011 Rolex 24 at Daytona Victors and Final Results

Photo Credit: Grand Am

Enduring a full day of braking and acceleration, tire changes as well as track hazards, the 2011 Rolex 24 at Daytona reached an end during the mid-afternoon Sunday. Opening the 2011 Grand Am Rolex Series with 50 cars playing part of a massive sports car event, new looks and faces battle for an immediate claim to fame.

Beyond the mechanicals having a test of as many as 700 laps around the 3.56 mile Daytona International Speedway road course, the human factor of a continuous 24-hour work day made drivers as well as team members exhausted. Driving through a total of 23 cautions including a 2 hour, 47 minute long yellow flag for morning fog hovering over the race circuit.

Photo Credit: Grand Am

12 DP (Daytona Prototype) class machines led through a portion of the 24-hour distance would started with the pole-winning #45 Flying Lizards Motorsports Porsche Riley parading out front for the first 27 laps. Positioned out front at the beginning of the race, the Racing Lizards Motorsports DP (piloted by Patrick Long, Jorg Bergmeister, Seth Neiman and Johannes van Overbeek) car would be one of very casaulties of the long race distance. Suffering front end damage, the #45 Riley Porsche race result would place the team 22nd in the overall 2011 Rolex 24 at Daytona standings retiring after a late race engine fire.

Even the seasoned Chip Ganassi Racing squad of two-cars (the #01 and #02 BMW Rileys) were challenged through the course of this sports car race. The #01 missed the bus stop chicane corner between the oval's turn 2 and turn 3 sections, the #02 car suffered two tire punctures during the early stages and later required new front bodywork. With only 45 minutes remaining in the event, a second to last pit stop resulted in a costly mistake by the #01 Chip Ganassi car driven than by Joey Hand. Hitting a tire while leaving the team's pit stall, the Hand and the #01 car was assessed a 20-second penalty. However, thanks to team determination and some beneficial cautions, both Chip Ganassi Racing team BMW Riley cars in the DP class found themselves in the thick of the Rolex 24 at Daytona final laps. 
Within the final 7 minutes of the 2011 Rolex 24 at Daytona, a late race caution for debris from the #90 Spirit of Daytona prototype. Bunching up the top-4 DP class machines for what would be a green-white-checker flag finish, the #01 BMW Riley DP car will be tested once more after almost a full day of racing. The #02 Chip Ganassi Racing BMW Riley, the reigning 2010 24-hour race #9 Action Express Racing Porsche and the #23 United Autosports Ford Riley are given a chance to capitalize on any mistake the leading #01 BMW Riley could make on the restart. Unfortunately for the 2nd through 4th place competitions in DP, the #01 driven by veteran Chip Ganassi Racing sports car driver Scott Pruett was flawless through the final lap also benefiting from a GT inserted between the Chip Ganassi Racing machines. Through the final lap, action for the 2nd place result in the DP class was more contentious as #02 beat the #9 by just 6/10th of a second.

Having been denied victory in the 2010 24-hour race the team had dominated 3 years prior, The Chip Ganassi Racing was reunited with the Daytona International Speedway victory lane. This year's winning team for the #01 Chip Ganassi Racing lineup consisted of Chip Ganassi regulars Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas along with some new additions to the DP class machine. Graham Rahal, the 2011 driver of Chip Ganassi's new second IZOD INDYCAR Series team, and the American road racing talent Joey Hand were additions to the 2011 Rolex 24 at Daytona victory.

Photo Credit: Grand Am

Despite the renewed efforts of Mazda, Chevrolet and BMW in the GT class, Porsche dominated the class. Leading the German sports car's triumph with the top-two positions, an all-new 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car fielded by TRG (The Racer's Group). Qualifying as a fast race car on Friday, the TRG #67 Porsche was forced to the back of the starting field Saturday afternoon due to a technical violation. Leading a total of 216 of the GT class maximum 685 laps, the TRG squad of Steven Bertheau, Wolf Henzler, Andy Lally, Spencer Pumpelly and NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Brendan Gaughan celebrated a GT category win at Daytona. For TRG, they take Daytona honours back from Mazda having last won the 2009 Rolex 24 race. Mentioning Porsche honours, another team in the Grand Am GT class Porsche GT3 Cup race car fielded by Paul Miller Racing claimed a valuable 2nd place. Dempsey Racing cancelled hopes of a Porsche podium sweep in GT at the Rolex 24 at Daytona placing their Mazda in third place.

Back to the Porsche GT cars was also a nostalgic return of Brumos Racing at the 2011 Rolex 24 at Daytona. Making a memorable showing but finishing outside of the podium standings, the #59 Brumos squad's return to the GT class of sports car racing resulted with their Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car leading through the mid-stage of the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Fifth in the GT category, the #59 Brumos team is ready for a full 2011 Grand Am Rolex Series season.

Photo Credit: Grand Am

As for the often enduring SpeedSource Mazda RX-8 GT cars who are the reigning class winners of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, their 2011 race was quite a bit different. With the SpeedSource #69 retired after completing 202 laps, the #70 car maintained itself in the event but was well out of contention for a top finish during the 2011 Daytona event. Placed 6th in the Rolex GT class after the 24-hour distance, the #70 Mazda RX-8 finished 15 laps behind the category winning TRG Porsche.

In a 12-month period, Chip Ganassi-supported vehicles have won four major races at the two most iconic United States race tracks Daytona International Speedway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Started with Jamie McMurray's 2010 Daytona 500 win, Dario Franchitti followed up in May to take victory in the IZOD INDYCAR's crown jewel Indy 500. When the NASCAR Sprint Cup cars took to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, McMurray pulled off the Brickyard 400 win.



2011 Rolex 24 at Daytona
Final Results

Overall Pos | (*) Class Pos | Team | Sponsor | Drivers | Car/Chassis  

1. (1) 01 DP Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates| Target/ TELMEX
Scott Pruett, Auburn, CA
Memo Rojas, Mexico City, Mexico
Graham Rahal, Hilliard, OH
Joey Hand, Wilton, CA
BMW Riley

2. (2) 02 DP Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates| TELMEX/ Target
Scott Dixon, New Zealand
Juan Pablo Montoya, Colombia
Dario Franchitti, Scotland
Jamie McMurray, Mooresville, NC
BMW Riley

3. (3) 9 DP Action Express Racing
Terry Borcheller, Vero Beach, FL
JC France, Ormond Beach, FL
Joao Barbosa, Portugal
Christian Fittipaldi, Brazil
Max Papis, Mooresville, NC
Porsche Riley

4. (4) 23 DP United Autosports with Michael Shank Racing| Johnnie Walker/ FXI/ UBS
Zak Brown, Carmel, IN
Mark Patterson, Bronxville, NY
Mark Blundell, Royston/ Herts, Uk
Martin Brundle, Gayton, Norfolk, England
Ford Riley

5. (5) 10 DP SunTrust Racing SunTrust
Wayne Taylor, Apopka, FL
Max Angelelli, Monaco
Ricky Taylor, Apopka, FL
Ryan Briscoe, Australia
Chevrolet Dallara

6. (6) 76 DP Krohn Racing
Tracy Krohn, Houston, TX
Nic Jonsson, Sweden
Ricardo Zonta, Brazil
Nicholas Minassian, France
Ford Lola

7. (7) 6 DP Michael Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian Continental Tires/ Curb Records/ PVA/ Rocky Fork Company
AJ Allmendinger, Denver, CO
Michael McDowell, Huntersville, NC
Justin Wilson, Dacono, CO
Ford Dallara

8. (8) 55 DP Level 5 Motorsports Microsoft/ E Data Solutions/ Selling Source/ US Bank
Scott Tucker, Overland Park, KS
Christophe Bouchut, France
Luis Diaz, Mexico City, Mexico
Mark Wilkins, Aurora, ON Canada
BMW Riley

9. (9) 5 DP Darren Law, Phoenix, AZ Action Express Racing
David Donohue, Malvern, PA
Buddy Rice, Phoenix, Az
Burt Frisselle, Aspen, CO
Porsche Riley

10. (10) 60 DP Michael Shank Racing Crown Royal XR
John Pew, North Palm Beach, FL
Oswaldo Negri Jr, Miami, FL
Marc Goossens, Belgium
Michael Valiante, Vancouver, BC Canada
Ford Riley

11. (11) 95 DP Level 5 Motorsports Microsoft/ E Data Solutions/ Selling Source/ US Bank
Scott Tucker, Overland Park, KS
Ryan Hunter-Reay, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Richard Westbrook, England
Raphael Matos, Miami, FL
BMW Riley

12. (1) 67 GT TRG Sargent & Lundy/ South Point Hotel & Casino
Steven Bertheau, Aurora, IL
Brendan Gaughan, Las Vegas, NV
Wolf Henzler, Germany
Andy Lally, Newport, NY
Spencer Pumpelly, Mason Neck, VA
Porsche GT3 Cup

13. (2) 48 GT Paul Miller Racing Marquis Jet/ Total/ IPC
Bryce Miller, Summit, NJ
Tim Sugden, England
Bryan Sellers, Dayton, OH
Rob Bell, UK
Porsche GT3 Cup

14. (3) 40 GT Dempsey Racing Mazda/ Visit Florida
Joe Foster, Lawrenceville, GA
Patrick Dempsey, Beverly Hills, CA
Charles Espenlaub, Lutz, FL
Tom Long, Raleigh, NC
Mazda RX-8

15. (12) 99 DP GAINSCO/ Bob Stallings Racing GAINSCO Auto Insurance/BobStallingsCars.com
Jon Fogarty, Bend, OR
Alex Gurney, Irvine, CA
Jimmie Johnson, El Cajon, CA
Chevrolet Riley

16. (4) 44 GT Magnus Racing Magnus Racing, LLC.
John Potter, Salt Lake City, UT
Craig Stanton, Long Beach, CA
Richard Lietz, Austria
Marco Holzer, Germany
Porsche GT3 Cup

17. (5) 59 GT Brumos Racing Brumos.com
Hurley Haywood, Ponte Vedra, FL
Andrew Davis, Bogart, GA
Leh Keen, Charleston, SC
Marc Lieb, Germany
Porsche GT3 Cup


18. (6) 70 GT SpeedSource Castrol Edge/ Mazdaspeed
John Edwards, Cincinnati, OH
Sylvain Tremblay, Coral Springs, FL
Adam Christodoulou, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Jonathan Bomarito, Del Mar, CA
Mazda RX-8

19. (7) 42 GT Team Sahlen Theracesite.com
Joe Sahlen, Elma, NY
Will Nonnamaker, North Canton, OH
Wayne Nonnamaker, Massillon, OH
Joe Nonnamaker, Massillon, OH
Memo Gidley, Novato, CA
Mazda RX-8

20. (8) 4 GT TRG Children's Tumor Foundation
Ryan Eversley, Winder, GA
Daniel Graeff, Miami, FL
Kenny Wallace, Concord, NC
Ron Yarab Jr, Poland, OH
Richard Zahn Jr, Lake Mary, FL
Porsche GT3 Cup

21. (13) 45 DP Flying Lizard Motorsports
Patrick Long, Belleair, FL
Jorg Bergmeister, Germany
Seth Neiman, San Francisco, CA
Johannes van Overbeek, Oakland, CA
Porsche Riley

22. (9) 18 GT Muehlner Motorsports
Mark Thomas, Houston, TX
Peter Ludwig, New Paltz, NY
Dion von Moltke, Coral Gables, FL
Cory Friedman, Charleston, SC
Porsche GT3 Cup

23. (14) 90 DP Spirit of Daytona Racing
Antonio Garcia, Spain
Paul Edwards, Ft Collins, CO
Sascha Maassen, Germany
Chevrolet Coyote

24. (10) 41 GT Dempsey Racing Seattle Children's Hospital/ JG Sport/ Global Diving
James Gue, Alpharetta, GA
Dane Cameron, Glen Ellen, CA
Ian James, Sunset, SC
Dave Lacey, Toronto, ON Canada
Don Kitch Jr, Bellevue, WA
Mazda RX-8

25. (11) 47 GT Rick Ware Racing Fuel Doctor
Jeffrey Earnhardt, Charlotte, NC
Scott Monroe, Kemah, TX
Doug Harrington, Kemah, TX
Maurice Hull, High Point, NC
Brett Sandberg, Allendale, NJ
Porsche GT3 Cup

26. (12) 57 GT Motorsports Stevenson Automotive Group
Robin Liddell, England Stevenson
Ronnie Bremer, Denmark
Jan Magnussen, Denmark
Camaro GT.R


27. (13) 66 GT TRG ViperExchange.com/ Summit/ DRISW
Dominik Farnbacher, Germany
Tim George Jr, New York, NY
Ben Keating, Port Lavaca, TX
Lucas Luhr, Germany
Porsche GT3 Cup

28. (14) 88 GT Autohaus Motorsports Autohaus Motorsports
Jordan Taylor, Apopka, FL
Bill Lester, Atlanta, Ga
Johnny O'Connell, Flowery Branch, GA
Matthew Marsh, Hong Kong
Camaro GT.R

29. (15) 81 GT DragonSpeed Ferrari of Ft Lauderdale/ Quality
Specialty Pharmacy/ Novatic
Rosso/ Hopkins Investments/ UC Handsur
Cort Wagner, Los Angeles, CA
Fred Poordad, Los Angeles, CA
Doug Baron, Pacific Palisades, CA
Nick Jones, Los Angeles, CA
Ferrari F430 CH

30. (16) 54 GT TRG/Black Swan Racing/GMG Racing
Jeroen Bleekemolen, Monaco
Bret Curtis, Lake Sherwood, CA
Tim Pappas, Boston, MA
Patrick Pilet, France
James Sofronas, Newport Beach, CA
Porsche GT3 Cup

31. (15) 2 DP Starworks Motorsport| Duncan
Enzo Potoliccio,
Alex Popow,
Romain Iannetta, France
Ford Riley

32. (17) 94 GT Turner Motorsport Turner Motorsport
Bill Auberlen, Redondo Beach, CA
Paul Dalla Lana, Toronto, ON Canada
Boris Said, Escondido, CA
Matt Plumb, Newport, RI
BMW M3

33. (16) 8 DP Starworks Motorsport Corsa Car Care/ Burlusa
Mike Forest, Edmonton, AB Canada
Ryan Dalziel, Orlando, FL
Jim Lowe, Bryn Maur, PA
Colin Braun, Harrisburg, NC
Tomas Enge, Czech Republic
Ford Riley

34. (18) 63 GT Team Spencer Motorsports Trench Shoring Services
Rich Grupp, Decatur, GA
David Murry, Atlanta, GA
Jim Downing, Atlanta, GA
Dennis Spencer, Kissimmee, FL
Owen Trinkler, Nashville, TN
Mazda RX-8

35. (19) 65 GT Racing 65 Roses
Tom Sheehan, Auburn, NH Chris Smith
Shane Lewis, Jupiter, FL
William Sweedler,
Mitch Pagerey, Deerfield Beach, FL
Porsche GT3 Cup

36. (20) 30 GT Racers Edge Motorsports 3-Dimensional.com/ IDEMITSU/ Moton/ Terra Firma/ Springboro Car Wash/ PDI Communication Systems
Scott Rettich, Camden, OH
Mark Jensen, Winter Park, FL
Michael Marsal, Bedford, NY
Gary Jensen, Winter Park, FL
Jade Buford, Brentwood, TN
Mazda RX-8

37. (21) 53 GT TRG/Nadeau Motorsports
Jim Michaelian, Long Beach, CA
Bob Doyle, Killingworth, CT
Coulter Mulligan, San Francisco, CA
Joe Castellano, Spain
Porsche GT3 Cup

38. (22) 32 GT PR1 Motorsports Autosport Designs/ Mobotix/ Corsa Car Care
David Cheng, Summamish, WA
Tom Papadopoulos, East Hills, NY
Ryan Lewis, Grapevine, TX
Max Hyatt, San Jose, CA
BMW M6

39. (23) 07 GT Banner Racing The Cool TV
Bruce Ledoux II, Southborough, MA
Eric Curran, Holyoke, MA
Gunter Schaldach, Aspen, CO
Oliver Gavin, England
Camaro GT.R

40. (24) 17 GT Burtin Racing Foametix
Claudio Burtin, Cartersville, GA
Jack Baldwin, Marietta, GA
Martin Ragginger, Austria
Nick Tandy, London, England
Nicolas Armindo, France
Porsche GT3 Cup

41. (25) 22 GT Bullet Racing PacificWesternPerformance.com/ Guard Transmission
Darryl O'Young, Hong Kong, China
James Walker, Oxford, England
Brian Wong, Newport Beach, CA
Eric Lux, Williamsville, NY
Porsche GT3 Cup

42. (17) 77 DP Doran Racing
Brian Frisselle, Aspen, CO
Henri Richard, Los Altos Hills, CA
Matt Bell, Los Altos, CA
Ross Kaiser, Binfield, UK United Kingdom
Ford Dallara

43. (26) 56 GT Bennett Racing Skip Bennett
Mike Skeen, Charlotte, NC
JF Dumoulin, Trois-Rivieres, QC Canada
Michael Davidson, Chesapeake, VA
Glynn Geddie, Scotland
Jonathan Allen, Upper Black Eddy, PA
Ferrari F430 CH

44. (18) 7 DP Douglas Peterson, Bonita Springs, FL Starworks Motorsport Xtreme Indoor Karting/ Burlusa
RJ Valentine, Braintree, MA
Jared Beyer, New Braunfels, TX
Scott Mayer, Franklin, WI
Jan Heylen, Belgium
Ford Riley

45. (27) 69 GT SpeedSource FXDD
Emil Assentato, Locust Valley, NY
Jeff Segal, Miami, FL
Nick Ham, Evergreen, CO
Anthony Lazzaro, Atlanta, GA
Nick Longhi, Nyack, NY
Mazda RX-8

46. (28) 43 GT Sahlen Theracesite.com
Joe Sahlen, Elma, NY Team
Will Nonnamaker, North Canton, OH
Wayne Nonnamaker, Massillon, OH
Joe Nonnamaker, Massillon, OH
Memo Gidley, Novato, CA
Mazda RX-8

47. (29) 36 GT Yellow Dragon Motorsports ModSpace/ Construct Corps/Scotia Bank/ Mazda
Taylor Hacquard, Surrey, BC Canada
Chris Cumming, Vancouver, BC Canada
Mikel Miller, Pacific Grove, CA
Justin Marks, Chico, CA
Mazda RX-8

48. (30) 86 GT Mitchum Motorsports Weather Tech/ Semper Fi Fund/ Eibach
Joey Atterbury, Chesapeake, VA
Cooper MacNeil, Hinsdale, IL
Randy Pobst, Gainesville, GA
Derek Whitis, Tallahasse, FL
Billy Johnson, San Clemente, CA
Porsche GT3 Cup

49. (Withdrew) 11 GT TPN Racing/ Blackforest Summit Financial/ Borla/ Race Tec/ Gary Yoeman's Ford
Tom Nastasi, Stamford, CT
Scott Maxwell, Toronto, ON Canada
David Empringham, Toronto, ON Canada
David Russell, Winter Park, Fl
Ford Mustang

50. (Withdrew) 00 GT Aten Motorsports RG512/ OFI/ Sequana/ Ice Cap/ Sport Event
Emmanuel Collard, France
Davy Jones, Lake Tahoe, NV
Gabriel Abergel, France
Xavier Pompidou, France
Steve Lisa, Paradise Valley, AZ
Ferrari F430 CH

Peugeot Wins 2010 12-Hours of Sebring

Photo Credit: GM Media

After two times where the Peugeot 908 HDI FAP prototype came up short of the 12 Hour of Sebring victory in 2008 and 2009, the French marque claimed the prestigious victory through a triumphant effort by the two-car team. Piloted through the final laps by Alexander Wurz, the #07 Peugeot 908 crossed the line 13.817 seconds ahead of the #08 team car which was in the hands of Formula 1 driver and Champ Car champion Sebastian Bourdais. Joined by his co-drivers Anthony Davidson and Marc Gene, the #07 Peugeot team celebrated a picture perfect 12 hour run.


Photo Credit: Aston Martin

Behind the French-made diesel-powered prototypes, the #007 Lola-Aston Martin took third on the podium only 3 laps behind the indomitable Peugeot team. With long-standing corporate history at Sebring started with the first 12 hour race, Aston Martin toasted the podium finish. Aston Martin Chairman David Richards praised the team saying “Another immaculate performance by George (Team Principal, George Howard-Chappell) and his team in finishing here as fastest petrol car and a great start to the season.” Unlike the Peugeot squad, the Lola-Aston Martin is committed to running the second round in Long Beach with the American Le Mans Series.

In the P2 category for prototypes, the Porsche RS Spyder once again found class victory at Sebring campaigned by the CytoSport team. Finishing 4th overall in the 12-Hours of Sebring, the driver lineup was a road racing all-star team consisting of Greg Pickett, Klaus Graf and Sascha Maassen. 14 laps behind the Peugeot 908, the CtyoSport group did finish 4 laps ahead of their P2 rival Patron Highcroft Racing opponent.

The third prototype class, the all-new Prototype Challenge took their first green flag torture-testing the Chevrolet-powered spec racers. While all but one car that started the Prototype Challenge class were running at the end, many of the teams faced interruptions such as Primetime Racing team which needed an extended time to replace a broken rear suspension piece. Overcoming the bad luck of fellow the Prototype Challenge, the #55 Level 5 Motorsports car co-driven by team owner Scott Tucker, Christophe Bouchut and Canadian Mark Wilkins rolled to victory in class and an impressive 10th overall finish.

Even before the race started, the GT class was guaranteed to be the most contested category in the 12-Hours of Sebring. This promise was fulfilled even before the race started as the fastest qualifying #90 Rahal Letterman Racing BMW M3 was bumped to the back of the GT2 class field after failing post-qualifying technical inspection. Having to start from pitlane, the #90 car did soldier through the event for a podium finish in class. Through the 12 hour race, the #17 Falken Tire Porsche grabbed the lead from the start of the race but the #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 430 GT would be holding the lead through the second hour and for much of the remaining event.

As some in GT2 showed strength in the 12-hour duration at Sebring International Raceway, some of the production-based vehicles experienced less than desirable results. The early leading #17 Falken Tire Porsche would be drawn to pit road in two occasions for a rear wheel and tire flying off the vehicle on-track. In the second case, the rear wheel would damaging fellow Porsche, the #45 Flying Lizards car.

The #75 Jaguar XKRS GT2 car suffered a quick withdraw from the event due to engine overheating problem disappointing of team owner and driver Paul Gentilozzi. While the Jaguar averted a catastrophic failure, the Ferrari 430 GT of Scott Sharp's new Extreme Speed Motorsports experienced an extreme hot engine compartment late in the 12-Hour race. With Sharp at the wheel, he brought the Patron-sponsored Ferrari to a stop off the course. A fast-acting track worker with a fire extinguisher prevented the red hot fire from engulfing the whole car.

Another entrant in class, the Ford GT run for the 3rd year by Robertson Racing also fell on tough luck. After a Monday testing crash at Sebring, the #40 Ford GT was skillfully repaired in time for Friday qualifying. In the race, more misfortune found the Robertson Racing effort in the 9th of 12 hours. Running off-track, some comic relief could be found with a Florida Fresh track sign planted onto the front of the Ford GT once the #40 car returned onto the race surface. Repairs on the Robertson Racing #40 Ford GT allowed the team to finish rounding out 10th in the GT2 class.

The final GT2 hard luck story goes to the Corvette Racing team at the 2010 Sebring event. While the Peugeot Sport team enjoyed a near clockwork 12 hour race in the prototype category, the GT2 class saw the prominent Corvette Racing team suffer a rare mistake in pit road within the 3rd hour of the timed event. Reportedly caused by crossed radio communications, the #3 Chevrolet Corvette C6R was heading down pit road for service when the car made hard contact with the #4 Corvette Racing teammate. Not only embarrassing, this collision endangered the crew members of both teams. Fortunately, no one on pit lane suffered injuries as result of the American car tingle. While the #3 Corvette was already displaced deep in the GT2 standings with repairs for a fluid leak, the #4 car damage forced the car behind the wall for repairs taking Corvette Racing out of winning contention for the GT2 class at Sebring. The cars would finish the race 9th and 10th place in class.


Photo Credit: GM Media

The GT2 class winner from last year, he #62 Ferrari 430 GT waltzed to victory after a late race caution positioned the Risi Competizione car one lap ahead of the BMW M3 pair. Gianmaria Bruni, Jaime Melo and Pierre Kaffer shared the red Ferrari for a second-straight Sebring win.

Winning the GT Challenge class after scoring pole on Friday, the #81 Alex Job Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car driven by Butch Leitzinger, Juan Gonzalez and Leh Keen ended the 12-Hours of Sebring race exactly where they started. A bonus for Alex Job Racing was the racing organization's sweep of the GT Challenge podium with the #23 in 2nd and #80 finishing 3rd at Sebring.

The story of the 2010 12-Hours of Sebring is of course the overall victory of the Peugeot 908 diesel prototype car. The French automaker now holds the sports car racing Triple Crown by winning at Le Mans, the Petit Le Mans in Road Atlanta and now Sebring.

Peugeot to lead 12-Hours of Sebring Race

Photo Credit: Aston Martin


Showing themselves to be indisputably fast through the previous two days of practice, Peugeot 908 HDI FAP racing vehicles established themselves as the rabbits for the 2010 12 Hours of Sebring. Between the two-car team of Peugeot Sport, the #07 Peugeot 908 of Marc Gene, Alex Wurz, and Anthony Davidson delivered a best lap 1 minute, 45.214 seconds around the 3.7 mile Sebring track beating the #08 car.

While the presence Peugeot 908 prototypes on the front row is hardly a surprise, the more amazing story of the class comes behind the French team (very closely, in fac). After Friday qualifying at Sebring, the competing prototype Aston Martin-powered Lola has been running on the race favourite Peugeot team. Settling in 3rd place, the Lowes-sponsored LMP #007 car clocked a relatively strong lap 0.8 seconds slower than the lead Peugeot. Even more of a confidence builder for the one-year old Lola-Aston Martin is that they were only 0.238 seconds back of the second diesel-powered Peugeot. The Lola-Aston Martin Team's Principal George-Howard Chappell commented "Third position is exactly where we hoped and expected to be.". Chappell also expresses confidence in the reliability of the #007 car.

Rounding out the top 5 for the prototype class is the Drayson Racing #8 Lola-Mazda 1.246 seconds slower and the Patron Highcroft Racing HPD ARX-01c sitting 2.470 seconds behind the leader's time.

In the GT2 class the #90 Rahal-Letterman Racing BMW M3 leads the category with a lap time of 2 minutes, 0.782 seconds. However, through post-race inspection the BMW M3 failed a stall test causing their top time to be disallowed. Thereby, the #45 Flying Lizards Porsche 997 RSR inherited the pole in the GT2 class after running 6/10th of a second slower than the disqualified BMW M3.


Photo Credit: GM Media


Also with the exclusion of the Rahal Letterman Racing BMW M3, the starting positions of other GT2 cars have been bumped up. With Porsche 997 RSRs starting 1-2, 3rd place in GT2 sees the #62 Risi Competizione vehicle leading the large contingent of Ferrari 430 GT race cars. Struggling for speed through the week against German and Italian-built challengers, the American Chevrolet Corvette C6Rs could only pull off a 4th and 5th place showing on Friday. Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan stated after qualifying "We've still got a lot of work to do and we are climbing a steep learning curve. As a testament to the highly-competitive fight shaping by for the GT2 class in Sebring (and likely the entire ALMS season for 2010) 1st through 8th in the class is separated by under 1.1 seconds.

As for the two Challenge classes running for the first time at Sebring, the #99 Green Earth Team took the Prototype Challenge series' first pole narrowly beating the #95 Level5 car. Gunnar Jeanette drove the #99 car in the lap which vaulted the team over the #95 car being hustled by IndyCar regular Ryan Hunter-Reay added as a co-driver for the Sebring event. An exciting on track battle for Friday qualifying, the class' main source of heart race occurred on Tuesday. A loss to the new Prototype Challenge class, the ALMS mainstay Intersport Racing team needed to withdraw from the 12 Hours of Sebring after their car wrecked dramatically following a right rear suspension failure. While driver Jon Field was not seriously hurt, their Oreca prototype went airborne and flipped several times.

The 7-car GT Challenge field will be led by an #81 Alex Job Racing-owned Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car. To be driven by Butch Leitzinger, Juan Gonzalez and Leh Keen on Saturday, the #80 Alex Job Racing teammate secured the full front row for the GT Challenge.

With ambient temperatures in Sebring, Florida slated to peak at 80 degrees Fehrenheit, a hot Florida weekend will heat up the racing surface promising to challenge every driver with a slick race track. The 2010 12 Hours of Sebring starts at 10:30 AM on Saturday.

Chip Ganassi Racing wins Grand Am Grand Prix of Miami

Photo Credit: Grand Am Media

The first racing following the 2010 season opener for the Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series at the Rolex 24-hour of Daytona, the seeds of the sports car series' 2010 season long tour has yet to be planted. The Rolex Sports Car Series took their race machines to the further south corner of the Florida state to run the Grand Prix of Miami sports car event on the Homestead-Miami Speedway. Competing in leisurely 2 hour and 45 minute sprint race, the 2.3 mile road course within the traditional oval started in the bright Miami sun and ended amidst the beam of headlamps.

The start of the Daytona Prototype (DP) cars was marred by a collision between the #6 and #01 machines in the first turn. The #01 Chip Ganassi Racing-backed BMW Riley driven by Memo Rojas attempted to make an out-braking pass on the Brian Frisselle piloting the #6 Michael Shank Racing Ford Riley. Losing considerable ground at the beginning of this sprint race, the Ford-powered Riley found itself buried in the lower part of the Daytona Prototype running order. Thanks to the caution-free melody of the Grand Prix of Miami, teams like the #6 Michael Shank Racing were trapped by their early struggles.


Photo Credit: Grand Am Media

Losing the lead after their pole start, the #59 performed a power move on the #99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing DP car using the immense Porsche V8 momentum on the front straightaway. The Grand Prix of Miami saw the DP class lead alternate between the #99 Riley Chevrolet, #59 Porsche Riley, and the Chip Ganassi-owned BMW Riley.

Along with the #6 entry, another DP class heartbreaker was the events for the Rolex 24-hour winning team of Action Express Racing. Experiencing the highest of highs after surviving the Daytona International Speedway road racing jewel, the #9 Porsche helmed by Terry Borcheller and Joao Barbosa suffered a water leak forcing their a mid-way retirement.

In the GT class, the #70 SpeedSource Mazda RX-8 shared by Jonathan Bomarito and Sylvain Tremblay rose to the challenge posed by the 2010 season's array of new cars at Daytona. At Homestead-Miami Speedway, The class' pole was snatched by the #07 Chevrolet Corvette which was one vehicle coming from the new guard of Rolex Sport Cars. Set back by high tire pressures in the first stint, the team fell prey to the more established RX-8.

Entered in their second race in the GT class, the Turner Motorsports BMW M6 provided a more positive result as the #94 spent some valuable time bonding with the V8-powered race machine. The end result for the Turner Motorsport effort concluded with a top 5 finish in the GT class.

With 22 minutes left in the Grand Prix of Miami, a breather was provided to the field as a full-course caution citing debris was drawn for the first time in the race. Allowing the David Donohue driven #59 Brumos Porsche Riley to gain about 10 seconds on the leading #01 BMW Riley piloted by Scott Pruett. With the restart coming with 14 minutes to go, the powered-engined car crept increasingly closer to the Chip Ganassi Racing-owned BMW. Stalking Scott Pruett through the final lap, David Donohue came up just short of snaking around the victorious #01 BMW Riley. One month after a disastrous weekend at Daytona, the #99 GAINSCO/Bob Stalling Racing car was piloted home 3rd in the Grand Prix of Miami in the Daytona Prototype class.


Photo Credit: Grand Am Media


The GT Class lead was diced through late race pitstops. Eventually, racing luck favoured the #69 SpeedSource Mazda under the driver pairing of Emil Assentato and Jeff Segal claiming the GT win. Following a respectable debut run for the Chevrolet Camaro GT.R campaigned by Stevenson Motorsports, the #57 piloted by Andrew Davis and Robin Liddell came home second in class.

Death Coming for Auto Racing According to MSN Commentary

According to an MSN Commentary written by Douglas A. McIntyre, a financial writer for 24/7 Wall St., professional auto racing is heading into a doomsday scenario. If accepting the headline, this report definitely a threat constituting a eventual dark age for auto racing caused by a wide-spanning exodus of auto companies' financial and technical support. In reality, it was only drawing on the official announcement that Toyota withdrew from Formula 1 racing on Wednesday, cautioning that the support for the major North American auto racing series NASCAR could be next.

Relating to the past year of corporate reorganization by General Motors and Chrysler, Mr McIntyre believes that both companies are being heavily-pressured to pull out of the sport as a cost-savings move proposed by the United States Government. Investing more than $80 billion US through a course starting almost 11 months ago to rescue both corporations, acquired government ownership is allegedly expected to damage support for auto racing. While backdoor talks could affirm the put of the commentary, the only real notice that the Obama-led US Government threatened to shut down factory support to NASCAR turned out to be an April Fool's joke.

Tracing back to Toyota's departure from Formula 1, the MSN commentary accurately eluded to the Japanese auto maker's budget being over $300 million US. In fact, during their initial season, Toyota spent $445.6 million dollars to fast track their competition in Formula 1. In return from the excessive spending to succeed, the factory-supported Panasonic Toyota Racing team could never propel a driver to the top spot of the F1 podium. While Toyota Motor Corporation's stated finances were the reason for leaving Formula 1, being winless in 8 seasons probably weighted heavily on the ego of Toyota Motorsports as well as the past financial investment of what could be 2.4 billion dollars. In comparison, that money was near enough to bailout the Chrysler Corporation this past year. To spend that type of money and go winless is certainly not a popular proposal for renewal for Toyota execs to digest. However, one manufacturer dropping support over a money-draining venture for themselves doesn't mean that other automakers are need benefiting from the fruits of motorsports.

Honda's exit from Formula 1 after the 2008 year also came with recent years of under-performance. But Honda did not withdraw from motorsports. This Japanese company has devoted their full dedicated to the American-based Indy Car series providing engines to the grid of 20-plus cars. The series itself is beginning to show signs of a renaissance marked recently by the additional of apparel company Izod as a title sponsor. Clearly Izod believes a few more years are left in auto racing.

By to NASCAR, concerns about the American auto companies' commitment has been threatened several times in the sports history. In 1957, a voluntary ban was placed against American auto manufacturer's involvement in any kind of motorsport as a result of 80 deaths resulting at the 24-hour of Le Mans crash 2 years prior. Following a period of reduced, secretive assistance from auto companies, factory support officially returned into the 1960s. As the oil crisis and looming economic problems of the 1970s again drove factory proceeds to little to nothing for NASCAR teams, the stock car series continued to run. But then again NASCAR must keep in mind that they are running their series for the fans, not necessarily for their money. With NASCAR's growth since 1990, they might have lost sight of it but they are now beginning to accommodate the sport to the fans hard hit by the economy.

As for the NASCAR teams, diminished factory support from stronger auto companies could be better than overwhelming support from a weakened industry. Perhaps this means that NASCAR Sprint Cup teams will need to accept tighter budget constraints but it will not take the fire out of racing engines. Just like support to the Indy Car series, non-automotive corporations still see the enormous value of NASCAR racing putting down up to 20-30 million dollars a season in Sprint Cup simply to have their name adorn sheetmetal.

Even during the great depression that consumed the 1930s, the world stage eventually heated up with the finest pre-war racing as auto manufacturers were not ready to let money beat them from improving the four-wheeled breed. Granted, auto companies' motorsport programs are just a form of marketing and these strategies are prone to change. But motorsport marketing operates centrifugally with car makers coming and going from a particular form of auto racing. Mercedes-Benz factory left racing after the 1955 Le Mans disaster but eventually returned to almost every form of motorsport in just from 1989 to 1999.

There has also been a case study in the automotive industry where auto racing is not only an enhancement of brand profile but a profitable venture. Porsche, who like most sports car builders, has used motorsports to add luster to their vehicles since the earliest rear-engined creations. Maintaining a near constant level of factory support, Porsche has success to speak of on the track and a growing prestige with their street cars through 60 years. In claiming this achievement, the German company skillfully built race programs to cater to racing customers allowing a rarely tapped revenue center to balance racing and business.

With all respect to Mr McIntyre article "Death of car racing?", I must speak as a motorsport fan that while competition exists within humanity, auto racing will thrive.