Sebring 1977 - Porsche…Porsche…Porsche…
A total of 72 cars started the 25th edition of America's greatest sports car race. Porsche's dominated the grid, with a few Corvettes qualifying well but not expected to endure the brutal 5.2-mile circuit.
Peter Gregg and Jim Busby in a Porsche 934 controlled the first half of the race, but an extended pit stop but Californians George Dyer and Brad Frisselle in the lead driving a Porsche Carrera RSR. They finished with a five-lap lead over Diego Febles and Hiram Cruz in another RSR.
Porsche took every position in the top 10 and also won the GTU category. Actor Bobby Carradine drove a Ferrari with John Morton to 17th place, one of the few non-Porsches to crack the top 20.
Sebring 1976 - The Porsche Streak Begins
The 24th edition of Sebring looked to be another Porsche vs. BMW battle. While several Corvette entries were fast, including John Greenwood's pole-winning "Spirit of Sebring" entry, reliability over 12 hours strongly favored Porsche.
After the BMW encountered problems midway through the race, it was all Porsche. Three different teams battled for the lead, but it was the Carrera RSR driven by Al Holbert and Michael Keyser that survived to win by two laps over the John Gunn/Carson Baird Porsche. A Porsche 911S driven by Dave White and David McClain won the GTU class.
The streak was underway. For the next 13 years, Porsche would earn the top step of the podium at America's greatest sports car race.
Sebring 1975 - BMW Takes First Sebring Win
Sebring was revived in 1975 thanks to promoter John Greenwood. The entry list was dominated by Porsche entries, with the only real competition coming from the factory BMW team.
A total of 69 cars started the race, with the #24 BMW CSL on the pole. The designated "rabbit" was assigned to run all-out the entire race, while the #25 BMW drove a more conservative pace waiting for the leading Porsches and Corvettes to break. The BMW strategy worked perfectly when the Brumos Porsche and the Greenwood Corvette retired.
All four BMW pilots drove the winning car. Brian Redman, Sam Posey, Allan Moffat and Stuck finished with a one-lap margin over the Porsche driven by George Dyer and Jacques Bienvenue. Porsches took 14 of the top 17 positions, including the GTU win, but the day belonged to BMW.
Sebring 1974 - No Race, But the Fans Come Anyway!
Despite valiant efforts to save the race, the 1974 Sebring 12 Hours was cancelled. The so-called "energy crisis" created fuel shortages that forced IMSA to cancel the event (initially the race was to be shortened from 12 hours to 1200 kilometers).
But there was a Sebring '74. Hundreds of fans showed up anyway at the Sebring Airport circuit. Maybe thousands. It was a spontaneous party, funeral, tribute… whatever you want to call it. Sebring fans had to be there, race or not. They were not going to let the Sebring tradition die. Long live Sebring!
Sebring 1973 - The IMSA era Begins
This year marked the beginning of a completely new era at Sebring. Sebring race founder and promoter Alec Ulmann had departed and the race seemed in doubt until Reginald Smith, John Bishop and the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) stepped in at the last minute to save the race.
Sebring was now part of the IMSA Camel GT series. Gone were the prototypes and the prestige of being a World Championship event. Despite that, a huge entry of GT cars entered, with 72 making the starting grid.
Corvette took the top three positions in qualifying, with Tony DeLorenzo recording the fastest time. Fourth on the grid was a Porsche driven by Hurley Haywood, Peter Gregg and car owner Dave Helmick.
Attrition was high and many of the Corvettes and Camaro entries dropped out early, while the more endurance-reliable Porsches took command. Gregg/Haywood and Helmick won by a one-lap margin over the Porsche driven by Michael Keyser and Milt Minter. A Porsche 911 S won the GTU class.
Sebring's first IMSA race was a big success, but tough challenges lay ahead for America's greatest sports car race.
Sebring 1972 - The Last 12 Hours?
Promoter Alec Ulmann had already announced this race as the last Sebring 12-hour. After several attempts to upgrade the facility and then to find a location for a new circuit, he was informed the FIA would no longer sanctioning Sebring as a world championship event after 1972.
Ferrari and Alfa Romeo prototypes were the big favorites, with the majority of the field being GT cars. Ronnie Peterson won the pole position in a Ferrari 312PB.
61 cars started the race, with Ferrari taking the early lead. The 312PB driven by Brian Redman and Clay Regazzoni dominated the first seven hours, but retired due to a fire, giving Mario Andretti and Jacky Ickx the lead in another factory 312PB. They finished with a two-lap margin over Peterson's Ferrari. Dave Heinz and Bob Johnson finished fourth overall in their Corvette to win the GTO class. GTU winner was the Porsche 911S driven by Hurley Haywood and Peter Gregg.
After 21 years, the sun had set on America's greatest sports car race ... or had it?
Sebring 1971 - Porsche 917 Victory
A total of 57 cars entered the 1971 Sebring 12 Hours. The favorites were Ferrari, Porsche and Alfa Romeo entries. Mark Donohue won the pole in a Penske Ferrari 512M, while the Andretti/Ickx Ferrari 312 PB qualified second. Porsche 917s took the next two positions on the grid in a race that produced heavy attrition.
After the fourth hour, three top Ferrari entries had retired, and the Penske Ferrari was involved in a controversial incident on track, when Mark Donohue and Porsche driver Pedro Rodriguez collided, putting them both out of contention.
Near the halfway mark, the Porsche 917 driven by Vic Elford and Gerard Larrousse took the lead and held off the Alfa driven by Rolf Stommelen and Nanni Galli for the victory.
In GT competition, the Chevrolet Corvette driven by John Greenwood and Dick Smothers (of the famed Smothers Brothers comedy act) dominated, winning their class by 19 laps.
Following the race, promoter Alec Ulmann announced the 1972 race would likely be the last ever at Sebring.
Sebring 1970 - The Legendary Finish
Sebring 1970 is often considered as the greatest 12-hour classic ever. The dramatic ending featuring a duel between Mario Andretti’s Ferrari and the Porsche driven by Steve McQueen and Peter Revson is now legendary.
The Sebring entry was outstanding for the 1970 classic, the first to use a rolling start instead of the traditional "Le Mans start." The 68 cars on the starting grid included contenders such as the Porsche 917, Alfa Romeo T33, Ferrari 512S, Matra-Simca, and a wide variety of GT cars.
The first half of the race was somewhat of a yawner. The #19 Ferrari co-driven by Mario Andretti and Arturo Merzario built an incredible 13-lap lead. When they retired with transmission failure, they earned the dubious honor of losing the largest lead in Sebring history. The Porsche 917 driven by Pedro Rodriguez and Leo Kinnunen inherited the lead, then fell back after an extended pit stop. Several other contenders encountered late race problems.
In the chaotic final honor, the #48 Porsche 908 driven by Revson and McQueen took the lead as the crowd looked on in disbelief. Meanwhile, Andretti had been assigned to the #21 Ferrari 512S that Nino Vaccarella and Ignazio Giunti had been driving. Andretti quickly took the lead back from Revson, but then had to pit for fuel. At the finish, the Revson/McQueen Porsche was less than 24 seconds behind.
Revson drove a majority of the race and was much faster than McQueen. However, McQueen deserves credit for his performance, especially considering he drove with a cast due to a broken foot.
Tony DeLorenzo and Dick Lang won the GT class driving a Corvette, while Peter Gregg and Pete Harrison drove a Porsche 911 to the GTU class win.
Sebring 1969 - A Wild Finish and an Upset Winner
Although the previous two Sebring endurance races were easy wins for Ford and Porsche respectively, the 1969 race was a wild event that produced an upset winner.
Porsche and Ferrari were the big favorites, while Roger Penske’s Chevrolet Lola was given an outside shot at winning. The Ferrari 312P driven by Mario Andretti and Chris Amon won the pole position, but there were plenty of Porsche 908 entries close behind, including the entry driven by Brian Redman and Jo Siffert, which took the lead early in the race.
As expected, Porsche and Ferrari battled furiously, exchanging the lead several times. The Penske entry did manage to lead a few laps before retiring. As the race headed into the final hours, the Andretti Ferrari held a slim margin over the Mitter/Schutz Porsche. What followed was a series of problems encountered by the top contenders, giving the lead to the Ford GT40 driven by Jacky Ickx and Jackie Oliver.
The Ford team held on to a stunning one-lap upset win. Ferrari took second place and Porsche captured the next three positions. The Chevrolet Camaro of Bob Grossman and Don Yenko won the GT class.
As it turned out, Ickx and Oliver would drive the same Ford GT40 to victory at Le Mans later in the year, the last time an American car would win the great French classic.
Sebring 1968 - Porsche Domination
New rules changed the balance of power in endurance racing for 1968. The big Fords were now handicapped, giving the clear advantage to Porsche.
There was little doubt what the outcome of Sebring would be after qualifying, when the Porsche 907 driven by Hans Herrmann won the pole position. Ferrari had nothing to offer with only one privateer entry. Lola and Ford had strong entries, but they were given little chance.
A unique aspect of the 1968 race was that a Trans-Am race was incorporated with the 12 hours, adding an epic entry of muscle cars to the field.
The Lola driven by Scooter Patrick led a few laps early in the race, but the Herrmann/Siffert Porsche 907 easily pulled away and won by a stunning 10-lap margin over teammates Vic Elford and Jochen Neerpasch in another 907. Finishing third overall and first in Trans-Am was the Penske Camaro driven Mark Donohue and Craig Fisher. A Corvette driven by Hap Sharp and David Morgan won the GT class.
Sebring 1967 - Ford Domination
Sebring promoter Alec Ulmann announced after the 1966 race that he was moving the 12-hour classic to the new Palm Beach International Raceway in South Florida. But after heavy rains turned that new track into a swamp, Ulmann changed his mind and decided to stay at Sebring.
For the first time since 1952, the circuit was altered. The Webster Turn was eliminated, and the Green Park Chicane was added. The track was also repaved and widened in several sections.
The big favorite at Sebring ’67 was the new Ford MkIV driven by Mario Andretti and Bruce McLaren. Jim Hall’s winged Chaparral and a large entry of Porsches were the main contenders to the Ford team.
Andretti won the pole and easily set the pace early the race. The Chaparral driven by Hall and Mike Spence managed to lead a few laps in the third hour, but otherwise it was complete domination by Ford. The Andretti/McLaren entry finished with a stunning 12-lap victory over the second place Ford driven by A.J. Foyt and Lloyd Ruby. They also were the first winners in Sebring history to average over 100 mph for the entire 12 hours.
Porsche took five positions in the top ten, led by Scooter Patrick and Gerhard Mitter in a Porsche 910. A Corvette driven by Don Yenko and Dave Morgan won the GT class.
Sebring 1966 - Tragedy and Drama
If not for the tragic events that marred the event, Sebring 1966 would likely be remembered as the greatest 12-hour race ever. The Ford vs. Ferrari battle was at its peak, and the Sebring entry was spectacular.
Dan Gurney, co-driving with Jerry Grant, was the fastest qualifier in a Shelby American Ford MkII, but was unable to get off the grid. After the entire field was well underway, Gurney finally got his Ford started but was already nearly a lap behind. Amazingly, he was in the lead in less than two hours!
In the fourth hour the Ford GT40 driven by Canadian Bob McLean lost control near the Hairpin, rolled over several times and burst into flames, killing McLean. A few hours later, Don Wester's Porsche collided with Mario Andretti's Ferrari, forcing Wester off track, killing four spectators.
As the race reached its final minutes, Gurney held a comfortable lead over Shelby American teammates Lloyd Ruby and Ken Miles.  But heading down the back straight of the final lap Gurney's engine seized. With victory lane in sight, he got out of his Ford and started pushing it toward the finish line. The Ruby/Miles Ford passed Gurney in the dramatic final minute and won the race (the only winning car in Sebring history to lead just one lap - the one that counts!).
Gurney was later disqualified for pushing the car, moving the Ford of Mark Donohue and Walt Hansgen into second place. Ford took the top three positions and Porsche captured fourth place. Only one Ferrari managed to finish in the top ten. The Penske Corvette driven by Ben Moore and George Wintersteen won the GT category.
Sebring 1965 - American Win in a Monsoon
Sebring 1965 is memorable for many reasons, not the least of which is the torrential rainstorm that flooded the track mid-way through the race. Despite the conditions, the race continued (no yellow or red flags!).
The fastest qualifier at Sebring was the Chevrolet-powered Chaparral 2 driven by Jim Hall and Hap Sharp. Built in Midland Texas, the Chaparral had an automatic transmission. A contingent of Ferrari, Porsche and Ford GT entries were confident the Chaparral would not survive 12 hours on the brutal Sebring circuit - they were wrong.
Hall and Sharp won by a margin of four laps over the Ford driven by Ken Miles and Bruce McLaren. It was the first overall win by an American car since the Cunningham victory at Sebring in 1953. The Shelby Cobra coupe again defeated Ferrari in the GT class, with Bob Bondurant and Jo Schlesser at the wheel. Porsche took four positions in the top ten and Alfa Romeo and MG recorded class victories.
The next three years at Sebring would see American cars as a dominant force in one of the sport’s most memorable eras.
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Sebring 1964 - Ferrari vs. Cobra
Although Ferrari was still the heavy favorite for the overall win at Sebring ’64, the epic GT class battle between Ferrari and the Shelby Cobra team became the center of attention. This now-legendary rivalry did not disappoint the record crowd.
As usual, America’s greatest sports car race boasted an amazing entry list, with Porsche, Corvette, Alfa Romeo, Lotus, MGB and Renault among the 66 cars on the starting grid to compete with Ferrari and Cobra.
Ferraris led all but one lap the entire race, with the 275P driven by Mike Parkes and Umberto Maglioli taking the overall win by one lap over Lodovico Scarfiotti and Nino Vaccarella in another 275P. However, the Shelby team scored a historic GT win, sweeping the top three positions and finishing 4-5-6 overall. Dave MacDonald and Bob Holbert drove the class-winning Cobra coupe.
The Cobra GT victory was a sign of things to come, as American muscle would soon dominate Sebring.
Sebring 1963 - Seeing Red Again
Ferrari crushed the competition at Sebring ‘63. In the 12th running of America’s greatest sports car race, a 65-car field attracted an incredible list of drivers and cars, but there was little serious opposition to Enzo Ferrari’s fabulous machines.
Phil Hill made a brief statement for Carroll Shelby by leading the first lap in a Cobra, but after that Pedro Rodriguez and Graham Hill took their Ferrari 330 into the lead, battling for the next several hours with the two factory 250P entries. On the 146th lap, John Surtees took his Ferrari into the lead and with co-driver Lodovico Scarfiotti and won with a one-lap margin over the Mairesse/Vaccarella/Bandini Ferrari.
Roger Penske and Augie Pabst won the GT category driving a Ferrari 250GTO. Ferrari took the top six positions, followed by two Jaguar XKE entries. It was a disappointing Sebring-debut for the Shelby Cobras, with four of six retiring with mechanical problems. Jim Hall’s Chaparrals didn’t fare any better. It would be another year until American cars were a factor.
Sebring 1962 - Ferrari and Controversy
Another Ferrari win was on tap at Sebring 1962. Despite some stubborn competition from Porsche, there was little doubt the overall win would go to Ferrari. The question was: which one?
The first half of the race was dominated by Stirling Moss and Innes Ireland, driving a Ferrari 250TR. They built a comfortable two-lap lead, but it all fell apart on the 128th lap when they were suddenly disqualified for a refueling infraction that had actually taken place earlier in the race. A pit official claimed they had refuled too early (fueling stops needed to be at least 20 laps apart). The team claimed that same official had cut the seal on the refueling cap and indicated to them refueling was allowed.
With the Moss/Ireland Ferrari out of the race, Jo Bonnier and Lucien Bianchi took the lead and finished with a 10-lap margin of victory in the 250TR. A Ferrari GTO driven by Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien finished second, followed by a Porsche RS60. A Cooper Maserati driven by Roger Penske and Bruce McLaren finished fifth, followed by Jim Hall’s new Chaparral I.
Ferrari had again dominated America’s greatest sports car race, but there was new competition on the horizon in the form of American muscle that would soon make things very interesting.
Sebring 1961 - Ferrari Domination
After Porsche's surprise win in 1960, Ferrari was anxious to get back on top at Sebring. The 65-car grid boasted 13 Ferrari entries against a variety of Porsche, Maserati and Aston Martin contenders.
Maserati led the first four laps, but after that it was all Ferrari. The Rodriguez brothers led several laps in their Ferrari 250TR, but the final half of the race was dominated by Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien in a factory 250TR, as they finished with a two-lap margin of victory. Gendebien and Hill each became three-time Sebring winners. Ferrari took the top four positions followed by the Porsche of Roger Penske and Bob Holbert.
MGA and Ferrari recorded GT category wins, while Porsche won the Index of Performance competition.
Ferrari had left no doubt who was on top of endurance racing for the 1961 season.
Sebring 1960 - A Historic First for Porsche
Sebring 1960 was controversial in that several factory teams refused to enter due to a dispute over the official fuel at that time (however, most factory cars were handed over to “independent teams”).
Ferrari and Porsche were the favorites, while the new Maserati entries were fast but unproven. A grid of 65 cars lined up for the start, but the race was marred by an accident on the sixth lap when Jim Hughes was killed at the hairpin. His Lotus rolled over and then struck and killed a photographer.
The Maserati of Dan Gurney and Stirling Moss led for most of the first seven hours, but after its transmission failed, the Porsche RS60 driven by Hans Herrmann and Olivier Gendebien took command. At the finish, they had built a nine-lap lead over the Porsche driven by Bob Holbert and Roy Schechter. Ferrari took the next six positions.
It was the first major overall endurance win for Porsche, which had numerous class wins at Sebring in previous years. Ferrari, however, would be back with a vengeance.
Sebring 1959 - Ferrari Again
Ferrari was the big favorite in 1959, with Aston Martin and Porsche considered threats for the overall win.
For the first time, rain would be a significant factor at Sebring. Storms swept through the circuit during practice, and then returned for the race. Although Aston Martin led briefly early in the race, the Ferrari team took command in the third hour. The 250TR driven by Dan Gurney and Chuck Daigh built a comfortable lead, and were joined by Phil Hill and Oliver Gendebien, (their Ferrari had retired earlier in the race). They finished a lap ahead of the Ferrari drive by Jean Behra and Cliff Allison. Porsche took the next three positions. Ferrari had now won three of the last four Sebring 12-hour races.
Later in the year, Sebring hosted the first Grand Prix Formula One race held in the United States, won by Bruce McLaren.
Sebring 1958 - Ferrari Back on Top
After Maserati captured the 1957 Sebring 12-hour, the Ferrari factory team was back in 1958 with three new 250 Testa Rosa entries. Jaguar, Aston Martin, Lotus and Porsche were the strongest challengers to the Ferrari effort.
A starting field of 65 cars was on the grid under beautiful skies for the start of the seventh 12-hour classic. The Aston Martin of Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks dominated the first four hours of the race, but transmission problems ended their day. Jaguar had a disastrous day, with all five of its entries retired by the third hour.
The Ferrari driven by Phil Hill and Peter Collins took command on the 71st lap and they led the remainder of the race, finishing a lap ahead of teammates Luigi Musso and Olivier Gendebien. Porsche took third place overall with Harry Schell and Wolfgang Seidel driving. Team Lotus was impressive with a fourth place finish.
The Ferrari 250TR was impressive in its debut - a sign of things to come at Sebring.
Sebring 1957 - Two Straight for Fangio
The 1957 Sebring classic will be remembered as one of the best endurance races ever at the famed airport circuit. An incredible entry of European teams included Maserati, Ferrari, Jaguar, and Porsche. Perhaps the star of the show, however, was the Chevrolet Corvette SS that made its competition debut. The "experimental" Corvette boasted many technical innovations.
Last year's winner Juan Manuel Fangio had moved to the Maserati team for the 1957 season, this time co-driving with Jean Behra. and the World Champion would not disappoint the record crowd.
At the start, the Ferrari of Peter Collins and Maurice Trintignant took the lead, followed closely by the Maserati team and the new Corvette SS with John Fitch at the wheel. By the second hour, three top Jaguar entries and the Corvette SS had retired.
The Fangio/Behra Maserati 450S took the lead and steadily built a two-lap margin over the Maserati of Stirling Moss and Harry Schell. Fangio set the fastest race lap and claimed his second straight win at America's greatest sports car race. Porsche finished 8th overall and won the Index of Performance. Corvette captured the GT class.
Although the Corvette SS showed promise, GM discontinued the project and the car would never race again in a major race.
Sebring 1956 - Ferrari and Fangio Unbeatable
With the withdrawl of the American Automobile Association from race sanctioning, Sebring promoter Alec Ulmann formed the Automobile Racing Club of Florida (ARCF) to sanction and promote the Sebring 12 hour classic.
The 1956 edition brought the first official appearance of the Ferrari factory team. They were set to battle Maserati, Aston Martin, Jaguar and Porsche entries for the overall win.
A starting field of 59 cars was on the grid, with the D-type Jaguar driven by last year's winner Mike Hawthorn taking the lead. For the next eight hours, the race was a furious duel between Jaguar and the two factory Ferrari entries., exchanging the lead nine times.
When the Jaguar was forced to retire with brake problems, the Ferrari 860 Monza drive by Juan Manuel Fangio and Eugenio Castellotti took and lead and finished with a two-lap margin over the other Ferrari team car driven by Luigi Musso and Harry Schell. The Jaguar of Jack Ensley and Indy 500 winner Bob Sweikert (making his first road racing appearance) finished third, followed by the Aston Martin of Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori. Porsche and Corvette were class winners.
By 1956, the Sebring 12 Hours had become second only to Le Mans in international significance, and huge crowds were making the trek every spring to the tiny central Florida town that was now synonymous with sports car racing.
Sebring 1955 - An Epic Battle… But Who Won?
Sebring 1955 was one of the most exciting and controversial races in endurance racing history. An astonishing 88 cars arrived at Sebring to compete in the race, including Jaguar, Ferrari, Maserati, Porsche, OSCA and Austin-Healey entries.
A total of 80 cars were allowed on the grid, but when the race started, six reserve entries that thought they deserved to compete decided to join the race on the first lap! Adding to the first-lap chaos was a major accident that eliminated one of the top Ferrari entries.
It became obvious early in the race that it was to be a duel between the new D-type Jaguar owned by Briggs Cunningham and driven by Phil Walters and Mike Hawthorn, and the Ferrari 750S Monza driven by Carroll Shelby and Phil Hill. Those were the only cars that would lead the race, and they were never more than a minute apart the entire 12 hours.
With the race nearing the end, PA announcer Hempstone Oliver mistakenly announced the Ferrari team was leading, and when the checkered flag was displayed, Hill and Shelby came to victory lane in their Ferrari. But Joe Lane, timing and scoring chief, announced the Jaguar team had won. To make matters even more confusing, the Jaguar had run out of gas on the cool-down lap. Once Walters and Hawthorn finally arrived in victory lane, they too celebrated victory. The Ferrari team immediately filed a protest.
The American Automobile Association met the following week and went over the lap charts in detail, and officially announced that the Jaguar had indeed won by a margin of 25.4 seconds. For the third year in a row, Briggs Cunningham was the winning team owner (with a different manufacturer each time).
Maserati took third place with Bill Spear and Sherwood Johnston driving. OSCA captured the category for smaller displacement cars.
Sebring 1954 - OSCA the Giant Killer
The 1954 edition of the Sebring 12-hour race featured a 59-car starting grid and a fantastic variety of top European teams. Leading the way was the four-car Lancia team and its amazing driver lineup that included Juan Manuel Fangio, Alberto Ascari and Eugenio Castellotti. Aston Martin was back with its three-car entry, while Ferrari, Jaguar and Maserati were well-represented. Austin-Healey, Porsche and Triumph rounded out the stellar entry.
As expected, Lancia dominated the early stages of the race, with only a brief challenge by Bill Spear's Ferrari 375MM. The Aston Martin entries all faced mechanical problems, as did most of the top Jaguars.
Sebring's brutal 5.2-mile airport circuit began to take its toll on the favorites. Two of the Lancias retired, as did the Spear Ferrari. Moving up through the field was the Austin-Healey driven by Lance Macklin and George Huntoon, and a little 1.5 liter Italian-built OSCA owned by Briggs Cunningham and driven by Stirling Moss and Bill Lloyd.
In the final hour, the unthinkable happened when the two remaining Lancia entries encountered problems. Taking the lead was the Cunningham OSCA, which ran flawlessly to a stunning upset. Moss and Lloyd finished with a five-lap victory over the lone remaining Lancia, while Austin-Healey took third.
In only its third year, Sebring was already becoming an international motor racing classic. The 1954 race remains today as one of the greatest upsets in endurance racing history, and the American public's first glimpse of two racing legends: Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio.
Sebring 1953 - The Birth of the
FIA World Championship
Sebring hosted the opening race of the new FIA World Championship for Sports Cars in 1953. Although only in its second year, the Sebring 12-hours was already among the world's elite endurance races. Promoter Alec Ulmann was instrumental in convincing the FIA that Sebring was the right place for the debut of the new series.
The stellar Sebring entry list included the powerful John Wyer Aston Martin team and its two DB3 entries. Several Jaguar entries and the Ferraris owned by Bill Spear and Jim Kimberly were considered the top contenders along with Briggs Cunningham's CR4 driven by John Fitch and Phil Walters.
A total of 53 cars started the eduro. Attrition was high in the early stages, with several contenders encountering problems. The 1952 winning Frazer Nash lasted only ten laps, and three Allard entries expired within the first hour.
After the third hour it was apparent it was going to be a battle between Aston Martin and Cunningham. One of the Aston Martin factory cars retired after striking an oil drum. The Cunningham took the lead on the 52nd lap and finished with a one-lap margin over Reg Parnell and George Abecassis in the remaining DB3.
Third place went to the Jaguar of Sherwood Johnston and Bob Wilder. The French Deutsch-Bonnet team won the Index of Performance.
Cunningham's victory was a triumph for America. His small factory in downtown West Palm Beach had produced a sports car that beat the best of Europe, but it was to be 12 years before an American car would win again at Sebring.
Sebring 1952 - The First 12 Hours
After a successful six-hour race held on New Year's eve 1950, Alec Ulmann decided to promote Sebring's first 12-hour race on March 15, 1952. The race was sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (AAA) after a rift developed between Ulmann and the SCCA. As a measure 
of retaliation, the SCCA decided to hold its own 12-hour race the week before at the Vero Beach Airport. A total of 38 entries were received for Sebring's first once-around-the-clock enduro, and 32 of those managed to make the starting line (the start was delayed by a heavy rain shower). An estimated 7,000 spectators were on hand for the race, paying $2 admission.
Sebring's 5.2-mile course included runways of the airport and roads within the old Hendricks Field complex. Hay bales and oil drums bordered parts of the circuit. At night, volunteer workers turned their car's headlights on to help light portions of the track. Men on horseback were instructed to "shoot any wild animals" that wondered on to the circuit. At the start, Bill Spear's Ferrari 340 America took the lead. Spear and co-driver Briggs Cunningham were among the top sports car drivers of that era. Nine cars dropped out in the first three hours as the circuit proved to be very fast and very tough.
In the fourth hour, Spear's Ferrari retired with suspension problems, handing the lead to the Frazer Nash Le Mans driven by Larry Kulok and Harry Grey. They cruised to a six-lap victory. Finishing second was the Jaguar XK120 of Charles Schott and Morris Carroll. Robert Fergus and Dick Irish finished third in a Siata. One of the big surprises of the race was the little 745cc Deutsch-Bonnet from France that came in 7th place, winning the index of performance.
Ulmann's 12-hour race at Sebring was a big success (the SCCA's Vero Beach race was never held again), so he set his sights on the new FIA Sports Car World Championship planned for 1953.
