Highly Competitive Trans Am Series Also on the Slate
SEBRING, Fla. (Feb. 27, 2020) — Sebring International Raceway‘s reputation as the busiest racing facility in the world will be on full display this weekend as 274 cars compete in the 2020 Trans Am Series season opener and the SVRA (Sportscar Vintage Racing Association) Sebring Vintage Classic today through Sunday.
Among the drivers competing in vintage race cars will be 2020 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Bobby Labonte, former IndyCar driver and current NBC Sports IMSA commentator Paul Tracy, legendary sports car driver and Trans Am Chief Steward Dorsey Schroeder, former NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series champion Mike Skinner and multi-discipline driver Adam Andretti. Andretti is the younger brother of John Andretti who passed away Jan. 30 from colon cancer. John Andretti drove the famed No. 43 Petty Enterprises Dodge from 1998-2003, and the younger Andretti will drive a Petty Enterprises-inspired Trans Am car this weekend at Sebring in honor of his brother.
Among the professional Trans Am drivers competing at Sebring this weekend in purpose-built modern race cars will be defending series champion Ernie Francis, Jr. from Davie, Fla., NASCAR and road racing veteran Scott Lagasse from St. Augustine, Fla., former Trans Am champion Simon Gregg from Jacksonville, Fla. and road racing veteran Tomy Drissi from Hollywood, Calif.
A total of 59 Trans Am cars are entered for Sebring and will practice twice on Friday (11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 5-6 p.m.) and once on Saturday (11 a.m.-12 p.m.). One hour of qualifying will start at 5 p.m. Saturday and two 75-minute races will start at 11:10 a.m. Sunday.
SVRA practice and qualifying sessions will take place Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., with qualifying and feature races on track Saturday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday‘s SVRA schedule includes six races between 9:40 a.m. and 4:10 p.m.
Historic cars and many well-known drivers will participate on all days. Race cars from eight decades are entered including eight from the 1950s. Bob Van Zelst‘s 1955 Porsche 356 Speedster is the oldest car entered, and three 1958 Austin Healy Bugeye Sprites are on the list as is a 1956 Chevrolet Corvette, a 1958 Devin, a 1959 MG and a 1959 Triumph.
Cars from the 1960s will be well represented by Triumph, Alfa Romeo, Corvair, Corvette, Shelby GTs and others. Some of racing‘s most famous cars from the last 30 years of the 20th century will be on track including Porsche, Ford, Lola, Jaguar and Ferrari brands, among others. Even NASCAR stock cars that raced at Watkins Glen International in New York and Sonoma Raceway in California will compete, including the No. 10 Valvoline stock car once driven by Johnny Benson, and the No. 9 Dodge Charger driven by Bill Elliott.
The weekend continues a busy slate of racing at Sebring International Raceway that will see 84 days of track activity in the first three months of the year. The Raceway‘s biggest event is the 68th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Advance Auto Parts on March 21. Other international events at Sebring will be the FIA WEC 1000 Miles of Sebring on March 20 and the Alan Jay Automotive Network 120 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and IMSA Prototype Challenge races on March 19.
Tickets for this weekend‘s SVRA Trans Am doubleheader are available at the gate. Children 12 and under accompanied by an adult will be admitted free all days, and guest tickets are $20 Friday and $35 Saturday and Sunday. Weekend tickets including overnight camping are also available at the gate.
Tickets for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring are available at www.sebringraceway.com or by calling 800-626-RACE (7223).