Gates Open Tomorrow (Wednesday) for Four-Days of Events
Gates Open Tomorrow
Gates open 6 a.m. tomorrow (Wednesday, Nov. 11) at Sebring International Raceway for 68th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Advance Auto Parts. Tickets are available at sebringraceway.com or at the gate. America‘s oldest sports car endurance race starts at 10:10 a.m., Saturday (Nov. 14). Five supporting races will take place on Friday.
IMSA‘s Season Finale
Rescheduled from its traditional March date, this is the first time the legendary 12-hour sports car endurance race will be run in the Fall. This year‘s Sebring has the added significance of being the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) season finale. Titles will be decided at Sebring in all four classes of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Can We Barrow Your Car?
Sebring fans have been a key part of the Sebring spectacle since 1950. Often called the “Woodstock of Auto Racing,” the race attracts some of the most devoted racing enthusiasts in the world. A fan played a key role at the first race in Sebring history on Dec. 31, 1950. Spectator Vic Sharpe loaned his Crosley Hot Shot to drivers Ralph Deshon and Fritz Koster to compete in the endurance race, run on a handicap formula. The Crosley won the race and was returned to Sharpe after the victory lane celebration with minimal wear.
IndyCar Drivers at Sebring
Stars of the NTT IndyCar Series will be well represented at Sebring, including Indy 500 winners Ryan Hunter-Reay, Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Juan Pablo Montoya, Alexander Rossi and Simon Pagenaud. Four Indy 500 winners have also won overall at Sebring: Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Bobby Rahal and Arie Luyendyk.
Sebring = Endurance, on the Ground and in the Air
Sebring is all about endurance. The famed 3.74-mile 17-turn circuit originated from a WWII B-17 combat crew training base known as Hendricks Field. Although Sebring has been the ultimate test for sports cars since 1950, a B-17 named “Lightning Jim” proved its endurance at the airbase from 1942-1945. During four years of training, the B-17 logged 8,000 hours of flying time, or about 335 days in the air.
Sunny Weather Forecast
Only nine times in the previous 67 years has rain affected the 12-hour race. The current forecast calls for sunny weather and temperatures in the low 80s for Saturday‘s 12-hour race. The race runs rain or shine.
All in the Family: Taylor Made
Brothers Jordan and Ricky Taylor have an opportunity to win IMSA championships on Saturday. Jordan has already clinched a championship in the GTLM driver‘s championship with Corvette Racing co-driver Antonio Garcia. Team Penske Acura driver Ricky Taylor and co-driver Helio Castroneves are in a heated battle for the IMSA DPi championship, holding a slim edge over Wayne Taylor Racing‘s Renger van der Zande and Ryan Briscoe. And yes, Wayne Taylor is their father, and he also happens to be a former Sebring winner himself.
Horsepower vs. Human Power
The fastest lap at Sebring in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar competition was set in 2019 by Dane Cameron in a Team Penske Acura prototype with a time of 1 minute, 45.8 seconds. Sebring resident Doug Morton holds the record for the fastest lap on two legs with a time of 18 minutes, 47 seconds.
Mario Andretti Grand Marshal
Motorsports legend Mario Andretti will serve as Grand Marshal for the 68th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. He is a three-time winner of Sebring‘s 12-Hour classic (1967, 1970, 1972) and has won the Indy 500, Daytona 500 and a Formula One World Championship, in addition to numerous IndyCar and sprint car victories.