The 648 Hours Of Sebring: History In The Making
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Mar 05, 2007
Since the first running of Sebring’s 12-hour sports car classic, 2,982 drivers have raced more than 2.2 million miles during 648 hours of racing. Only 102 drivers, however, have managed to win the world’s toughest endurance race.
The 55th running of America’s premier sports car race takes place on Saturday, March 17th, at the historic Sebring International Raceway. Each year offers epic achievements and dramatic finishes, witnessed by one of the largest crowds in racing.
A list of former Sebring winners is like a “Who’s Who” of motorsports. Phil Hill, Stirling Moss, Juan Manuel Fangio, Dan Gurney, Mario Andretti, Jim Hall, Jacky Ickx, Al Holbert, Bobby Rahal, Brian Redman and A. J. Foyt… just to name a few.
Sebring has become the ultimate proving ground for automotive manufacturers. Over 130 different marques have raced at Sebring, with drivers and teams from more than 40 different countries entering the event over six decades. However, only seven manufacturers have managed to win the famous once-around-the-clock classic more than one time. Porsche leads with a record 17 victories, followed by Ferrari with 12 and Audi with seven.
This year’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring features the debut of prototypes from Acura, Porsche and Mazda, all hoping to challenge the Audi juggernaut, winner of seven consecutive Sebring races. Corvette, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Panoz and several other makes will also compete in the American Le Mans Series’ season-opener.
Last year, Audi made history by becoming the first manufacturer to win an endurance race with a diesel engine. At the same time, Tom Kristensen became the only driver in Sebring history to win four times. The Great Dane added that to his already legendary record of seven Le Mans victories.
Gates open at Sebring on Wednesday, March 14th, and remain open 24 hours a day through Saturday. The 3.7-mile, 17-turn circuit is America’s most fan-friendly road racing facility, offering a wide range of viewing options and off-track activities for the entire family (kids 12 and under are always free when accompanied by a paying adult).
Sebring has long been more than a race, and its festive atmosphere and international following make it an eclectic crowd, spiced with celebrities, college students on spring break, hundreds of automotive journalists and thousands of fans from around the world.
Sebring International Raceway originated from a World War II B-17 training base known as Hendricks Field. Sebring’s famous Ulmann Straight was once a runway utilized by hundreds of B-17s including the famous “Memphis Belle, “ landing at Sebring while on a publicity tour in 1943. Although sports cars have competed for 648 hours at Sebring, that isn’t close to a B-17 known as “Lightning Jim, “ which logged 8,000 flying hours at Hendricks Field while training flight crews. It’s the equivalent of nearly 335 days in the air!
