Adam Sinclair
Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway more than 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of traveling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week.
Adam spent several years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.
Be sure to tune in for his sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place (almost) every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.
Contact Adam: Email
Ryan Shehan has back-to-back wins in his first two Formula Regional Americas Championship Powered by Honda (FR Americas) starts, as he took the win in Race 2 at NOLA Motorsports Park on Sunday morning. Keeping his No. 66 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3 at the front of the field from lights to checkered, Shehan won the race in dominating fashion.
“That definitely wasn’t easy,” said Shehan from the podium. “Nick was right behind me the whole first half; then I saw him just pull over—I’m not sure what happened. From there, it was just me and Cooper [Becklin]. I just did my best to maintain the gap to Cooper, and was able to get away with the win. I have to thank Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport; sweeping the podium just shows how strong of a team they are.”
Nick Persing (No. 29 OPI Commercial Builders Inc. Ligier JS F3) applied pressure to Shehan during the early laps of the race, not allowing Shehan to pull more than a half-second gap on the field. However, while working the seventh lap of the race, Persing suffered a mechanical issue that forced him to pull off the track and into a safe location, which allowed the field to avoid a caution.
With Persing’s misfortune, Shehan automatically doubled his lead over second place as he raced nearly a full second ahead of Cooper Becklin (No. 19 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3), who advanced to the second position. Becklin started the race in the third position and quietly hit his marks every lap to hold position.
Teammates Bryson Morris (No. 39 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) and Callum Hedge (No. 17 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) were left to battle it out for the third and final position on the podium. Morris initially held the advantage, but a pass by Hedge in Turn 4 with just over three minutes left on the clock ultimately left Morris on the outside looking in.
Shehan crossed the line first on his Hankook tires, followed by Becklin and Hedge, marking the first team sweep of the season with Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport claiming the top four finishing positions.
SEE MORE: Race 2 Official Results
Follow FR Americas on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, or use Race Monitor to track live timing and scoring. This weekend’s races are streaming free at YouTube.com/SpeedTourTV.
RACE 2 STREAM: FR Americas YouTube
New Zealander Callum Hedge took his first win in the Formula Regional Americas Championship Powered by Honda on Sunday afternoon in the final race of the weekend at NOLA Motorsports Park. Making his FR Americas debut, the driver steadily improved throughout the weekend with a sixth-place finish in Race 1 and third-place finish in Race 2 before finally climbing atop the podium in Race 3.
Hedge (No. 17 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) lined up side-by-side with teammate Cooper Becklin (No. 19 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3), who was in the point position, on the starting grid. It was clear that everyone was there to win, as both Hedge and third-place Nick Persing (No. 29 OPI Commercial Builders Inc. Ligier JS F3) got a clean jump on the start and immediately went three-wide racing down the front stretch. Hedge pulled ahead to take the lead as the group entered Turn 1 and never looked back.
Meanwhile, Persing, who was competing in his sixth race of the weekend across both FR Americas and Radical Cup North America competition, settled into second.
The real action surrounded the battle for third, where with just 10 minutes remaining in the race, a matter of car lengths separated Becklin, Ryan Shehan (No. 66 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3), Bryson Morris (No. 39 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) and Manuel Roza (No. 12 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3). Becklin led the train for most of the battle, but a mechanical issue heading into Turn 2 with just over three minutes remaining in the race allowed Shehan to pull around.
As the checkered flag waved, Hedge crossed the line first on his Hankook tires, with Persing in second and Shehan claiming third.
READ MORE: Race 3 Official Results
At the conclusion of the race, Shehan was named the winner of the Omologato Perfectly Timed Move of the Race for his consistent performance throughout the weekend, with two wins and three podium finishes. As part of the award, he was presented with a bespoke Omologato timepiece.
FR Americas is back on May 19-21 for the Road America SpeedTour where they will contest Rounds 4-6 of their 2023 season. Tickets for the event in Elkhart Lake, Wis., are available now at RoadAmerica.com. For updates before our next event, follow FR Americas on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
RACE 3 STREAM: SpeedTourTV YouTube
Jimmie Lockhart Has Perfect Day in F4 U.S. at NOLA
Jimmie Lockhart stepped atop the Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda (F4 U.S.) podium for the first time in his career in Race 2 at NOLA Motorsports Park on Sunday morning. The Floridian started from the pole position in his No. 48 Velocity Racing Development Ligier JS F4 after setting the fastest lap in yesterday’s race, and led all the way from lights to checkered.
“It’s amazing,” said Lockhart after the victory. “I finally got the opportunity to get out here, and was able to keep it up front the whole race. I just ran quali laps the whole time, so that was how it went. I was disappointed with what happened on the start yesterday, but I was able to come in, drop to the back, and just run a good lap to be able to start today’s race up front. That was probably what helped us the most today.”
Jesse Lacey (No. 16 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F4) also had a solid race, starting in second and holding his position from the start of the race all the way to the checkered flag. The action really heated up for third through 10th place, with drivers often racing two and three wide while jockeying for position. Patrick Woods-Toth (No. 27 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F4) found himself in a few of those intense battles, racing side by side with Michael Costello (No. 19 Jay Howard Driver Development / CSU One Cure / Lucas Oil / LHP Ligier JS F4), Frankie Mossman (No. 6 JHDD / CSU One Cure / Lucas Oil / LHP Ligier JS F4), and Lewis Hodgson (No. 30 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsports Ligier JS F4) throughout the final minutes of the race.
Costello briefly got around Woods-Toth, actually holding the third position as the field took the white flag. However, as Costello tried to pull to the inside of Lacey in Turn 1 in an attempt to overtake the second position, Woods-Toth also found some momentum to make a charge at Costello. With Costello unable to complete the pass on Lacey, Woods-Toth pulled up to overtake Costello as they raced through Turn 3.
As they rolled across the line on Hankook tires, it was Lockhart, followed by Lacey and Woods-Toth.
READ MORE: Race 2 Official Results
Follow F4 U.S. on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, or use Race Monitor to follow live timing and scoring. This weekend’s races are streaming free at YouTube.com/SpeedTourTV.
STREAM RACE 2: F4 U.S. YouTube
RACE 3 STREAM: SpeedTourTV YouTube
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ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team secured their first ever win in Extreme E with a dominant run in the Grand Final, finishing ahead of Round 1 winners Veloce Racing in second and Rosberg X Racing (RXR) in third on the sands of NEOM, Saudi Arabia.
Laia Sanz and Mattias Ekström, supported on-site by team owner Carlos Sainz Snr., dominated the race from start to finish, establishing a comfortable lead as Veloce Racing and RXR fought over the runners-up spot.
In fourth place were ABT CUPRA XE, having recovered well from a crash in Round 1’s Redemption Race to make it to the Grand Final second time around.
No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing finished fifth, marking two Grand Finals out of two for the team’s new driver-pairing of RJ Anderson and Extreme E newcomer Amanda Sorensen.
Winners of the Redemption Race were X44 Vida Carbon Racing. Having tied fifth in Qualifying with eventual Round 2 winners, ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team, Fraser McConnell and Cristina Gutiérrez lost out on a spot in the Grand Final due to a slower time in the Continental Traction Challenge.
X44 Vida Carbon Racing came back swinging, ending Round 2 with the quickest time in the Traction Challenge on their way to victory in the Redemption Race, securing a valuable 10 points in the championship battle.
The Desert X Prix double-header delivered two maiden victories, with wins for Veloce Racing and ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team. What’s more, with the Round 2 podium featuring the same top three teams from Round 1, they will be the ones to watch as the series heads into the next X Prix weekend in Scotland on May 13-14.
Laia Sanz, ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team, said: “I am very happy, both for myself and the team. We clinched our maiden win in Extreme E! I want to thank Mattias for giving me the car with such a good advantage over the rest of the field. I did a good stint and was able to keep the distance, so I am more than satisfied.
"This victory is for all the people on the team because they truly deserve it for all the work we have done to be in this position, especially for Carlos Sainz. It was an honor that he called me to ask if I wanted to race with him in Extreme E and I am trying to pay back his trust with all my motivation and my willingness to improve even further. I learned so much with him as my teammate and it is fantastic that he is with us here, helping us and giving advice. Today we can feel proud, but we must keep up the good work.”
Mattias Ekström, ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team, said: “We had designed a strategy for the Grand Final and I executed it as well as I could. I am really happy that it turned out to be fruitful. It is always easier to race in front and have a clear view in front than being behind another car and having to deal with all the dust. I really enjoyed every corner. Laia drove very well and managed the gap perfectly. It is a good victory for the team.
"It is also very special for Carlos. We have been teammates at the Dakar Rally for the past two years, but ever since I joined ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team he has been really caring. He has taught me many things, as a father would. He is a great guy and it makes me really happy that we can dedicate this victory to him.”
Carlos Sainz Snr., ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team, added: “I am really happy that the first victory of ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team is finally here because we have worked a lot of time to achieve it. Laia and Mattias were spectacular and they already showed that they are one of the strongest driver pairings in the Championship.
"We have grown steadily and so have our results. Starting the Championship in this fashion is a good sign. We must keep up the good work and I hope the team is able to keep the same trend in the next race because our goal is to fight for the Championship. Today is also a day to be thankful to our sponsors, like Acciona, Santander Private Banking, and Asterra because without them it would be really difficult to achieve a success like this.”
Grand Final
As the top five teams from Qualifying took on the Grand Final in Extreme E, Ekström set the tone for the race as he charged into the lead for ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team.
Behind the Swede, Veloce Racing’s Kevin Hansen dug deep to get ahead of RXR’s Johan Kristoffersson to take second place, as the RXR machine bounced sideways through the dips in the course.
Just as the front three got some breathing space from No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing’s Anderson and ABT CUPRA XE’s Klara Andersson in fourth and fifth, respectively, Hansen accidentally hit the pit limiter. The Veloce Racing ODYSSEY 21 dropped back into third while Hansen recovered from the sudden loss of speed.
Ekström continued to extend his lead for ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team as the other teams lost time tussling for position, with Kristoffersson defending hard against Hansen until the Veloce Racing driver took a wider line and completed the overtake on RXR for second place.
Following the driver change, which saw Veloce Racing’s Molly Taylor and RXR’s Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky door-to-door as they exited the Switch Zone, it was a comfortable run for Sanz in the ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team car.
The Spaniard kept a cool head to complete a clean run, while Taylor brought her ODYSSEY 21 home in second for Veloce Racing.
RXR’s Åhlin-Kottulinsky fended off Nasser Al-Attiyah in the final stages of the race to claim the third step on the podium, with ABT CUPRA XE finishing fourth after Al-Attiyah got past No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing’s Sorensen.
Molly Taylor, Veloce Racing, said: "It was a really cool weekend for us and a great way to start the new season! For me coming back in – I’ve obviously been out of the car for a little while – so you like to have confidence and belief in yourself but then you’ve obviously got to get out there and prove yourself.
"The new format means there’s more racing which is a good thing and more fun for sure. We’ve seen how close everyone is. The teams that were on the podium were fast but there were plenty of teams that were also very fast and not on the podium."
Kevin Hansen, Veloce Racing, said: "It has been great to kick off the season like this and to get two podiums to start the year. For sure it was a big challenge, and the ruts were almost the same height as the car at some points in the finals but we managed to come through.
"It was a treat to start this way but there were the same three teams up there on the podium so we can expect all the others to improve as well before the next race and we need to do the same."
Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky, Rosberg X Racing, said: "Getting a double podium on a weekend like this is obviously great, but it has also been a tough weekend. I found it hard to pick up pace and be in there, but I’ve really been struggling to improve and to get better.
"We are happy with P3 today and, of course, it was a shame about yesterday, but it’s so important just to collect points. There are so many great teams out there, so to be in the Grand Final every time and keep collecting those points is what is going to get you the championship in the end."
Johan Kristoffersson, Rosberg X Racing, said: "The track was very challenging but was rewarding if you were prepared to take risks. In the final today, I was a little bit too cautious and that allowed Kevin [Hansen] to pass me, but I think the weekend wasn’t too bad.
"It always feels a little bit like you left something on the table, especially yesterday and maybe today with that overtaking from Kevin, but in the end you know with the new format and tricky start conditions from both Q1’s Saturday and Sunday, to score important points is good."
Redemption Race
The remaining five teams fought it out in the Redemption Race in pursuit of those all important sixth to tenth place championship points.
Carl Cox Motorsport looked to have taken an early lead in the race as Timo Scheider pushed his ODYSSEY 21 to the limit, bouncing round the outside of the opening right-hander. X44 Vida Carbon Racing’s Fraser McConnell, however, stuck to his trusted inside line to jump to the front of the pack.
Behind them was Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E’s Timmy Hansen, followed by NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team’s Tanner Foust in fourth, and JBXE’s Heikki Kovalainen in fifth, until Foust pulled out onto a wider line and cut back in to overtake Hansen for third place.
Scheider kept just two seconds adrift of X44 Vida Carbon Racing’s McConnell as the German ran in second for Carl Cox Motorsport. Meanwhile the front three pulled away from Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E and JBXE, and as they approached the Switch Zone Scheider was late on the brakes, making contact with McConnell as they entered.
Carl Cox Motorsport managed to get the better of X44 Vida Carbon Racing at the driver change, as Christine GZ emerged ahead of Cristina Gutiérrez. The X44 Vida Carbon Racing driver soon retook the lead, however, as the NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team continued a trouble free run behind.
The same cannot be said for Carl Cox Motorsport’s GZ and JBXE’s Hedda Hösas, though, as both suffered a roll during their stint. GZ was able to crawl home in fourth, handing second and third place to NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team and Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E, respectively, while JBXE ended their Desert X Prix with a DNF.
Results:
Grand Final:
1. ACCIONA SAINZ XE Team 11:10.821
2. Veloce Racing +5.527
3. Rosberg X Racing +7.429
4. ABT CUPRA XE +7.987
5. No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing +22.321
Redemption Race:
1. X44 Vida Carbon Racing 11:10.132
2. NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team +10.150
3. Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E +33.296
4. Carl Cox Motorsport +2:43.534 (PENALISED)
5. JBXE DNF
Championship Standings:
1. Veloce Racing: 46 points
2. ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team: 46 points
3. Rosberg X Racing: 31 points
4. X44 Vida Carbon Racing: 23 points
5. No.99 GMC HUMMER EV Chip Ganassi Racing: 21 points
6. ABT CUPRA XE: 15 points
7. NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team: 14 points
8. Carl Cox Motorsport: 8 points
9. JBXE: 5 points
10. Andretti Altawkilat Extreme E: 5 points
To learn more about Extreme E, visit - www.Extreme-E.com
Why are car covers important?
Fans of NASCAR know that bad weather is approaching when the car covers come out of the garage area. More than a few times each season, when the sanctioning body decides to red flag the race due to weather, you'll see the teams scrambling to get the cars covered along pit road. In the past, they were simple black or white covers. Nowadays, however, the casual observer might think you are just seeing the paint job through the material.
For your average daily driver, however, car covers can be part of your parking routine. Let's find out why, shall we?
There are many reasons why someone will buy a car cover. The main one is to protect your vehicle from the elements, as they do in motorsports. Of course, they also help protect it from pests, such as rodents, as well as the occasional dive-bombing bird! Perhaps one of the best reasons to keep your car covered is to maximize the life of your precious wash and wax job (especially if you do it yourself!)
After considering those factors, let's say you're ready to buy a cover. What kind should you get? On CarCover.com, you'll find several different options depending on your needs. Gold shield is for outdoor use and protects from extreme weather conditions. It's waterproof, the thickest one with fleece lining. and very soft on the side touching the car. It has 5 layers total and is considered to be the best one. Then, they have the silver shield. It's 3 layers, and is also for outdoor us, but thinner. It's not made for extreme weather conditions. Unlike the gold, it has no fleece lining. Finally, bronze shield is for indoor use, and is only 2 layers thick.
Now, you might be wondering how long these covers last. That's not the easiest answer, but on average a cover last 3-6 years. CarCover.com offers a lifetime warranty on the cover.
In the end, should you own a car cover? That's a personal decision, but if it truly saves time between washes and extends the life of the paint, then my recommendation would be yes. I'm going to have one on my 2023 Ford Maverick XLT Hybrid, and hopefully it will help to keep the truck shiny and clean for many years to come.
- Becoming the first woman to break the top 10 in AMA ArenaCross Lites Main
- The first woman in Monster Energy AMA Supercross to qualify for the Fast 40
- The first woman to compete in a freestyle Moto X Competition
- Being named the Loretta Lynn’s AMA Women’s Amateur National Champion
- Earning three gold medals in Women’s Moto X Racing at the X Games
- Receiving the title of TransWorld Motocross Magazine’s Female Motocross Rookie of the Year
- Nominated for an ESPY Award for Best Female Action Sports Athlete
Fernando Alonso is the most popular Formula One driver after gaining 211,979 fans in two weeks
As the 2023 season of Formula One returned on Sunday, avid fans have been eager to see their favourite drivers back in the driving seat. Finnish casino review site Bonusetu has tracked the growth of Instagram followers of each Formula One driver over the past two weeks. Within the two-week timeframe tracked, the new season of Drive to Survive and the first race of the 2023 Formula One season had been aired.
1. Fernando Alonso – 211,979 followers
Alonso wowed Formula One fans this weekend with his surprise podium appearance in Bahrain with spectacular overtakes and calm and calculated driving. The Aston Martin driver has clearly made an impression with viewers as an enormous 211,979 new fans of his have flocked to his Instagram following his third-place drive.
2. Lewis Hamilton – 206,035 followers
Lewis Hamilton comes in second place as the most popular Formula One driver, gaining an enormous 206,035 Instagram followers over the past two weeks. Despite coming in fifth place in the season's first race, Lewis still has a great pull with viewers and fans.
3. Charles Leclerc - 160,079 followers
Charles Leclerc is the third most popular Formula One driver following the release of the latest Drive to Survive instalment and his race in Bahrain. The Ferrari driver gained a massive 160,079 Instagram followers over the past two weeks, despite his unfortunate retirement from the first race of the season.
4. Carlos Sainz – 105,424 followers
Carlos Sainz comes in fourth place as the most popular driver after gaining an impressive 105,424 Instagram followers over the past two weeks. Interestingly, Sainz also took fourth place in the Bahrain race with his Ferrari, beating Lewis Hamilton.
5. Max Verstappen - 78,744 followers
The current Formula One world champion, Max Verstappen, comes in fifth place in popularity, having gained 78,744 followers over the past two weeks. Verstappen won this weekend's first race of the season, easily beating the competition in his Red Bull car.
6. Sergio Perez - 67,372
7. George Russell – 62,437
8. Pierre Gasly – 58,952
9. Lando Norris – 43,066
10. Yuki Tsunoda - 37,581
A spokesperson from Bonusetu commented on the findings:
“The massive increase in Instagram followers for these Formula One drivers in partly due to the release of the latest series of Drive to Survive. Drive to Survive not only generates new fans and viewers of Formula One as a sport, but it also fleshes out the personalities and vulnerability of the drivers themselves. This leads to more fans ultimately seeing the person behind the car and flocking to their favourite driver's social media pages to follow their journeys. This being said, the dramatic increase in followers for Fernando Alonso is mainly due to his amazing performance in Bahrain. As the oldest driver on the grid, Alonso's experience, along with his fantastic Aston Martin car, may just make him a top contender for this year's Formula One Championship."
Top 10 most popular Formula One drivers according to Instagram follower increase
| Driver | 21st Feb | 24th Feb | 28th Feb | 6th March | Increase in followers over two weeks |
| Fernando Alonso | 4,958,819 | 4,966,558 | 4,979,832 | 5,170,798 | 211,979 |
| Lewis Hamilton | 31,549,445 | 31,603,643 | 31,648,175 | 31,755,480 | 206,035 |
| Charles Leclerc | 9,974,241 | 10,003,578 | 10,029,231 | 10,134,320 | 160,079 |
| Carlos Sainz | 6,271,222 | 6,289,539 | 6,307,484 | 6,376,646 | 105,424 |
| Max Verstappen | 9,489,852 | 9,498,032 | 9,510,304 | 9,568,596 | 78,744 |
| Sergio Perez | 5,383,253 | 5,392,357 | 5,405,625 | 5,450,625 | 67,372 |
| George Russell | 4,071,275 | 4,079,539 | 4,091,486 | 4,133,712 | 62,437 |
| Pierre Gasly | 3,810,963 | 3,819,088 | 3,829,438 | 3,869,915 | 58,952 |
| Lando Norris | 5,988,720 | 5,995,334 | 6,004,459 | 6,031,786 | 43,066 |
| Yuki Tsunoda | 1,390,989 | 1,395,394 | 1,402,233 | 1,428,570 | 37,581 |
Bubba Wallace is more than just a driver. He’s a huge lover of the outdoors. When he’s off the track, he loves to seek adventure wherever he can find it – even if that’s out in the deep sea.
He recently spent a day deep sea fishing with Columbia Sportswear and YouTube stars Dude Perfect, where they had some friendly competition – all while staying cool and protected in Columbia’s Performance Fishing Gear.
The fun-filled adventure was captured on video and released just in time of Bubba’s Columbia-sponsored race at the Pennzoil 400 in Las Vegas where he placed 4th (his best yet this season).
Entry List Notebook – Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring
The 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship makes its second stop of the season next week at another iconic event. This time it’s the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, contested at the historic Sebring International Raceway – the airfield turned racetrack in Central Florida.
Fifty-four cars are on the pre-event entry list, with all five series classes competing on the rough-and-tumble Sebring circuit that demands the most from driver and machine. Practice begins Thursday, March 16, with qualifying taking place the following morning on St. Patrick’s Day.
Flag-to-flag race coverage will be available Saturday, March 18 on Peacock and IMSA Radio. USA Network picks up live TV coverage for the last half of the race.
Here’s the information you need to know for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.
Fast Facts
Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring
Sebring International Raceway – Sebring, Florida
March 16-18, 2023
Race Day/Time: Saturday, March 18 – 10:10 a.m. ET
Peacock Streaming Coverage: LIVE – Flag-to-flag beginning at 10 a.m.
NBC Sports Coverage: USA from 4:30-10:30 p.m.
IMSA.com/TVLive Live Qualifying Stream: Friday, March 17 – 9:10 a.m.
IMSA Radio: Select sessions live on IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com; SiriusXM live race coverage begins March 18 at 9:45 a.m. (Sirius channel 216, XM 207, Web/App 992)
Circuit Type: 3.74-mile, 17-turn road course
Race Length: 12 hours
Classes Competing: Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3), GT Daytona Pro (GTD PRO), GT Daytona (GTD)
Track Social Media:
- Twitter: @SebringRaceway
- Instagram: @SebringRaceway
- Facebook: @SebringInternationalRaceway
Event Hashtags: #IMSA, #Sebring12
WeatherTech Championship Track Records
Qualifying:
GTP: New class in 2023 (DPi track record: Sebastien Bourdais, Cadillac DPi-V.R, 1:45.025 / 128.025 mph, March 2022
LMP2: Giedo van der Garde, ORECA LMP2, 1:48.311 / 124.308 mph, March 2022
LMP3: Rasmus Lindh, Ligier JS P320, 1:56.001 / 116.067 mph, March 2021
GTD PRO: Daniel Serra, Ferrari 488 GT3, 1:59.414 / 112.750 mph, March 2022
GTD: Daniel Serra, Ferrari 488 GT3, 1:58.710 / 113.420 mph, March 2018
2022 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Winners:
GTP: New class in 2023 (2022 DPi winners: Earl Bamber/Alex Lynn/Neel Jani, No. 02 Cadillac Racing Cadillac DPi V.R)
LMP2: Ben Keating/Mikkel Jensen/Scott Huffaker, No. 52 PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA LMP2 07
LMP3: Joao Barbosa/Malthe Jakobsen/Lance Willsey, No. 33 Sean Creech Motorsport Ligier JS P320
GTD PRO: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg, No. 3 Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C8.R GTD
GTD: Roberto Lacorte, Giorgio Sernagiotto/Antonio Fuoco, No. 47 Cetilar Racing Ferrari 488 GT3
Storylines
- Round 2 for Grand Touring Prototypes: The journey continues for the highly anticipated new top prototype class, Grand Touring Prototype (GTP). Acura fashioned a 1-2 finish in the hybrid-powered class at the Rolex 24 At Daytona in January. How will fellow manufacturers Cadillac, BMW and Porsche respond to the challenge at Sebring?
- Season Championship Begins for LMP2 and LMP3: While Le Mans Prototype 2 and 3 cars raced at Daytona, season points weren’t awarded for the classes there – making the Twelve Hours of Sebring the first race counting toward the season championship. Who will stake an early claim for the title in each class? The defending race winners in each class – PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports in LMP2 and Sean Creech Motorsport in LMP3 – are back to defend.
- Auberlen Reaches Another Milestone: Bill Auberlen has already established himself as one of the greats of the sport, with more race wins (65) than anyone in IMSA’s top-tier series. When he takes the green flag at Sebring, it will mark his 100th start since the unification of North American sports car racing in 2014 – another first for the legend. A year ago at Sebring, Auberlen collected his 500th start for BMW in any sports car series.
- Ferrari Defends in GTD: Fabled Italian marque Ferrari captured its first Twelve Hours of Sebring win in six years in 2022, thanks to Cetilar Racing in GTD. The team and its same trio of drivers – Roberto Lacorte, Giorgio Sernagiotto and Antonio Fuoco – are back to defend, though this year it will be in the new Ferrari 296 GT3 and not the 488 GT3 that won a year ago.
- IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup: The second race of the WeatherTech Championship season also marks the second event counting toward the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup, where separate points are accumulated at different junctures of the four endurance races. At Sebring, those junctures are the four-, eight- and 12-hour marks. Leading in each class following the Rolex 24 are the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 in GTP, the No. 55 Proton Competition ORECA LMP2 07 in LMP2 (not entered for Sebring), the No. 33 Sean Creech Motorsport Ligier JS P320 in LMP3; the No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 in GTD PRO and the No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 in GTD.
Who’s Hot?
- Meyer Shank Racing: The Ohio-based team closed the 2022 season and the Daytona Prototype international (DPi) chapter by winning the Motul Petit Le Mans in an Acura ARX-05. MSR opened the new GTP era by defending their win in the Rolex 24 to open the ’23 campaign in the Acura ARX-06. Does the streak continue at Sebring?
- Gradient Racing: Also an Acura team, Gradient won its GTD class in the 2022 finale. With a mostly new driver lineup and an updated Evo22 version of the NSX GT3, Gradient finished a solid fourth at Daytona in January.
- Aston Martin: The Heart of Racing Team’s No. 27 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 won the GTD championship in 2022 and started 2023 by winning the class in the Rolex 24. It was Aston Martin’s first victory at the iconic Daytona race. What’s more, with Magnus Racing placing second, it gave Aston Martin a 1-2 finish and tons of momentum heading to Sebring.
Who’s Good Here?
- Antonio Garcia: The uber-talented Spaniard collected his fourth Sebring win a year ago, all with Corvette Racing and the latest coming in the GTD PRO class. Garcia has the most Sebring victories of any driver in this year’s field, though there are nine drivers just a win behind.
- PR1 Mathiasen and Scott Huffaker: PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports is the three-time defending LMP2 champion at Sebring. Scott Huffaker was the driver constant in all three wins but he’ll be competing this time for TDS Racing in the same class. As will Mikkel Jensen, who was with PR1 Mathiasen for the ’21 and ’22 triumphs. Ben Keating is back to head the PR1 Mathiasen effort after also winning with the team the past two years.
- Porsche: The German manufacturer has 100 class wins at the track, as many Sebring victories as all other current WeatherTech Championship manufacturers combined. With entries in three classes this year – GTP, GTD PRO and GTD – Porsche looks to add to that total.
Previous Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Winners in 2023 Field (37)
Antonio Garcia (4): GT1 – 2009; GTLM – 2015, 2017; GTD PRO – 2022
Bill Auberlen (3): GTS-2 – 1995; GTS-3 – 1997; GT3 – 1998
Joao Barbosa (3): P2 – 2012; P – 2015; LMP3 – 2022
Sebastien Bourdais (3): GT2 – 2006; P – 2015; DPi – 2021
Colin Braun (3): PC – 2014, 2016; LMP3 – 2021
Pipo Derani (3): P – 2016, 2018; DP – 2019
Scott Huffaker (3): LMP2 – 2020, 2021, 2022
Ian James (3): P2 – 2004, 2005; GTD – 2015
Ben Keating (3): GTD – 2017; LMP2 – 2021, 2022
Nick Tandy (3): GTLM – 2018, 2019, 2020
Mikkel Jensen (2): LMP2 – 2021, 2022
Tommy Milner (2): GT – 2013; GTLM – 2016
Patrick Pilet (2): GTLM – 2018, 2019
Jordan Taylor (2): P – 2017; GTD PRO – 2022
Dane Cameron (1): LMPC – 2011
Matt Campbell (1): GTLM – 2021
Michael Christensen (1): GTLM – 2014
Ryan Dalziel (1): WEC P2 – 2012
Antonio Fuoco (1): GTD – 2022
Ryan Hardwick (1): GTD – 2020
Jan Heylen (1): GTD – 2020
Mathieu Jaminet (1): GTLM – 2021
Lars Kern (1): GTD – 2021
George Kurtz (1): LMP2 – 2021
Roberto Lacorte (1): GTD – 2022
Andy Lally (1): GTD – 2014
Corey Lewis (1): GTD – 2018
Felipe Nasr (1): DP – 2019
John Potter (1): GTD – 2014
Alex Riberas (1): GTD – 2015
Zacharie Robichon (1): GTD – 2021
Bryan Sellers (1): GTD – 2018
Giorgio Sernagiotto (1): GTD – 2022
Madison Snow (1): GTD – 2018
Ricky Taylor (1): P – 2017
Laurens Vanthoor (1): GTD – 2021
Lance Willsey (1): LMP3 – 2022
Previous Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Pole Winners in 2023 Field (20)
Bill Auberlen (4): GTU – 1994; GTS-3 – 1997; GT3 – 1998; GTLM – 2016
Dane Cameron (3): LMPC – 2011; GTD – 2014; DPi – 2019
Sebastien Bourdais (2): P – 2014; DPi – 2022
Colin Braun (2): LMPC – 2013; PC – 2016
Antonio Garcia (2): GTLM – 2020, 2021
Jan Heylen (2): GTD – 2020, 2021
Daniel Serra (2): GTD – 2018; GTD PRO – 2022
Michael Christensen (1): GTLM – 2014
Connor De Phillippi (1): GTLM – 2018
Pipo Derani (1): DPi – 2021
Scott Dixon (1): P1 – 2009
Trent Hindman (1): GTD – 2019
Gunnar Jeannette (1): LMPC – 2010
Ben Keating (1): LMP2 – 2022
Andy Lally (1): GTC – 2013
Patrick Pilet (1): GTLM – 2019
Zacharie Robichon (1): GTD – 2022
Gar Robinson (1): LMP3 – 2022
Ricky Taylor (1): DPi – 2020
Steven Thomas (1): LMP2 – 2021
Previous Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Winning Teams in 2023 Field (20)
Corvette Racing (12): GTS – 2002, 2003, 2004; GT1 – 2006, 2007, 2008 2009; GT – 2013; GTLM – 2015, 2016, 2017; GTD PRO – 2022
PR1 Mathiasen (5): LMPC – 2013; PC – 2015; LMP2 – 2020, 2021, 2022
Penske Racing (4): PROTO 15 – 1964; GT13 – 1966; Trans-Am – 1968; P2 – 2008
Risi Competizione (3): GT2 – 2007, 2009, 2010
Action Express Racing (2): P – 2015; DP – 2019
BMW M Team RLL (2): GT – 2011, ALMS GT – 2012
Performance Tech Motorsports (2): PC – 2017; LMP2 – 2019
AF Corse (1): WEC GT – 2012
Andretti Autosport (1): P2 – 2007
Cetilar Racing (1): GTD – 2022
Chip Ganassi Racing (2): P – 2014; DPi – 2022
JDC-Miller MotorSports (1): DPi – 2021
Magnus Racing (1): GTD – 2014
Paul Miller Racing (1): GTD – 2018
Pfaff Motorsports (1): GTD – 2021
Riley Motorsports (1): GTD – 2017
Sean Creech Motorsport (1): LMP3 – 2022
Wayne Taylor Racing (1): P – 2017
WeatherTech Racing (1): GTLM – 2021
Wright Motorsports (1): GTD – 2020
Previous Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Winning Manufacturers in 2023 Field (9)
Porsche – 100
Chevrolet – 41
Ferrari – 38
BMW – 7
Cadillac – 4
Acura – 3
Aston Martin – 3
Lamborghini – 2
Mercedes-AMG – 2