Favorite 12 Hours of Sebring Race

[gregtummer]

As we get set to celebrate the last ALMS 12 Hours of Sebring, what has been your favorite Sebring race?

The choices:

2007 - Ferrari vs. Porsche GT2 battle
2008 - Peugeot vs. Audi vs. Porsche vs. Acura Major Porsche Upset
2009 Peugeot vs. Audi The cars can't get away from each other and swap the lead back and forth the entire race
2011 Major Oreca upset
Other

[Canada ALMS fan]

Those are all excellent choices! 2007 was the one that got me to finally start attending them in person.
The most surprising was 2008.
The most dramatic was 2009.
2010 no Audi - didn't go.
The most emotional was 2011 by far.
How's that for a non-answer answer? Maybe I should get in to politics...
A Rebellion win this year certainly would be a fairy tale too.
So sad to see this era come to an end. A new tradition will begin at CoTA, not the same but life goes on.

[gregtummer]

Also note that I didn't put the 1970 race on here as a lot of people probably don't know about it, but if you want to choose it, select "Other" and talk about it.

[Dyson Mazda]

Looking back on it, Sebring seems to always be a much better race than Le Mans.

[gregtummer]

Originally Posted by Canada ALMS fan

Those are all excellent choices! 2007 was the one that got me to finally start attending them in person.
The most surprising was 2008.
The most dramatic was 2009.
2010 no Audi - didn't go.
The most emotional was 2011 by far.
How's that for a non-answer answer? Maybe I should get in to politics...
A Rebellion win this year certainly would be a fairy tale too.
So sad to see this era come to an end. A new tradition will begin at CoTA, not the same but life goes on.

I literally can't choose between 2008, 2009 and 2011.

2008 - Some of the fastest Sports Cars ever and so many of them that could win overall.
2009 - Peugeot and Audi swap the lead back and forth all over the racetrack for the entire race with only 3 cautions. The cars get faster and faster and start running faster than their qualifying times. Then they start running faster than the 2008 speeds despite 60 less horsepower and less rear wing width!
2011 Oreca and Highcroft outrun the factory Peugeot to score a privateer 1,2 upset. Hugues de Chaunac is literally in tears!

[Bill38]

The 1965 race. Jim Hall and his Chaparral won over the Ford GT's, the Ferraris and the big rain storm.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Bill38

The 1965 race. Jim Hall and his Chaparral won over the Ford GT's, the Ferraris and the big rain storm.

Was the Chaparral within the rules at that time, or did they get some leeway to compete?

[Acid09]

Originally Posted by Dyson Mazda

Looking back on it, Sebring seems to always be a much better race than Le Mans.

As great as Oreca winning was in 2011, it was nowhere as good as Le Mans.

[dxk1]

Originally Posted by joeb

Was the Chaparral within the rules at that time, or did they get some leeway to compete?

The Chaparral did not run in the Prototype Class. There was a special class called SR. The Class included both Chaparrals, Dan Gurney's Lotus Ford, a Lola Ford, two Ferraris and a Cooper Monaco Ford. Nobody thought the Chaparral would last more than about 2 hours. Old Jim Hall surprised them all. He won by 4 laps and would have won by more except for the rain storm which really almost drowned the car. Believe it or not, a video for the 1965 race exists. Here's the link to Part 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPEy5NEXxo4

There are 5 parts in all.

DK

[rich07]

As much as I enjoyed the Ferrari and Porsche battle of 2007, 2011 gets my vote purely because of Oreca beating the factories with Hughes De Chaunac tearing up on the pitwall and showing how much people have invested not just financially but emotionally in this sport. Couldnt have happened to a better bloke.

[skycafe]

1970. Amazing battle toward the end settled for Andretti's Ferrari 512 over Revson's Porsche 908 (which was a customer car, not factory entry). Huge variety of different "prototypes" and big variety of GT cars, big and huge American V8's, tiny capacity Sprites and Lancias, and all sorts of cars like Porsche 911's, Alfa Duettos, etc.

[wheelz22]

I feel like I'm at a wake by reading this thread....sad.

[aneesh99]

I voted 2008 but 2011 was on par as well, not so much because of Oreca, but because of one of my favourite teams of all time, Highcroft. Turned up with the car in boxes

[Acid09]

Originally Posted by wheelz22

I feel like I'm at a wake by reading this thread....sad.

Well, the wake will be in two and a half week's time.

Will be a weird feeling knowing to watch the last real Sebring for a long time..hopefully not ever.

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by Acid09

Will be a weird feeling knowing to watch the last real Sebring for a long time..hopefully not ever.

The history of sports car racing has always been about cycles. So despite the current status quo for 2014, what we want to call a "real" Sebring post-2014 might be closer around the corner than we think.

[wheelz22]

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

The history of sports car racing has always been about cycles. So despite the current status quo for 2014, what we want to call a "real" Sebring post-2014 might be closer around the corner than we think.

Thanks, I'd like to think that...

[skycafe]

Originally Posted by wheelz22

I feel like I'm at a wake by reading this thread....sad.

It came back after one year of IMSA and then a year with no race. As pointed out, there are always cycles.

I will say I loved the 2008 Porsche win and Oreca's 2011 win. I also loved Wayne Baker's 1983 win in a Porsche 934, and the following year De Navarez' win in a 935 pulled out of a museum for one last race.

[kurski]

Originally Posted by gregtummer

what has been your favorite Sebring race?

My fav is 2011 and Oreca win.

[1969MGCGTdriver]

2003 Just for the diversity of the cars that raced: Audis, Bentleys, MGs, Panozs, R&S, Lolas, Normas, Lister, Saleens, Vettes, 2 different Ferraris, Porsches, TVR, Vipers, Pagani, Spyker, the list goes on...

That was a car guy's heaven on earth.

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by 1969MGCGTdriver

2003 Just for the diversity of the cars that raced: Audis, Bentleys, MGs, Panozs, R&S, Lolas, Normas, Lister, Saleens, Vettes, 2 different Ferraris, Porsches, TVR, Vipers, Pagani, Spyker, the list goes on...

That was a car guy's heaven on earth.

Yep , I was there for that one . Excellent race .

[Jonerz]

Favorite race? 2008, the crest of that high and beautiful wave of professionalism and factory interest.

Favorite finish? 2011, any time that the big factories are upset by a smaller guy (or two) you have to love it. As much as I love Hugues, from a technical standpoint, I would have preferred first and second to be flipped. However, from an individual standpoint, I can't deny Team Oreca was the most deserving of victory lane. It was brilliant to stand on the straight for that one watching the celebration and ceremony. Even as a Porsche fan who was elated to have the world's best sports car maker back on top of Sebring where they belong in 2008, somehow 2011's finish was more emotionally satisfying.

As has been said above, there is also something about the more rag-tag grids of the early decade. The amateur driver, small team, and small manufacturers hadn't yet been driven out of the classes so there was a deep and eclectic mix of cars and teams that was entertaining for the car guy. I could happily sit fence side paying complete disregard to the race order and just watch the cars in the first five or so ALMS Sebrings. As the grids became smaller and more professional, the scoreboard became more important to me.

Chris

[dxk1]

Originally Posted by wheelz22

I feel like I'm at a wake by reading this thread....sad.

Don't forget some of those years in the 70s and early 80s where all there were were GTOs, GTs, Trans Am, etc. and we had some great races and some dogs! There is always hope that it will get back on the WEC or similar series callendar and field upgrades will follow.

DK

[Mal]

2007 is one I remember most so I voted for that. But the list highlights just how many great races we have had in recent years.

[wheelz22]

Originally Posted by dxk1

Don't forget some of those years in the 70s and early 80s where all there were were GTOs, GTs, Trans Am, etc. and we had some great races and some dogs! There is always hope that it will get back on the WEC or similar series callendar and field upgrades will follow.

DK

Off topic but....if we could only go back in time....I would love to be at any of the races from the mid-50's to the early 60's.....that had to have been a blast back then. What a cast of characters back then....both the cars and the people.

[gregtummer]

I voted for the 2011 race. I can't go against an Oreca and Highcroft 1 and 2 with Hugues de Chaunac literally in tears. That is why they race and this is why us fans watch.