  In the days following the 69th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Advance Auto Parts, my amazement has yet to subside. I thought the November 2020 race raised the bar to a level unreachable for the foreseeable future. Perhaps the drama of deciding IMSA WeatherTech Championships had created such memorable racing. Yet, here two races into the 2021 season, competitors are squeezing each other into walls an hour into the race, NASCAR and IndyCar champions are making disastrous strategic decisions, cars in one class are taking out favorites in another. Just when Corvette thought it was in position for another Sebring victory, well … And then there were the final minutes when a spectacular underdog team with former Mobil 1 Twelve Hours winner Sebastien Bourdais at the wheel put on the drive of a lifetime in a repeatedly damaged Cadillac DPi. One wonders what the oddsmakers would have offered if someone tried to wager that a pair of privateers would be the two pro category winners at the end of the night. Phone calls, emails, text messages, visits to my office almost all included the expression, “Did that really just happen?” What just transpired over the past week on the site of a retired military airfield will be remembered for years, perhaps decades to come. Now that it is over, cleanup is nearly complete, and car clubs are back on the circuit, the team that presents this great event is reviewing those things that must be addressed before the 70th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, the return of the WEC 1000 Miles of Sebring and a return to a post-pandemic open paddock. We believe that the world will be restored a year from now, that fences and gates used to meet CDC protocols will be gone, that grid walks and party zones will be back. Time will tell. After the performance of the teams this year, a 70th anniversary to celebrate, WEC’s new Hypercars adding to the 1000 Miles race, we expect demand to be at an all-time high. We know we must make some changes to ensure that all who arrive before the race make it through the gate before the race. In the next week we plan to review technology and logistics options to make great improvements in this area. We made a big change to our gate opening time on Wednesday, starting after sunrise to take advantage of daylight that we believe improves the safety for all involved. A few dissenters have let us know they prefer rolling at dark thirty, but the majority seem to appreciate the later starting time. Your feedback will be extremely valuable as we plan for 2022. We anticipate a new – yet to be fully developed – golf-cart policy in 2022 that will clarify the proper way to use personal mobility devices. It also is important to me that all our guests recognize that the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring is an international event, like the World Cup or the Olympics. It is a coming together of many nations. At Sebring, Americans host Canadians, Latin Americans, Europeans, Asians and more. Our guests proudly fly flags of their home countries, as well as flags letting all know their favorite cars. Obviously, I endorse American patriotism. The hair on my arms stood up when Lee Greenwood sang “God Bless The USA” moments before the start of the race. On an international stage with guests from around the globe, I ask that all fellow American hosts present a unified United States. I urge our guests to continue help developing a new generation of Sebring fans, to foster a fun and exciting atmosphere in which parents feel comfortable bringing their sons and daughters to the track for their first tastes of sportscar racing and the Sebring experience. The future of our sport relies on attracting new fans, a new generation of fans, and I hope all of you accept the challenge to spread the word about the great things ahead. Saturday’s race, and the races before, certainly did their parts. As the world gets control of itself again and bids farewell to the current health crisis, we see a very bright future for sportscar racing and for Sebring International Raceway. The WEC is rolling out new Hypercars over the next two years, and IMSA’s LMDh cars are not far behind. All of us at Sebring thank you for your patience and support as we have delivered as much of the 12 Hours experience as we can during these difficult times. I believe all of you who attended or watched at home were rewarded with what you saw this past weekend. And we will raise a glass to all the week’s winners, especially JDC Miller Motorsports, the little team that could against incredible odds, another legend made 12 hours at a time. Connect With Us Visit our website 113 Midway Drive Sebring, Florida 33870 863-655-1442  |
