2023 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring

[teamzr1]

Media Q&A ahead of Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring for defending GTD PRO co-winner

Corvette Racing’s Antonio Garcia was part of a media Zoom today to talk about next week’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and the second round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. He will team with Jordan Taylor and Tommy Milner in the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R. The trio finished second in the GTD PRO class to open the season at the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

YOU’VE HAD A LOT OF GREAT HISTORY AT SEBRING. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT NEXT WEEK?

“Coming from a good race at Daytona, we should be up there. Corvette Racing always has had quite a bit of success in this race. We weren’t there (at Sebring) for the last (IMSA) test, but we were there in December. Although it was with the new GT3 car, we still got some good information.

It’s a new year, and we had a lot of data to analyze from last year’s race. It was kind of a surprise for us to be that good, especially in the day. So I’m looking forward
to getting back there. I’ve always loved this race. The Corvette fans will be out there, too. It’s always a great event for us as Corvette drivers and another one for me.”

BEFORE THE FIRST TIME YOU RACED AT SEBRING, WHAT DID A FELLOW DRIVER OR TEAM OWNER TELL YOU ABOUT THE TRACK? WAS IT THE BUMPS OR SOMETHING ELSE?

“It was 2006 or 2007 I definitely was younger! I think it was the bumps, mainly the trickier parts of the racetracks. Everyone tries to explain to you where to go and what to hit or not to hit, but it’s almost impossible to figure out what to expect until you do a few laps. It’s a tricky track to learn.
After a few laps, it doesn’t feel like you can go around fast, but then you get in a groove and everything comes easier.
Now that I’ve done it for so many years, it feels like I know every single bump around the track. It’s much easier now.”

DO YOU APPRECIATE THAT THE TRACK HAS THIS KIND OF CHARACTER TO IT?

“I think you do. It’s the whole environment there. You start early in the morning almost with the sunrise for warm up.
Most of the race is super-hot in the middle of the day, and then you go straight into the night with a classic March sunset where you don’t see a thing going into Turn 17 and Turn Seven.
Every single aspect of that race is unique. Even if at times it feels like it is undriveable, it’s one of my favorites, if not my favorite race of the year.”

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE TRACK AND YOUR LEAST FAVORITE PART OF THE TRACK?

“At sunset and going into Turn 17 and Turn Seven, you’re hoping (the sun) gets in the clouds. With a full bright sky, you know it’s going to be really, really tough. At times, I got into the car with three hours to go, so that means you get the sunset, and then you go full into the dark. You need to pick the right visor and everything needs to be perfect. I’ve been in every single condition around there, but for sure in the sunset if it’s full bright it’s tricky.

That’s a time when you don’t want to be fighting too much with somebody or if traffic gets very, very tricky in those conditions because someone may not see you. It’s only 20–25 minutes, but it’s very, very tricky.”

“But I love the whole racetrack at night. When it’s full dark, and you know it’s coming to the end of the race, the grip is usually back in the car. That’s the most joyful time of the race. No matter how tired you are, if you are in contention for the win, then that’s when the whole magic of Sebring comes.
That’s what we all remember those last stints at Sebring and when you are in contention or winning the race.”

WHICH RACE IS TOUGHER TO GET ON THE PODIUM: DAYTONA 24 HOURS OR SEBRING 12 HOURS?

“I think probably Sebring is a bit tougher to get everything in the right spot. Everything is different. You finish in the dark, which is tough for everybody. Traffic is unfortunate at that point. For me, it seems like I’ve had more success at Sebring, but I think I would consider Sebring a little bit tougher than Daytona. If you have the pace at Daytona, it’s easier to pace yourself to be in contention at the end of the race.

At Sebring, it’s not only pace. The weather changes more. You’re finishing in the dark, and you only run that for two hours. It’s a bit trickier, I think.”

 

[teamzr1]

No. 3 C8.R going for back-to-back GTD PRO victories, team’s 12th class win in 12 Hours

CORVETTE RACING AT SEBRING: Adding to a 25-Year Legacy
No. 3 C8.R going for back-to-back GTD PRO victories, team’s 12th class win in 12 Hours
DETROIT (March 14, 2023) – For 24 years, Corvette Racing has written chapter after chapter in its lengthy storybook of success at Sebring International
Raceway. It’s a book that covers thousands of laps and tens of thousands of miles around the historic road course in central Florida.

Now Corvette Racing returns to contest the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring for the 25th time in search of its 13th victory in the event. The most
recent came a year ago in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s GT Daytona (GTD) PRO category with the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet
Corvette C8.R.

Full-season teammates Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor were part of the stunning 2022 class victory, and they will team this year with Tommy Milner
in the 12 Hours. It will be the second of two enduros for Corvette Racing this week at Sebring as it also contests the 1,000 Miles of Sebring for the
FIA World Endurance Championship in the GTE Am category.
The three Corvette drivers have combined for eight class wins in the 12 Hours nine when adding a sprint-race victory for Milner and then-teammate
Oliver Gavin in the 2020 season. The No. 3 C8.R trio and team also are coming off a runner-up finish in the Rolex 24 At Daytona to open the season.

There are eight entries from eight manufacturers in GTD PRO for this year’s Sebring 12 Hours with a total of 28 GTD cars total when combining with the race’s regular GTD class.

Chevrolet Motorsports Display, Ride and Drive Return to Sebring

In addition to the many happenings on the racetrack at Sebring, fans will have plenty to see and experience from Chevrolet. That’s because two
locations at the circuit Chevrolet’s Motorsports Display and the Chevrolet Ride and Drive will be full of Chevy vehicles that spectators can learn
more about throughout the weekend.

The Chevrolet Motorsports Display opens at 9 a.m. Thursday, 8:30 a.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Saturday in the Sebring Midway. Numerous Chevrolet vehicles and other highlights include:

• The 2023 Corvette E-Ray and a rolling cut-away example of the E-Ray
• The 2023 70th anniversary Corvette Stingray
• Additional Chevrolet products such as Silverado ZR2, Blazer RS, Colorado ZR1 and Bolt EUV Premier
• A Corvette Racing C8.R showcar
• The Garage 56 Next Gen Camaro ZL1
• An opportunity to receive a 2023 Corvette Racing t-shirt

Also beginning Thursday, fans visiting the Sebring Skidpad outside of Turn 17 can sample a Chevrolet vehicle for themselves at the Ride and Drive
event. Starting at 9 a.m. each day, spectators have the chance to test a wide variety of Chevrolets including Blazer RS, Bolt EUV Premier, Camaro
Convertible SS, Silverado 1500 and 2500, Tahoe High Country, Traverse High Country and Trailblazer RS.

The Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring is scheduled for 10:10 a.m. ET on
Saturday, March 18. The race will air on USA Network from 4:30-10:30 p.m. ET
with full streaming coverage on Peacock at 10:05 a.m. ET. IMSA Radio will
air all on-track sessions beginning at IMSA.com along with SiriusXM 392,
SiriusXM Online 992 and 100.9 FM at the circuit.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R:

“We have a year advantage against last year going into Sebring with the GTD PRO Corvette. So I’m sure we will be OK. Sebring always has been a track where we have tested and raced many times, so we know it well. It’s still early in the year so you don’t know how competitive everyone else will be coming into that race with still-new cars. Those should be stronger than last year.
Those are just some of the question marks. Until we get there, we’ll wait to see where we are.

“Sebring is one of the premier events we do at Corvette Racing each year. It seems the event gets bigger each year, especially now with WEC again. The track is special for us as a team with the history and race wins we have achieved over the years with our Corvettes. We have many miles of testing and competition to draw from for both the IMSA and WEC events. It will be tough on all of us, but that is why we come to Sebring.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R:

“Last year’s race was unexpected for us to be as competitive as we were. When we left Daytona last year, we had a lot of question marks but we did a test at Sebring and learned a lot about the tire we were on there. That was a big kick-start to our season and winning the 12 Hours was proof of our
development in that short span of time.
From the 12 Hours on, we learned a lot more and that showed at Daytona. I think we’ve learned a lot through
2022 that was successful at Sebring, so hopefully we can go there with a little stronger package. It seems like the competition is just as strong if
not stronger so it will still be a tough event.
“Corvette Racing has been so successful at Sebring over its 25 years of existence. I’m glad we were able to check that box. It’s a race that you
could do 100 times and not win. There are so many little things that can go wrong to prevent you from winning or even getting on the podium. For
everything to go right was amazing. We pretty much had a flawless performance. We didn’t have the fastest car throughout the day. We just
stayed out of trouble and the guys called a great strategy and executed the plan. It was a classic Corvette Racing win.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R:

“Corvette Racing has always been fast at Sebring. It’s a track that has been very good to us over the years, and this car won last year in this current spec of car. We’ll go back and try to defend the race win. It will be difficult as always. We saw at Daytona that the competition in both GT classes is tough, and it’s an uphill battle with just the one Corvette but we’ll show up and do our best as we always do.”

“The most fun race I can remember at Sebring is 2013 when we came from way back on the Ferrari and made a pass for the lead with about 20 minutes to go in the race. We lost a couple of laps early but kept at it. The Corvette that year was very, very good in the evening, and that’s what you want at Sebring. That’s one I’ll remember for a long time.”

Photos: Richard Prince, Chevrolet Racing

2023 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – GTD PRO (After one of 11 events)
Driver Standings
1. Cooper MacNeil/Daniel Juncadella/Jules Gounon/Maro Engel – 385
2. Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Tommy Milner – 348
3. Ben Barnicoat/Jack Hawksworth/Mike Conway – 330
4. Andrea Caldarelli/Jordan Pepper/Mirko Bortolotti/Romain Grosjean – 306
5. Klaus Bachler/Laurens Vanthoor/Patrick Pilet – 284

Team Standings
1. No. 79 WeatherTech Racing – 385
2. No. 3 Corvette Racing – 348
3. No. 14 Vasser Sullivan – 330
4. No. 63 Iron Lynx – 306
5. No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports – 284

Manufacturer Standings
1. Mercedes-AMG – 385
2. Chevrolet – 348
3. Lexus – 330
4. Lamborghini – 306
5. Porsche – 284

CORVETTE RACING AT SEBRING: By the Numbers

• 1: As in one team, one manufacturer and one model of car for the 25th year at Sebring: Corvette Racing and the Chevrolet Corvette.
• 3: Tracks where Corvette Racing has competed in each of its previous 23 years: Sebring, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
• 4: GT class pole positions at Sebring for Oliver Gavin and Ron Fellows, tied for most in event history.
• 8: Sebring victories a race record for Johnny O’Connell, a Sebring Hall of Famer who drove for Corvette Racing from 2001-10. It includes one
overall and seven class wins.
• 13: Number of Sebring victories for Corvette Racing – the most of any venue in program history. Twelve of those have come in the 12 Hours,
including last year in GTD PRO.
• 14: Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001.
• 26: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Daytona, Detroit, Houston, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Miami, Mid-Ohio, Monza, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St.
Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen
• 29: Number of wins in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for Corvette Racing, including last year’s Sebring 12 Hours
• 32: Number of drivers for Corvette Racing since 1999. Ben Keating and Nico Varrone will join that list with their participation in the 1,000 Miles of
Sebring for the World Endurance Championship.
• 122: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 113 in North America, eight at Le Mans and one in WEC (outside of Le Mans).
• 267: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999.
• 53,631.76: Number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing at Sebring.That’s more than two full trips around the Earth at its equator (approx.24,900 miles).
• 351,351.25: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing since its inception. To put that in perspective, Corvette Racing is more
than halfway to the distance traveled by Apollo 13 the longest manned spaceflight in history: 622,268 miles.
That means Corvette Racing has raced to the moon!

 

[teamzr1]

Corvette Racing at Sebring International Raceway
1999
No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel/John Paul Jr. – 4th in GTS (Fellows pole)
No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Scott Sharp/John Heinricy – 7th in GTS (Pilgrim fastest race lap)

2000
No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel/Justin Bell – 6th in GTS (Fellows pole)
No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Franck Freon – 5th in GTS

2001
No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O'Connell/Chris Kneifel – 3rd in GTS
No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Franck Freon – 2nd in GTS

2002
No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O'Connell/Oliver Gavin – 1st in GTS (Fellows pole)
No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins/Franck Freon – 4th in GTS

2003
No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O'Connell/Franck Freon – 1st in GTS
No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Oliver Gavin/Kelly Collins/Andy Pilgrim – 3rd in GTS (Gavin pole)

2004
No 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O'Connell/Max Papis – 1st in GTS (Fellows pole)
No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin/Jan Magnussen – 6th in GTS (Gavin fastest race lap)

2005
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O'Connell/Max Papis – 2nd in GT1
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin/Jan Magnussen – 3rd in GT1

2006
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O'Connell/Max Papis – 4th in GT1
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin/Jan Magnussen – 1st in GT1

2007
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O'Connell/Jan Magnussen – 2nd in GT1 (Magnussen pole, fastest race lap)
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin/Max Papis – 1st in GT1

2008
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O'Connell/Jan Magnussen – 1st in GT1
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin/Max Papis – 2nd in GT1 (Gavin fastest race lap)

2009
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Johnny O'Connell/Antonio Garcia – 1st in GT1
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin/Marcel Fässler – 2nd in GT1 (Gavin pole, fastest race lap)

2010
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Johnny O'Connell/Antonio Garcia – 8th in GT2
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin/Emmanuel Collard – 9th in
GT2

2011
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Tommy Milner/Antonio Garcia – 3rd in GT
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Jan Magnussen/Richard Westbrook – 4th in
GT

2012
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 2nd in GT
(Magnussen pole)
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Richard Westbrook – 3rd in GT

2013
No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 11th in GT
No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Richard Westbrook – 1st in GT

2014
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Ryan Briscoe – 8th in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Robin Liddell – 6th in GTLM (Gavin fastest race lap)

2015
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Ryan Briscoe – 1st in GTLM (Daytona/Sebring double)
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Simon Pagenaud – 9th in GTLM

2016
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller 9th in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 1st in GTLM (10th Sebring team win)

2017
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 1st in GTLM (3rd straight Sebring team win)
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 10th in GTLM

2018
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 8th in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 6th in GTLM

2019
No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 3rd in GTLM
No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 8th in GTLM
No. 63 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller – 8th in GTE Pro (FIA WEC)

2020*
No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 2nd in GTLM (Taylor pole)
No. 4 Corvette C8.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 1st in GTLM

2020
No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 5th in GTLM (Garcia pole, Catsburg fastest race lap)
No. 4 Corvette C8.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 6th in GTLM

2021
No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 4th in GTLM (Taylor pole, Garcia fastest race lap)
No. 4 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy/Alexander Sims – 5th in GTLM

2022
No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg – 1st in GTD PRO
No. 64 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy – 2nd in GTE PRO (FIA WEC)

 

[teamzr1]

Few race drivers know more about winning the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring than Antonio Garcia. After all, the native of Madrid has four class wins in America’s oldest endurance race on his resume, not to mention an equal number of podium finishes.

“There are a lot of things to think about at that race,” he says. You start right after warm-up when conditions are perfect, it’s cooler than almost any other moment in the race and the car goes through all sorts of different performance scenarios during the race, so you need to adjust to know what you actually need for every single moment.

“That racetrack, for some reason I like it and I always feel strong there. And the last hours it always has something, too.
You are in the dark, there’s traffic and, yeah, that’s when you need to perform at your best, and it always seems that I can be very strong. I feel very comfortable in the last hours of the race, so when you put together everything, that’s part of the success we’ve had there.”

Never has Garcia felt more comfortable in the last hours of Sebring than in 2017. Although it was long planned that he would be behind the wheel of the No. 3 Corvette Racing C7.R for the finish of the race, a full-course yellow “accelerated” the last driver swap and resulted in an Iron Man stint for the Spaniard, who took the ensuing restart in fifth place.

“2017 was a classic,” he says.
I was set up to get in the car with two or two and a half hours to go, but there was a classic yellow with three hours and 20 minutes, so I actually jumped in the car with more than three hours to go. So that was a cool one, especially because it had a ton of drama.

There were three or four Ford GTs racing with us, the Ferraris, Porsche; everybody was there, and I just remember I had to pass two Fords, one Ferrari and somebody else to get in the lead. It’s fun when the car runs the way you want, and you are faster than the rest.

“So that one in particular stands out. I wasn’t in the lead and I finished in the lead and I had to work my way up. I had a stint where my windshield was covered with oil; I couldn’t see anything, literally I was driving on the taillights of the car in front of me. That’s what happens when you do this race.
I did my first one in 2007 or ’08, so I’d done the last stint many times and I know what to do.”

Shooting for a Sebring Repeat

His most recent win at Sebring last year was accompanied by considerably less drama, as Garcia and co-drivers Nicky Catsburg and Jordan Taylor led 247 of 323 laps in the No. 3 Corvette C8.R GTD. But it was no less satisfying given that it was Corvette Racing’s first win in the new GTD PRO class after ruling the GT Le Mans (GTLM), GT1 and GT2 class roosts for going on two decades.

What’s more, the win came on the heels of a disappointing GTD PRO debut in a 2022 Rolex 24 At Daytona, in which the No. 3 Corvette was never a factor.
“The race was pretty smooth; it was one of those races where we didn’t make a single mistake and just stayed up front there and didn’t have to pass anybody. Our pace was pretty good in that regard.

I remember we had some full-course yellows, and that probably made for an easier win. But for sure, it was a good turnaround after our Daytona debut in the GTD PRO class. Unfortunately, it was our last win in the class, so we’re looking forward to getting back to Sebring.”

The good news is the No. 3 Corvette was in contention for much of the 2023 Rolex 24 before losing two laps to repair damage resulting from a flat tire. Despite that setback, Garcia, Taylor and Tommy Milner clawed their way back to the lead lap and ultimately finished in second spot. Garcia is optimistic about Corvette Racing’s chances to add another notch to their belt at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring this weekend.

“We were way closer this year and able to run close to the front in the last hours of the race and fight for the win at Daytona,” he says. “We ended up short and didn’t have the ultimate pace to beat the Mercedes, but in a way, it was a good race for us. Daytona is the only race where you definitely don’t want to finish second; all that matters is to win that one.
But thinking about the season, we had a pretty good start, so yeah, Sebring has always been kind of a ‘unicorn’ race for us. For some reason, we are always competitive there.”

And if anyone knows more about winning at Sebring than Garcia, they probably work for a Corvette Racing team that has a dozen victories to its credit there.
“Corvette has been racing (at Sebring) forever,” Garcia says. “How many years we did there between the C5, C6, C7 and C8? So that’s knowledge.
That’s experience. And when you take that, as a team, we’ve had a 20-year development for that race, and there is not many things we don’t know about every single condition you can get. So, if it is cold, if it is warm, if it is warmer, if it rains, I think we have raced in every single condition there.”

Corvette Racing has collected a dozen wins at Sebring since 2002. Garcia has been part of four of the last six victories.
So it would come as no surprise to find the No. 3 Corvette making another visit to Victory Lane at shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday.

 

[teamzr1]

First practice completed

 

[teamzr1]

2nd of 3rd practices completed
1 more practice until qualify tomorrow

 

[teamzr1]

Tommy Milner posted the best GTD PRO time as Corvette Racing seeks to defend its 2022 title.
His 2m1.260s time was third overall among the GT cars, leading Ross Gunn in the No. 23 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage by 0.053s.
If Milner, Jordan Taylor and Antonio Garcia were to win, it would be Garcia’s fifth victory, and Corvette’s 13th, at a track Garcia has come to appreciate.

“I think the experience of the drivers, the experience of the team, I would say that’s the biggest thing,” said Garcia of his and the team’s success on the 3.74-mile, 17-turn track. “So when you have a team like Corvette behind you that has done this race for over 20 years now, they must, as a team, or me as a driver I have almost run every single condition you can find around this track, so that’s pretty big.

And then you obviously need to know and like this racetrack, which I do. I find ever since I discovered this racetrack, I always find something special about the end of the race finishing up at night.”

Davide Rigon was third in GTD PRO in the No. 61 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 with a 2m01.397s lap. Jack Hawksworth (No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F) was fourth, and Patrick Pilet put the No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche into fifth.

 

[teamzr1]

For 24 years, Corvette Racing has written chapter after chapter in its lengthy storybook of success at Sebring International Raceway. It’s a book that covers thousands of laps and tens of thousands of miles around the historic road course in central Florida.

Now Corvette Racing returns to contest the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring for the 25th time in search of its 13th victory in the event. The most recent came a year ago in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s GT Daytona (GTD) PRO category with the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R.

Full-season teammates Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor were part of the stunning 2022 class victory, and they will team this year with Tommy Milner in the 12 Hours. It will be the second of two enduros for Corvette Racing this week at Sebring as it also contests the 1,000 Miles of Sebring for the FIA World Endurance Championship in the GTE Am category.

The three Corvette drivers have combined for eight class wins in the 12 Hours – nine when adding a sprint-race victory for Milner and then-teammate Oliver Gavin in the 2020 season. The No. 3 C8.R trio and team also are coming off a runner-up finish in the Rolex 24 At Daytona to open the season.
There are eight entries from eight manufacturers in GTD PRO for this year’s Sebring 12 Hours, with a total of 28 GTD cars total when combined with the race’s regular GTD class.

Chevrolet Motorsports Display, Ride and Drive Return to Sebring

In addition to the many happenings on the racetrack at Sebring, fans will have plenty to see and experience from Chevrolet. That’s because two locations at the circuit, Chevrolet’s Motorsports Display and the Chevrolet Ride and Drive will be full of Chevy vehicles that spectators can learn more about throughout the weekend.
The Chevrolet Motorsports Display opens at 9 a.m. Thursday, 8:30 a.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Saturday in the Sebring Midway. Numerous Chevrolet vehicles and other highlights include:

• The 2023 Corvette E-Ray and a rolling cut-away example of the E-Ray
• The 2023 70th anniversary Corvette Stingray
• Additional Chevrolet products such as Silverado ZR2, Blazer RS, Colorado ZR1 and Bolt EUV Premier
• A Corvette Racing C8.R show car
• The Garage 56 Next Gen Camaro ZL1
• An opportunity to receive a 2023 Corvette Racing t-shirt

Also beginning Thursday, fans visiting the Sebring Skid pad outside of Turn 17 can sample a Chevrolet vehicle for themselves at the Ride and Drive event. Starting at 9 a.m. each day, spectators have the chance to test a wide variety of Chevrolet's including Blazer RS, Bolt EUV Premier, Camaro Convertible SS, Silverado 1500 and 2500, Tahoe High Country, Traverse High Country and Trailblazer RS.

The Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring is scheduled for 10:10 a.m. ET on Saturday, March 18. The race will air on the USA Network from 4:30-10:30 p.m. ET with full streaming coverage on Peacock at 10:05 a.m. ET.
IMSA Radio will air all on-track sessions beginning at IMSA.com along with SiriusXM 392, SiriusXM Online 992 and 100.9 FM at the circuit.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R:

“We have a year advantage against last year going into Sebring with the GTD PRO Corvette. So I’m sure we will be OK. Sebring always has been a track where we have tested and raced many times, so we know it well. It’s still early in the year, so you don’t know how competitive everyone else will be coming into that race with still-new cars. Those should be stronger than last year.
Those are just some of the question marks. Until we get there, we’ll wait to see where we are.

“Sebring is one of the premier events we do at Corvette Racing each year. It seems the event gets bigger each year, especially now with WEC again. The track is special for us as a team with the history and race wins we have achieved over the years with our Corvettes.
We have many miles of testing and competition to draw from for both the IMSA and WEC events. It will be tough on all of us, but that is why we come to Sebring.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R:

Last year’s race was unexpected for us to be as competitive as we were. When we left Daytona last year, we had a lot of question marks, but we did a test at Sebring and learned a lot about the tire we were on there. That was a big kick-start to our season, and winning the 12 Hours was proof of our development in that short span of time. From the 12 Hours on, we learned a lot more and that showed at Daytona.

I think we’ve learned a lot through 2022 that was successful at Sebring, so hopefully we can go there with a little stronger package. It seems like the competition is just as strong, if not stronger, so it will still be a tough event.

“Corvette Racing has been so successful at Sebring over its 25 years of existence. I’m glad we were able to check that box. It’s a race that you could do 100 times and not win. There are so many little things that can go wrong to prevent you from winning or even getting on the podium. For everything to go right was amazing. We pretty much had a flawless performance. We didn’t have the fastest car throughout the day. Furthermore, we just stayed out of trouble and the guys called a great strategy and executed the plan. It was a classic Corvette Racing win.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R:

“Corvette Racing has always been fast at Sebring. It’s a track that has been very good to us over the years, and this car won last year in this current spec of car. We’ll go back and try to defend the race win. It will be difficult as always. We saw at Daytona that the competition in both GT classes is tough, and it’s an uphill battle with just the one Corvette, but we’ll show up and do our best as we always do.”

“The most fun race I can remember at Sebring is 2013 when we came from way back on the Ferrari and made a pass for the lead with about 20 minutes to go in the race. We lost a couple of laps early but kept at it. The Corvette that year was very, very good in the evening, and that’s what you want at Sebring.
That’s one I’ll remember for a long time.”

 

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Last practice before qualify tomorrow morning

A disjointed, multiple-red-flagged night session that saw both GTP Acuras grind to a halt on track was led by the No. 31 Action Express Racing Cadillac V-Series.R with Alexander Sims at the wheel. Sims’ 1m48.420s lap was well off the times turned in qualifying simulations this afternoon, but good enough to be the first non-Acura to lead a session.

The first red flag came almost as soon as the session began for a car off course. Then the second stoppage was for Colin Braun coasting to stop, getting going again, but eventually becoming stationary until the emergency crew could retrieve the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06. As soon as they did and the session restarted, the Gradient Racing No. 66 Acura NSX lost a wheel, bringing the red back out.

Then the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Acura ARX-06 stopped on course and had to be flat-towed in. The last stoppage, that almost ended the session, occurred when Kay van Berlo spun the No. 91 Kellymoss with Riley Porsche 911 GT3R in Turn 17, burying it in the tire barrier.
The final green came with about two-and-a-half minutes left.

For the first time of the event, a GTD PRO car led GTD overall, with Jordan Taylor putting the No. 3 Corvette on top with a 2m.01.290s lap. Jack Hawksworth was second for Vasser Sullivan in the No. 14 Lexus RC F, 0.117s off Taylor’s best. Daniel Juncadella was third in the No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AM

 

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C8.R takes the pole position for start of race at 10 AM ET tomorrow

 

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Grand Touring class qualifying for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring ended Friday morning with pole position and a GT Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) track record for four-time Sebring winner Antonio Garcia and a career-first pole in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition for GT Daytona (GTD) fast qualifier Kyle Marcelli.

Just after the guaranteed 10 minutes of green-flag track time were satisfied for the 15-minute session, Klaus Bachler spun the No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) into heavy contact with a tire barrier at the exit of Turn 1, putting an end to the action.

Immediately prior to the red flag, Garcia nailed down his third Sebring pole in the past four years with a lap timed at 1 minute, 59.315 seconds (112.843 mph) in the No. 3 Corvette Racing Corvette C8.R GTD that he shares with Jordan Taylor and Tommy Milner.

Garcia clipped Daniel Serra’s GTD PRO lap record from last year by 0.999 seconds, though Serra still holds the GT track standard of 1:58.710 set five years ago in the GTD class.
“Yesterday, the car felt very good, I must say,” said Garcia, who has been the fastest qualifier 14 times in his IMSA career.
We have a good package, for sure, and I had in the back of my mind that the car was good, and we had a chance to go for the pole.

“The Corvette really suits this racetrack, and I love racing here, so let’s get another win,” he added. “It’s a long wait until we start; I wouldn’t mind to race in an hour, so we can get it done sooner!”

Garcia’s first Sebring wins with Corvette Racing came in 2009, and he added victories in 2015, ’17, and ’22.
But he and his teammates have never actually won the Twelve Hours in a year they started from pole position.

“There always has to be a first!” Garcia quipped. “I think we just need to do what we always do here.

The pace is there, so we don’t need to go crazy on setup or something. We just need to react to how the track is developing and see how everything goes. We are in a very good starting position.”

Marcelli, a 33-year-old Canadian, owns seven top-level American sports car race wins and five previous pole positions in the American Le Mans Series, but he had never notched a WeatherTech Championship pole position until this morning.

Like Garcia, Marcelli clocked his best effort just before the red flag flew. His 1:59.714 lap (112.467 mph) in the No. 93 Racers Edge Motorsports with WTR Acura NSX GT3 Evo edged Philip Ellis the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 by 0.12 seconds for GTD honors and was fourth overall among GT qualifiers.

“This is a first, and I’m kind of emotional,” Marcelli said immediately after climbing out of his car. “I don’t know whether it’s the heat or the early morning or what; I’m just super thankful to everyone. This has been a long time coming.
The new rules in the series allow any driver to qualify, and that’s kind of been fun and a perk.
“Daytona was close to a podium for us, and I think everybody rallied for this weekend,” he added. “What a fantastic start!”

Two GT cars were penalized for ride-height infringements discovered in post-qualifying technical inspection.
The No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, which had qualified third among GT cars, and the No. 57 Winward Mercedes, which qualified fifth (and second in GTD), moved to the rear of the 28-car GT starting grid.

The 71st Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring is slated to start at 10:10 a.m. ET Saturday. Peacock and IMSA Radio offer live flag-to-flag coverage. USA Network’s live telecast begins at 4:30 p.m. and runs through the race conclusion.

Post-Qualifying Technical Infractions:
• No. 79, GTD PRO: Car failed to meet minimum ride height. Penalty: Car will be moved to the back of the GTD PRO/GTD category.
• No. 57, GTD: Car failed to meet minimum ride height. Penalty: Car will be moved to the back of the GTD PRO/GTD category.

 

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In defense of its class victory from a year ago, Antonio Garcia and Corvette Racing will start from pole position in GT Daytona (GTD) PRO for Saturday’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

Garcia, in the No. 1 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R, set the best time of 1:59.315 (112.843 mph) just before a red-flag period ended Friday’s 15-minute qualifying session for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. He and teammates Jordan Taylor and Tommy Milner will look to give the Corvette Racing program its 13th victory in the Florida endurance classic and second in a row.

Garcia’s qualifying effort continued a strong pre-race program for Corvette Racing, which posted the fastest GTD PRO times in the final two of Thursday’s three practice sessions around the 3.74-mile, 17-turn circuit. Pre-event work including significant work in Chevrolet’s Driver in the Loop simulator helped establish an early baseline, with the results validating the virtual efforts.

Garcia, Taylor and Milner finished second in GTD PRO to open the season at the Rolex 24 At Daytona.
They have combined for eight class wins in the 12 Hours – nine when adding a sprint-race victory for Milner and then-teammate Oliver Gavin in the 2020 season.

The Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring is scheduled for 10:10 a.m. ET on Saturday. The race will air on the USA Network from 4:30-10:30 p.m. ET with full streaming coverage on Peacock at 10:05 a.m. ET. IMSA Radio will stream the race at IMSA.com with radio coverage also on SiriusXM 392, SiriusXM Online 992 and 100.9 FM at the circuit.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – GTD PRO POLE-WINNER:

“The car felt excellent. A good thumbs-up for the team. We were not here for the (IMSA February) test, but so far things have been perfect through practice. Even warm up just before qualifying felt really, fantastic, so we just went for it and it was enough.
Luckily enough I was just across the line before the red flag because I just messed up the previous laps. I’m very happy for Corvette Racing. I’ve had a few pole positions here, and I love this race and love this track.”

More on pole position: “Things felt superb. I have to say that after Practice One, we were not where we wanted. But from Practice Two onward, everyone seemed to be faster Tommy, Jordan, so we have a good package, for sure. Last night felt good.
We tested in the little warm up before qualifying and the car felt good. I had in the back of my mind that this Corvette was good, and I would have a chance to be on pole.”

His Sebring success:

“That is true. In GTLM, I was on pole the last two times and now today. The car really suits this racetrack and I think there is more to come because we love racing here. I’m looking forward to the rest of the race. I wouldn’t mind the race in an hour! So it’s a long wait until we start.
There are a lot of things to think about, but obviously the car is good, so maybe we should just clean it and put it in the truck!”

Outlook for the race from pole: “It’s confidence. We have confidence that we have a good Corvette.
We knew from practice last night that the car was good, but we didn’t know where it was for a quick, quick lap, but we were up there.
Tomorrow is a long one, but I’m already looking forward to those last two hours of the race.”

 

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In the 20-minute warm-up for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, all but seven cars turned laps to get ready for the 10:10am start of the race, most of them well below race pace. Mathieu Jaminet led GTP in the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsports 963. Other quickest laps were Mikkel Jensen in LMP2 (No. 11 TDS Racing ORECA); Dan Goldburg in LMP3 (No. 85 JDC-Miller Motorsports Duqueine); Jordan Taylor in GTD PRO (No. 3 Corvette Racing); and Antonio Fuoco in GTD (No. 47 Cetilar Racing Ferrari 296).

Qualification penalties

Two Mercedes-AMG entries failed to meet the ride-height requirements in post-qualifying technical inspection.
The GTD PRO-class No. 79 WeatherTech Racing entry and the GTD-class No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG will be moved to the back of the GTD PRO/GTD category.

Tire allocation

For the GTP cars, IMSA has allowed 11 sets of tires for qualifying and race, which should be more than enough for a 12-hour race. Both Acura teams, though — Wayne Taylor Racing and Meyer Shank Racing — used two sets in qualifying, reducing their sets of stickers for the race. It’s likely not something that will make a big difference, but something to pay attention to. Neither team was able to really use the second set due to the red flag brought out by Campbell’s crash in the No. 7 Porsche 963.

Sebring? “It’s mega!”

Glenn van Berlo is racing at Sebring International Raceway for the first time, but managed to set a new LMP3 record in the No. 36 Andretti Autosport Ligier and take the pole by a big margin. So what does he think of the track?
“It’s different from every other racetrack and especially with low fuel and qualifying, it’s mega! I would like to do this 24/7, like quality laps on low fuel.
It’s unbelievable. It’s really nice.”

LMP2 traffic issues

Traffic is always an issue, and often the key to victory, in the Twelve Hours of Sebring, but there’s some concern that with the new 35 mm restrictors on the LMP2 cars implemented this year to provide more speed differential between GTP and LMP2 could create more problems than it solves as it makes it harder for LMP2s to pass LMP3 and GTD cars. Ryan Dalziel, driver of the No. 18 Era Motorsports ORECA, has voiced the concerns that many drivers have about the new LMP2 BoP and the issues it can cause in traffic.

“I said it at Daytona I was pretty vocal about it, and it’s going to be 10 times worse at Sebring,” he said.
“The potential of a P2 car ruining somebody’s day is quite high, and that could go for the pro or the bronze drivers.
It’s just we have zero power in the infield.
And it’s going to be extremely tough with the amount of cars we’re going to have.

Two-thirds of the grid is cars slower than us. I think that’s where the problem for all the cars in P2 is going to come, trying to navigate traffic without losing a whole lap stuck behind a GT car and risk over reward.
And obviously the, you know, the least experienced guys have a tougher time with that.”

 

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How Qualify went

 

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Corvette Racing led GTD Pro, with the No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C8.R GTD assumed the lead during the stops under the full course caution caused by Derani’s incident.

Jordan Taylor was ahead of the No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo of Maro Engel, with Kenton Koch’s No. 32 Team Korthoff Motorsports running third in the pack as the GTD class leader.

 

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Take a lap around Sebring International Raceway with Antonio Garcia in the No. 3 Corvette Racing Corvette C8.R GTD.

 

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The No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C8.R GTD continued to hold command of GTD Pro, while the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo of Indy Dontje was credited with the GTD class lead at the halfway mark.

C8.R still leads with 8 hours completed, with 4 hours to go

 

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9 hours into the race

The GTD PRO battle between Corvette vs. Mercedes-AMG was raging when the yellow came out, as the No. 3 Corvette and the No. 79 WeatherTech car continued to pull away from the rest of the field with any time of racing.

Tommy Milner led in the Corvette as the hour ticked over ahead of Maro Engel, but the Corvette had a problem with the left-rear shock and went a lap down while the team changed it during the yellow.

Davide Rigon was third in the No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 when the yellow came out, followed by Bill Auberlen in the No. 95 Turner Motorsport BMW and Jordan Pepper in the No. 63 Iron Lynx Lamborghini Huracán.

 

[teamzr1]

Made no difference that the C8.R lead most of the first 8 hours
But after the left real shock broke and had to be replaced, the C8.R just could not make the time up in the last 4 hours and finished back in 5th place :-(

 

[teamzr1]

C8.R Corvette Racing showed itself strong early, but was left wondering what might have been at the end of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on Saturday.
The No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R – with Antonio Garcia, Jordan Taylor and Tommy Milner sharing the wheel – placed fifth in the GT Daytona (GTD) PRO class after the second race of this year’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

After fighting back first from an untimely full-course yellow early and then a mechanical problem with four hours remaining, Corvette Racing appeared to be in a great spot for a second straight Sebring class victory until late-race chaos that started with the GTP-class fight with 20 minutes to go undid all the team’s good work at the end.

The Corvette had the race going its way in the opening eight hours. Garcia began from pole position and steadily increased his advantage through the first hour. The first bit of misfortune struck at the race’s second full-course yellow just past the hour mark, as the Corvette couldn’t make its first stop before the pits closed.

As a result, it had to enter the pit lane for five seconds of emergency fuel and pit again for full service when the GT pits opened.
Garcia fell to eighth in class but carved his way back toward the front with a dynamic drive through traffic in the span of 25 minutes. He moved up to second by the time the race went yellow again at the two-hour mark.

Taylor got in the Corvette for almost three hours as the Corvette Racing crew got him out ahead of the No. 79 Mercedes for the GTD PRO lead.
It was a spot that Taylor held for most of his triple-stint before he handed the C8.R to Milner, who rejoined with the lead.

The Corvette continued to lead out front despite the air and track temperatures climbing during the hottest part of the day. Still, while leading, Milner radioed to the Corvette Racing pit box for the crew to check something at the rear of the car. On his final pit stop with about four hours left, the crew found and replaced the C8.R’s left-rear damper.
The fix cost Corvette Racing a lap, but Taylor got in for his second run in the car, still with good pace but needing a yellow.

Nearly 2.5 hours later, the yellow flags flew again to solidify the Corvette getting back on the lead lap. Taylor stayed in until the 10-hour mark, when Garcia re-entered the race for the final stints to the end.
A series of additional full-course yellows and some sharp strategy calls moved the Corvette as high as third and first among the GTD PRO cars that made their final scheduled stops under yellow with about 50 minutes to go.

On the subsequent restart, however, Garcia was hit from behind and knocked off track. The contact sent the C8.R down to sixth place. The final blow came with 17 minutes to go when Garcia and the No. 62 Ferrari were involved in a crash instigated by the overall leaders. Despite the second spin, the Corvette did gain a spot to its final fifth-place finishing position.

Corvette Racing’s next event in the WeatherTech Championship is Saturday, April 15 in Long Beach, Calif.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED FIFTH IN GTD PRO:

“I’m really disappointed with the finish, but it has nothing to do with the team.
They did a great job all weekend with the car, our strategy and helping to keep us in the race when things weren’t looking so good. We kept waiting for a long time for a yellow to get back with the main GTD PRO group, and it finally came our way not long after I got in.
I felt like we were in the best shape of all, with about an hour to go before all the chaos broke out.

I really don’t know what to say. All I know is that I was spun twice, and it ruined our race and our car. I understand that this is an important race but there is no call for what happened late. It was careless and reckless driving by a lot of guys who should know better. I don’t know if we would have won, but I do know that we had that chance taken from us. I’m not happy.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED FIFTH IN GTD PRO:

“A disappointing finish. The guys did an amazing job. We were up front and in control for a majority of the day before our mechanical issue.
I’d say driving standards for today were pretty sub-par from the whole field. There were so many yellows early on and the end of the race was embarrassing to be part of, to be honest.
It’s disappointing to finish fifth after how strong we were, but we’ll move on to Long Beach.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED FIFTH IN GTD PRO:

“The start was great from Antonio. The first stint from Jordan was awesome. The car was very, very good. At some point in my stint, we had our issue, and it looked a little grim for a while.
Then it looked like we would have an opportunity and a chance to race for a podium, which I think we certainly deserved as we had the car to beat.
At the end, you had a lot of guys who were driving over their heads, and there was a lot of that today.
Unfortunately, we got the worst of it. I feel for the rest of the guys in GTD PRO to have to deal with Antonio for the rest of the year. He’s going to be fired up.”