Hmm...Sebring is a very unique event. There's an old cliche that the 12 Hours is half as long and twice as hard as Le Mans. The circut itself presents several challenges. Being an old B-17 training base, it retains some of the old concrete runways and crumbling expansion joints while much of the rest of the circut is smooth tarmac. The resulting surface changes, combined with the fact that it's quite a fast circut make it a real car breaker. A few years ago Henri Pescarolo brought his Courage-Poor Joe over effectively as a test for Le Mans to see what they could break. Halfway through the race they interviewed him to see how things were going. He said they broke everything, right up to the alternator mounting bracket.
On form the two Audi UK and Champion Audi R8's have to be odds on favorites. I think the Rob Dyson Racing Lola-MG's are a match for outright pace but have yet to prove they can run through the twelve hours trouble free. Intersport always produce lovely cars but are yet to prove themselves serious contenders. In GTS? Vette, Vette, and everyone else. The new 575 are unproven and are fielded by a new equipe. Not the recipe for a Sebring winner. The Saleens? They'll fall to pieces by the third hour as usual. In GT? Porsche, Porsche, Porsche, etc...Alex Job Racing is Porsche quasi factory arm and you'd be a fool to bet against them. Flying Lizard was impressive at Daytona but that was Grand-Am, this is ALMS, welcome to the big time. The TVR's will make alot of noise and be fun to watch getting knocked around by the fast guys.
John
