12 Hours of Sebring: Hour 5

Oh!  This is wild.  Ben Keating vs. Richard Lietz.  It's the four hour mark.  Mike Rockenfeller, Andrew Palmer, Wolf Henzler, and Ben Keating, are the class leaders at the end of four hours.  In the NAEC, it's five points for first, four for second, three for third, two, for fourth, and one, for fifth, in each class.  We'll do it again, at the eight hour mark and the end of the race.  It is great to have air conditioning in the GT class cars.  The driver's are much fresher.  Andrew Palmer is chased by Chris Cumming, and James French, in the battle for Prototype Challenge.

We are 106 laps, (392.2 miles), into this race.  The pace is impressive.  In the NAEC points, these are the leaders, after Daytona.

Prototype: #5 Action Express Racing Chevrolet Corvette Prototype
Prototype Challenge: #54 CORE Autosport Oreca FLM Chevrolet
GT Le Mans: #3 Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C-7-R-
GT Daytona: #93 ViperExchange.com SRT Viper GTS-R-

Christian Fittipaldi leads.  The two Alex Job GTD Porsche's battle.  They have nine class wins at Sebring, does Alex Job Racing.  The key is not to allow a second car in the team, to be booking it in traffic.  If it all goes wrong, the two team cars, crash.  Mario Farnbacher had a sensational qualifying run yesterday.  Farnbacher wants by Leh Keen.  But, no.  Leh Keen and Mario Farnbacher are giving each other a good run for their money.

Marc Goossens is another driver on the Viper driver's strength.  They had a pit lane speeding penalty, after Al Carter, was in the car.  They had two penalties, both times, with Al Carter, in the car.  Al Carter, used to work the New York Stock Exchange.  So, he's continuing to learn to be a race car driver.  They have to do two penalty stops.  We see Mike Rockenfeller and Christian Fittipaldi, pushing each other, for the race lead.

We also continue to watch the GT Daytona battle on screen.  This is phenomenal.  Al Carter is holding up the train with Mario Farnbacher, Leh Keen, Andy Lally, and Madison Snow.  Seven hours, thirty nine minutes, remain.  Don't get complacent.  Keep pushing.  Get into a quick rhythm.  Oooh!  Leh Keen almost went off the road!  Andy Lally is doing really well.  Lally is a former Nascar Rookie of The Year, from East Northport, New York.  #22 and #23 are team mates.  Leh Keen, taps Mario Farnbacher, saying, "hey bud, I'm still behind you."

We see a lead change at the sharp end.  Fittipaldi passes Rockenfeller.  Christian Fittipaldi's Corvette Prototype is on rails.  These blokes hold the distinction, of completing all the miles raced in the series.  They have not failed to finish a single racing lap.  When we see lap 150 in this race, Action Express will complete 10,000 racing miles.  Christian Fittipaldi runs a 1:54.4.  That's three seconds off pole.  But, it's about in the ballpark for a prototype on this speedway.

Rockenfeller was defending, and Fittipaldi threaded the needle down the Ulmann straight.  If you are watching this race at the track, or on Fox Sports, when sunset comes, that's a treat for the eyes.  Check it out.  BMW is developing a new car, (the M6), for worldwide racing, including here in the U.S.  They are also racing the M4 in DTM, the German touring car championship.  Will we hear Hans Stuck yodel?  We'll see.  In 1975 and '76, BMW maintained the 3.0 CSL in Alabama, in the shops where Bobby Allison ran his Nascar Sprint Cup effort, and also, had the late, great, Benny Parsons (1973 Sprint Cup champion), as a driver, along with racer/race commentator David Hobbs.

Max Angelelli goes three wide, splitting a GT Le Mans and a GT Daytona car.  Madison Snow and Bryce Miller battle for GTD honors.  The #58 Dempsey/Wright Motorsports, and the #48 Paul Miller Racing Audi R8 LMS.  Christian Fittipaldi pits.  Scott Pruett may, in fact, he will, make a pit stop.  In 1955, Fred Shearer, and Don Davis, entered a Ford Thunderbird (the first Ford to race at Sebring), finishing seventh in class, and 37th overall.  Scott Dixon replaces Scott Pruett, in the #01 car.  The rear tires are not in the same condition as the fronts.

Richard Lietz pits one of the factory Porsche's in GT Le Mans.  Dirk Werner takes over the #25 BMW Z4 GT, with the iconic BMW North America paint scheme.  The #98 Aston Martin V8 Vantage is running well again, and the #17 Falken Tires Porsche 911 RSR pits.  Wolf Henzler, out.  Bryan Sellers, in.  Fuel, tires, and down and away.  The #912 factory Porsche pits.  Years ending in five, always produce interesting things at Sebring.  In 1985, A.J. Foyt, won his last ever car race, at the 12 Hours of Sebring.

We now have 131 laps complete.  485 miles.  Mazda has been having issues.  One of their cars, had an oil pump belt fail.  They would have repaired it.  But it would have been too lengthy.  So, they had to retire the #07.  Game over.  The #70 machine, is still pounding around.  James Gue is in the #54 CORE Autosport Oreca FLM Chevrolet.  Braun could have an opportunity, to get back into a front running prototype.  Colin Braun, has been battling, with Conor Daly.  Correction.  James Gue, is the driver for Core Autosport.

Daly opens a gap.