The final IMSA race of the season, is ready to roll. It is the 68th renewal of the 12 Hours of Sebring. It's the birthplace of American endurance racing. Helio Castroneves makes his last start for Team Penske today. Pipo Derani wants his fourth overall Sebring win today. Get ready for flag-to-flag coverage of the 2020 IMSA WeatherTech Championship season finale. Just two points separate the Penske Acura and the Wayne Taylor Cadillac, and also, the Action Express Cadillac. These three cars, and their respective driver teams can win. In GTD, it's Acura, Porsche, and Lexus, going for a title. Patrick Kelly, in LMP2, is the champ. He won last time out at Laguna Seca Raceway. Mario Andretti, the one and only, is here, the Driver of The Century, a three-time Sebring champion, gives the command. Gentlemen, start your engines!
It's time to go sports car racing! Today, Sebring doubles at the championship finale. So much is on the line. This track is the biggest opponent. It's like a motocross track. Bumps, bruises, riding a mechanical bull, racing in a paint shaker. It will knock the fillings out of your teeth. It is mentally fatiguing. It will be pitch dark, tonight, for the last third of the motor race. We are ready to roll, with NBC Sports and live coverage of this great motor race. Helio Castroneves is looking for his first championship of any kind. Jordan Taylor and Antonio Garcia, are GT Le Mans champs. In GT Daytona, Meyer Shank Racing, they are leading by seven points in class, with Mario Farnbacher and Matt McMurry.
No heroics. No risks. They have to finish fourth. As for LMP2, again, Patrick Kelly is the champ with PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports, who want to win this motor race. The weather will be crucial today. It's going to be warm, and barely any rain in the forecast. It is hot and sticky. The humidity is bonkers. Drivers have air conditioning hoses, drink systems, the radio, and a cool suit, plugging into a system that radiates cool liquid through their bodies. Ricky Taylor, Pat Kelly, Antonio Garcia, and Jan Heylen, are your class polesitters.
Survive the bumps, recognize your opponent, and eat your carrots, so you have good vision during the night. It is pitch dark at night. Unlike the Rolex 24 where we started the year, where yours truly was to see the race, which has lights all over, Sebring tonight, will be pitch dark. Drivers will use their headlights. Turns one, 3-5, seven, (the best passing zone), and turn 17, Sunset Bend, very bumpy, these are the crucial turns. We are coming to Sunset Bend. Ready to roll. This is a great race, as the finale. Get ready, get set, punch it! Green flag, and away we go!
Taylor gets the jump and here comes Renger van der Zande already. Sebastien Bourdais looking for grip. The tires not up to temperature yet. Dane Cameron is trying to move past Renger van der Zande. Watch for Harry Tincknell, Sebastien Bourdais, and Pipo Derani, as they slice through turns nine and ten. Derani is really quick here. With the #31 car, they must win this motor race as Gabby Chaves is also drafted in. They have to win. Qualifying didn't go well, but don't let that fool you. These boys want it. They expect to win. They have an advantage on long, green flag runs. Riding the bumps, is brutal.
John Potter has a drive through penalty for changing tires on the grid before the start. John Potter sharing wiuth Andy Lally and Spencer Pumpelly. Connor De Philippi leads GTLM in the #25 BMW M8 GTE sharing with Colton Herta and Bruno Spengler. The LMP2 blokes, look, are already holding up the GTLM racers. We are settling in. We know the game plan. Contend for the title, or finish the season on a high note. Battle for LMP2, look, between the #8 car and the #51 as you never know which bump you will hit. John Farano passes Naveen Rao. Wright Motorsports, the #16 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R, they are going for a GT Daytona title. Look for Patrick Long, Jan Heylen, and Ryan Hardwick to go for it.
Race Control has penalized the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac, shared by Renger van der Zande, Ryan Briscoe, and Scott Dixon. Lots of time to make up the difference. But WTR, they are also in the points battle for the title along with Penske and AXR. You can't cross over the start/finish line before the green flag waves. At the Rolex 24, the #10 was given a penalty for blowing the red light in pit lane at Daytona, and still won. But, will they be able to replicate that today. Good battle for GTD. It's Lexus vs. Lamborghini vs. BMW. With Renger van der Zande's penalty, team boss Wayne Taylor says other cars were also weaving across the line, and he is disappointed in the call by the stewards.
The rules need to be consistent. Track position is crucial. Dane Cameron sharing with Helio Castroneves, and Simon Pagenaud. Pipo Derani is scrapping with Sebastien Bourdais, these two cars used to be team mates, but not anymore. The long runs are the strength for the Whelen Engineering car. Pipo Derani is a tad quicker than Sebastien Bourdais. Derani said the team was surprised by qualifying. When the night comes, and the track cools down, that could help the AXR car. They are always going for the win. Pipo Derani has won this motor race twice.
There are bonus points for the Michelin Endurance Cup at four hours, eight hours, and at the end. Ricky Taylor and Team Penske lead the motor race in their farewell race. They too, want to win. The 12 Hours of Sebring is the most grueling race, and the bumps are so iconic, the track has their own marketing campaign, #RespectTheBumps. The darkness is a huge element as well. The 12 hour race winners, and the champions, will be crowned, when this motor race is done and dusted, later tonight.
This place, as we have said, has loads of character, and it is an old WW. II. B17 bomber base. In March, fans flood this place and camp at the track weeks in advance of the race. We might see that, in 2021, when this motor race comes back to it's traditional date. We don't have a full house here today, but there are fans out to watch and check it out. The smoother parts of the road are in the middle of the track between turns three and ten or so. Antonio Garcia is monstering Connor De Philippi right now. This is a mega battle in GT Le Mans. Jordan Taylor said the team guessed the setup to be honest, but their guess might be paying off.
BMW meanwhile, is telling Connor De Philippi to take care of the tires as the stints are growing long. This place chews up tires and spits them out. Frankie Montecalvo in the #12 Lexus RC F GT3 and the #30 Audi R8 for Hardpoint Audi, both are pushing hard right now. #12 is the AIM Vasser Sullivan car and their sister car #14 is pushing as well. Jack Hawksworth, Aaron Telitz, and Kyle Kirkwood share the car. Porsche want to win in GT Le Mans. Nick Tandy, Fred Makowiecki, and Earl Bamber are running strongly in their final race. They won't be back next year. The sister car #912 has Earl Bamber, Laurens Vanthoor, and Neel Jani.
Porsche won't be back next year after seven years of a program. They have to look at their economic situation with the virus and other factors. Porsche has many cars in many races globally. Next year, Earl Bamber will be back, in GT Daytona, with Hardpoint and Porsche. You have just seen a news update about that. Excited to find out how that works out. This is not the Rolex 24, lads. The Corvette boys are already trying to catch some zed's. What's that all about, mate?
There are many fans here. Hope everyone is having a good time, socially distanced of course. We have plenty more racing today. Stay tuned. Ricky Taylor, sharing with Helio Castroneves, and Alexander Rossi. All these teams, they want to beat each other. That's how racing is. Ricky Taylor, is being followed by his team mate, Dane Cameron. Cameron sharing with Juan Pablo Montoya, and Simon Pagenaud. Dane Cameron is running second as Ricky Taylor continues to lead this motor race. Now, the story of WTR and Renger van der Zande is that van der Zande is starting to catch up. Pipo Derani has to win and the #7 and #10 have to finish down the order.
Pipo Derani simply has to win the race to be champion. He has no other choice. Acura in the pit lane. The #7 car is in the lane and their fuel strategy is crucial at the moment. Four tires, fuel, and a fresh drinks bottle. Mazda #55 is in the lane. Ryan Hunter-Reay is getting suited and booted and he is in the car taking over from Harry Tincknell. Renger van der Zande is in the lane as well sharing the #10 car with Scott Dixon and Ryan Briscoe. Pipo Derani leads the motor race, currently. Cold tires will be a big deal. No tire warmers allowed in IMSA.
Connor De Philippi is being caught by Antonio Garcia hand over fist. They work past the GT Daytona traffic. Garcia is a four-time GTLM champion, and he is going for it. They won't throw a bone to their sister car either. Corvette has been on a roll lartely as we see John Farano spin on the Ulmann straight at turn 16. AXR in the pit lane. Tires and fuel for the Whelen Cadillac and Pipo Derani. Sticker tires and fuel again. AXR are in contention for the endurance championship. That's the idea. Ricky Taylor is screaming through Sunset Bend, and he's going to take the lead, along with Dane Cameron. Now, Taylor says he lost turbo boost. They have a problem with car #7. Deary me!
Pipo Derani, his only option is to win the race. No oomph for the Acura off the corner as Ryan Hunter-Reay is pushing Pipo Derani. Penske in the lane, fixing the trouble for the #7. They felt they could do no wrong. Buyt now, they nhave mechanical woes. They are losing time, fixing the motor. The DPi points battle is moving around like crazy. In 2018, Acura had troubles. Last year Acura struggled in the wet, and this year, they had a clamp fitting come off, but it is bigger. Penske has to go to the garage. They have to make repairs to the car.
That's endurance sports car racing. That is how things go. Pipo Derani and Whelen Engineering can take advantage of this. They can grab a bite of the apple, or the cherry, take your pick. The two Mazda's, #55 and #77 are scrapping with each other. Pipo Derani continues in the lead of the motor race. Pipo Derani has won this race three times in 2016, 2018, and 2019. Derani is blinding quick. He won with Extreme Speed Motorsports, and won with Action Express at the 12 hour and earlier this summer in the Grand Prix sprint race. #31 is third right now, behind Dane Cameron in the lead Acura. Jimmie Johnson's crew chief, Chad Knaus is observing the rtace along with Action Express.
Former NASCAR crew chief for Jimmie Johnson, Chad Knaus, is now the VP of Competition, is in the pit lane with Action Express. Meanwhile, Penske Acura have a turbo issue and a new one has to go on the car. This is something they didn't expect to happen. That's endurance sports car racing. Unexpected things happen. We are closing in on the end of the first hour. Meantime, Sebastien Bourdais is really pushing, and he is a four-time IndyCar champion and will be heading back to IndyCar, next year with A.J. Foyt's team;. He is sharing with Loic Duval and Tristan Vautier, an all French team. The intercooler is the trouble for the Penske Acura.
Pit stop time for one of the AVS Lexus cars. It is the #14 machine. That's the Hawksworth/Telitz/Kirkwood car.
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