Part of this introduction, can be credited, to the great Sam Posey, who's narrations have begun broadcasts for many of the great races around the world. This is taken, from the 2000 Sebring race broadcast, the race that Audi first made their name in and that would start the dominance they achieved in sports car racing for well over a decade after that.
"70 years ago, in central Florida, was a town that time had passed by. It was a place of orange groves, Spanish moss, and old people playing shuffleboard. On the outskirts, an airfield left over from World War II. lay baking in the sun, with empty hangars, and planes that would never fly again. Then one day, the runways became straightaways, and the scent of orange blossoms mixed with racing oil in the hot spring air and the forgotten town was on it's way to being known around the world. The town was Sebring. The race was the 12 Hours of Sebring, America's first international endurance event.
The course was over five miles to the lap, comprised of access roads and vast concrete runways, that pounded the cars to pieces. In the early years, it was a race of Ferrari's and Maserati's. A place to see Stirling Moss, Phil Hill, and even the great Juan Manuel Fangio, himself. The pits were crude, the track rougher every year, the sunburn awful, and the twelve hours, exhausting, but it was intoxicating, and fans weren't fans unless they'd made 'the pilgrimage'. Now, a new generation races here, with cars called Cadillac, Mazda, and Acura, and driver's named Derani, Van der Zande, Taylor, and Bomarito.
The race is renowned around the world as one of the classics of motorsport. The 68th running of the 12 Hours of Sebring is live, and it's next!"
No comments:
Post a Comment