Red marquis: /* Track configuration */

2010-10-25T22:27:56Z

Track configuration

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	==Track configuration==		==Track configuration==
	[[Image:Sebring International Raceway - Historical (1952).~~svg~~\|thumb\|left\|250px\|The track layout from 1952 to 1966 (1st variation). Length: 5.38 mi (8.356 km) Lap record: [[Dan Gurney]], [[Ford GT40]], 2:54.6, 1966]]		[[Image:Sebring International Raceway - Historical (1952).png\|thumb\|left\|250px\|The track layout from 1952 to 1966 (1st variation). Length: 5.38 mi (8.356 km) Lap record: [[Dan Gurney]], [[Ford GT40]], 2:54.6, 1966]]
	The course of the track is 3.7 miles (6.0 km) long. It is a seventeen-turn road course with long straights, several high-speed corners, and very technical slower corners. Many of the turns and points along the track are named for the early teams and drivers. There is very little elevation change around the track and little [[camber]] on the surface, providing a challenging track for drivers, especially when it rains.		The course of the track is 3.7 miles (6.0 km) long. It is a seventeen-turn road course with long straights, several high-speed corners, and very technical slower corners. Many of the turns and points along the track are named for the early teams and drivers. There is very little elevation change around the track and little [[camber]] on the surface, providing a challenging track for drivers, especially when it rains.

Red marquis at 22:27, 25 October 2010

2010-10-25T22:27:02Z

New page

{{Motorsport venue|
| Name = Sebring International Raceway
| Image = [[Image:Sebring International Raceway.png]]
| Location = Sebring, Florida, USA
| Time = UTC -5 (UTC-4 DST)
| Opened = 1950
| Owner = [[Panoz Motor Sports Group]]
| Operator = [[Panoz Motor Sports Group]]
| Events = '''[[American Le Mans Series]]'''<br>[[12 Hours of Sebring]]
| Capacity = open seating without capacity limitation
| Layout1 = GP Road Course (6th variation) (1999-present)
| Miles_first = True
| Surface = Asphalt/Concrete
| Length_km = 5.95
| Length_mi = 3.7
| Turns = 17
| Record_time = 1:43.274<ref>[http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/tools/comments/audi-wins-fastest-race-in-sebring-history/ Audi wins fastest race in Sebring history]</ref>
| Record_driver = [[Sébastien Bourdais]]
| Record_team = [[Peugeot]]
| Record_year = [[2009 12 Hours of Sebring|2009]]
| Record_class = [[Le Mans Prototype|LMP1]]
| Layout2 = Club Road Course
| Length_km2 = 2.74
| Length_mi2 = 1.7
| Layout3 = 5th variation (1991-1998)
| Length_km3 = 5.99
| Length_mi3 = 3.724
| Turns3 = 18
| Record_time3 = 1:49.425
| Record_driver3 = [[Stefan Johansson]], [[Yannick Dalmas]]
| Record_team3 = [[Ferrari]]
| Record_year3 = [[1997 12 Hours of Sebring|1997]]
| Record_class3 = [[Le Mans Prototype|LMP1]]
| Layout4 = 4th variation (1987-1990)
| Length_km4 = 6.612
| Length_mi4 = 4.109
| Turns4 = 17
| Record_time4 = 1:55.767
| Record_driver4 = [[Derek Daly]]
| Record_team4 = [[Nissan]]
| Record_year4 = [[1990 12 Hours of Sebring|1990]]
| Record_class4 = [[IMSA]]
| Layout5 = 3rd variation (1983-1986)
| Length_km5 = 7.821
| Length_mi5 = 4.80
| Turns5 = 17
| Record_time5 = 2:11.416
| Record_driver5 = [[Ken Madren]]
| Record_team5 = March
| Record_year5 = [[1986 12 Hours of Sebring|1986]]
| Record_class5 = [[IMSA]]
| Layout6 = 2nd variation (1967-1982)
| Length_km6 = 8.36
| Length_mi6 = 5.382
| Turns6 = 17
| Record_time6 = 2:27.067
| Record_driver6 = [[Bobby Rahal]]
| Record_team6 = March
| Record_year6 = [[1982 12 Hours of Sebring|1982]]
| Record_class6 = [[IMSA]]
| Layout7 = 1st variation (1952-1966)
| Length_km7 = 8.356
| Length_mi7 = 5.38
| Turns7 = 17
| Record_time7 = 2:54.6
| Record_driver7 = [[Dan Gurney]]
| Record_team7 = [[Ford]]
| Record_year7 = [[1966 12 Hours of Sebring|1966]]
| Record_class7 = [[WSC]]
| Layout8 = Original circuit (1950-1951)
| Length_km8 = 5.31
| Length_mi8 = 3.3
| Turns8 = 12
}}
'''Sebring International Raceway''' is a road course [[auto racing]] facility located in Sebring, Florida.

Sebring (pronounced "''sea'' bring") Raceway is one of the oldest continuously-operating race tracks in the United States, its first race being run in 1950. Many consider Sebring to be one of the classic race tracks in North American [[sports car racing]], and the [[12 Hours of Sebring]], [[24 Hours of Daytona]], and [[24 Hours of Le Mans]] to be the trifecta of [[Endurance racing (motorsport)|endurance racing]].

The raceway occupies a portion of Sebring Regional Airport, an active airport for private and commercial traffic that was originally built as a WWII Army Air Forces training base called Hendricks Field.

==History==

Sebring started life as a United States Army Air Forces training base. From 1941 to 1946, pilots learned to fly the B-17 Flying Fortress. This lineage was commemorated by a special livery on [[Gunnar Racing]]'s [[Panoz]] in the [[2002 12 Hours of Sebring]] resembling a World War II-era B-17.<ref>[http://www.gunnarracing.com/team/962.com/panoz/panoz/sebring.htm Gunnar Racing]</ref>

After the war, aeronautical engineer Alec Ullmann, seeking sites to restore military aircraft for civilian use, saw potential in Hendricks' runways to stage a [[sports car]] [[Endurance racing (motorsport)|endurance race]], similar to the [[24 Hours of Le Mans]]. Sebring's first race was held on New Year's Eve of 1950. The Sam Collier 6 Hour Memorial race was won by Fritz Koster and Ralph Deshon in a [[Crosley]] Hot Shot that had been driven to the track by Victor Sharpe. This first race attracted thirty racecars from across North America.<ref>http://www.ggw.org/~cac/Sebring/Sebring.html</ref>

The first ''[[12 Hours of Sebring]]'' was held on March 15, 1952, and would grow to be a major international race. In 1959, the racetrack hosted the first [[Formula One]] Grand Prix in the United States. Due to the poor attendance and high costs, the next [[United States Grand Prix]] was held at [[Riverside International Raceway|Riverside]].<ref>[http://www.ddavid.com/formula1/usgp.htm The United States Grand Prix]</ref>

For much of Sebring's history, the track followed a 5.2 miles (8.4 km) layout. In 1967, the Webster Turn right between the hairpin and the top of the track was removed and replaced with the faster Green Park Chicane, which was closer to the hairpin and allowed a flat-out run through a very fast corner to the top of the track and the runway, which made the circuit 50 yards longer. In 1983, the track was changed to allow simultaneous use of the track and one of the runways. In 1987, more changes allowed use of another runway. Further changes in 1991 accommodated expansion of the airport's facilities, and brought the track close to its current configuration. The entire track could now be used without interfering with normal airport operations. In 1997, the hairpin was removed due to a lack of run-off, and replaced with what became known as the "safety pin". Gendebien Bend was also re-profiled to slow the cars' entry to the Ullman straight.<ref>[http://www.sebringraceway.com/history_evolution.lasso 12 Hours of Sebring]</ref>

The track now is leased by the [[Panoz Motor Sports Group]], who acquired the facility from Andy Evans in 1997.<ref>[http://www.theautochannel.com/news/date/19980113/news009158.html The TACH Report: USRRC Announces '98 Sched, Panoz Buys Sebring From Andy Evans, GM Has New Longer Range Battery For EVs]</ref>

The track will often be recognized for its famous, high-speed "Turn 17", a long, bumpy, fast right hander that can make or break a car's speed down the front straight. The corner can fit up to 3 cars wide.

Skip Barber Racing School holds numerous programs at the facility, including a Scholarship opportunity for young racers.

==Track configuration==
[[Image:Sebring International Raceway - Historical (1952).svg|thumb|left|250px|The track layout from 1952 to 1966 (1st variation). Length: 5.38 mi (8.356 km) Lap record: [[Dan Gurney]], [[Ford GT40]], 2:54.6, 1966]]
The course of the track is 3.7 miles (6.0 km) long. It is a seventeen-turn road course with long straights, several high-speed corners, and very technical slower corners. Many of the turns and points along the track are named for the early teams and drivers. There is very little elevation change around the track and little [[camber]] on the surface, providing a challenging track for drivers, especially when it rains.

Sebring is renowned for its rough surface. The course still runs on old sections of World War II-era landing fields that were constructed of concrete sections with large seams. The transitions between sections are quite rough and often, sparks fly from the undercarriages of the cars as they traverse them. Much of the track has intentionally been left with its original concrete runway surface. The track surface has 3.0 miles (4.8 km) of asphalt and 0.7 miles (1.1 km) of concrete. Mario Andretti, a 3-time 12 Hours winner, said that one of the hardest parts about the original Sebring track was finding the track to begin with! There had been many accounts of drivers retiring due to accidents at night, quite simply because they got lost on the runway sections and couldn't find the track again. <ref>[http://www.sebringraceway.com/track_test.lasso About Sebring Raceway]</ref>

==Events==
Sebring is most notable for hosting the [[12 Hours of Sebring]], sanctioned at various times by the [[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile|FIA]], [[International Motor Sports Association|IMSA]], and now, the [[American Le Mans Series|ALMS]]. The track also hosts the [[Historic Sportscar Racing]] series, and is the winter home of the [[Skip Barber Racing School]]. Many [[IndyCar Series|IndyCar]], [[sports prototype]], and [[Grand Touring]] teams use Sebring for winter testing due to the warm climate.

== Sebring in Gaming ==
Sebring Raceway is featured in iRacing, Forza Motorsport 2, Forza Motorsport 3, Total Immersion Racing, and Sports Car GT. There are also end-user created versions for GTR2, GT Legends, rFactor, Grand Prix Legends and NASCAR Racing 2003 Season.

== External links ==
*[http://www.sebringraceway.com/ The Official site]
*[http://www.na-motorsports.com/Tracks/FL/Sebring.html A drivers description of the various track configurations]
*[http://www.trackpedia.com/wiki/Sebring_International_Raceway Trackpedia guide to Sebring]
*[http://www.AudioTrackGuides.co.uk Audio walk-through of the track, for use with games]

{{ALMS circuits}}
{{FIA GT circuits}}
{{Formula One circuits}}

[[Category:Motorsport venues in Florida]]
[[Category:Formula One circuits]]
[[Category:Panoz Auto Development]]
[[Category:American Le Mans Series circuits]]
[[Category:IMSA GT Championship circuits]]

Sebring International Raceway - Revision history

Red marquis: /* Track configuration */

Red marquis at 22:27, 25 October 2010