12 Hours of Sebring: An 'intoxicating' treasure.
Story & Photos by: Larry Levey - News-Sun March 21, 2001 - Explorer Page Coordinator

Sebring - The 12 Hours of Sebring: has been called "intoxicating" -- and for good reasons.

Maybe its history has something to do with it, a history that stems from a once palmetto-covered prairie that overnight became an airfield for B-17s revving up their engines to fly into the thick of World War II. A history that includes one man - Alex Ullman - and his dream of creating an American Le Mans endurance race course.

And maybe its geography has something to do with it. That dream of a race course came true on land once used for cattle grazing in a rural central Florida county, much of which is still devoted to raising cattle.

And maybe it's the atmosphere, the culture, the mystique surrounding the race. As one writer pointedly asks, "Are you really up to it? ... You know you can't enter unless your nostrils acknowledge the sweet toxic blend of gas fumes and burned rubber, your fingernails are blackened by oily dirt, your skin toasted by the sun, your ears permanently attuned to high-pitched, unrelenting whines of machines unique to this place in Florida...

"... you know that only a select 168,000 are allowed to wander the paddock and the pits, mingle with drivers, look on with envy at car crews dining on gourmet meals under tents in shadows of huge trailers that haul in million dollar cars, fine-tuned by talented mechanics ...

"(These fans) spread blankets, erect crude lofts, tents, drag in all sorts of vehicles of all colors, large and small, for sleeping and cruising the infield, dance to boom boxes, eat grilled steaks and slide in mud. They ... buy trinkets, mugs, T-shirts, caps, hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, baklava, spaghetti and meatballs, cotton candy ..."

And as one driver so eloquently summed it up for all drivers, "Worst track I've ever been to and without a doubt the dirtiest ... But ask me where I'd rather go. Ask me what race I'd rather win at any time because I've been there almost every damn year, and it's Sebring ... A finish at Sebring is a win."

Intoxicating? You bet!

And it intoxicates more that just the spectators, more than just the drivers. There's that whole cadre of folks from Highlands County - many from the Sebring International Raceway Advisory Council and the various service clubs - who return year after year to volunteer to direct traffic, to check vehicles and credentials, to pick up and deliver folks flying in to the Sebring airport, to sell programs, to make sure the visiting press corps is fed with those hourly results. And count in those folks, many from this area, who sell food and merchandise. And pulling the whole thing together year after year, the staff of the Sebring International Raceway.

Yes, it's the 12 Hours of Sebring - but the whole county takes part in this international event. Drivers from the U.S., Italy, France, Monaco, England, Germany, Brazil, Canada, Austria, Mexico, Ireland and Sweden ran in this year's race, a race covered by some 600 journalists and photographers from 17 countries.

And we - Highlands County - make it happen! As long-time race volunteer Bruce Wyse put it, he is still excited that the great names in motorsports come together every year in a small community like ours.

And key people appreciate the job we do - people like Don Panoz, the chap who owns the Sebring International Raceway and Chateau Elan. Speaking at the unveiling of the logo for next year's 50th anniversary celebration of the 12 Hours of Sebring, "... this is a special track and it has a special history," he said. "I'm truly grateful and thankful of the people of this town, the leadership and the support of this race."

With 2002 marking the 50th anniversary of the race, next year promises to be one gala affair. As Panoz said, "... this is the start of a year-long celebration ..."

A year-long, intoxicating celebration of a special track with a special history.

Some of the material used in this story was written by Jack Harris, former executive editor of the News-Sun who still covers the 12 Hours of Sebring for the paper. He's been hooked on the event since he first covered it for the Melbourne Times in 1965. Harris is writing a book on some of the folks, mainly drivers, who have been part of the 12 Hours of Sebring over the years. He hopes to have the book published in time for the 50th anniversary of the race next March.

For information on volunteering at the track, call Barbara Maire, Special Projects Coordinator, at 655-1442.