SVRA 12-Hours of Sebring |
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Sebring, FL March 17 - 20, 2005 |
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(The following description excerpted from Sebring's own
website.)
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"The experience is more than just racing. The 12 Hours also features unique attractions
[as you can see here], entertainment, and
opportunities to get up close & personal with the cars and stars of the American Le Mans Series." And that means every year, it's a five-day party for us! |
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For the 10 days separating the SVRA and HSR events at Sebring, our trucks stayed down in Florida (as did our truckee and website-photographer, Wayne LeBlanc – who was off on his super-bike, General Lee, to enjoy the delights of Key West). When everybody returned to the track, our participants for this event were Tom Yeager in his Magnificent Merlyn, and, whaddaya know, Racer Rick Carlino again in his Gorgeous Gropa. Seems wherever there’s a race, there’s Rick. (Crew Chief Thatcher Goddard assists both below.) |
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It was to be a different sort of weekend for us. As hotel costs have become prohibitive due to the enormous popularity of the event, we decided to rent RVs for the five days and, indeed, five nights. Tom had his gin palace already; but Rick, the crew, and our camp followers – “Peter & Gordon” – had all hired motor coaches. This proved to be pretty entertaining all by itself. It’s a good job we had experienced RVers next door to show us the ropes. Paul Stinson and his chums from State College, PA, not only fed us royally from time to time, but also showed us a thing or two about motor-coach living. After running out of gas for the generators (which initially we thought ran on propane), running out of water for the showers, and, in Rick’s case, just trying to figure out how to get the shower running, whether the water was hot or not – we needed help! |
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Now, imagine if you can, our two most fastidious “beautiful people” – Pete Gulick & Gordon Medenica – arriving on the scene to share a motor-coach for 4 days. Nuff said, save to mention one more image: the lovely flower & balloon arrangement spotted on their table on Sunday. Luckily, we got a picture: |
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The racing was good too. Tom, as usual, was quite the star of the smaller sports cars, lapping faster than Travis’s 23, becoming quite a needle match between these two. In the Mike Stott-UBS Financial Historic Sprint race, Rick was among the front runners, finishing third overall. Well done Rick! Both drivers were on their game and driving extremely well. |
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The H & V Motor Check Enduro on Friday was quite the revelation – we almost had a one-two finish. The race started in torrential rain and indeed ran its course for the whole 1-1/2 hours in much the same fashion, getting even worse towards the end. (Before lunch, IMSA had already packed it in for the day and gave us an on-schedule race. Weenie boys, those contemporary drivers.) Rick in his Chevron Gropa lead for most of the race. Before the first pit stops, he had pulled out almost 3/4 of a lap lead on the second-place car – a not-so-vintage Porsche GT2 car with a massive rear wing and down-force, which brought out the yellow flag by destroying itself on the front-straight outside wall before Turn One. (Porsche below, before self-destruct button pressed) |
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Unfortunately, poor Rick “just missed” this and a couple of other yellow flag "windows of opportunity" over the course of the race, costing him his place among the front runners. But his driving in these conditions was superb, never putting a foot wrong – the class of the field. He ran very strongly right to the end – finishing 6th overall. Next time, improved "ship-to-shore" communications will put him on the podium. |
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Tom picked off cars throughout the race, although the Merlyn was sorta twitchy with its dry tires, particularly on the front straight. You could hear the RPMs rise and fall as the wheels spun, losing adhesion as they hit huge puddles (just ask Larry Wilson). But Tom read the track situations and conditions splendidly, taking full advantage of full-course yellows and the safety car, to bring the Merlyn in second place overall, well ahead of anything else in his class. |
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Another podium finish for Tom! With splendid oratory, he thanked “just about everyone and his dog” for a great weekend. Just about everyone...
Very well done to both our drivers, who performed brilliantly in adverse conditions!
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"TOM"-FOOLERY |
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Another revealing shot by Tom Yeager
Must be the 12 Hour Effect... |
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Rick Carlino and Thatcher Goddard,
Some scenery.....
(more photos by Tom Yeager) |
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