Re: Sebring 2012?

I hate to admit it, but I've never been to Sebring. I'm seriously considering going for the 12 hours next year. I probably won't be able to take advantage of a 4-day superticket, so I guess I'd come down on Friday or very early Saturday. What does the schedule typically look like? Do attendees get hotels and come and go at the track, or stay there most of the time? I see they have RV parking, but I guess sleeping in the back of my F-150 doesn't qualify. I suspect I'll be in the Boxster and park in the Porsche corral. Anyone else planning on going? Plans?

Thanks,

Al

I stopped going to the 12 Hours a few years ago.
It's a zoo. A ton of people means its hard to find a hotel room nearby. Y
It's hard to move around and it's very restrictive.
Because it's during Spring Break there are a bunch of rouddy kids which make everything less enjoyable.

Now, if you want the contrary, consider PCA's 48 Hours at Sebring.
This is the largest Porsche Club Race in the World. We have over 300 Porsche racecars.
More than 100 of them are Cup Cars.
Because the event starts a few days after the 24 Hours of Daytona, many of the top teams attend.
This year we had Andy Lally and Spencer Pumpelly among other notables race with us.
Because its a PCA event, it's free to members.
You also have free access to roam anywhere including the Paddock.
You can talk to the drivers, team owners, techs, etc.
We also have Super Solo Drivind including night runs.
On Saturday there's a Regional Challenge AX open to members.
It's really a not-to-miss event.
Next year it's February 2-5, 2012.
www.48HoursAtSebring.com
Happy Porscheing
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Somewhere I've got shots of the "Bog People" at night burning cars they stole from attendees.

Only thing I saw burning at Sebring was hamburgers on the grills in the zoo areas and the Ferrari.

Sebring2010



Dave - 06 987 S coupe SG/NL; gone (but still my first love): 03 986 AS/GG/BK;

My wife and I went to the 12hour race two years ago. Agree with Pedro that it IS a zoo, but we had a good time. It's something I can now say I've done... I'd like to go this year, but not sure yet. Hotels close to the track fill up a year in advance. We stayed in Okeechobee as the closest place with a vacancy although we had a friend who got a room a week before from a cancellation in the town.

We had Porsche corral tickets and parked the boxster there. The Porsche tickets gave us some access to the Flying Lizards pits as well as the parade laps around the track before the race. Out and back in during the race wasn't a problem, although we only left once for a top down drive around the little town and dinner.

Porsche corral:


Parade laps:


Hair pin corner with hotel and zoo contingent in background...


Dave - 06 987 S coupe SG/NL; gone (but still my first love): 03 986 AS/GG/BK;

Thanks for the contrasting inputs. Maybe PCA Sebring and Petit Lemans.....Hmmmm.

If you want to do PLM, you can stay at our place and we could commute to the track together. I typically work on the start stand for a few days in the middle of the week, and then take the day of the race off to spectate.

Did Petit Lemans last year. It's nice from a venue standpoint as the hills provide good spectator spots for watching the race.

Porsche corral:



Porsche 911 hybrid:

[lh5.googleusercontent.com]

Dave - 06 987 S coupe SG/NL; gone (but still my first love): 03 986 AS/GG/BK;

I still have the ticket and lanyard as souvenir. It's was a zoo as others have mentioned; you have a wide range of spectators from different walks of life. Non-stop parties and wild people. I'd imagine they probably have something similar at the 24hrs of Le Mans. Anyways, I wouldn't let the zoo, wild people and non-stop parties scare you... it's something to experience. Much like if you haven't done Mardi Gras, New Years in Time Square... you want to do it once in your life.

Camping is an option, but probably wouldn't recommend it - the RV park usually fills out quickly and is packed. Nearby hotels are booked early too...So, unless you book early, you may have to drive a little more to/from the track.

Interesting thread. I've never been to Sebring. Up here we have Road America (Elkhart Lake, WI) and I remember some wild times back in the '60s and '70's(Yep, I'm old)when it was over-run by young people partying day and night--I was one of 'em. A big weekend for that was SCCA June Sprints, an event that still lives.

Sadly, the trend seems to be one of declining attendance by younger people. Part of it may be the economy over the last few years, but the Sprints and also SCCA national runoffs, this past fall, saw a lower participation and general attendance.

If you're ever in the neighborhood, I recommend checking out RA. There are three vintage events each year. The July vintage races are world class, and attracts participants and spectators from all over the country and beyond. Also, PCA club racing on Labor Day weekend. This is one of, if not the largest closed course tracks in the country; 4 miles! Very high speeds, great turns, and numerous elevation changes, very European.