I don’t know what it is about the Le Mans series that has got me so caught up this year. I’d love to go to the 24 hour race next June, but I just don’t think it’s going to happen in 2010. Instead, I’m marking my calendar for the 12 Hours of Sebring in Florida that leads up to to 24 hour historic endurance race. It will be held March 17 – 20, 2010 at the Sebring International Raceway. Tickets go on sale August 3, 2009.
The great thing about endurance racing is that there are so many variables it makes each race vastly different. Even though the same drivers can be in the same car on the same track year after year, they’ll face some new obstacle they have to overcome. Whether it’s competition from a faster car, a run in with the elements like rain and heat, or crew performance in the long grueling hours, every team has to expect the unexpected.
In 2009, Audi debuted it’s new car, the R-15 TDI, which took the Kristensen, McNish, and Capello team to victory at the Sebring event. Kristensen earned his 5th overall win and the team won Audi’s 9th Sebring victory in 11 attempts. Audi covered a distance of 1,417 miles at an average speed of 118 mph, both of which were new event records. However, even with their record setting win at Sebring, the Audi team faced new challenges at Le Mans and finished 3rd to Peugeot at the 24 hour race in France.
Check out this battle between Audi’s Capello and Peugeot’s Sarrazin at the 2009 12 Hours of Sebring race.
