Since 1952, Sebring’s legendary 12-hour classic has totaled 708 hours of racing, with 12 more coming on Saturday, March 17th at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring fueled by Fresh from Florida.

The opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship will add another chapter to the history of this epic event.

To take a closer look at the record book of Sebring, here are some notable achievements:

Fastest 12 Hours – The debut of the Audi R15 in 2009 was spectacular as the trio of Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish and Dindo Capello broke the record by averaging 117.98 mph. They surpassed the mark set by the Porsche 962 driven to victory in 1986 by Hans Stuck, Jo Gartner and Bob Akin.

Most Lead Changes – Last year’s event, and the opening round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, resulted in the most lead changes in Sebring history. The lead was exchanged 31 times among six different entries!

Most Overall Victories – Tom Kristensen has five overall Sebring wins to go along with his incredible total of eight Le Mans victories. The “Great Dane” has a total of seven podium finishes at Sebring.

Most Class Victories – Johnny O’Connell has seven class wins (plus an overall victory in 1994).

Most successful manufacturer – Porsche tops virtually ever record at Sebring. 18 overall wins, 67 class wins, 207 top ten finishes and 4,198 laps in the lead.

Fastest Race Lap – Derek Bell still holds the all-time record, setting a lap at 130.707 mph in 1986 on the old circuit with a Porsche 962. For the current circuit, the record is held by Sebastien Bourdais with a lap at 128.977 mph in 2009 driving a Peugeot 908 HDI FAP.

Closest Finish – The finish in the GT2 class at Sebring in 2007 is now considered one of the greatest moments in endurance racing history. The final margin was 0.202 seconds as the Ferrari driven by Jaime Melo edged out the Flying Lizard Porsche piloted by Jorg Bergmeister. The last lap is now a sensation on YouTube!

Most Dominating Performance – Mario Andretti and Bruce McLaren drove their Ford to victory in 1967 by a margin of 12 laps.

Earliest Arrival by a Spectator – Floridian Patrick Taylor arrived 82 days early in 2003 to be first in line at the front gate! That is the dedication of a Sebring fan!

Ken Breslauer (Sebring International Raceway historian)