Late race drama is a trademark of Sebring

After 1,221 miles of racing over 12 hours, negotiating 5,610 turns and making over 7,200 gear shifts, the GT2 class at last year's Sebring 12-hour classic was decided by a margin of less than a second.

The 56th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida on Saturday, March 15th, will add yet another chapter in Sebring's storied endurance racing history, second only to Le Mans in international prestige.

Expect epic down-to-the-wire battles at Sebring. Over the past nine years, five times the overall victory margin at Sebring was less than 40 seconds. With four different classes of competition and a world-class field of cars and drivers, expect non-stop action and thrilling finishes at Sebring.

Last years dramatic Ferrari vs. Porsche last lap battle in the GT2 class, the closest finish in Sebring history, is already a Sebring legend, having recently been voted the Greatest Moment in the American Le Mans Series history.

Another Sebring legend is the dramatic 1970 race, when a Porsche driven by Peter Revson and actor Steve McQueen nearly beat the Ferrari factory team, led by Mario Andretti. Although they fell just 22 seconds short, it proved private teams often have a chance against factory teams.

Just two years ago, Intersport Racing finished second overall behind Audi in their LMP2 class Lola, with Jon and Clint Field driving with Liz Halliday, posting the best overall finish ever by a woman in the history of international sports car racing.

You can also expect the unexpected at Sebring. Since Stirling Moss helped drive a little Italian car known as an OSCA to a stunning upset in 1954, Sebring has been the playground of underdogs and innovators.

In 1965, Jim Hall drove his "home-built" Chaparral with an automatic transmission to a dominating win. In 1983, a GT class Porsche battled from 11 laps behind to win against a field of much faster prototype entries. The following year, a six-year old Porsche 935 on display at a museum in Germany was entered at Sebring and ended up winning, despite qualifying only 16th fastest.

The thrilling 1955 finish had a Briggs Cunningham-entered Jaguar edging a Ferrari by just 24 seconds. But a protest by the Ferrari team over a possible scoring error resulted in a month-long dispute, finally settled when the American Automobile Association reviewed the records and confirmed the Jaguar victory.

And there has been plenty of heartbreak at Sebring. Nine times the Sebring leader at the eleven-hour mark did not win. Dan Gurney's Ford dominated the 1966 race, but its engine seized on the last lap. As he tried to push the car across the finish line, another Ford driven by Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby passed him with just ten seconds remaining in the race. Gurney was then disqualified for pushing the car, losing his second-place finish as well.

This year's Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida features the North American debut of Peugeot's 908 prototype, set to battle Audi, Acura and Porsche for the overall win. Corvette, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Panoz, Dodge Viper, Ford and Mazda are among other makes competing in the American Le Mans Series season-opener.

Gates open at Sebring on Wednesday, March 12th, and remain open 24 hours a day through Saturday. The Sebring circuit is America's most fan-friendly road racing facility, offering a wide range of viewing options and off-track activities for the entire family (kids 12 and under are always free when accompanied by a paying adult).

Tickets to the 56th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida are available by calling 800-626-7223. For more information visit www.sebringraceway.com.

- Sebring Raceway -