Sebring is very demanding on the car, so preparation is so important.” And of course, you have to respect the bumps – not just the drivers, but the team as well. “You also have to remain patient during the day, when the car might not be at its best, because given how much the track changes a lot during the course of the race, the night will be different. “Sebring is very challenging and not very wide, so staying out of trouble is key,” Barbosa continued. We had a really good test last month with a lot of valuable information, so that will help us react more quickly now. You have to have a car that enables you to push hard at the end of the race, so you might not be as quick in the early stages. “We know the track will change a great deal, with so many different cars on track, different rubber, different times of day. “The goal is always a quick car, and a comfortable car for all three drivers,” said Barbosa. (Barbosa knows what it takes to win at Sebring, having earned three victories and eight podiums in 12 races, pacing 4,285 laps – or 16,030 miles.) Barbosa believes that a well-handling car for one driver will be a good car for all three drivers, despite variations in driving styles – though he thinks one difference now is that most drivers brake with their left foot, while Barbosa brakes with his right foot. It’s more for the database, whether it’s what to do or what not to do.”Īt Sebring, comfort is key: as in finding the balance between a car that is quick and a car that is comfortable to race for 12 hours over the myriad of bumps (turns one and 17 being the most notable). We tried a lot of stuff at the test, that’s what you’re there for, and a lot of it was stuff we haven’t tried before. “The track changes dramatically even from morning to afternoon – but at least we know that if we’re quicker in the afternoon, we’ve made gains. “We came in with last year’s setup and it was quick right out of the box – which was actually a surprise,” said team principal and Florida native Sean Creech, who has been racing at Sebring for over 30 years. SCM tested two cars at Sebring in late February, with Barbosa and Pino each posting significant track times (Willsey was an unfortunate victim of flight woes). The bumps never change, but the grip level changes hour to hour, day to day – and that requires the team be prepared to pivot quickly. The grip level changes dramatically between those two surfaces, and that significantly changes the handling of the car. Sebring’s 3.71-mile, 17-turn layout boasts a combination asphalt and concrete surface, with much of the concrete area leftover from the track’s days as a World War II training base. SCM currently tops the Endurance Cup standings after leading the most laps ((282 of 737) and finishing second in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The race also serves as the second round of IMSA’s Michelin Endurance Cup, comprised of four legendary endurance races (Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen and Road Atlanta). 33 SCM Exelixis/Focal One Ligier JS P320 back in Victory Lane, the veteran team along with drivers João Barbosa, Lance Willsey and Nico Pino will have to negotiate the constantly changing track conditions that are the stuff of engineering nightmares – and of course, the bumps that inspired their own hashtag (#RespectTheBumps). Sean Creech Motorsport (SCM) returns to the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring with one goal: repeat the performance that saw the team take a hard-fought victory in last year’s endurance classic (Saturday, March 18 at 10:10 a.m. ![]() Second of two home-state races for the Florida-based team Sean Creech Motorsport (SCM) returns to the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring with one goal: repeat the performance that saw the team take a hard-fought victory in last year’s endurance classi Sean Creech Motorsport ready to defend Sebring title and Michelin Endurance Cup lead : Second of two home-state races for the Florida-based team
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