Sebring

The MINI John Cooper Works Team and MINI USA left no doubt about their desire for a series championship during today’s Alan Jay Automotive Network 120 at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Fla. The race was dominated by the MINI JCW race cars, with Mark Pombo and brother Mat Pombo, battling for the 1 – 2 positions in the final hour of the race. When the checkered flag waved Mark Pombo was in the lead in the #52 MINI JCW with Mat right behind him in the #73 MINI JCW. Teammate Derek Jones did an outstanding job recovering from earlier contact while leading the race to drive an injured #37 MINI JCW to a fourth-place finish.

John Sprinzel, one of the best-known racing and rally drivers of his era, won the British Rally Championship and his class at the 12 Hours of Sebring behind the wheel of an Austin-Healey Sprite. This “spritely” British auto racer and tuner will be inducted into the British Sports Car Hall of Fame in Virginia next week.

The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) today announced that hall of fame sports car legend Bob Tullius will serve as grand marshal for its March 3-5 race weekend at the historic airport circuit. SVRA will share the venue with the TransAm Series as it marks its 50th anniversary in 2016. Sebring hosted the very first Trans-Am race in March 1966 and Tullius brought his Dodge Dart sedan home a winner. “Bob Tullius’ contributions to auto racing extend well beyond his hundreds of victories as a driver and team owner on tracks around the world,” said SVRA President and CEO Tony Parella. “Bob set the standard for presenting motorsport as a business platform for sponsors. His cars were always immaculately prepared and he helped usher in the modern era of branding through association with race teams.”

Aston Martin will enter its factory LMP1 team in this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours and next month’s Sebring 12 Hours. The British manufacturer had been expected to sit out the 2010 season while developing a new car for 2011, but will now take two LMP1 cars to Le Mans and one car to the American Le Mans Series opener at Sebring, the next round at Long Beach and the LMS season opener at Paul Ricard in April. Autosport Magazine revealed last week that Mexican driver Adrian Fernandez was working on a deal to race an Aston in the ALMS, and the former Champ Car racer and reigning ALMS LMP2 champion will join the team’s line-up for the program. Stefan Mucke, Darren Turner, Harold Primat and Chris Buncombe have all been retained, with Aston Martin Racing due to announce a […]