Sebring Hours 6-7
More of the Same

Hour 6 kicks off with a message from Janos. Scott Tucker is listed as driver of both the 55 and 95 Level 5 cars. That’s real talent. The 95 car is not retired, at least as of yet, although it did go behind the wall quite some time ago.

So, 5 hours in and we have only a single caution and a single official retirement, to go along with one official exclusion – Autocon.

Who said endurance races are exciting?

Thank you. Something to write about. After pit stops settled, Risi (Melo) has a scant 1 second lead in class over Bill Auberlen in the 92 BMW.

The Peugeots continue to run 1-2, Minassian over Wurz by about 58 seconds. The Aston is now down 3 laps to the leader. Brabs, in the P2 leading Highcroft car comes into the pits. He gets out and Pagenaud gets in. Maassen pits the Cytosport Porsche and Pickett gets in. When the margin settles, it is a 2 and a half lap lead for the Highcroft car.

Pagerey spins the Intersport PC car in the last turn and brings the car right into the pits. No contact – no damage.

The Risi lead in GT2 has stabilized at about 2.5 seconds

At the 5:43 mark, the leader pits. Fuel, tires, maybe a sip of wine and a bite of cheese. Minassian got out and Bourdais got back in. The clock like efficiency continues.

The Primetime PC pits. Routine. Tom Weickhardt in.

Meanwhile, the other Peugeot pits and after coming back around, the lead for 08 is 28 seconds. The Aston pits – fuel only.

In PC, the 55 pits and one of the Tuckers gets out of the car. He’s still listed in the 95, but a very long stop costs them the lead. Genoa with Sutherland in the car now leads by over a lap. Melo has opened up a slight lead in GT2 – 4.5 seconds now. The Politically Correct leader stops – Sutherland out and Hilderbrand in. Fuel and tires. No louvers left at all in the car – oh well. Level 5 back to the lead. 36 back in – penalty?

Anybody remember The Gong Show? Just checking…

Actually impressive that the PC cars are going so well. The cars appear to be more sturdy than expected. Hour 7 Oh, we’re over half way now. Yippee!!!

I think BMW team ought to expand to 4 cars. We’ve got “Joy, Joy.” Now we need “Happy, Happy” too.

A stop dropped the 92 BMW back to 3rd in class. Now it’s Risi +40.

Yellow. Hilderbrand into the tires and the tires are messed up. That makes 2 Politically Correct cautions. It looks like damage to the LR suspension, the way the wheel is bouncing around.

Oh joy, the Jaguar leads. Oh, that’s the pace car. Sorry.

A herd of cars enter the pits and eventually a herd will come back out.

For worthless information, at the moment we have French drivers leading 3 of the 5 classes.

White flag!!! Oops. Not that white flag.

Green 6:31 into the race. After the stops, the 45 Lizard took the GT2 lead, but a few corners later, it was Risi back into the lead.

Weickhardt a harmless spin. Car continues (as does Tom) to the pits. Fuel and tires.

Clarification on the Corvette pit incident. O’Connell pitted, and Jan got into the car. Collard entered the pits because of a low fuel alarm. It was not planned to have both cars stop at the same time. Both crews knew their cars were pitting (or were pitted) but the radio communications did not allow each team to know that the other was coming in. Expect Fehan to have this addressed by the next race.

The GT2 lead has stabilized at around 6 seconds, Risi over Lizards with 92 BMW back almost a lap.

Zombie Alert!!! The 95 has returned. Tucker is finally done with double duty and Gue is forced to be the zombie driver.

The leader stops. Routine. 07 leads by 12 seconds.