12 Hours of Sebring 2016

I've been the last few years. I go early Friday morning before daylight and stay till dark on Saturday. I camp in my SUV so can't offer much advise on the RV side.

First it should be noted that the green flag drops at 10:15 on Saturday morning. Before that is the grid walk where you can walk around the cars as they are lined up for the start and can see the drivers and their teams. Before that you can watch all the cars getting ready and coming out of the garage. The action starts as soon as the sun rises on Saturday so you would probably want to get that RV parked as soon as possible.

I'm going to assume you have to buy a ticket for your RV and I think your parking choices will be slim by Saturday morning. Perhaps they have reserved spaces.

There is a full day of activities on Friday with practice and qualifying sessions and the historic cars race at the end of the day. Lots to see for a race fan but probably not worth the extra day for those that just want to experience the 12 Hours, party and have fun. A long day on Saturday will give them the experience.

There is a " party zone " that has a big bar and a stage with bands playing Sat afternoon into the night. There is also a bikini contest on the same stage about 2:00 pm on Sat. The rest of the time people cruise around in various vehicles or walk around. The main road through the infield as you first come in is where the most action is and everyone seems to pass through there at one time or another. Walking around the RVs can also be an adventure.

While I haven't been in the AC suites, I have been up there on the open patio. The view is ok but I wouldn't spend more than a few minutes up there after checking it out. Given the choice I'd much rather be down on the ground right in the middle of it than upstairs in a closed off room. Might be fun just to check out and say you did but I don't see it as a must do experience. It should be noted that I'm taking pictures so I want to be down in it. If your friends would enjoy a comfy chair while drinking a beer in the AC it might just be the oasis you need especially if its a hot weekend. Right behind the suites is a small building that houses a museum and they always have some very cool race cars in there so be sure to check that out.

Haven't done the Pit Road during the race but that seems like it would be more fun than being up in one of the suites. A non race fan could probably walk through once and be done with it.

With your group, if you get there and parked early enough on Saturday, I think the one day would be good enough for them. Great idea to have the RV so you guys can sleep it off. Lot of people will be there and don't care about the race so it's not uncommon. Be sure to report back and let us know your experience and whether they want to return in 2017.

 

A Sebring newbie, raw meat!

Seriously, the best RV parking places are reserved and all sold out years in advance. Once
the gates open on Wednesday morning, the line up of literally hundreds of campers that have
been bivouacked outside the track for weeks (if not months) go into the track like the Oklahoma
Land Rush. One year, maybe about 2001 or 2002, I was able to witness this from the media
center and it was quite a sight as all the campers flowed into the facility staking their claims.

Now, these are the guys whom are staking out the best non-reserved spots in the infield and
as the days go on, your choices will become less and less as they really start pouring in on
Friday. So, recommend getting there as early as possible so as not to be relegated to some
of the far reaches of the circuit, best to be centrally located if possible.

You'll definitely be walking around a lot. Bring comfortable walking shoes (and backup pair)
and be ready for all sorts of weather conditions. Sebring in mid-March is usually beautiful but
it can rain (count on it) at least once during race week, it can be anywhere from cold and
windy to down right oppressively hot. During the course of the race week, you may get the
worst sun/wind burn, sun screen is a must.

Getting access to private suites and/or pit box seats this late in the going is iffy. The views
from above the new pits are not nearly as good as from the old pits and it is extremely noisy
up there, hearing protection highly recommended. A lady is usually in the paddock just behind
the pits sells custom ear plugs, also highly recommended.

The biggest part of the infield crowd are local kids cruising around on all sorts of vehicles
there on comped tickets. The party atmosphere, while still there, isn't anything remotely
approaching the antics seen in the 70s and 80s. In fact, there is a large police presence
on crossing the bridge into Green Park which some of my media colleagues nick named
"Check Point Charlie" and do know there are eyes in the sky.

The party scene is far more subdued these days. Mostly, old guys sitting in their RVs sipping
martinis and watching the race on TV. There are good spectating mounds through out the
infield sections. Best to have portable lawn chairs so you're not sitting in the middle of a
fire ant mound, that'll ruin your fun.

There is a little bit of something for everyone at Sebring. Enjoy it.

Will be up there on the Friday for the Hall of Fame introductions for Tom Kristensen, say
hello to some of my friends in the media center and then have to high tail it back to Miami
for the Miami Beach Concours. It's going to be a busy weekend for sure.

BHW

 

Sebring and Daytona (along with the Glen, and Petit) are "bucket list" race events, all of them are also very much "infield centric".

Generally speaking, a great weekend involves getting prime RV spots which can be years in the making (especially at Daytona, where they are expensive and if you want hook-ups..). Tracks in recent years have gotten a bit more strict about generators/cleanouts. Always fun when a honey bucket has to make a house call into a jammed paddock!

If you don't have a prime RV spot, then I'd improvise and make it simply a remote base to roam from; again, each track has different rules, but you might consider renting a golf cart or get scooters (if allowed), as while the walking is great, these tracks are big and you'll want to move around quite a bit.

This year at Daytona, the infield was completely jammed, every spot (RV, parking, tent) taken, the DIS security did a great job of managing the climate (i.e. traffic is ALWAYS a nightmare, but more about behavior).

The only advantage to getting suites/pit access is a bit of occasional creature comfort and perhaps a bit easier/closer access to the paddock/teams. Not necessary if you are there for the spectacle (i,e, party). I tend to go for the racing and to interact with my friends who are actually racing, so I actually avoid the infields per se, and will just hang in the pit box or roam occasionally to turns to watch. Make sure you bring a headset and remote chargers for your phone, you'll want to listen to Radio LeMans coverage.

One other Daytona habit, unsure about Sebring, is that some of the prime RV spots are flipped on eBay (scalped).

 

Speaking of the 12 Hour I see that on a motorsports website that the O'Gara Coach Lamborghini Huracan GTD team has suddenly fallen on hard financial times andmay not be able to participate. These guys were super competitive at the Rolex 24 including the fastest GTD race lap. Anyone know what happened?

 

they're done for the year (team disbanded), apparently due to financial problems with the dealerships and a sponsor not coughing up the $$ they agreed to.

I hope that Bell & Sweedler can figure out a new situation and finish the season, a shame to see the defending champions sidelined like that.

 

Years ago we were the idiots waiting second in line to get in with the rv (sat there for three days prior to gates opens ) 1985 1st in line had a pig with a checkered flag neckerchief running around...thought it was a pet, nope...just before the gates opened a .22 started the pig roast. l Last year I had the club pass and it was nice, food is good and you can see pretty good. gets pretty noisy outside that close for 12hrs. Parking is also very close ...maybe 50yd walk tops. I'm from ohio, we are pretty used to colder weather so a 75 or 80 day with sun takes its toll very quick. I'm not sure if I will do it again this year because I'm planning on seeing the bikes on 3/12 at Daytona and did the 24 in the Ferrari hosp area. Club is nothing like Daytona. If I do got this year, I will pursue club passes....they say they sell out fast but im not so sure of that. Enjoy!!!!! Forgot to add.....Sebring location brings its fair share of redneck activity!!! lots of fun to watch them kids!!!!

 

With the Sebring Club levels it's hard to say...

On photographing the race after the new pits complex was built, the track was touting
that all of the Club suites had been sold out. But, crossing over the bridge to shoot opposite
the pits at night, must have been 2000 or 2001, the give-away was the amount of suites which
were lit up and people could be seen in them.

From memory, it may have been perhaps a third full by that gauge. Lots of dark suites so
they were far from sold out. Sebring likes to inflate numbers.

Not sure how it all works but it would seem the suites are fairly expensive and you have
to buy into the track's catering, etc.

Anyway, hope The Race is a good one this year.

BHW

 

That's going to be a long Saturday. I would drive over Friday night.

 

A few thoughts:

1) Good, reserved RV spots are gone at least a year in advance. Renewals get first right of refusal and almost alway reserve.

2) Showing up on Saturday morning and hoping to find an RV spot that you can see the track from will not happen, bar on the back straight leading into turn 17.

3) You can park an RV, for free, in the front lot to the right of the administrative building.

4) It's a long race and you really would want to be there and parked Friday AM.

5) Every suite is running and occupied during the 24. Some that appear dark are tinted and then have the lights low or off at night to avoid reflections on the glass.

Sebring is a blast. But plan on arriving Friday, for sure.

 

Looks like it could be a wet one this year.

 

There were lots of small Spots for campers and small RVs--

Lots of cool cars including 4 Ferraris 4 Lambos 2 Ford Eco boost with the worst sounding engines out there.

Glad I have a hotel room though. ( just back from night practice).

 

The box suites are pretty fun and a nice way to get out of the weather but the view really isn't that great and you end up watching the TV screens. But I've been to Sebring a number of times so it was neat and worth it to sit somewhere different. But I would rather have a pit pass and be down below close to the action. If you get there on Friday there is enough to see and do to keep busy for a day.

 

Pretty hot but there is a nice breeze.
Been getting some fun video with the GoPro including some close ups of Patrick Long, Scott Pruitt and even ChalStrad
Waiting for the afternoon Q sessions and then getting lost in the infield.

 

Here is a nice video of the night practice.

[ame]www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Cyjst1HjHA[/ame]

 

fantastic video! Thanks for sharing!

 

Very nice clarity/resolution in that video! Thanks!

 

Great video.

 

Ferrari - 4th, 8th, 1st and 5th from the back straight fence.

 

Downpour now.

 

One Ferrari (488?). Headed to transporter being towed-- wet race went green again.

 

I was physically unable to stay for the race and had to come back home last night.

Still able to get some pics on Friday. Would have liked to have been able to shoot in the rain for something different.

Here are a few pictures from Friday as we all wait out the rain delay.
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Another set as they fire the engines....
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Last few.....
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Hope you are ok.

Fantastic shots as usual. How do you get the heat from the cars to show in the pics?