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| Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Advance Auto Parts | |
|---|---|
| Name | Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Advance Auto Parts |
| Track | Sebring International Raceway |
| First race | 1952 |
| Distance | 12 hours |
| Most wins driver | Hurley Haywood |
| Most wins team | Brumos Racing |
| Most wins manufacturer | Porsche |
Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Advance Auto Parts is an endurance sports car race held at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida. Part of the IMSA SportsCar Championship and historically linked to the FIA World Endurance Championship, the event has been contested by manufacturers, privateer teams, and drivers from Ferrari, Porsche, Ford, Audi, BMW, Toyota, Aston Martin, and Corvette Racing. The race is organized by IMSA and attracts entrants from series such as the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, American Le Mans Series, and the historic World Sportscar Championship.
The Sebring endurance race is a 12-hour event for sports prototypes and grand touring cars staged at a facility on the site of the former Harding Army Air Field. Competitors include entries from Chip Ganassi Racing, Team Penske, Brumos Racing, Risi Competizione, Corvette Racing, and factory-supported programs from Audi Sport, Porsche Motorsport, Toyota Gazoo Racing, and Aston Martin Racing. Spectators often follow personalities such as Hurley Haywood, Jochen Rindt, Dan Gurney, Mario Andretti, Haywood again? and contemporary drivers including Joao Barbosa, Scott Dixon, Fernando Alonso, and Sebastian Vettel when they appear in endurance events. Media coverage has included outlets such as ESPN, NBC Sports, FOX Sports, and specialist publications like Racer and AutoWeek.
The race began in 1952, inspired by European endurance events like the 24 Hours of Le Mans and influenced by figures associated with Allan Shepherd and Tony Hulman. Early winners included entries from Maserati, Ferrari, and Jaguar. In the 1960s and 1970s the event became a proving ground for Porsche, Ford GT40, and McLaren prototypes, with manufacturers such as Shelby American, Brabham, and Chevron Cars also competing. The race has been part of series lineages including the World Sportscar Championship, IMSA GT Championship, American Le Mans Series, and modern IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Organizational and economic shifts involved entities like IMSA, SCCA Pro Racing, and promoters such as Grand-Am Road Racing and Advance Auto Parts in title sponsorship roles.
The event traditionally runs for a continuous twelve-hour duration with mixed-class racing featuring prototypes and GT entries across categories such as DPi, LMP1, LMP2, GTE Pro, GTE Am, GTLM, and GTD. Class structures have evolved through regulatory bodies including the FIA, ACO, and IMSA technical regulations, with Balance of Performance adjustments and homologation requirements impacting entrants from Dallara, ORECA, Ligier, Riley Technologies, and Multimatic Motorsports. Teams manage driver lineups with professionals from WEC circuits, Formula One, and IndyCar Series, balancing stints, pit strategies, and tire allocations from suppliers such as Michelin, Goodyear, and Continental AG.
Record holders include drivers like Hurley Haywood and teams like Brumos Racing and manufacturers such as Porsche. Legendary victories involved drivers and teams associated with Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, Pedro Rodriguez, Jacky Ickx, Allan McNish, Tom Kristensen, Ralph DePalma, and Mario Andretti. Notable marques with multiple overall wins include Porsche, Ferrari, Ford, Audi, and Mazda, the latter celebrated for its Wankel engine success. Race records have been set and broken in lap times, distance covered, and pit efficiency by organizations like Team Joest, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, and Ganassi.
Promoters and sanctioning bodies such as IMSA, ACO, SCCA, and commercial partners including Advance Auto Parts, Mobil 1, Rolex, WeatherTech, and Continental Tire have influenced the event's commercial model. Title sponsorships have cycled among Mobil 1, Timken Company, Sahlen, and Miller Brewing Company, while venue investments have involved local government entities in Highlands County, Florida and stakeholders including Visit Florida and tourism boards. Broadcast and streaming partnerships have tied the race to networks like NBC Sports Group, Fox Sports Media Group, and digital platforms run by IMSA and Motorsport.com.
Sebring International Raceway occupies a former United States Army Air Forces airfield and features a mixture of concrete apron sections and asphalt, renowned for its abrasive surface and bumps affecting chassis and tire wear. The 3.74-mile road course includes corners like Turn 1, the hairpin, and the Sunset Bend complex, and it lies near landmarks like Lake Jackson and the town of Sebring, Florida. Facilities host support series including IMSA Prototype Challenge, Ferrari Challenge, Porsche Carrera Cup North America, and historic events like the Sebring Historic Weekend. Track management interfaces with safety bodies like the FIA Institute, marshals from MotorSport New Zealand in international contexts, and medical teams trained to international standards.
The race has influenced endurance racing development, acting as a testing ground for innovations from Bosch, Brembo, ZF, and engine builders linked to Mazda, Porsche, and Ford. Its heritage is preserved by museums and halls such as the Sebring International Raceway Hall of Fame, collections like Don Panoz's collection, and archival programs with institutions including Library of Congress and motorsport historians from Motorsport Magazine. The event has shaped careers of drivers who progressed to Formula One, Indianapolis 500, and NASCAR Cup Series competition, and it remains a cornerstone of American and global endurance racing culture.