HSR Sebring 2015

This was an unusual event for the Duntov team in that we planned to go only because we were delivering a new car to new customer, Guy Lamon.  All the other Duntov customer cars except Clair’s were being overhauled following the end of the SVRA season. Clair had a can’t-miss company Christmas party Friday night, so he was out, or so we thought.  At the last minute Clair decided to have his car shipped to Florida and he caught the first flight out Saturday morning.

Alan took Clair’s car out on Thursday and found everything to be in order.  He took it out again for the third qualifying session Saturday morning and qualified fourth with a 2:22 on the same tires he and Clair ran during the enduro at COTA.  Guy was just getting used to his new car.  His last Sebring race was in a high revving 289 Mustang, and he had to break a habit of taking every turn in 1st!  Guy qualified 15th with a 2:32 in his new car. 

Clair showed up an hour before the first sprint race on Saturday and decided to start at the back of the pack since he didn’t actually qualify the car. It would be Clair’s first session in the car and he went right through the field and finished 5th, with the second fastest lap time in the race, a 2:20. Guy knocked three seconds off his lap time with a fast lap of 2:29, which was good enough for 11th place.

Guy planed on painting his car in New Jersey, so he ordered it in primer.

The 90 minute GT enduro was the last race of the day. Alan and Clair were planning on teaming up as usual, but this time Clair was going to start.  Edward was to start Guy’s car and turn it over to Guy at the first stop.  When the cars got to the false grid the grid steward announced the race would be 45 minutes with no mandatory pit stops!  The race was up against nightfall, and many of the cars had no lights, including both Duntov entries.

Edward’s race was a short one as he blew a power steering hose on the pace lap and retired.  Clair took the lead at the start with Mike Banz in a Porsche right behind him.  Mike had won every HSR GT enduro of the year and he planned on winning this one, but it didn’t happen.  On the podium after the race he congratulated Clair and told the world he just knew that Corvette couldn’t keep up that pace for the whole race, and that eventually Clair would have to bobble somewhere, but he didn’t.  Clair drove a perfect race for the win.  Mike Banz showed amazing class and sportsmanship for a Porsche driver!  It was much appreciated

In Sunday’s Group 5 feature race, both Clair and Guy took a step backwards.  Clair’s fast lap was a 2:21, and Guy’s was a 2:30.  They finished second and ninth, respectively.

Sometimes its automatic, and sometimes you can’t make it happen.  It’s one of racing’s mysteries.