The 55th running of a classic

These past few weeks have been a mere lead up to the real start of the racing season. While the masses laud the Daytona 500, NASCAR's "Super Bowl", as the official commencement of the racing season, many of us prefer to wait until the annual 12 Hours of Sebring. This Saturday will mark the 55th running of Sebring and as always it promises to be an interesting and entertaining event.

I've read several "previews" for both the event and the American Le Mans Series season and this is my take on the race and the series. First of all this year's Sebring will host a number of what I liked to call "one off" teams who for whatever reason will not run a full season in ALMS. This doesn't diminish their presence though since Sebring, next to Le Mans, is most brutal automotive endurance race in the United States. Thus it's only natural that the event attracts more than a few single event entries especially since it's seen as the first competitive endurance test prior to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. Many of the teams are either part of or wholly invited to the 24 Hours. As true sports car fans we appreciate the credibility of the event that these entries represent.

After listening to a few of the pre and post testing interviews I fully expect this year's LMP2 and GT2 classes to be full of excitement and unexpected turns. In LMP2 you have the revamped Porsche Spyder in the hands of both factory and privateer teams competing against the largely unproven Acura entries. Of these five teams none are short on experience and talent so the unfolding battle will become one of reliability. It is Porsche's race to lose since their pace is nearly on par with that of the LMP1 Audi R10. If trouble develops I predict that Fernandez Racing or B-K Motorsport will pounce on the opportunity. As for the other Acura entries I believe that the untested ARX-01a chassis will be a liability for the AGR and Highcroft teams.

In GT2 the battle will ultimately come down to pace, persistence and avoiding trouble. Risi Competizione and Petersen White Lightning have both the depth of talent and speed necessary to win this event in the Ferrari 430 GT. I would expect a Flying Lizards and the #62 Tafel paring of Henzler, Liddell and Long to make an honest challenge in the Porsche GT3. The Panoz PTG team has the potential to be competitive based on reliability but only if their younger drivers can keep out of trouble.

Finally as if it took any guts to call it, LMP1 will be dominated by the two Audi R10s. According to the team a massive amount of development and refinement has gone into the car and I expect both cars to run away with the race. Last year we wondered if the R10s were sandbagging so as to avoid a harsh "competition adjustment" by IMSA, this year there is no doubt. Audi will allow the LMP2 Porsches to keep pace during practice but when the flag drops during qualifying we will truly see what these cars are capable of.

Likewise, while some have called the 2007 GT1 category a farce I will refrain from passing judgment until after this race. Sources within the team say that GM is committed to racing the entire ALMS season and that this year the gloves will come off between the rival #3 and #4. Expect to see a real dual between these two squads. Even though the Corvette squad lacks competition within its own class, during this race the team can still target overall success by simply outlasting the notoriously unreliable prototype entries.

Aside from my predictions you'll need to tune in to catch all of the action. Coverage begins today via Radio Le Mans and 0157.Org with TV coverage on Speed Channel Saturday. After the race stay tuned for the inaugural Formula 1 event live from Australia, it's sure to be a blast.