Corvettes at HSR Sebring Pistons & Props 12-hr & Sprint races
We survey ten Corvettes, outnumbered by fifty-four Porsches among a huge turnout at the HSR Sebring Pistons & Props 12-hr & Sprint races. Warbird authorities Tim and Jib Savage from Ohio brought this Curtiss P-40N-1 Warhawk to close out the season at Sebring on December 5-8.
The # 94 1970 Corvette of Chris Ronson, father & son from Brunswick GA was the only entry in Group A for cars built before 1978. They finished tenth out of 23 cars at the completion of four 1-hour stints.
The # 64 2013 C6.R GTLM Corvette of Adrian Willmott from Radstock UK ran the Group 6/9 Sprint race and then he and Andrew Jordan ran in Group C for cars built before 2020. They finished seventh out of 20 cars at the completion of four 1-hour stints
The # 63 2009 C6.R GTLM Corvette of John Emberson & Nigel Greensall of Harpenden UK finished twenty-first in the Sprint race but did not make it to the four-stage endurance race.
The # 24 1960 SCCA BP Corvette of Bill Treffert from Naples FL finished eighteenth (and first in class) out of 30 cars in Group 2/3 Sprint race for cars older than 1988.
The # 64 1964 SCCA BP Corvette of Aaron Quine from Wadsworth OH driving the car of Jim Heck finished thirteenth out of 26 cars in Group 5/7 Sprint race for cars older than 2004; while the # 33 1970 Corvette of Woody Smith from Merritt Isl FL finished twenty-second.
The beautiful # 12 1987 Protofab IMSA GTO Corvette of Wallis Owens, Deer Isl FL did not make the race.
Three historic Callaway C6R Corvettes also did not fare well in the Group 10/11 Sprint race. The # 67 2009 EX19 GT4 Prototype of John Kyle from Davie FL finished fifteenth out of 23. The # 016 2009 EX16 in Gulf Oil colors of Frank Marcum, Lexington KY and the # 73 2006 of Henry Gilbert from Mirimar FL were at the back of the pack.
This C2 1965 with modest race history recently sold for a whopping $158k was on display.
It takes deep pockets to race at the “bigger name” tracks. Controlling the track rental is a huge advantage. If the 2024 HSR Pistons & Props event is any indication, the benefits under the wing of NASCAR and IMSA are paying off.
Photo credits: Walt Thurn, Larry VanScoy, Pete Gorski Visors Down, John Kyle, Robert Logs
