Sebring: Round one fast facts, notes

SCCA SPEED World Challenge® GT and Touring Car Round One

Event/Circuit:
52nd Mobil1 12 Hours of Sebring
Sebring International Raceway, Sebring, Fla., 3.7-miles

Qualifying:
Touring Car: Thursday, March 18, 11:20 a.m. (EST)
GT: Thursday, March 18, 11:45 a.m. (EST)

Green Light:
Touring Car: Friday, March 19, 1:15 p.m. (EST), 17 laps (62.90 miles), or 50 minute maximum (standing start)

GT: Friday, March 19, 4:25 p.m. (EST), 18 laps (66.60 miles), or 50 minute maximum

Live Timing: Timing for every SCCA SPEED World Challenge session can be viewed live, online at www.world-challenge.com.

Television: SPEED Channel. Initial broadcast times for the Touring Car and GT races are scheduled for Sunday, March 21 at 12 p.m. (EDT) and 1 p.m. (EDT), respectively.

What to Watch...

CADILLAC MAKES ITS SWC GT DEBUT

One of the most anticipated off season developments was the announcement of Cadillac's entry into SCCA SPEED World Challenge GT. After a full year of program development, the Cadillac CTS-V will make its SPEED GT debut this weekend with American Le Mans Series veterans Max Angelelli and Andy Pilgrim piloting the a two-car effort.

16 MANUFACTURERS REPRESENTED IN 2004 CHAMPIONSHIP

Audi, Acura, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Morgan, Nissan, Pontiac, Porsche, Saleen and Volvo. They are all playing in 2004 in either SPEED GT or Touring Car or both. This weekend will be a sneak preview in the colossal marque battles that will be the norm for the remainder of the season.

FORMER SEBRING RACEWINNERS LOOK FOR REPEAT SUCCESS

In SPEED GT, Phil McClure, who finished third in the Championship last season, is the defending race winner who looks to repeat that effort this week. Five-time series Champion Michael Galati, who went winless in 2003 and who has not won a race in his last 15 SPEED GT starts, hopes to get back on the winning track by getting his second Sebring win. In SPEED Touring Car, three-time series Champion Pierre Kleinubing is a two-time winner at Sebring. If he is going to make it to the podium for a third time, he will do it in a brand new Acura TSX. Defending race winner and last year's series Champion Bill Auberlen is back with Turner Motorsport to defend both titles.

-scca pro racing-