Glowing Brakes, Screaming-Finely Tuned Racing Engines, the finest racing drivers in the world, and the sweet aromatic blend of racing fuel and orange blossoms usher in the Sports Car Racing Season every year since 1952 in Sebring, FL at the Classic 12 Hours of Sebring Endurance Challenge. The 1997 12 Hours of Sebring race was of particular significance to our group of friends from Sarasota, FL for two reasons. First, it was the debut of our newest La Bomba art car. Over the years there has been a tradition at the 12 Hours of Sebring of bringing 'Art Cars' to the race. We brought our first 'artcar' to the 12 Hours of Sebring back in the late 1970's with the 'Intercourse Racing' sedan(a spoof on the Interscope Racing Team of Ted Fields and Danny Ongais) , complete with cardboard/duct tape box flares and rear wing. Next up was a Pontiac Stretch Airport Limo painted La Bomba yellow with a yellow and white striped surrey top. Following the Pontiac was a Cadillac Seville Land Yacht with a Tuna Tower and bowsprit. Each one of these 'La Bomba' art cars lasted between six to ten years before being worn out. The current La Bomba, that is still in use today, is the '97' version depicted in this video. Since its' inception it has undergone many face lifts. In 1998 we created the flame car paint scheme. Then there was the cartoon 'rocket racer' version, followed by the 'wave contemporary' version and now the current 'Gulf Porsche 917' paint scheme. In between 12 Hours of Sebring Races, the float has been 'Santa's Sleigh' at Christmas time, a spooky Halloween version, an offshore Racing Boat, numerous Mardi Gras concepts,and even a wedding chapel! The Float is truly Chameleon in nature. To see video of some of these version go here http://www.youtube.com/mmmatthewww
Of second importance to the 1997 12 Hours of Sebring race was the fact that after having been camped at the old Chicane, just after the hairpin turn, for the past ten years, we were relocating our camp to Collier Curve (Turn 11). It is always a big deal to move a large camp like ours. We probably have thirty to fifty members in our camp at any given race at the 12 Hours of Sebring. There is sort of a tacit squatters 'rights' in the taking of trackside real estate in the legendary Green Park at the 12 Hours of Sebring, so it is always a dicey negotiating process to make a move. All worked out well and we have been camped at the new site now for eleven years! At the beginning of this video you hear one of our neighboring campers, Jeff Kane, talk about being first in line for the 12 Hours of Sebring 17 out of 25 years. That meant driving down from Gainesville, FL (I believe that was were Jeff was from) at least one month before the gates opened, and parking his car and sitting. No kidding! The deal was that you could not leave your vehicle unattended or it would be towed away so hanging with you vehicle was the only option. Local merchants would stop by and bring him food and other goodies and the local newspaper would always come by and do an article on him. That was some kind of dedication and determination on Jeff's part. The wet T-shirt contest at F-troop was heavily edited for this YouTube video. The contestants were told by the police at the 12 Hours of Sebring that if pants were dropped, arrests would be made. The featured contestant in this video finally gave the crowd what they so enthusiastically had been chanting for. It is my understanding that she was taken away and booked right after she won the contest at the 1997 12 Hours of Sebring. Oh well, at least she had some bail money. The scene with Elvis playing with the ladies on the deck of the float was also filmed at F-Troop. We drove right up near the F-Troop stage where the band was playing and were immediately enveloped by the huge F-Troop crowd. You can see Hans Stuck nervously watching his girlfriend entertaining the crowd and getting flirtatious with Elvis. There have been some absolutely magical moments at F-Troop late at night when the crowd is tuned up and the F-Troop performers are doing their thing. This was especially true back in the 1980's when they had among their ranks a very compelling and charismatic performer who we heard went on to professional theater. The skits they used to come up with and the props they used were freaky and cool. F-Troop also features a Rock & Roll band that amazingly has shown up at the 12 Hours of Sebring every year for the past 25-30 years. The F-Troop crew erects a large elevated stage from which the band performs and these guys rock on year after year. Nobody pays these guys to come and play, it is all on them and that is the real gift. .......Thanks for watching this video of the 1997 12 Hours of Sebring. I hope that you enjoyed it. To see more of my 12 Hours of Sebring videos go here... http://www.youtube.com/mmmatthewww See you at the 2009 12 Hours of Sebring. Cheers, MWG
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MG-TD One Lap of Sebring International Raceway SIR IMSAby mmmatthewww3,651 views
More racing man! I love the Sebring lifestyle but the racing is the best stuff!
redriverman2006 3 years ago
I hear you. Check out a couple of my other 12 Hours of Sebring videos that are nothing but racing action. I am equally passionate about the race cars, but the 'Sebring Lifestyle' is pretty heady and entertaining in its' own right. Thanks for viewing and commenting on this video redriverman!
mmmatthewww 3 years ago
I recored this race when it was on espn/espn2.
that was a good race - epically in the rain.
SAMMYJS99 3 years ago
...thanks for your comments SammyJS. One, of the many, things I like about the IMSA/ALMS series is that they run the race no matter what, rain or shine. Racing in the rain is very dramatic and strategic. Some drivers are much better that others in the rain, as you mentioned Hans Stuck. See you there in 2009.
mmmatthewww 3 years ago
Good stuff Matt! It's about time we got to see some of all the video you have taken over the years. :-)
CaptWilly11 3 years ago
I'm guessin' this is Filly Boster? I'm glad you like it! It is cool to see some of this old footage for me too. First time I've seen this stuff in ten years myself. There is tons more to come as soon as I get motivated to convert it from analog to digital and then edit it down. Subscribe to my YouTube videos and you will be notified as new stuff comes on line. Talk to you soon...MG
mmmatthewww 3 years ago