# 3 Corvette knocked out in a frantic dash as the Sebring 12 Hour race came to an end.

We might call it IMSA’s version of a grueling NASCAR finish. That said, the 2024 Sebring weekend hosted 5 different racing series, 18 manufacturers, almost 200 race cars and drew the largest ever attendance.

The Pratt & Miller team GTD PRO Corvettes showed up in special matte gold livery to celebrate 50 years of Mobil1.

The # 3 Z06 GT3.R Corvette of Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims and Dani Juncadella ran in the lead pack with few troubles all day through Sebring’s signature sunset and into the night.

The Corvettes were nowhere to be seen at the start because IMSA levied a penalty that sent all four Corvettes to the back of the grid for a nitpick infraction that ex crew chief Dan Biggs would grumble as “petty nonsense.”

Things got aggressive following a re-start with about 18 minutes left to race.  Juncadella in the # 3 Corvette found himself sandwiched up with Jack Hawksworth in the # 14 Lexus RC F GT3 and Daniel Serra in the # 62 Ferrari 296 GT3.

Disaster struck with just 4 minutes left on the clock.  Anxious to rejoin the party, Laurin Heinrich behind the wheel of # 77 Porsche 911 GT3R (992) a/k/a “T-Rexy” rear-ended Juncadella in the braking zone at turn three.  The impact sent the Corvette into the barrier where it came to a stop, wiping out a chance for 2nd and scored 10th.  A drive-thru penalty ultimately dropped Heinrich to 9th place.  The winning Lexus covered 316 laps over the 3.74-mile circuit.

The # 4 Corvette Z06 GT3.R Corvette of Tommy Milner, Nicky Catsburg and Earl Bamber suffered a bigtime clutch failure, repairs to which set them 9 laps behind the winner and scored next to last in class GTD PRO at 11th.

 The # 13 AWA team Z06 GT3.R Corvette of Matt Bell, Lars Kern and Oscar Fidani was scored 9th in GTD for the highest placed Corvette, which on the face of it matters not for much.

 The # 17 AWA Corvette of Nico Varrone, Thomas Merrill and Anthony Mantella again exited early, taking the dubious “honor” of last place, 22nd, in GTD.

 AWA is a newcomer to GT3 racing and has nowhere to go but up.  GM and Pratt Miller experts were seen their paddock offering help all weekend.

 We post this photo of the Corvette Corral from fifty years ago in 1964 to soften the disappointment.

Our beloved Corvettes journey west to the streets of Long Beach for a 2 hour, forty-minute race on Saturday on April 13 leading up to the INDY car race on Sunday.

Photos thanks to Richard Prince and Kevin Bowman whose insights also contributed greatly to this report.

Post-race video by Pratt & Miller: https://youtu.be/3vmnBviw3dU