The Engine59 12 Hours of Sebring delivered yet another gripping round of endurance racing in the VSCA SportsCar Championship. While Sim City Racing’s #71 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) ultimately took victory, the battle for the podium remained intense throughout the 12-hour contest.
The #183 Blocco Motore Simsport Porsche and the #12 Delta Racing BMW M4 GT3 were strong contenders, fighting through multiple lead changes and strategic gambles to claim second and third place, respectively. Three full-course yellow periods and late-race strategy calls proved decisive, but Sim City Racing managed to maintain control and secure their third win of the season.
A Commanding Performance from Sim City Racing
From the outset, Sim City Racing demonstrated their intent to dominate. Peter Spijkman put the #71 Porsche on pole with a blistering lap of 1:59.227, and from there, the team executed a near-flawless race. Despite 27 lead changes in the GT PRO class, Spijkman and his teammate Jason Allen managed to keep their car in contention throughout. The duo led the most laps—204 in total—and ultimately crossed the finish line 10.743 seconds ahead of their closest competitor.
"Unbelievable, this was the perfect race for us," said Spijkman. "To take the win and maximum points is something we did not expect before the race. It's a massive team achievement."
Allen echoed his sentiments, crediting the team's strategic execution. "We have not had the fastest car each race, but we’ve done all the little things correctly, and those little things add up to big points days," he said. "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but after this one, we’re going to celebrate!"
Drama in the Final Hours
The race saw three full-course yellow periods, with the final caution at the 9-hour and 58-minute mark proving crucial. The extended period under yellow forced teams to make tough strategic decisions, and for some, it proved costly. The #183 Blocco Motore Simsport Porsche 911 GT3 R (992), piloted by Erik van Spijker, Stevey Amanatidis, and Tyler Redden, finished in second place but felt a potential victory was taken from them.
"We could’ve won if it wasn’t for the final safety car coming out really late and us having to pit under it," said Redden. "Honestly, we just need better luck. We’ve beat them on track almost every race this season, but things just haven’t gone our way."
Third place went to the #12 Delta Racing BMW M4 GT3, driven by Joao Vitor Delgado, Higo Oliveira, and Felypi Sauner. Delgado, thrilled with the podium, remained optimistic about the team’s future. "Sebring is a very special place, and I personally love it very much. This P3 gives us a feeling that we are on the right way," he said. "Maybe in the end, we can become the beautiful swan."
The #84 Fischer Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) put on an impressive drive, gaining ten places from its P14 starting position to finish in fourth. Drivers Benjamin Fischer, Christian Malcharek, and Pascal Theis delivered a determined run, showcasing both pace and resilience.
Finishing in fifth place was the #151 World Of SimRacing Team Porsche 911 GT3 R (992), driven by Andres Quintana, Luis M. Díaz, and Alex Gonzalez Abad. The Spanish trio delivered a strong and steady performance throughout the 12-hour race, securing their top-five result through consistent driving and well-executed pit strategies.
The #6 Torque Freak Racing McLaren 720S GT3 EVO crossed the line in sixth place. Piloted by Neil Middleton, John A Goodwin, and Jonathan Dance, the team battled through the field and managed to secure a solid result despite facing challenges with traffic and tire management.
In seventh place, the #917 PULSAR eSports Team McLaren 720S GT3 EVO, driven by António Cardoso, Bruno Carreira, and Joao Pedro Teixeira, showed flashes of pace throughout the race. While they lacked the ultimate speed to challenge for a podium, their consistency and clean execution allowed them to secure a strong finish.
The #69 North Sim Racing McLaren 720S GT3 EVO, with drivers Thomas D'Ambrosio, Piero Leone, and Alessio Tranquilli, finished eighth. The Italian squad fought hard to stay within the top ten and showcased strong teamwork in managing fuel strategy and tire degradation over the long race.
Ninth place went to the #67 Kinetic Racing Acura NSX GT3 EVO 22, driven by Vincent L'Herbier, Tommy Vandergucht, and Aedan Campbell. The team delivered a composed drive, staying out of trouble and maintaining steady lap times to bring home valuable points in both the overall championship and the Endurance Cup standings.
Rounding out the top ten was the #93 Digital Chicane Acura NSX GT3 EVO 22, driven by Chris Scarr, Ryan Koprowski, and Kyle Loh. Despite facing setbacks throughout the race, the team’s perseverance allowed them to claim a hard-earned top-ten finish.
Post-Race Penalties Shake Up Final Results
Several teams were handed post-race penalties, affecting their final standings. The #93 Digital Chicane Acura NSX GT3 EVO 22 received a 60-second penalty and 2-lap-and-30-seconds post-race penalty, both for incident responsibility, impacting their overall result.
Meanwhile, the #67 Kinetic Racing Acura NSX GT3 EVO 22 suffered multiple infractions, including a 5-second penalty for a pit road fast-lane violation and two separate 30-second penalties for incident responsibility. The #917 PULSAR eSports Team McLaren 720S GT3 EVO was also hit with a severe post-race penalty, receiving a 1-lap plus 30-second penalty for an incident late in the race, dropping them further down the order.
Championship Standings
With this victory, the #71 Sim City Racing Porsche extends its lead in the GT PRO SportsCar Championship standings with 1,409 points. The #84 Fischer Motorsport Porsche moves up to second, trailing by 329 points, while the #183 Blocco Motore Simsport Porsche climbs to third, 346 points back.
In the GT PRO Endurance Cup standings, Sim City Racing also holds the top spot with 29 points, ahead of the #67 Kinetic Racing Acura NSX GT3 EVO 22 by ten points, while Torque Freak Racing's McLaren sits third, 12 points behind the leader.
Looking Ahead
GT PRO teams will now enjoy an extended break. While GTP, LMP2 and GT AM teams compete at Lagona Seca, GT PRO teams will be returning to action at VIR on April 26th. With a start time of 16:00 GMT, the race promises to bring another round of fierce competition as teams look to challenge Sim City Racing’s early-season dominance on the back of three straight wins.
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