By the conclusion of an exhilarating 72nd edition of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s 12 Hours of Sebring, Connor Zilisch emerged as the winner in the LMP2 category for the #18 Era Motorsport team.
Right from the start, the race was filled with excitement and intense competition among the teams. The #18 Era Motorsport Oreca 07, which had previously won the opening round at Daytona, secured another victory in the LMP2 class after a fierce battle.
Throughout the 12-hour race, there were numerous changes in the lead position for the LMP2 category, keeping the spectators on the edge of their seats. Despite the race being interrupted by twelve caution periods, the competition remained gripping.
The race got off to a dramatic start as the pole-sitter, #99 AO Racing Oreca 07, also known as ‘Spike the Dragon’, spun out on the formation lap due to PJ Hyett warming up their tires. This incident allowed Dan Goldburg in the #22 United Autosports USA Oreca to take the lead, closely followed by Nick Boulle in the #52 Inter Europol by PR1 Oreca.
Although the #52 car faced a setback with a drive-through penalty for a pit stop violation, they continued their pursuit for the lead. In the second hour of the race, PJ Hyett showcased remarkable pace and overtook Goldburg to claim the top spot in the LMP2 category.
The #88 Richard Mille AF Corse team encountered difficulties early on when Luis Perez Companc suffered damage to the rear and side of the car. They were later forced to retire from the race. Another retirement came from Lilou Wadoux in the #33 Ligier JS P217 of Sean Creech Motorsport.
The #04 Crowdstrike Racing by APR team faced their fair share of challenges, including a puncture and a drive-through penalty. However, they made a comeback and were among the frontrunners in the first half of the race.
As the race progressed, Connor Zilisch showcased his speed and skill, making impressive overtakes and securing a podium position. In the final hours of the race, Ryan Dalziel took the lead for the #18 Era Motorsport team, closely followed by Hunter McElrea in the #11 TDS Racing Oreca.
The lead battle intensified as they encountered GTD traffic and entered the night phase of the race. Eventually, McElrea made a decisive move to take the lead, with Toby Sowery in the #04 Crowdstrike Oreca closely behind.
In the final hour, the tension rose as Zilisch defended his lead from Felipe Fraga in the #74 Riley Oreca. Zilisch managed to maintain a one-second gap and secured the victory for the #18 Era Motorsport team.
The second-place finish went to the #11 TDS Racing Oreca, driven by Mikkel Jensen, Hunter McElrea, and Steven Thomas. The podium was completed by the #22 United Autosports USA crew of Dan Goldburg, Paul di Resta, and Bjoy Garg.
In fourth place was the #33 Sean Creech Motorsport Ligier, driven by Lance Wilsey, Joao Barbosa, and Jonny Edgar. Fifth place went to the #74 Riley Oreca team of Gar Robinson, Felipe Fraga, and Josh Burdon.
Out of the 11 teams that retired from the race, only two were from the LMP2 category: the #88 Richard Mille AF Corse and the #8 Tower Motorsports teams.