If you’ve never been to Sebring International Raceway, you might be surprised to learn that it sits in the middle of nowhere. The track started life as Hendricks Army Airfield, where military pilots trained in B-17s during World War II. Some of the concrete runways from the old airfield still make up the track. The first race at Sebring was held in 1950 and has continuously operated as a world-famous racetrack since then.
Unlike many race tracks, Sebring is not adjacent to a large metropolitan area. The closest town is Sebring, Fl, a town of just 11,000 people. Both the track and the town it is named for sit in rural central Florida, surrounded by orange groves and cattle ranches, about two hours from Orlando and Tampa, and nearly three hours to Miami.
Sebring is the last track we’ll visit this season. I have a lot of history at Sebring. I’ve attended races there probably 25-30 times, and raced there myself about 20 times. It’s always been one of my favorite tracks, with both tight, technical sections and wide-open, high-speed sections. It’s fun to drive, although I’m not sure the Honda Civic Type R is the best choice for the track. As I’ve said about other tracks, the Honda is underpowered compared to the competition. I’ve been surprised previously. Maybe I will be again in the two races at Sebring.
Once the two Sebring races are in the books, I’ll review season one, and preview season two of Vagabond Racer. Until then, I look forward to tackling a couple of races at Sebring to wrap up the season.
Here’s a map of Sebring International Raceway:
