From Runways to Raceway
Sebring Evolved from a WWII B-17 Training Base
For over six decades, Sebring International Raceway has hosted
the world’s best cars and drivers at an event second only to Le
Mans in history, tradition and international prestige.
Sebring is truly unique, even by today’s standards. It is an “Old
School” circuit where fans can watch incredibly close to the action.
And teams set up in the middle of the paddock, completely accessible
to all spectators. The festive atmosphere, usually beautiful
weather and aroma of orange blossoms combine to make Sebring
a true classic.
America’s greatest endurance racing tradition race boasts an
amazing history. Nestled among the orange groves and cattle
ranches of central Florida less than two hours from Orlando, it is an
unlikely location for such an important motorsports event.
The Sebring Airport, originally constructed in 1942 as a WWII
B-17 training base known as Hendricks Field, was first recommended
for use as a racing circuit by Alec Ulmann, a Russian immigrant
who had experienced Le Mans in person during the 1930s.
He wanted to create an American endurance classic of the same
stature as the famed French classic.
During WWII, Sebring was the site where over 10,000 USAAF
combat crew members were trained for missions in Europe and the
Pacific. Many never returned. The concrete runways of Hendricks
Field are still an important part of Sebring’s racing tradition.
Ulmann was in the aviation business and had visited the huge facility
near Sebring several times and believed it was a logical location
for a sports car race. It offered few landmarks other than the abandoned
military barracks,
aging aircraft, and dilapidated
hangars and warehouses.
But the long runways
and access roads
would make a good, safe
racing circuit.
Ulmann and the SCCA
mapped out a 3.5-mile circuit
and set plans for the
first Sebring race to be held
on New Year’s eve. Ulmann
planned a “Little Le Mans”
endurance race to be run
on a complicated handicapping
system called the
Index of Performance.
Sports car racing pioneer
Sam Collier was killed
during the running of the
Watkins Glen race of
September 1950. Thus, in
his honor the first Sebring
race was officially named
the “Sam Collier Memorial
Grand Prix of Endurance.”
It was decided that the
first Sebring was to be a sixhour
race, the first sports car
ALEC ULMANN,
Sebring Race Founder
endurance race ever held in the United States.
Among the top drivers entered were Jim Kimberly, Briggs Cunningham
(who had raced at Le Mans earlier in the year), Luigi Chinetti
(who won at Le Mans in 1949), Phil Walters, Bill Spear and Tommy
Cole. Among the field of
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