EXPLORING SEBRING’S URBAN LEGENDS
You may have heard some of these stories
before from Sebring’s veteran race fans.
Some are bizarre, some are macabre, and
all make you say “only at Sebring.” Every
year we update this list we hear about more
and more strange Sebring stories. As best
as we can determine, here is the truth:
A child was born in Green Park during the
Sebring 12 hours:
FICTION
We have no evidence this ever happened.
Remember, we are talking about a child being
born in Green Park, not conceived. However,
children were born at this location when it was
the Hendricks Field military base.
Several cars started the 1955 Sebring 12
Hours without permission, sneaking on to
the track during the start.
FACT
Six drivers of reserve entries, unhappy they
were not allowed to start, decided to go on the
track at the start, they all did one or two laps
and then got off the track.
Even though there was no Sebring race in
1974, devoted fans showed up anyway.
FACT
The actual number of fans who showed up
that year is uncertain, estimated somewhere
between 2,000 and 5,000.
The Governor of Florida was once given a
tour on the Sebring circuit while the race
was going on.
FACT
In 1950 Sebring promoter Alec Ulmann took
Gov. Fuller Warren on a lap around the track
while the race was in progress!
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs drove in the
12 Hours of Sebring.
FICTION
He attended the race in 1980, but he never
drove in the race.
A Ford GT involved in a fatal accident back
in 1966 is buried at the track.
FACT
A Ford GT driven by Bob McLean, in
which he was killed during a fiery accident
approaching the hairpin in 1966, was buried
at nearby property. There was very little left of
the car. The remains of an Alfa Romeo also are
buried near the circuit. We’re not telling where.
Jim Morrison, lead singer for the Doors,
attended the Sebring 12 hours.
FACT
By all accounts, Morrison attended the 1962
and/or 1963 race. Remember, he was born
in Melbourne Florida and attended by St
Petersburg Junior College and Florida State
University.
Gene Hackman, James Brolin, Lorenzo
Lamas, Paul Newman, Steve McQueen,
Jackie Cooper, David Carradine and James
Garner are all actors who have driven in
the 12 Hours of Sebring.
FACT (except Garner)
Yes, they all did except Garner, who was a
car owner in the 1960s and attended Sebring
regularly but never drove in the race.
The race was once red-flagged because an
alligator was on the track.
FICTION
Alligators have made their way on to the track at
Sebring, but not during the race.
During the 1957 Sebring 12 Hours, Stirling
Moss slowed down at the Hairpin so
someone could handle him a cold bottle of
Cocoa-Cola.
FACT
Legendary photo journalist Bernard Cahier
handed Moss the Coke at the Hairpin, and on
the next lap Moss tossed the empty bottle!
Dale Earnhardt had a “secret” test in a
factory Corvette at Sebring shortly before
he died.
FACT
Earnhardt and his son Dale Jr. tested with the
Corvette team in December 2000.
The famous B-17 called “Memphis Belle”
landed at Hendricks Field during World
War II.
FACT
The Memphis Belle landed at Hendricks Field as
part of a War Bond drive and moral booster for
the crews training in Sebring.
A serial killer raced in the 12 Hours of
Sebring.
FACT
Christopher Wilder, later to be discovered as
the “Beauty Queen” serial killer, drove in the
1983 race. He was killed by police the following
year trying to cross the border into Canada.
The Sebring race was scheduled to
relocate to West Palm Beach in 1967.a
FACT
Yes, Alec Ulmann officially announced this but it
obviously never happened, in part due to heavy
rains that flooded the new track near West Palm
Beach a few months before the race. Ulmann
considered moving the race to Fort Lauderdale
in 1957.
When preparing for the construction of
the new pits in 1999, construction workers
found live WWII era ammunition from
Hendricks Field.
FICTION
Never happened. Nor did they find Jimmy Hoffa.
Roger Penske’s Chevrolet Lola was stolen
after the 1969 Sebring 12 Hours.
FACT
While towing the car back from Sebring, the
team stopped near Ormond Beach, where it
was stolen (most of it was eventually recovered).
A movie starring Robert Redford was
filmed at Sebring Raceway.
FACT
Portions of the 1975 movie “The Great Waldo
Pepper” were filmed at the Sebring Airport and
Raceway.
President Jimmy Carter frequently was a
spectator at Sebring.
FACT
It is well documented that Carter and his family
traveled to Sebring annually (long before he got
into politics) to attend the 12 hours.
Sebring Raceway is a “boneyard” of
pieces from defunct race tracks.
FACT (at least to some degree)
Bridges, fencing, tire barriers, lighting and other
equipment (including the now deceased scoring
tower) came from defunct races including the
original version of the St. Petersburg Grand
Prix, Tamiami Park Indy Car race, New Orleans
Grand Prix, Baltimore Grand Prix, World
Challenge of Tampa, Lakeland Speedway and
other tracks. We recycle!
The car that won the first ever race
at Sebring in 1950 was actually a
spectator’s car.
FACT
Read about Sebring’s first race on page 12.
One of the victims of the Charles Manson
family in 1969 was hair salon entrepreneur
Jay Sebring, who named himself after the
famous 12-hour race.
FACT
Sadly true. He real name was Thomas Kummer,
but he chose Jay “Sebring” because he liked
the name of the famous Florida sports car race.
Walter Cronkite once drove in the 12
Hours of Sebring.
FACT
The famous journalist drove a Lancia in the
1959 Sebring 12 Hours.
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