1970 12 Hours of Sebring

Sebring International Raceway in 1970

Ferrari 512 S

The 1970 12 Hours of Sebring was an endurance race held at the 5.2 mile (8.3 km) Sebring International Raceway, Sebring, Florida, United States on March 21, 1970. It was the twentieth running of the endurance classic and the second round of the 1970 World Sportscar Championship season.

Pre-race

With the 1969 to 1971 rules allowing sportscars with 5-litre-engines if at least 25 were made, which did Porsche early in 1969 with the Porsche 917 and Ferrari late in the year with the Ferrari 512S, up to 50 V12-powered race cars were available for the 1970 World Sportscar Championship endurance racing season, entered either by factory-backed teams, or by independent customers if they could find funding and pilots that could handle a 500+ hp car competitively for at least six hours, or up to 24h in some events.

John Wyer's Gulf-Porsche team had just come fresh off a 1-2 victory at the 1970 24 Hours of Daytona 7 weeks earlier. So far, Porsche was ahead in the championship against their only real rival, Ferrari. When the teams descended upon the isolated and very bumpy 5.2 mile Sebring airfield circuit in central Florida, qualifying was a mix of Ferraris and Porsches: American Mario Andretti qualified the #19 works Ferrari 512S Spyder on pole position at 121 mph at 2:33.5- 5 mph and 6.5 seconds faster than Chris Amon's time the year previous in a works 3-litre Ferrari 312P prototype and almost a second ahead of the #14 Jo Siffert/Brian Redman Gulf-Porsche 917K. Following them were the Porsche/Audi USA sponsored Porsche 917K driven by Vic Elford and Kurt Ahrens Jr., the #20 works Ferrari 512S Spyder of Jacky Ickx/Peter Schetty, the #15 Gulf-Porsche 917K of Pedro Rodríguez/Leo Kinnunen, and a NART-entered Ferrari 512S Spyder of Sam Posey/Ronnie Bucknum and the #21 works Ferrari 512S of Ignazio Giunti/Nino Vaccarella.

Race

The 1970 running is considered by many to be the best 12 Hours of Sebring ever. This was the first 12 Hours of Sebring where the cars used a rolling start, a procedure similar to the start which is used at the Indianapolis 500, and has been used at every Sebring 12 Hours to this day. Before 1970, the drivers did a traditional Le Mans start, but the events of the 1969 Le Mans race in which English driver John Woolfe was killed driving his Porsche 917 after a crash in which he did not have his seatbelts fastened led the governing body to ban Le Mans starts on grounds of safety.

A group of 5-liter entries led away; Andretti led from pole position, followed by Siffert, Elford, Ickx, Rodriguez and the rest of the field, which included works Matra and Alfa Romeo prototypes, running in the 3-liter class. There was an accident between two Lolas- Bob Brown in the #26 car would continue, but Mike De Udy in the other Lola would retire after just one lap.

Ickx then moved ahead of Elford into 3rd, behind Siffert and Andretti, the former setting a fastest lap of 2:32.77 in an effort to catch Andretti, and he did for 2 laps- but Andretti regained it then lost it again when he pitted for fuel and a driver change. Other teams stopped for fuel and driver changes, as Andretti switched out with Merzario and Siffert with Redman. The #19's stop dropped it down to 5th, and moments later, Redman brought in the #14 car with electrical trouble. It was a lengthy pitstop, and the car dropped down the order. The order now was the #15 Porsche 917K of Rodriguez/Kinnunen, #16 Porsche 917K of Elford/Ahrens Jr, and the 3 works Ferraris. Near the 3rd hour, Rodriguez brought the leading car into the pits with a puncture. Although they were able to change the punctured tire and send Rodriguez out again, it was 4 laps behind the leading #19 Ferrari. The #16 car crashed and was out of the race with irreparable suspension damage. The Porsche 917K's problems allowed all three works Ferraris to lead the field into the night. And running in 5th place was a Solar Productions/Gulf sponsored #48 Porsche 908/02 of movie star and racer Steve McQueen (whose leg was in a cast) and Peter Revson, who was battling with the #33 works Alfa Romeo T33/3 of Toine Hezemans/Masten Gregory.

When night fell, the #20 Ickx/Schetty Ferrari went out after 151 laps with a blown head gasket, and the #21 Giunti/Vaccarella car was in the pits being repaired. Although the #19 Andretti/Merzario was still leading, and the #14 Redman/Kinnunen car, which had suffered newly designed front hub failures previously which caused it to drop out of contention, was out after 211 laps due to accident damage (Kinnunen and Siffert had switched cars; Siffert was now driving with Rodriguez). Then, Andretti brought the leading car in with gearbox problems. Although Merzario took the car back out again in the lead, the second-placed #15 Rodriguez/Siffert Porsche 917K was coming back after being 12 laps down for a while they were able to make up most of this deficit after the #19 Ferrari was in the pits. The Solar Productions Porsche 908/02 was in 3rd and the #21 Giunti/Vaccarella car was in 4th. And at 9:46 p.m. The #19 Ferrari was out of the race, which put the Rodriguez/Siffert Porsche 917K in the lead and the McQueen/Revson car was in 2nd.

With 30 minutes remaining, one car still running and desperate for an overall victory, Ferrari team manager Mauro Forghieri decided to replace Giunti with the faster and more experienced Andretti in the #21 car. Although the #21 car was a lap behind; Andretti went out, and pushed very hard; unlapped himself and was making up time quickly on Siffert and Revson. But then all of a sudden, Siffert brought the #15 Gulf-Porsche 917K into the pits with front hub failure, the same problems which had stricken its sister car. This long pitstop allowed the Solar Productions Porsche 908/02 to take 1st- but Andretti had managed to pass Revson and take the lead back. But all of a sudden Andretti brought the car back into the pits for fuel- and the McQueen/Revson Porsche took the lead once again. But Andretti was not about to give up so easily – with only 1 lap to go he stormed out of the pits and chased down Revson, and at the end of the 5.2-mile lap Andretti crossed the line first, with Revson second (who managed to score a 3-liter class win), Masten Gregory in the #33 Alfa was third and the #15 Gulf-Porsche was fourth. Of the 68 cars that started the race, the brutal Sebring circuit managed to whittle the field down to 28 cars.

Official results

Pos	Class	No	Team	Drivers	Chassis	Engine	Laps
1	S 5.0	21	SpA Ferrari SEFAC	Ignazio Giunti Nino Vaccarella Mario Andretti	Ferrari 512 S	Ferrari 5.0L V12	248
2	P 3.0	48	Solar Productions	Steve McQueen Peter Revson	Porsche 908/02	Porsche 3.0L Flat-8	248
3	P 3.0	33	Autodelta SpA	Toine Hezemans Masten Gregory	Alfa Romeo T33/3	Alfa Romeo 3.0L V8	247
4	S 5.0	15	John Wyer Automotive Engineering	Pedro Rodriguez Leo Kinnunen Jo Siffert	Porsche 917K	Porsche 4.5L Flat-12	244
5	P 3.0	34	Equipe Matra-Simca	Henri Pescarolo Johnny Servoz-Gavin	Matra-Simca MS650	Matra 3.0L V12	242
6	P 3.0	22	North American Racing Team (NART)	Mike Parkes Chuck Parsons	Ferrari 312 P Coupe	Ferrari 3.0L V12	240
7	P 3.0	46	Martini International	Gerhard Koch Gérard Larrousse Richard Attwood	Porsche 908/02	Porsche 3.0L Flat-8	236
8	P 3.0	31	Autodelta SpA	Piers Courage Andrea de Adamich	Alfa Romeo T33/3	Alfa Romeo 3.0L V8	231
9	P 3.0	32	Autodelta SpA	Rolf Stommelen Nanni Galli	Alfa Romeo T33/3	Alfa Romeo 3.0L V8	230
10	GT +5.0	1	Troy Promotions, Inc.	Tony DeLorenzo Dick Lang	Chevrolet Corvette	Chevrolet 7.0L V8	219
11	GT +5.0	3	Bob Johnson	Bob Johnson Robert R. Johnson Jim Greendyke	Chevrolet Corvette	Chevrolet 7.0L V8	214
12	P 3.0	35	Equipe Matra-Simca	Dan Gurney François Cevert	Matra-Simca MS650	Matra 3.0L V12	213
13	GT 2.0	53	Brumos Porsche-Audi	Peter Gregg Pete Harrison	Porsche 911T	Porsche 2.0L Flat-6	205
14	T 5.0	40	Takondo Racing	Vince Gimondo Chuck Dietrich	Chevrolet Camaro	Chevrolet 5.0L V8	203
15	GT 2.0	52	Jacques Duval	Jacques Duval Bob Bailey George Nicolas	Porsche 911T	Porsche 2.0L Flat-6	201
16	T 5.0	39	Bob Mitchell	Bob Mitchell Charlie Kemp	Chevrolet Camaro	Chevrolet 5.0L V8	191
17	GT +5.0	9	Mamie Reynolds Gregory	Bob Grossman Don Yenko	Chevrolet Camaro	Chevrolet 7.0L V8	189
18	T 5.0	95	Bruce Behrens Racing	John Tremblay Bill McDill	Chevrolet Camaro	Chevrolet 5.0L V8	187
19	P 2.0	73	Ring Free Oil Racing	Janet Guthrie Rosemary Smith Judy Kondratiff	Austin-Healey Sprite	BMC 1.3L I4	187
20	GT +5.0	2	Troy-Promotions, Inc.	Jerry Thompson John Mahler	Chevrolet Corvette	Chevrolet 7.0L V8	187
21	T 5.0	91	Flem-Car Enterprises	Jim Corwin Donna Mae Mims	Chevrolet Camaro	Chevrolet 5.0L V8	184
22	T 5.0	92	Preston Hood	John Elliott Don Gwynne Jr.	Chevrolet Camaro	Chevrolet 5.0L V8	182
23	T 2.0	50	Nationwide Food Brokers	Mike Rahal Hugh Wise Werner Frank	Porsche 906	Porsche 1.9L Flat-6	181
24	T 5.0	37	Collins-Wilson Racing	Vincent P. Collins Larry Wilson	Ford Mustang	Ford 4.7L V8	175
25	GT 2.0	57	Waldron Motors	John Belpreche Jim Gammon Ray Mummery	MGB	BMC 1.8L I4	175
26	GT 2.0	58	Waldron Motors	Ben Scott Dave Houser Lowell Lanier	MGB	BMC 1.8L I4	169
27	T 5.0	18	Paul Pettey	Paul Pettey Roy Hallquist	Ford Mustang	Ford 4.7L V8	162
28	T 2.0	80	Texas Speed Museum	Rod Kennedy Mike Tillson Robert Samm	Lancia Fulvia HF	Lancia 1.3L V4	157
29 NC	P 2.0	54	Automobiles of Italy	Anatoly Artunoff Bill Pryor	Abarth 2000SP	Abarth 2.0L I4	166
30 NC	S 3.0	51	Porsche-Audi	Stephen Behr Merv Rosen	Porsche 906	Porsche 1.9L Flat-6	158
31 NC	S 3.0	63	Carlos Fabre	Carlos Fabre Pepe Aguilar	Chevron B8	BMW 1.9L I4
32 NC	S 5.0	26	Randy's Auto Body Shop	Bobby Brown Gregg Young Robin Ormes	Lola T70 Mk.3B	Chevrolet 5.0L V8	114
33 NC	T 2.0	84	HCAS	Walter Brown Joe Marcus Jim R. Sandman	BMW 2002	BMW 2.0L I4	105

Did Not Finish

Class	No	Team	Drivers	Chassis	Engine	Laps	Reason
P 3.0	47	Racing Team AAW	Hans Laine Gijs van Lennep	Porsche 908/02	Porsche 3.0L Flat-8	229	Unknown
S 5.0	19	SpA Ferrari SEFAC	Mario Andretti Arturo Merzario	Ferrari 512 S Spyder	Ferrari 5.0L V12	227	Gearbox
S 5.0	14	John Wyer Automotive Engineering	Jo Siffert Brian Redman Leo Kinnunen	Porsche 917K	Porsche 4.5L Flat-12	211	Accident damage
GT +5.0	8	Or Costanzo	Dave Heinz Or Costanzo	Chevrolet Corvette	Chevrolet 7.0L V8	191	Unknown
GT +5.0	4	John Greenwood	John Greenwood Allan Barker	Chevrolet Corvette	Chevrolet 7.0L V8	159	Clutch
S 5.0	20	SpA Ferrari SEFAC	Jacky Ickx Peter Schetty	Ferrari 512 S Spyder	Ferrari 5.0L V12	151	Engine (Head gasket)
GT 2.0	56	British Leyland Motors, Inc.	Jon Woodner Dan O'Connor	MG Midget	BMC 1.3L I4	122	Oil pressure
S 5.0	29	Auto Enterprises	Ray Heppenstall Francis C. Grant	Ford GT40 Mk.I	Ford 4.9L V8	117	Rear axle
S 5.0	24	North American Racing Team (NART)	Sam Posey Ronnie Bucknum Bert Everett	Ferrari 512 S Spyder	Ferrari 5.0L V12	92	Fuel pump
GT 2.0	55	British Leyland Motors, Inc.	Merle Brennan Logan Brennan	MG Midget	BMC 1.3L I4	84	Oil line
GT +2.0	82	General Plastics	Robert Clark Wayne Marsula	Lancia Fulvia HF	Lancia 2.0L V4	78	Engine (valve)
GT 2.0	77	Jennings/Keyser	Bruce Jennings Bob Tullius	Porsche 911T	Porsche 2.0L Flat-6	78	Engine
GT 2.0	69	Harry Theodoracopoulos	Paul Spruell Wilbur Pickett	Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider	Alfa Romeo 1.75L I4	75	Electrical
P 2.0	61	Ring Free Oil Racing	Jim Baker Clive Baker	Chevron B16	Ford-Cosworth FVC 1.8L I4	70	Engine (crankshaft)
S 5.0	16	Porsche-Audi United States	Vic Elford Kurt Ahrens Jr.	Porsche 917K	Porsche 4.5L Flat-12	61	Accident damage
P 3.0	23	North American Racing Team (NART)	Tony Adamowicz Luigi Chinetti Jr.	Ferrari 312 P Coupe	Ferrari 3.0L V12	56	Overheating
T 2.0	88	Simone Fleming	Paul Fleming Amos Johnson Bill Bowers	Fiat 124	Fiat 1.4L I4	49	DSQ (Poor driving)
P 2.0	67	Sports Motors	Jim Bandy Fred Stevenson	Lotus Europa	Ford 1.6L I4	48	Rear hub carrier
T +2.0	38	Dave McClain	Don Kearney Joie Chitwood	Chevrolet Camaro	Chevrolet 5.0L V8	47	Engine
T +2.0	41	Laurel Racing	Larry Brock Larry Dent	Chevrolet Camaro	Chevrolet 5.0L V8	40	Oil leak
P 2.0	62	Chevron Cars Ltd	Brian Robinson Hugh Kleinpeter	Chevron B16	Ford-Cosworth FVC 1.8L I4	38	Accident
GT 2.0	74	Ralph Meaney	Ralph Meaney Bill Bean	Porsche 911S	Porsche 2.0L Flat-6	36	Engine
GT +5.0	5	William A. Schumacher	Bill Schumacher Bill Petree	Chevrolet Corvette	Chevrolet 7.0L V8	34	Engine
P 3.0	45	Martini International	Richard Attwood Gérard Larrousse	Porsche 908/02	Porsche 3.0L Flat-8	31	DSQ (Outside assistance)
S 5.0	17	Porsche-Audi United States	Hans Herrmann Rudi Lins	Porsche 917K	Porsche 4.5L Flat-12	28	Engine
T 2.0	87	Robert Whitaker	Robert Whitaker Harvey Eckoff Jack Slottag	Volvo 122 S	Volvo 1.8L I4	25	Oil pressure
S 5.0	30	Trevor Graham	Piers Forrester Andrew Hedges	Ford GT40 Mk.I	Ford 4.9L V8	22	Engine
S 3.0	49	Sepp Greger	Sepp Greger Andreas Schmalbach	Porsche 910	Porsche 1.9L Flat-6	22	Engine
T 5.0	14	Ray Cuomo Racing	Ray Cuomo Bernard Gimbel George Lissberg	Ford Mustang	Ford 4.7L V8	16	Transmission
T 2.0	86	Sandy's Spares	Ronald D. Polimeni Robert Theall	Volvo 122 S	Volvo 1.8L I4	8	Engine (piston)
GT +5.0	7	Bruce Morehead Racing	Bruce Morehead Milo Vega	AMC AMX	AMC 6.4L V8	8	Engine
GT 2.0	60	Herrington Motors	Robert Kilpatrick Don Goodrich	MGB	BMC 1.8L I4	7	Massive accident
P 2.0	59	Waldron Motors	Reggie Smith Jr. Dean Donley Omar Buttari	MG Midget	BMC 1.8L I4	2	Engine
T 2.0	79	Del Russo Taylor	Del Russo Taylor Buzz Dyer Hank Sheldon	Alfa Romeo GTV 1750	Alfa Romeo 1.75L I4	2	Engine
S 5.0	27	Grand Bahama Racing Team	Mike De Udy Mike Hailwood	Lola T70 Mk.3B	Chevrolet 5.0L V8	1	Brakes

Statistics

• Pole position: #19 SpA Ferrari SEFAC Ferrari 512S Spyder (Mario Andretti/Arturo Merzario)- 2:33.5 (121.970 mph/196.254 km/h)
• Fastest lap: #14 John Wyer Automotive Engineering Porsche 917K (Jo Siffert)- 2:32.77 (122.497 mph/197.102 km/h)
• Distance: 2075.410 km (1281.117 miles)
• Average Speed: 172.667 km/h (106.584 mph)
• Weather conditions: Sunny