Porsches Top CTSC Sebring Test

A pair of Porsches topped the time charts on Tuesday and Wednesday during a two-day IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge test at Sebring International Raceway.

Hugh Plumb ran a lap of 2:16.737 in the No. 13 Rum Bum Porsche 911 co-driven by his brother Matt to lead the GS competitors.

“We learned a lot when we raced here last year, but Sebring is always a different animal when you come back,” Hugh Plumb said.

“It’s a rough track, without a lot of mechanical grip. In the limited time we had on Tuesday, we learned enough to make us feel good for when we come back next month. The Rum Bum guys are always working in the right direction – they’re never complacent with what we have.”

Fastest in ST was Andy Lee in the No. 22 Kris Wright Racing with Goldcrest Motorsports Porsche Cayman co-driven by Kris Wright.

Both fast times were set in the dry Tuesday morning session, with the Tuesday afternoon practice and extended Wednesday afternoon sessions marred by periods of heavy rain which limited track time.

A total of eight cars took part in the two-day test, an entry that will not be representative of the 30+ cars expected for next month’s round at the historic airfield circuit.

RESULTS: Test Session 1
RESULTS: Test Session 2
RESULTS: Test Session 3

News & Notes:

***Robin Liddell was in a unique position, testing all three Porsches that Rebel Rock Racing brought to the test. The 2015 GS champion took laps in the No. 6 Porsche 911 in GS and the No. 7 and No. 8 Caymans in ST. “It was kind of fun, but I was amazed when I looked at the time sheet and saw I had three of the fastest times,” he said.

***The No. 99 Automatic Racing Aston Martin Vantage, driven by Charles Espenlaub, also was in attendance. “We made a lot of positive changes early on in the test,” said team owner David Russell. “Then we made some changes that weren’t positive, but we’re learning a lot. We got a lot done here in a relatively short amount of time.”

***Trent Hindman, the 2014 GS champion in a Fall-Line Motorsports BMW, took his first laps in the No. 12 Bodymotion Racing Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport that he will co-drive in GS competition with Cameron Cassels. “We learned quite a bit about this car, even though we didn’t get in as many laps as we’d hoped because of the weather,” Hindman said.

***Opening Continental Tire Challenge practice at Sebring will be held at 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday, March 16. Round 2 of the 2016 season takes the green flag at 1:05 p.m. on Friday, March 18.

The test continues on Thursday and Friday with a large contingent of IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competitors, preparing for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.