Sebring Thursday Notebook

Photo: John Dagys

***The opening two practice sessions have run remarkably clean, with the only notable issue coming from the No. 33 Riley/TI Automotive Dodge Viper GT3-R, which had a belt issue in the opening session. Both the No. 08 RSR Racing Oreca FLM09 and No. 48 Paul Miller Racing Audi R8 LMS also had minor setbacks.

***Thursday’s third and final practice session is on tap for 7:15 p.m. Each driver must complete a minimum of three laps in the one-and-only nighttime session to be eligible for Saturday’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

***RSR Racing’s Paul Gentilozzi told Sportscar365 that no decision has been made on whether to continue in the Prototype Challenge class past this weekend’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Gentilozzi said the team’s TUDOR Championship is on a race-to-race basis, as its proposed Pirelli World Challenge effort has been held up because of car availability.

***After issues at Daytona, the DeltaWing features a revised gearbox from EMCO this weekend. The internal structure of the six-speed unit has been strengthened, while the car reverts to its high downforce aero package for the first time this year. It features the same splitter and tail fin that debuted on the car in last year’s Petit Le Mans.

***Steve Dinan has sold his Dinan Engineering company in order to focus on his new role at Chip Ganassi Racing. The longtime engine builder, who worked with the Ganassi squad through its time running BMW engines, has been brought on to focus on the team’s future projects, widely believed to include the new factory Ford GT program.

***Longtime Dempsey Racing team strategist Jim Jordan has rejoined the team this weekend in a new role as marketing/PR manager for Patrick Dempsey. Jordan, who rose to fame in the “Patrick Dempsey Racing Le Mans” TV documentary series on Velocity, will also travel to all of the FIA WEC races this year.

***Madison Snow was named the recipient of the 21st Gorsline Scholarship award, awarded to up-and-coming drivers in the North American motorsports scene. The 19-year-old, driving for Wright Motorsports in GT Daytona, was among the finalists alongside fellow second-generation drivers Dylan Murry and Skylar Robinson. Matthew Brabham won the 2014 award.

***TRG-AMR will host a private track and testing event at Sebring on Tuesday, allowing the opportunity for prospective customers and clients to drive the Aston Martin Vantage V12 GT3 and Vantage GT4 cars.

***Chevrolet has been named the “Official Safety Truck of IMSA.” Chevrolet will provide Silverado 2500 HD trucks to be used at every TUDOR United SportsCar Championship event on a multi-year basis. IMSA’s Track Services personnel will utilize the trucks to respond to on-track incidents.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John