Following successful testing and qualifying sessions earlier in the week on the 3.74-mile 17-turn airfield circuit at the Sebring International Raceway, Level 5 Motorsports is celebrating victory in the  No. 551 LMP2 HPD ARX-03b ALMS 12 Hours of Sebring season opener thanks to Marino Franchitti and co-drivers Ryan Briscoe and Scott Tucker, team owner. Ryan Hunter-Reay, Simon Pagenaud and Scott Tucker finished right beind them in the No. 552 car.

It was a perfect culmination to an amazing week for Marino who became a proud father to his baby son, Luca, born just one week ago. The win here today also breaks the run of four second-placed podiums, which Marino has previously enjoyed at Sebring, and it couldn’t have been a more fitting way to run the last Sebring 12-hour race held under the auspices of the American Le Mans Series:

“What a fantastic week it has been for me, to have the birth of our first child and now to win Sebring 12 hours, I almost have to pinch myself. I've been second here so many times, it feels so special to finally get the victory. Thank you to the whole Level 5 team and my team mates Scott Tucker and Ryan Briscoe, they all performed faultlessly and it was a pleasure to be a part of the team. Now I can't wait to get home to see my wife and meet my son Luca!”

The sun shone brightly as the green flag fell on the 12-hour race here at 10:45 AM Saturday morning with Scott Tucker running the first three hours and 20 minutes to fulfil his driver time in the No. 551 car leaving Marino and Ryan to complete the rest of the race. Briscoe was next up in the driver rotation taking the car over fourth in class. He ran solidly until 5:25 PM when he brought the car into the pit on lap 166, first in LMP2 class, for Marino to get behind the wheel.

Marino completed almost 100 laps, retaining the lead throughout his triple stint, before handing it back to Briscoe, but not before setting the fastest race lap in the No. 551 car with a time of 1:52.772. Ryan then ran faultlessly until 45 minutes from the end leaving Marino to cruise to victory. It could not have been a smoother or more dominant run for the No. 551 LMP2 Level 5 Motorsports car, which not only won its class, but finished sixth overall in the 42-car field.

Photo: Dan Boyd