Sizzling Sebring serves up another points haul

Another bag full of a points and a weekend full of momentum-building meant that Darren Turner and his Heart of Racing team-mate Gray Newell came away from Rounds 5 and 6 of the GT World Challenge America at Sebring International Raceway fully satisfied that they and the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 are heading in the right direction.

Two seventh places collected under the searing Florida sun on the old military airfield track – complete with its famously fierce bumps undulating between the concrete slabs  that occupy sections of the 3.75-mile layout – may not seem such a big deal, but it was the feisty nature in which the duo got stuck into the fight that left Turner looking forward to future rounds of the series.

“We’ve definitely taken another step forward this weekend,” said Turner. “We were much closer to the pace and we were able to run in amongst the pack for much more of the race and manage the tyres a little better.  There is still some way to go before we are where we want to be, but we know we will get there and that’s a good feeling.”

Turner loves Sebring. He’s finished on the class podium multiple times in the world famous 12 Hours of Sebring and recorded a glorious victory on Aston Martin’s much-vaunted return to international competition in 2005 with the V12-powered DBR9. In fact, his last visit in 2020, with The Heart of Racing, saw him finish second in the 12 Hours’ GTD class.

“This place is brilliant,” said the multiple sportscar and endurance champion. “Even on a weekend away from IMSA or the FIA World Endurance Championship it buzzes with atmosphere… although I’ve never experienced it in the summer heat like this before. It’s definitely very hot!”

Newell qualified a strong fourth in the Pro-Am class, lining the Vantage up ninth overall for Race 1. But all his hard work was undone at the start of the race when the field bunched up overly slowly at the start and Newell’s car went into a false neutral as he changed between second and first. That dropped him to ninth in class and 13th overall.

He went on a charge and was back up to eighth in Pro Am by the end of the first lap, which became seventh when one of the BMWs pitted with damage. After that and until the stops, Newell clung on to the back of a five-car fight for third place in the class.

Running a lap longer than his rivals, Newell handed the car over to Turner, who emerged from the pits in sixth position. The Briton got his head down and delivered a typically dogged stint, but his tyres began to degrade in the heat and he was caught steadily by a rival Porsche.

“Gray did a brilliant job to keep us in the frame and I was comfortably running in sixth until the closing stages,” said Turner, who found himself defending with all his considerable guile from the Porsche.

“Unfortunately, he pushed me wide at Turn 10 and there was nothing I could do about that, so we dropped a place. After that it was a clear run home to another points finish at least.”

Turner started ninth in Pro Am for the second race on Sunday and made the most of fresh tyres to race up four positions to seventh in class by the end of the first lap. And that’s where he stayed for much of his stint, tucked up behind the Corvette.

“It felt like we had some good pace in my stint,” said Turner. “The car was the best it had felt so far in the season, and you can really tell we are making progress.”

Turner brought the car into the pits on lap 24 deep in the mix and, by this time running seventh overall as well as in class. Newell’s bad luck continued though as a slightly “slower-than-planned” stop dropped him back to eighth in class. He soon made his way back up to seventh however and engaged in a huge battle with another Aston Martin Vantage.

“It looked like Gray might have had the better of the other Aston as well,” said Turner, “but first a late-race Safety Car diminished any further opportunities.

“Overall, this was our strongest weekend yet. We’re learning and getting closer to the front. Sooner or later, we will understand it and unlock the secrets within the tyres. Hopefully that will be at Virginia next time out.”

Turner’s next GT World Challenge America race takes place at Virginia International Raceway on 18-20 July.