Last season, Action Express Racing embarked on the 63rd annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in 2015 with team manager Gary Nelson’s “Expect to Win” philosophy, and at the end of 12 hours, the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Chevrolet Corvette Daytona Prototype pulled into victory lane after winning North America’s oldest endurance event. The victory was the first overall win for Chevrolet in 50-years at Sebring and served as a catalyst for a second-straight Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup title.
“Sebring was one of the major sports car events that we hadn’t won yet,” said Nelson. “We were close in 2014, winning our first pole award as a team and running a very competitive race. Last year the Mustang Sampling Corvette DP ran a flawless 12 hours and we were able to win one of the biggest events of the season.”
The margin of victory for Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi and then co-driver Sébastien Bourdais was an entire lap; a team owner Bob Johnson says might not have happened had the team’s No. 31 Whelen Engineering Corvette DP not had a mid-race setback when a loose wheel came off following a pit stop.
“We had two really good race cars here last year,” said Johnson. “It was unfortunate that we had the problem on the Whelen Corvette DP because it really eliminated the opportunity to put both of our cars on the podium. We have what we believe are the two fastest and most effective pit crews in the paddock, and we’re certainly confident in our Chevrolet power from ECR Engines. Hopefully we’re able to repeat as champions of the event and capture a second podium position with our team this year.”
While Action Express Racing will return with their same four full-season drivers for the 64th annual Twelve Hours of Sebring, both the team’s Corvette DPs will feature new co-drivers.
Filipe Albuquerque will pilot the defending race-winning Mustang Sampling Corvette DP with defending series and race champions João Barbosa and Christian Fittipaldi, while Scott Pruett, the 2014 race winner, will join Dane Cameron and Eric Curran in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Corvette DP.
Action Express Racing will begin their title pursuit of a second victory in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours by taking part in the IMSA sanctioned test February 25-26 at Sebring International Raceway. Teams from IMSA’s WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will be on track both days beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET.
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