Sebring 12 Hours: Herbert wins

"It's fantastic," said Herbert. "We had lots of problems, but to be here in victory circle, it's good."

Herbert, who will drive with the works Audi squad again at Le Mans, was happy that his closest challenger was the privateer Champion Audi, which he will drive in the rest of the ALMS series. His co-driver Capello was also happy, but reflected on last year when he won with Michele Alboreto.

"It feels great to win," said Dindo, "But I can't help thinking about standing here on the podium with Michele last year in what turned out to be his last victory. I have a heavy heart and a happy heart."

Herbert and Pescatori were winners at Sebring for the first time. Jim Matthews, Guy Smith and Marc Goossens finished third in a Riley & Scott-Elan prototype after there was late heartbrake for the Panoz crew led by Bryan Herta. A major brake problem less then 30 minutes from the finish of the race dropped them from third to eighth.

"I am really disappointed because the boys had worked so hard to make this happen but it wasn't to be," said Herta. "It would have been great for the crowd to have an all-American crew on the podium but we will have to come back and get them next year."

Jon Field, Duncan Dayton and Michael Durand took class honors in the LMP 675 class for smaller prototypes, finishing seventh overall.

Ron Fellows, Johnny O'Connell and Oliver Gavin drove a Chevrolet Corvette C5-R to victory in the GTS class. Sascha Maassen and Lucas Luhr led all the way to take the GT class in a Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Luhr won for the third straight year and Maassen the second.


1, Christian Pescatori/Rinaldo Capello/Johnny Herbert, works Audi R8
2, Andy Wallace/Jan Lammers/Stefan Johansson, Champion Audi R8, -1 lap
3, Guy Smith/Marc Goossens/Jim Matthews, Riley & Scott MkIIIC, -9 laps
4, James Weaver/Butch Leitzinger/E Forbes-Robinson, Dyson Riley & Scott, -16 laps
5, Tom Kristensen /Frank Biela/Emanuele Pirro, works Audi R8, -19 laps
6, Ben Collins/Christian Vann/Justin Wilson, Ascari, -23 laps
7, Michael Durand/Jon Field/Duncan Dayton, Intersport Lola EX257, -23laps
8, Bryan Herta/David Donohue/Bill Auberlen, works Panoz LMP01, -27 laps
9, Johnny O'Connell/Ron Fellows/Oliver Gavin, works Chevrolet Corvette, -29 laps
10, Franz Konrad/Toni Seiler/Terry Borcheller, Konrad Saleen S7R, -37 laps