RacingNation.com

Mr. Sebring

2016 Sebring Hall of Fame inductee Tom Kristensen. [Photo by Jack Webster]

2016 Sebring Hall of Fame inductee Tom Kristensen. [Photo by Jack Webster]

By Jack Webster & Eddie LePine

Everybody knows Tom Kristensen for his outstanding 9 overall victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Equally impressive, and perhaps even more so, are his 6 overall wins at the 12 Hours of Sebring. Sebring is considered by many in motorsports to be the toughest test of man and machine in endurance racing, and the legendary Tom Kristensen has excelled at the historic Florida track. In addition to his 6 overall wins, Tom has finished on the podium 9 times. And he has done all of this in only 13 starts in the 12 Hours. It is a record that will be very hard to beat.

After winning overall in 1999 for BMW, the balance of Tom’s wins came for Audi, the brand he is most associated with over the course of his career. He followed up that 1999 victory with wins for Audi in 2000, 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2012.

In racking up those victories for Audi, he did it in all of their famous racing prototype models: the R8, R10, R15 and R18.

In addition to his 6 overall victories (the most ever for a driver at Sebring), he also has one class win (2008). On top of that, Tom recorded a record 4 fastest race laps in races at Sebring as well.

It takes a true champion to win at Sebring, and many drivers of note have tried and failed to take the top step on the podium there over the years. To win at Sebring once is tough enough, to win more than once requires something very special in a driver and a team. The great Mario Andretti won Sebring 3 times along with other driving legends including Phil Hill, Hans Stuck and Olvier Gendebien. Hans Herrmann, Jacky Ickx and Brian Redman each won twice. The only drivers to win more than three times are all Audi pilots, and of those, Tom Kristensen tops the list at 6 wins.

One man, 6 overall wins, 1 class win, 4 fastest race laps. It is no wonder that in 2016, Tom Kristensen will be inducted into the Sebring Hall of Fame.

American racing fans should make it a point to get to the 2016 edition of the 12 Hours of Sebring. Not only is it the toughest endurance contest on the planet and the race itself will be outstanding, but you will get one more chance to say hello to a true legend who walks among us and thank him for all that he has contributed to motorsports over the years.

Congratulations to Tom Kristensen for a well deserved honor. See you at Sebring.

Share Button