The Download: Sebring International Raceway

Subtitle:Notes And Quotes From The Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida

Action Express Racing continues to roll up impressive numbers.

Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi and Sebastien Bourdais clicked off 340 circuits in the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Corvette DP – leading 246 of them – to score their fourth TUDOR United SportsCar Championship victory in Saturday’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida.The team has logged a perfect 10,415 miles in TUDOR Championship competition – dating back to their victory in the inaugural event, the 2014 Rolex 24 At Daytona. Action Express has been the lone team to complete every lap since Wayne Taylor Racing finished one lap down in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen.

The last time the team finished off the lead lap was in the 2013 GRAND-AM Rolex Series season-ending race at Lime Rock, where they retired with engine problems and finished last in the DP field. Last year, they won three races and finished off the podium on only three occasions, with their worst finish sixth at Belle Isle.Currently, all systems are go for a repeat in both the TUDOR Championship and Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup, with the team and drivers leading their respective standings in both categories. What’s in a Name? Action Express Racing team owner Bob Johnson was asked about his new sponsor at Sunday morning’s Breakfast with IMSA at Sebring’s Chateau Elan. Johnson explained that Mustang Sampling designs and manufactures sample conditioning systems and products that enhance the accuracy of sampling systems with patented features that are world renown throughout the liquid and natural gas industries. “It’s not a well-known name now,” Johnson said. “We hope to make it a well-known name.”Double Agent: Sebastien Bourdais enjoys balancing open-wheel IndyCar with TUDOR Championship sports cars.“I’ve had a double life in racing for many years,” Bourdais said. “It’s been quite a ride with Action Express Racing. We’ve accomplished a lot since last year’s Rolex 24. I love driving different cars, and I feel that has made me a better driver.”It was Bourdais’ fourth overall podium at Sebring, following two seconds and a third. He was the fastest overall qualifier in 2014, and had the fastest race lap in both 2009 and 2010. He also won the GT2 class in 2006, driving a Panoz Esperante GTLM.“It’s been a place that has been very mean to me many times,” Bourdais recalled. “I remember losing here with Peugeot when we got a puncture with just two hours to go.”Winning left him speechless: When Mario Farnbacher took the checkered flag to claim GT Daytona (GTD) class honors on Saturday, Alex Riberas was ready to give a big shout-out to his Team Seattle – The Heart of Racing teammate.He didn’t though. The Barcelona driver suddenly found himself unable to speak. Riberas attempted his best Vito Corleone imitation through post-race interviews and on Sunday morning’s breakfast. “This is my first win in America, and I hope the first of many more with this great team,” he whispered.The three Alex Job Racing drivers were bearded for the event. “We all grew beards after having a bad Daytona to change our luck,” said James, who won Sebring for the third time, but 10 years to the day from his most recent victory there.It was car owner Alex Job’s 20th anniversary of his first Sebring triumph, while extending his record to 10 team victories. (Corvette Racing remains close, winning for the ninth time.)“Sebring feels even longer than Daytona. … It’s amazing that the cars can take the pounding that they do and survive,” Job said.Red Goes Green: The No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia not only collected its first podium finish of the season, with Pierre Kaffer, Giancarlo Fisichella and Andrea Bertolini overcoming overheating issues to place second. The team also won the DEKRA Green Challenge Award, given to the team exhibiting the cleanest, fastest and most efficient performance.“In my cockpit all the lights were on – it was like a Christmas tree,” Kaffer said. “We finished second today because we are such a patient team that sticks together and never gives up. I’m really looking forward to Long Beach.”Best Quote of the Weekend: “Big puff of smoke is either an engine or a new pope. Sadly for us, it’s the former.” Damien Faulkner, No. 81 Tully’s Coffee/ONE DROP Porsche 911 GT America