SEBRING, Fla., (March 18, 2018) — Before the start of the 12 Hours of Sebring, Paul Miller Racing driver Madison Snow remarked the consistency in lap times and clean driving would be the key to the team’s success in the 66th Annual Twelve Hours of Sebring. The young American was right, and in the end, it was exactly that which led to the team’s win at the legendary IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship event.
“What a great team effort,” said Team Owner Paul Miller. “Great job all the way around. Lamborghini’s support is paying off in a big way!”
Snow started the No. 48 TOTAL Lubricants/UIS Huracán GT3 in fifth position and made quick work at the drop of the green flag to bring the car up to third position in the first lap, setting up co-drivers Corey Lewis and Bryan Sellers to stay with the lead pack. In each driver’s first round of stints, they kept the car clear of damage or debris, adhering to the team strategy of keeping the car in a competitive spot to fight for the win in the final hours. With seven hours to go, the consistency paid off, and Sellers took the lead. When Snow took over for his second turn at the wheel, he quickly created a 12 second gap over Alvaro Parente’s Acura. The gap was quickly diminished in one of eleven cautions that plagued the race, and the No. 48 pitted under caution, rejoining with Corey Lewis at the wheel.
Dusk settled on the course and temperatures started to dip as Lewis then Snow kept the Lamborghini in the top five. A stream of caution periods dealt bad luck to many of the competitors, but the No. 48 team continued to avoid calamity and press on. With just over two hours remaining, Lewis and Snow completed their stints, sending Sellers off to finish the final hours of the race in the night hours. Sellers led the field to green, and spent the first laps of his stint fighting heavy pressure from the No. 33 Mercedes. Pit strategy played a key role, as each team fought for every second, and the No. 33 took the lead with just an hour remaining. Determined to earn his first Twelve Hours of Sebring win, Sellers made a daring pass on the outside of turn one on the No. 33, taking the position and never looking back. He quickly created a 3.6 second gap and expanded it until the end, taking the win.
The win not only marked the first Sebring victory for the team and driver trio, but also the first win for Lamborghini. After finishing in first with 321 laps complete, the No. 48 now sits at the top of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD championship standings, providing additional momentum into the rest of the season. The GTD championship resumes May 4-5 at Mid-Ohio SportsCar Course, a 2.4 road course in Lexington, Ohio. For schedule information, visit imsa.com.
Driver Quotes
Madison Snow
That was a great race. At the beginning of this weekend, we didn’t start near the top of charts because the track changed so much from our last test here. It took a lot of hard work to get the pace that we needed to have in order to compete at the top. You never really know what you have until the race starts, and with each stint the car was perfect. From the pit stand, to the garage, to my co-drivers, all of the guys did an amazing job. Sebring is truly an event like no other, and it’s amazing we got to celebrate this win tonight.
Corey Lewis
We just won Sebring! It’s a surreal feeling. Hats off to the entire Paul Miller Racing crew. They ran flawless strategy and the pit stops were spot on every single stop. Bryan and Madison made me feel right at home instantly. I’m so grateful for this opportunity.
Bryan Sellers
I’m so excited. It’s an honor to get to do this for the guys on the team. They go above and beyond, and it feels great to get this result for them and all their hard work. I love the guys I got to win with, and there’s not a lot else to say. The car was great, and we performed the best we could, and with the perfect strategy from the pit, it was the perfect win.
