Sebring International Raceway
Sebring International Raceway at a glance
- Location
- Sebring, Florida
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 3.74 mi (6.019 km)
- Turns
- 17
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- mixed asphalt and original WWII concrete runway
- Opened
- 1950
- Owner
- NASCAR (via IMSA Holdings, LLC)
- Address
- 113 Midway Drive
- Phone
- +1 863-655-1442
- Website
- sebringraceway.com
Track map and layout
Sebring's defining trait is its surface: roughly a fifth of the 3.74-mile lap still runs across the original WWII-era concrete runways and taxiways of Hendricks Army Airfield, and the seams between old concrete slabs and newer asphalt patches make it one of the bumpiest, most unforgiving circuits in professional racing. The layout is fast and flowing by airport-circuit standards, built around long straights connected by a mix of sweeping, wide corners and a couple of genuine set-piece braking zones, most notably the tight right-hand Hairpin. Turn 17, a long, high-speed right-hander onto the front straight, is famous for how the bumps under braking and acceleration unsettle cars just when drivers need the most grip. The combination of speed, bumps, and heat makes Sebring one of the toughest tests in endurance racing.
Named corners and sections
- The Hairpin (Turn 7). A tight right-hand hairpin that is Sebring's main heavy-braking zone and a traditional overtaking spot, bordered by the famous Green Park camping area.
- Green Park Chicane / Webster Turn area. A fast chicane-and-straight sequence replacing the old Webster Turn since 1967, running past the Green Park infield camping zone toward the runway section.
- Turn 17. A long, high-speed right-hander wide enough for cars to run three abreast onto the front straight, notorious for its bumpy concrete surface under load.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix Road Course (Full Course) | 3.74 mi | 17-turn layout used for the 12 Hours of Sebring and all major professional racing |
| School Circuit | 2 mi | shorter configuration used for driving schools |
| Johnson Club Circuit | 1.7 mi | shortest club configuration |
Events and race weekends
Sebring's calendar is built around one legendary weekend: the 12 Hours of Sebring in March, the season-opening endurance classic of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and paired with the FIA World Endurance Championship's 1000 Miles of Sebring in several seasons, most recently 2023. Widely regarded by drivers as harder on cars and crews than Le Mans because of the bumpy surface and Florida heat, it draws teams and fans from around the world. Outside that weekend, Sebring hosts club racing, HPDE events, and testing throughout the cooler months.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Hours of Sebring | IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship | March | the marquee event, run since 1952; shared the weekend with WEC's 1000 Miles of Sebring in several seasons up to 2023 |
Getting there and parking
Sebring is a small central Florida city about 85 miles south of Orlando. Most out-of-state visitors fly into Orlando or Tampa and drive to the track, since there is no major commercial airport nearby. The 12 Hours weekend brings the biggest traffic surge of the year on the two-lane roads into town.
- Orlando International Airport (MCO) · about 90 min drive
- Tampa International Airport (TPA) · about 90 min drive
Parking
General parking is included with most tickets; reserved trackside parking and camping spaces at specific turns sell out ahead of the 12 Hours and should be booked well in advance.
Book accommodation and camping for the 12 Hours of Sebring months ahead, as the small town of Sebring fills up completely for race week.
Hotels and camping near Sebring International Raceway
The town of Sebring has limited hotel stock for a race that draws a huge international crowd, so many fans camp on-site or stay in nearby Highlands County towns and drive in. On-site camping, especially in the legendary Green Park infield area near the Hairpin, is a core part of the 12 Hours experience.
Where to look
The town of Sebring itself has limited options; visitors also look to Lake Placid, Avon Park, and towns along US-27 for additional lodging during the 12 Hours weekend.
Camping
Trackside camping is available at numerous named turns around the circuit, with Green Park near the Hairpin being the most famous and rowdy infield camping tradition in American endurance racing.
RV
Reserved RV areas including Crosley Valley and Flightline offer power and water hookups; an external RV/tent lot at Carroll Shelby Road and Madrid is also available for a fee.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Sebring hosts a full calendar of HPDE and club racing events outside of its two big endurance weekends, run by organizations including NASA's Florida region and the Porsche Club of America's Suncoast region. The bumpy concrete sections make Sebring a genuinely different challenge from typical smooth asphalt circuits and a popular destination for serious track-day drivers.
Who runs days here
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outright (LMP1) | 1:41.800 | Kamui Kobayashi | Toyota TS050 Hybrid | 2019 |
| IMSA GTP (historic) | 1:49.616 | Geoff Brabham | Nissan NPT-91 | 1992 |
Spectator guide
Sebring's flat airport terrain means most spectator areas are trackside general admission rather than elevated grandstands, and the atmosphere at named turns like the Hairpin and Green Park is as much about the infield camping party as the racing. Reserved trackside parking and camping packages at individual turns are the most sought-after tickets for the 12 Hours.
Seating
A mix of grandstands near the start/finish straight and extensive general-admission and reserved trackside camping areas around the rest of the lap.
Best places to watch
The Hairpin and adjacent Green Park are the classic gathering spots for atmosphere; Turn 17 offers a fast, technical viewing point onto the front straight.
Weather
- March: 12 Hours weekend typically sees warm days in the 80s°F with high humidity, occasional rain
History of Sebring International Raceway
From bomber base to racetrack
Sebring International Raceway occupies the former Hendricks Army Airfield, a World War II training base for B-17 bomber crews in central Florida. After the war, Russian-American engineer Alec Ulmann saw the network of runways and taxiways as the ideal canvas for an American answer to France's Le Mans, and the first race was held on the airfield on New Year's Eve, 1950. The 12 Hours of Sebring followed in 1952 and has run nearly every year since, becoming one of the oldest and most respected endurance races in the world.
A brutal, beloved layout
Because so much of the original circuit still runs across the wartime concrete runways, Sebring earned a reputation as one of the bumpiest, most physically demanding tracks anywhere, a character the track has deliberately preserved even as safety and layout changes reshaped individual corners over the decades. The Webster Turn was replaced by the faster Green Park Chicane in 1967, and the layout has been adjusted several times since, but the core airport-circuit identity, flat and fast with brutal surface changes, has never gone away. The track briefly hosted a round of the Formula One World Championship in 1959, the only time F1 has raced at Sebring.
Present day
Today Sebring is the traditional season opener for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and, when the calendars align, the FIA World Endurance Championship, drawing a global field for a race widely considered harder on cars and drivers than Le Mans itself because of the heat and the bumps. Outside the big March weekend, the circuit stays busy with club racing, HPDE track days, and testing, while the Green Park infield camping tradition near the Hairpin remains one of the most storied fan gatherings in American motorsport.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Sebring International Raceway?+
The Grand Prix Road Course is 3.74 miles (6.019 km) with 17 turns.
Why is Sebring so bumpy?+
Roughly a fifth of the lap still runs across the original WWII-era concrete runways and taxiways of Hendricks Army Airfield, and the seams between old and new pavement create some of the harshest bumps in professional racing.
When is the 12 Hours of Sebring?+
It is held annually in March and serves as the traditional season-opening endurance race for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Is there camping at Sebring?+
Yes. Trackside camping is available at numerous named turns, with the Green Park area near the Hairpin being the most famous infield camping and party tradition at the 12 Hours.
Can you do a track day at Sebring?+
Yes, NASA's Florida region, the Porsche Club of America's Suncoast region, and other HPDE organizers run regular track days on the circuit's bumpy concrete-and-asphalt surface.
What is the closest airport to Sebring Raceway?+
Orlando International Airport and Tampa International Airport are both roughly 90 minutes' drive away; there is no major commercial airport in Sebring itself.
Other tracks nearby
- Palm Beach International Raceway · 74 mi · road course
- Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg · 81 mi · street circuit
- Daytona International Speedway · 121 mi · road course & oval
- Miami International Autodrome (Miami Grand Prix) · 124 mi · street circuit
- Homestead-Miami Speedway · 150 mi · oval
- The FIRM (Florida International Rally & Motorsport Park) · 169 mi · road course
Facts checked against 6 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-09.