Professional race car driver Mark Wilkins of Toronto is now officially a winner in North America’s two top sports car racing series.
Wilkins, who normally drives a Ford-Riley Daytona Prototype entered by AIM Autosport of Woodbridge in the Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series, entered the American Le Mans Series-sanctioned 12 Hours of Sebring today and came away a winner the first time out.
He shared a drive in the new Le Mans Prototype Challenge class with team owner Scott Tucker of Leawood, Kan., and Christophe Bouchutt of France and they brought an Oreca FLM09 car home first in class.
Wilkins, who told a television interviewer that he was thrilled the team had done so well the first time out, said that at the moment, there are no plans in place to continue in the ALMS this season.
"I’d like to do some more races, though," he said.
Meantime, he’ll return with partner Burt Friselle to Grand Am in a few weeks – a series in which they’ve scored two overall victories.
The 58th Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida was won by Alexander Wurtz, Marc Gene and Anthony Davidson driving a diesel-powered Peugeot 908.
Two other Canadians entered in the classic – Tony Burgess of Toronto and Kyle Marcelli of Barrie – didn’t fare as well as Wilkins.
Burgess’s P1 Autocon Motorsports Lola B06 10 never made it to the start and Marcelli’s Oreca FLM09, with co-driver Joel Feinberg of Fort Lauderdale, finished fifth in the LMPC class.
More on Sebring in my Monday morning racing roundup.
Not the most exciting Sebring race I have ever seen but a pleasure nonetheless. I guess the Audi brigade has their own cat and mouse agenda vs. Peugeot. Kudos too, to the Aston Martin squad. A great looking car.
Still, I love sports car racing and the ALMS is my favorite series by far. Congrats to Mark Wilkins. Great job.
Posted by: allenparkpete | 03/21/2010 at 08:56 AM