The factory Audi Sport North America squad saw off the best the rest that the American Le Mans Series could throw at them once again as the #2 trio of Rinaldo Capello, Christian Pescatori and Britain's Johnny Herbert came home one lap ahead of the privateer Champion team.
The 50th Annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring Presented by Dodge was grand in both title and entry but, despite what must surely be a record crowd and exceptionally high temperatures, nothing could stop the Reinhold Joest-run factory Audi team from taking the victory spoils.
After 346 laps of the bumpy, abrasive and tremendously slippery 3.7-mile Sebring International Raceway it was the #2 Audi R8 piloted by Capello, Pescatori and factory debutant Herbert - on his maiden outing at the Florida venue - who crossed the line first. The trio led much of the final eight hours after the pole-sitting Tom Kristensen/Frank Biela/Emanuele Pirro R8 suffered the first of several delays, that would eventually include a 30-minute pit-stop to replace a broken steering rack.
Instead, it was left to the privateer Champion Audi of Jan Lammers, Andy Wallace and Stefan Johansson to provide the challenge, and the trio took up the cudgels manfully, with Lammers clinging desperately to his lead lap place in the dying minutes in the vain hope of a full course yellow. A spin on the penultimate lap by the Dutchman finally knocked the #38 car from its course, but the experienced crew still held on to second.
Third place went to the rapid and reliable Jim Matthews Racing Riley & Scott piloted by the team boss himself, along with Guy Smith and Marc Goosens. The Dyson Racing R&S of Leitzinger/Weaver/Forbes-Robinson finished fourth.
![Johnny Herbert [centre] is joined on the winners' rostrum at the Sebring 12 Hour sportscar endurance race by Audi co-drivers Christian Pescatori [left] and Rinaldo Capello](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/30112.jpg )
