Feast or Famine at Sebring

June 23, 2021 (Sebring, FL) – Rounds 4-6 of the Lucas Oil Formula Car Series delivered ample drama throughout the week at Sebring International Raceway as two separate last lap incidents robbed Hayden Bradley the opportunity to sweep the event. While Bradley managed to claim victory in the second race of the weekend, Alex Benavitz proved to be the big winner picking up the pieces to claim victories in races one and three.

The oppressive heat and humidity throughout the week served as an another challenger for our drivers with track temperatures well north of 100° with reprieve only coming from clouds and the occasional breeze.

Race 1

With a time of 2:29.124, Alex Benavitz started on pole for Race 1 with Hayden Bradley lining up on the outside of him. Bryson Morris and Konnor Gutting were the only other two drivers to qualify within a second of Benavitz’s time with all of the drivers desperate to find the all-important draft lap in qualifying to earn a spot up the field.

At race start, Bradley would have the better getaway and take the lead before the end of the first lap. Eager to distance themselves from Morris, who swept the NCM event, Bradley and Benavitz worked together throughout the race building nearly a 10″ advantage over Morris in 3rd. With only half a lap left to go in the race and a 4″ advantage over Benavitz, disaster struck for Bradley with a mechanical issue that saw him fail to see the checker and claim his first victory of the season.

On course the first three over the line were Alex Benavitz, Bryson Morris, and Masters driver, Tony McIntosh – the first master to finish in the top-3 in several years. However, on review McIntosh was assessed a 35″ second penalty for movement in reaction sending him down to 8th place. Taking his spot on the podium was Titus Sherlock who managed to fend off Tyler Delgado by 0.5″ at the line.

With two more races to go, one thing was made certain – any notion of Morris running away with the championship following his sweep at NCM were put to bed.

Finishing Order

Alex Benavitz
Bryson Morris
Titus Sherlock
Tyler Delgado
Yeoroo Lee
Donnie Steele (Master’s Winner)
Luke Steele
Tony Mcintosh
Konnor Gutting
Hayden Bradley

Race 2

Having failed to finish the first race whilst leading, the only consolation for Hayden Bradley came from the fact that he retained fastest lap in Race 1, which earned him pole position for Race 2. Yet at a draft heavy track like Sebring, pole position can just as easily be a curse as a benefit.

Commanding upon a great start, Bradley leapt off to an early lead and in control of the field. Keen to keep Bradley running away with it, Morris worked his way through the field of Konnor Gutting, Titus Sherlock, and Tyler Delgado to slot in behind Bradley. With only a few laps to go, Bradley and Morris managed to drop the pack. Bradley would cede position to Morris on the penultimate lap recognizing that he would prefer to seize upon the draft at race end to claim victory. The bold move to give up track position would prove to be a winning strategy as Bradley claimed race victory, his first win of the season, and redemption from the earlier race.

Hayden Bradley
Bryson Morris
Titus Sherlock
Tyler Delgado
Konnor Gutting
Tony Mcintosh (Master’s Winner)
Alex Benavitz
Yeoroo Lee
Luke Steele
Donnie Steele

Race 3

With weather the coolest of the week also came the fastest qualifying times of the week. With Bryson Morris relegated to second in two consecutive races, he was eager to prove a point in qualifying as the only driver to clock in the 2:27s with a brilliant double-draft lap. Sebring race winners, Hayden Bradley and Alex Benavitz, qualified immediately behind Morris providing a tantalizing trio for race start.

Another race, another battle between Morris and Bradley with the two drivers exchanging the lead early in the race. With the draft keeping the front pack in play, Morris briefly drop down to 4th with Bradley, Benavitz, and Konnor Gutting all ahead. Ever tenacious, Morris managed to claw back to the front to continue the battle with Bradley were the two would continue swap for the lead.

With another race looking like it would come down to the wire between Bradley and Morris, yet another last lap incident would rob race leader, Bradley, of a win as Morris and Bradley came together going into the carousel. Once again the beneficiary of late-race drama, Benavitz easily sidestepped the pair and claim victory. Contact penalties for Morris, Bradley, Titus Sherlock, and Tyler Delgado would help push Konnor Gutting and Yeoroo Lee further up the order with the pair finishing second and third respectively. Lee just edged out Tony McIntosh by .01″, again keeping the master driver off the podium – for now. Further back, Luke Steele went on to claim the first wheel-to-wheel victory against his father with the two swapping positions over a dozen times.