Sebring, Fla. (March 20, 2021) – Cooper MacNeil (Hindsdale, Ill.), Matt Campbell (Australia), and Mathieu Jaminet (France) won the IMSA WeatherTech Championship GTLM Class in today’s running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.
MacNeil started the WeatherTech Racing Porsche RSR for the once around the clock event in central Florida. As teammates Jaminet and Campbell cycled through the Proton Competition prepared Porsche RSR the trio kept it very competitive in the top four all race. As night fell over the 3.74-mile, 17-turn historic circuit the race really began. The team was locked in a battle with the factory Corvette and BMW teams.
Campbell had the 79 Porsche in the lead as darkness fell. With three hours remaining the Australian was in a battle for the lead with the two BMW’s less than a second behind. With 48 minutes left, Jaminet brought the red-white-and-blue Porsche to the pits for its final fuel and tire stop. Then with 33 minutes remaining a full course yellow flew bunching the field. On the restart Jaminet was third, then with just eight minutes to go the leading Corvette and BMW got into each other into Turn 7. The Frenchman was able to avoid the spinning Corvette take the lead and bring the privateer Porsche home for the win.
“Second ever GTLM race for me and our first win,” MacNeil said. “It is special to do it here at the twelve hours of Sebring. I couldn’t have done it without WeatherTech, Proton Competition, and Porsche. A big thanks to those three for the great support. Matt and Mathieu drove hard all race. Last year we were leading and got taken out at the end of the race with one lap to go. Here we are GTLM winners with luck going our way this time. I am thrilled with the win! It is that much more special when you beat factory Corvette and factory BMW. Big thanks to Porsche for an amazing race car.”
“IMSA and the GTLM is always crazy here in America,” Jaminet said. “Today I was in the right place at the right time. In previous GTLM races I was in the wrong place. Today was a great win. I am happy for Cooper, Proton Competition and Porsche for a great day here at Sebring.”
“Crazy is the word for today,” Campbell said. “We kept a clean car all race and we were always up there fighting in the top three. We wanted to run for a podium finish and then luck came our way. The guys in front started fighting and we were able to get through. I am happy for Cooper and David and the Proton Competition team. They put so much into this effort and after what happened at the Rolex it is great to comeback for the win.”
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTLM cars will take a near three-month break with the next event being the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, June 24-27.
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