Sebring has always been known for some fantastic races and
the 1969 Sebring 12-Hour race was no exception !
The Ickx and Oliver driven Gulf GT40 #22 was considered a dark horse and barley
qualified in the top ten among the field.
The race went as planned for Ferrari and Porsche but as the race wore on the two
rivals developed issues and the Gulf GT40 #22 seized the opportunity to advance.
After 9 hours the team had advanced to 4th place behind the Ferrari and Porsche
rivals. In the final hours the rivals were forced to pit with mechanical issues
and the Gulf GT40 #22 took the lead in the final hour as the crew watched nervously
as they did not expect the car to finish! Within the final minutes of the race they
had to come in for a tire change and the Ferrari closed in to within 30 seconds
but then overheated. Ichx and Oliver held on for the upset win.