Connor De Phillippi powered Random Vandals Racing to a commanding overall and Pro class victory, Matt Bell brought home the Pro-Am win for DXDT Racing and Scott Dollahite cruised to a dominant — if uncontested — win in the Am class during a strategy-heavy, action-packed endurance race that delivered fireworks across all categories.
“We just had to be really precise with how we managed that stint,” explained De Philippe after the race. “ I knew if I pushed too hard early, I’d be suffering by the end, so I focused on being consistent right from the start. I expected that middle phase of the stint to be tough, that’s when Jan was coming, and I was just hoping his tires would be gone by the time he caught me. Thankfully, I was able to hold my pace through to the end. That was everything we had. I made a couple of mistakes that let him close the gap a bit, but it was great racing, and I’m excited for what’s next.”
The race began with Philip Ellis asserting immediate control from pole in the Regulator Racing Mercedes-AMG. Blasting off the line with precision, Ellis wasted no time setting the tone for the early stages, opening up a comfortable lead over the Pro-Am field with a blistering pace that left the competition scrambling to respond.
In the Pro class, it was all about the veterans. Bill Auberlen, a legend in American sports car racing, reminded fans of his enduring talent with a sensational opening stint for Random Vandals Racing. From fourth on the grid, Auberlen sliced through the field to run second in class behind teammate Kenton Koch, who continued his strong run of form and led the Pro field approaching the halfway point.
Though the Pro class featured a smaller grid, the battles were anything but subdued. Alex Sedgwick kept the pressure on Auberlen with a tight battle for position as strategy began to take center stage.
Ellis, meanwhile, continued to extend his gap at the front. The Regulator Mercedes ran like clockwork, and by the time pit windows approached, Ellis had carved out a staggering 22-second cushion over the next Pro-Am contender, Blake McDonald.
As pit stops cycled through, the complexion of the race began to shift. Justin Rothberg handed off to Robby Foley for Turner Motorsports, and Koch passed the wheel to De Phillippi for the final charge in the Random Vandals BMW. De Phillippi faced a significant deficit to Ellis, who had yet to pit, but the long-run strategy from Regulator Racing was about to be tested.
With 40 minutes remaining, Ellis finally ducked into pit lane after an impressively long stint. Jeff Burton took over the reins and emerged still in the overall lead, but De Phillippi, now fully in rhythm, was closing fast.
Just eight minutes later, De Phillippi reeled in Burton and made the decisive move to claim the overall lead—a pass that ultimately sealed the victory. While De Phillippi powered away to secure the win, Burton struggled to maintain the scorching pace laid down by Ellis, eventually surrendering the Pro-Am lead to Bell, who drove a flawless closing stint for DXDT Racing.
“Phil and Jeff from Regulator Racing really gave us a tough target today,” said Bell after the race. “ They went with the opposite strategy, starting with Phil and finishing with Jeff, so I had to push hard to chase them down. They really gave us a run for our money, but they did a great job in that first stint. Phil kept them in P2, ahead of the other Bronze drivers, which was awesome. Then it was my turn to get in, put my head down, and push. When they told me there was a 38-second gap after Jeff came out, I thought, ‘Wow, that’s going to be a tough task to close.’ But in the end, we managed to get it done.”
In the Am class, Dollahite and his team executed a clean, composed run to secure victory as the lone entry in the category—an uncontested win, but nonetheless a credit to their consistent performance.
In the end, it was De Phillippi’s brilliant closing drive that stood above all—executing under pressure, maximizing pace, and delivering Random Vandals Racing a win that could prove pivotal in the championship. It was a race that combined strategic gambles, veteran craft, and relentless pace—everything you could ask for at Sebring.
