Since its inception in 2017, every Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA® Super Tour (HST) season has launched in Florida. The 2025 calendar is no different as the paddock at Sebring International Raceway is already buzzing with activity for this year’s Jan. 10-12 event hosted by SCCA’s Central Florida Region.
Part of the Summit Racing Equipment SCCA Road Racing program, the opening round of HST competition is always well attended. That could be propelled by a desire to stand on the first victory podiums of the year with a bottle of Mazza sparkling wine, or maybe the mid-January date serves as a perfect excuse to escape frigid weather in other parts of the country.
Either way, this year’s Sebring HST boasts more than 315 entries across 23 different classes. The driving skill amongst the hoard is stellar, too, with many current and former SCCA National Championship Runoffs® Champions on hand to compete in the three-day experience.
In the mix as well are some competitors who fell a bit short of their National Championship dream last year at Road America. For that group of reigning runners-up – which includes Ethan Jacobs (Spec MX-5), David Ogburn (Spec Racer® Ford Gen3), Stewart Black (B-Spec), Marc Cefalo (Touring 4), Noah Harmon (Spec Miata), and Eric Wisniewski (Formula Enterprises® 2) – Sebring begins a season of redemption.
One Step Away
Finishing second at the Runoffs and earning a silver medal is an extremely admirable feat, and none of the drivers interviewed for this article were “gutted” by their 2024 performance. However, they all were looking forward to having another shot at the top step later this year at Road America during the 2025 National Championship.
That is certainly the case for Jacobs, 18, of SCCA’s Milwaukee Region. He finished in the runner-up spot last fall during the first official Runoffs Spec MX-5 (SMX) contest, and he’s in Sebring this weekend to get his season rolling again in the No. 199 Jacobs Design Homes/JDH Racing Mazda MX-5 car.
Nothing outside the norm is on Jacobs’ to-do list for this season as far as preparing for the Runoffs. There’s sim time, lots of video and data review, time spent learning car setup, and the search for perfect racing lines around circuits. The hope is all this combined makes his performance more consistent one race weekend to the next.
“All the races I do are just for seat time and to have fun. That’s the way I look at it,” he said. “Going into weekends, I don’t try to overthink anything. I just go out there and do my thing.”
The one thing Jacobs will monitor closely during the season are new contestants entering the fray. SMX is one of several SCCA Road Racing classes popular with drivers stepping up from karting, so it’s important to keep an eye on fresh faces in the hunt for victories.
“I’m definitely excited for Sebring,” said Jacobs, who will be one of 25 entrants in the SMX field. "I’m excited to see this year’s competition.”
Ogburn, a 38-year-old Spec Racer® Ford Gen3 (SRF3) competitor from SCCA’s West Texas Region, will be doing the same as Jacobs since SRF3 is another class popular with drivers cutting their teeth in road racing. After finishing in that class’s runner-up spot two consecutive years at the National Championship, Ogburn’s obvious goal for 2025 is to be one step higher on the Runoffs podium during a Hagerty Race Day.
“The only thing that will change for me at this year’s Runoffs is I truly only care about winning the race,” said Ogburn, who will drive the No. 108 Sim Seats/Dave Ogburn Driver Development/Dalrymple Racing SCCA Enterprises car this weekend in a 63-entrant SRF3 field. “I look at weekends during the year as practice for the Runoffs. I try to enjoy the weekends and have fun, but I also want to win each individual race.
“I’m excited for a new season and the first big event of the year,” Ogburn added. “I have always wanted to go to the Sebring Hoosier Super Tours … and it is a really cool way to start the season. Sebring is such an amazing track and there’s a strong field for SRF3, so it’s just a really good way to kick things off hard.”
Sizing up other drivers throughout the year is also on the punch list for B-Spec’s Black, 51, of SCCA’s North Carolina Region. The Runoffs reigning silver medalist in that class said a clever way to get a feel for the competition is by participating at Hoosier Super Tour events.
“I’m beyond excited to get this season started,” said Black, who will be in the No. 40 Bill Black Autosports Chevrolet Sonic at Sebring. “The Hoosier Super Tour stuff … you are racing against the competition that you’ll more than likely be racing against at the Runoffs.
“What I tend to do and what I did last year is I follow different drivers, particularly the ones that are running approximately the same lap times as me,” Black continued. “I like to get in behind them for a lap or two and just see if I can pick up on any tendencies they have.”
Additionally, Black said many tracks HST visits during the season contain corners that mimic what is found at Road America. That acquired knowledge and experience can then be applied at the National Championship.
“I’m constantly learning,” Black warned. “I’ve been racing B-Spec since 2018, and I learn something new every time I go out on a track … and kind of making mental notes as I go.”
Watch What Happens
Want to see who does what at Sebring this weekend? You’re in luck because Hoosier Super Tour qualifying and races will be available online once again in 2025 thanks to DriversEye Live. Gregg Ginsberg and Brian Bielanski are also back for the 2025 HST season to cover the action and offer additional insights during each live video broadcast.
Tune in and catch all the action from Sebring through SCCA’s YouTube and Road Racing Facebook pages. Additionally, Sunday victory podium celebrations are archived and can be viewed at the SCCA Road Racing Facebook page as well.
As always, live Timing & Scoring can be found throughout the weekend at scca.com/live.
Photo by SCCA Staff
