The 1955 Sebring race was memorable for its furious duel between Ferrari and Jaguar. An estimated 20,000 spectators turned out for the 4th Sebring, and they were not to be disappointed. More than 100 cars were officially entered, talk about the times of plenty, with many of the world's top drivers at hand.
A new D-type Jaguar, which only a few weeks earlier set speed records at the NASCAR performance trials on Daytona Beach, was entered by Briggs Cunningham for Mike Hawthorn and Phil Walters. The car led all but 4 laps during the 12 enduring hours of the race; proving Jaguar D-Type's competitive supremacy! In hot pursuit, were no other but Phil Hill and Carroll Shelby in a Ferrari 750 Monza. The challengers were 25.4 seconds behind at the finish, and during the entire 12 hours, they were never separated from the winning Jaguar D-Type by more than 7 minutes -- which, in motor racing terms, also means a long time!
At the end of the race, an exuberant Briggs Cunningham took the microphone and congratulated Jaguar, members of his team, and his winning drivers Mike Hawthorn and Phil Walters. It was Cunningham's third straight Sebring victory as a car owner.
