Sebring, Florida - Sebring International Raceway

--NBC Broadcast--

"Sebring International Raceway, the birthplace of American Endurance Racing and home to one of the biggest endurance races in the world. Welcome to NBC's coverage of the 72nd Annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring."

The screen then cut to the same 3 commentators from the Rolex 24.

"Hi folks Leigh Diffey here, alongside Calvin Fish and Townsend Bell. Guys, first Daytona and now we're in Sebring. Calvin, what is there to look forward to?"

"A lot Leigh. First of all the Lamborghini SC63 GTP Hypercar is finally making it's IMSA debut after missing the Rolex 24 and debuting at the FIA WEC season opener in Qatar. Second, the Action Express Cadillac is on poll for the second year in a row, and Townsend, that car won last year so let's keep an eye on that."

"Yeah, and another thing to look forward to is the fact that Chip Ganassi Racing announced earlier this week that they will be parting ways with Cadillac at the end of the year. So Leigh, whether or not they'll get a new manufacturer is only up for debate."

"Now, we wanna share with you all a breaking story. Earlier this morning, one of the drivers of the 01 Cadillac GTP, Mike Rogers, who has just come off an impressive P7 finish at the IndyCar race in St. Petersburg, has made a press conference. Announcing that he will be retiring at the end of this season. Have a look."

The screen then cut to Mike standing in front of a speech podium. Cameras were flashing and many journalists and reporters were waiting to see what he was going to say.

"I'm here to announce that I have decided to end my racing career. I would like to thank Richard Childress, Michael Andretti, and Chip Ganassi for the opportunities they've given me. And I also wanna thank Austin Dillon, Kyle Busch, Colton Herta, Kyle Kirkwood, Marcus Ericsson, Sebastien Bourdais, Scott Dixon, and Renger van der Zande for being amazing teammates. In terms of my future, the reason I'm leaving the world of motorsports is because over the off-season, I have joined a singing contest in Nashville, and I won it. Now, starting on June 27th of this year, I will be embarking on a multi-dimensional tour with the famed Equestrian pop-star, Countess Coloratura. I've spent the entirety of the off-season getting to know her, and as you all remember from the Rolex 24, we are also in a romantic relationship. Once the checkered flag flies at Road Atlanta, that'll be the end of my Sports Car Endurance Racing career, when the checkered flag flies at Nashville Superspeedway, that'll be the end of my IndyCar career, and once the checkered flag flies at Phoenix Raceway, not only will that be the end of my NASCAR career, but my racing career as a whole. That will be all."

The screen then cut back to the 3 commentators.

"Boy, what a shocker."

"It really is Leigh. Mike Rogers has been one of the most loveable guys in the paddock. You could spend hours talking to him and now he's calling it a career."

"And a HUGE opportunity he has with one of the biggest pop-stars in the pony world. He even mentioned that they're in a relationship. I can only imagine what that'll be like."

"And with a pop-star too. How much more lucky can you get than that?"

The 3 commentators shared a laugh at Calvin Fish's joke.

"Alright, Marty Snider has caught up with one of the drivers of the brand new Lamborghini GTP. Let's go down to him."

Mike, Sebastien, and Renger all stood in the paddock as their car was pushed to the grid. Instead of the usual yellow color the Cadillac V-Series R that they are running is an all-gold color which reflected the sunlight very well. "Oh ho ho ho, that is nice. A shiny gold car," chuckled Mike.

"Yeah, it truly is," said Sebastien.

"Well, I'll see you all for the relay," said Mike as he grabbed his helmet and headed towards the grid. As he did, he saw Rara walk towards him.

"Mike, you're actually considering to leave racing just for me?" She asked.

Mike sighed and put his helmet down. "Yes, Rara."

"But why though, isn't this your profession?"

"Well, it would've had I not met you."

"Huh, what do you mean by that?"

"Well, the reason why I decided to make this my final year in racing is so that we can spend more time together. More time to work on songs, more time to have comfort with each other, and more time to spend... alone time together," Mike explained.

Rara's eyes twinkled. The fact that Mike was just willingly decided to throw his profession aside just to spend more time with her was unbelievable. She gave Mike a huge hug. "Thank you, Mike," she said before breaking the hug. "That means a lot."

Mike smiled before grabbing his helmet. "Well, I better get going," he said.

"I'll be waiting," said Rara as she walked towards the pit box.

After the pace laps were run, the pace car pulled to the pit lane, and the cars took the green flag.

--NBC Broadcast--

Leigh Diffey: "And we are ready! THE 72ND RUNNING OF THE MOBIL 1 12 HOURS OF SEBRING IS AWAY AND PIPO DERANI JUST FLIES INTO ACTION!!!"

Calvin Fish: "What a jump he got there on the exit of Turn 17! Look at the 40 car, that maroon colored machine, the Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti trying to go on the inside of the Cadillac. Cadillac are 1-2, they're looking for 4 straight victories here at Sebring."

Townsend Bell: "Meanwhile, Felipe Nasr there in the Penske Porsche, mixing up with the Acura, forces his way through, and the GT field gets the green flag."

Leigh Diffey: "GTD Pro and GTD, they get the green flag and Jack Hawksworth's not hanging around in that gold and black SealMaster Lexus RCF. Great run and his teammate tucks in right behind."

Townsend Bell: "That's Parker Thompson in the number 12 Lexus RCF, so Lexus 1-2 to start this in both CLASSES AND THERE'S A BIG SPIN!!! THE NUMBER 62 FERRARI 296!!!"

Leigh Diffey: "WHOAAAA!!!"

Calvin Fish: "HOW DID HE GET MISSED BY EVERYONE AND AN INCREDIBLE ESCAPE THERE!!!"

Hour 1
--NBC Broadcast--

Calvin Fish: "Caution's out for debris on the race track. We talk about the pace of these private tier Porsches. Unbelievably, Julien Andlauer they got that drive through penalty, he's down in 10th place, but he's putting down lap times as fast as the leaders."

Leigh Diffey: "Let's get back to racing. Green flag here at Sebring, let's do it. And what about the man in the middle, the Swiss driver, Louis Deletraz for WTRAndretti, looking good AND HERE IN THE INSIDE LOOK AT THAT MOVE FROM ROGERS!!! WOW!!! WHAT A TURN 1!!!"

Calvin Fish: "Those Cadillacs come alive really quickly here, they've been top of the time sheets for most of the weekend."

Hour 2

Leigh Diffey: "Meanwhile, up front. First time we've seen a lead change. Mike Rogers has got by his arch nemesis, Pipo Derani, exactly where he got by Deletraz and takes off."

"Whoo!" Mike cheered as he took the lead.

"NICE JOB, KEEP IT UP!!!" His race strategist called on the radio.

Rara clapped and cheered happily as for the first time, Mike was in the lead of a race.

--NBC Broadcast--

Leigh Diffey: "Doesn't matter, maybe traffic was the influencing factor. But Derani is there with his fellow CADILLAC RACE AND A BIG CRASH!!! BIG CRASH!!! THAT is the 88 LMP2 of Luis Perez Companc!"

"Caution, big wreck after Turn 1," Mike's race strategist called on the radio. Mike slowed down as the pace car picked up the field. "We're performing our relay now."

"Now?" Asked Mike.

"Yes, now."

Mike pulled into pit lane, he saw that the other GTP cars were pitting as well. Once he got to his pit stall, he climbed out and Sebastien Bourdais got in. "Let's go, Sebastien. Let's go!" He shouted as Sebastien quickly strapped himself in and took off.

Hour 4
--NBC Broadcast--

Brian Till: "Caution is out for a car off the track. And there it is. It is the number 8 Tower Motorsports LMP2 car."

Calvin Fish: "Michael Dinan behind the wheel."

Dave Burns: "Let's see what happened."

The screen then showed a replay.

Calvin Fish: "Michael Dinan trying to-"

Brian Till: "Oh!"

Calvin Fish: "Yeah, that's really aggressive there. He tried to go around the outside of the number 023 Ferrari 296 of Charlie Scardina."

Brian Till: "Green flag back out and Sebastien Bourdais gets a huge jump on Jack Aitken!"

Calvin Fish: "Brendon Hartley in that number 10 Acura gets past his teammate!"

Dave Burns: "Side by side behind them. That is for 4th, the number 24 BMW on the number 40 Acura."

Calvin Fish: "COLTON HERTA TO THE OUTSIDE HE ALMOST GETS FORCED INTO THE GRASS BUT HE KEEPS HIS FOOT IN IT!!! He and Jesse Krohn fighting out there. Krohn in the lead of the 2 BMWs the 24 car, and it's Maxime Martin behind the wheel 25 BMW right behind the 40 Acura with Colton Herta, the IndyCar star behind the wheel!"

Hour 6

Dave Burns: "GREEN FLAG BACK OUT!!!"

Townsend Bell: "AITKEN IS COMING!!! UP THE FRONTSTRAIGHTAWAY, HE COMES TO THE INSIDE!!! HE SHOWS A NOSE, HE SHOWS A DOOR AND HE BACKS OFF!!!"

Brian Till: "Thinks better of it! Who's gonna get the run though, it's the 01 Cadillac running third in the order with Sebastien Bourdais behind the wheel!"

Dave Burns: "OH, CAMERON!!! CONTACT WITH AITKEN THERE!!!"

Townsend Bell: "Dane Cameron having none of the aggression, shutting the door on Jack Aitken and meanwhile, Bourdais just sitting there just enjoying the show!"

Hour 8

By now, the third drivers of the cars have run they're times and the primary drivers were back in the cars. Mike was back behind the wheel of the 01 Cadillac GTP now that Renger van der Zande completed his run.

--NBC Broadcast--

Leigh Diffey: "Now at Sebring as we see that green flag again! Let's go back to racing in the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring and Derani getting those tires up to temperature. Ricky Taylor trying to defend on the inside and does so!"

Calvin Fish: "Nasr there in the third machine, that red and white Porsche twitches as he tries to cut back on the inside, getting a run on Ricky Taylor, he takes that move, HERE COMES THE 01 AS TAYLOR LOCKS UP!!!"

Leigh Diffey: "How about that, Mike Rogers he pulled off two magnificent moves, inside moves earlier in this race, one from 3rd to 2nd, one from 2nd to 1st."

"Your in P2, nice job," Mike's race strategist called on the radio.

"I’m behind Derani," said Mike.

"COME ON, MIKE! STAY ON HIM!!!"

Derani looked in his rear view mirror to see his arch rival behind him. "Don't try it, kid," he said to himself.

"Pipo, on your right. The Ferrari's too slow, watch out. WATCH OUT!!!"

Derani suddenly saw what his strategist was talking about. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. NO!!!"

--NBC Broadcast--

Leigh Diffey: "Derani's holding his own. OH, HE GOT TAGGED BY THE FERRARI!!!"

All 3 commentators: "OHHHH!!!!!"

Pipo Derani went head on into the tire barrier and flipped.

Leigh Diffey: "THAT'S PIPO DERANI YOUR RACE LEADER!!! That was ugly! That was frightening!"

Calvin Fish: "That was nasty!"

Mike saw the accident on his rear view mirror. "IS HE OKAY?!"

Up in the pit box, Rara saw the accident on the TV screen on the pit box. Needless to say, she was terrified. "Is he alright?"

--NBC Broadcast--

Leigh Diffey: "And Pipo Derani climbs out of the car, he is okay."

Calvin Fish: "That is so good to see."

"Alright, he got out he seems alright," Mike's race strategist called on his radio. Mike sighed in relief.

Up in the pit box, Rara let out a sigh of relief of her own as she watched the driver of the 31 get out and walk away.

--NBC Broadcast--

Leigh Diffey: "And there is the Ferrari that tagged Derani."

Calvin Fish: "The number 21 Ferrari 296 of Miguel Molina."

Townsend Bell: "He's got some damage, so it looks like he's done for the day."

After a while of cleanup, the accident was cleaned up and the race resumed.

--NBC Broadcast--

Leigh Diffey: "Green flag is out. Let's get back to racing!"

Hour 11

By now, it was nighttime and everyone was tired. Fortunately, there were still 20 minutes to go before the white flag would be waved. Renger van der Zande completed his last stint for the race and pulled into the pits. He got out and Mike stepped in. After strapping himself in, he took off for the final sprint in the race.

--NBC Broadcast--

Leigh Diffey: "Look at this, picking your way through traffic, being decisive, headlights flashing letting everyone know, 'here we come, we're at the front of the pack'. Here's Deletraz! Deletraz looks to the outside. There's no way through there, and there he switches back. LOOK AT LOUIS DELETRAZ!!! HE WAS HALF IN THE GRASS THERE, TRYING TO DRAW ALONGSIDE MIKE ROGERS DOWN THE FRONTSTRETCH, INTO TURN 1!!! IS THE KID GONNA GO FOR IT, NO HE DOESN'T!!!"

Calvin Fish: "Watch the timing as Rogers is boxed. Rogers is timing a little bit, but Deletraz doesn't time it."

Calvin Fish: "Goes to the inside, ROGERS DEFENDS, DELETRAZ TO THE INSIDE, CAN HE KEEP IT TOGETHER, NO HE CAN'T!!! SIDE BY SIDE, ACCELERATION OFF OF TURN 7!!!"

Leigh Diffey: "Look at this, he's got it, he's got the edge, OH!!! Rogers tagged the back of Deletraz! Back and got tail ended! Now here comes Mike Rogers. He's on the wrong side for this turn, RUNS IT IN DEEP!!! Tassels the young, Swiss driver."

It was no use as Louis Deletraz began to pull away. "Agh!" Mike shouted frustratingly as he punched his steering wheel.

Final Lap
--NBC Broadcast--

Leigh Diffey: "The anguish is almost over. The team expansion hasn't seen immediate success, but they haven't had to wait too long. Final turn, THE MOBIL 1 12 HOURS OF SEBRING IS WON BY WTRANDRETTI AND LOUIS DELETRAZ SEES THAT CHECKERED FLAG FIRST!!! The DEX Imaging machine is victorious with Louis Deletraz, Colton Herta, and Jordan Taylor! In GTD it's Winward Racing and the number 57 Mercedes AMG GT3 with Philip Ellis, Russell Ward, and Indy Dontje, getting the Rolex 24 and the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring. And Vasser Sullivan Racing will be victorius in GTD Pro with Jack Hawksworth, Ben Barnicoat, and Kyle Kirkwood. And finally, in LMP2, it's the number 18 Era Motorsports car with Connor Zilisch, Dwight Merriman, and Ryan Dalziel who are victorious!"

"You got a podium finish! P2!" shouted Mike's strategist.

Mike couldn't help but sigh. He had the race in his hands and looked at he was about to win it. "Yeah, great job everyone," he replied.

After he parked his car on pit lane, he got out, took off his helmet and was immediately wrestled into a hug by Rara. Mike was surprised, as he wasn't expecting Rara to be this excited about him.

"You finished on the podium. That means you're still getting a trophy," she said.

"But-" Rara shut him up by putting a finger on his lips.

"No buts, you did it."

Mike couldn't help but blush at Rara's actions. "I... guess, it's awesome," he said sheepishly.

After waiting around the podium ceremonies began. The drivers that finished in the top 3 were all given their trophies, with Mike, Sebastien, and Renger getting their second place trophies. After all the drivers were given their respective trophies, they did one of the most traditional things in motorsports, spraying champagne.

--NBC Broadcast--

"It was an exciting turn of events after Pipo Derani crashed with 5 hours to go, thankfully, he is okay, but boy, we've had quite the show. From all of us here at NBC Sports, I'm Leigh Diffey. Thanks for watching everyone, and we'll see you all at Long Beach."

Mike and Rara were leaving the track with Mike still holding his 2nd place trophy. "Just wait until Rainbow Dash sees this," said Mike.

"Oh, don't tell about it. She'll go head over hooves for it," Rara replied.

The two shared a laugh as they walked away.

To Be Continued.

Author's Note

This is a fictionalized version of the 2024 12 Hours of Sebring. If you want to see what happened in the ACTUAL 12 Hours of Sebring, you can do so by watching this video here.