12H Sebring: Sheena Monk's solid run and top-10 hopes end with late-race issues

Sheena Monk delivered a clean and consistent performance at Sebring — also leading laps in GTD in between pit stops — and showed steady improvement with the JG Wentworth Ferrari 296 GT3, but ultimately hopes for a top-ten finish ended when the team was on the receiving end of a late-race contact.

Photo credits: Ferrari Races

It's been a challenging start to her 2025 IMSA season for Sheena Monk, driver of the #021 JG Wentworth Ferrari 296 GT3 operated by Triarsi Competizione, after a late-race issue in the 12 Hours of Sebring denied her and her teammates, Stevan McAleer and Mike Skeen, a top-ten finish in the GTD class.

The team had run all race around the top ten and remained on the lead lap in the crucial closing stages, setting themselves up for a big result—but contact and transmission issues ultimately ended their day in the final hour.

The streak of misfortunes continued after the season opener at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, where Monk, McAleer, and Skeen—joined by Ferrari factory driver James Calado—ran at the front of the GTD class until the final moments, only to be eliminated by contact from another competitor in the final hour while once again on the lead lap and in contention for a front-running position.

While the team once again wasn't lucky at Sebring, all drivers performed well—with Sheena Monk managing one of her trademark consistent and clean races, making no mistakes and handling traffic skillfully. She even led the GTD class at one point after a round of pit stops.

Monk, who raced the Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 in her previous IMSA campaigns, has continued to collect valuable mileage and gain knowledge of the new Ferrari 296 GT3, which she races under the banner of Triarsi Competizione. Her teammates have also continued to familiarize themselves with the car, which is a big positive from the second round of the season.

Coming into the Sebring weekend, a track notoriously demanding on both drivers and machines, the trio made good improvements in the practice sessions, including a second-place finish in Practice 2, where Mike Skeen posted a 2:00.520 lap. The potential for a top-ten finish was clearly there, and the team’s usual consistency in longer races was an encouraging sign heading into the race.

Skeen took over qualifying duties, putting the #021 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari in eighth place with a 2:00.258 lap time in an extremely tight GTD field—in what was a very promising result.

Photo credits: Ferrari Races

The race got underway on Saturday morning in sunny and very warm day at Sebring International Raceway, making track conditions even more challenging.

Skeen made a strong start, moving from P8 to P7 on the first lap.

Soon after, the first full course yellow came out on Lap 2 due to an incident between the #88 AF Corse LMP2 Oreca of Perez Companc and the #18 Era Motorsport LMP2 of Lutke. Both cars suffered damage but managed to limp back to the pits.

On the restart, Skeen held his ground and continued to move forward, climbing to P5 in class by Lap 9. Skeen was running strong lap times, dipping below the 2:02 mark, building a small gap to the #96 Turner Motorsport BMW, and closing in on Patrese’s Cetilar Ferrari.

After his first hour-long stint, Skeen pitted on Lap 19, handing the car over to Sheena Monk.

Monk immediately posted a solid 2:03 lap time and settled into P18 during the pit cycle.

Shortly after, Charlie Scardina, in the sister #023 Triarsi Ferrari, was put into the wall by the #10 WTR Cadillac at the one-hour mark. It was a big impact that also required barrier repairs; Scardina was fortunately unhurt, but the #023 Ferrari was out with significant damage. This triggered the second FCY of the race.

The GTD class pitted under caution on Lap 27. Monk pitted under caution and found herself leading the GTD class. At the restart, Sheena led the field but eventually fell to P4, still holding her own with 2:04 lap times and staying with the pack. She maintained a strong rhythm, eventually settling in P8.

The third FCY of the race came soon after, when the Era Motorsport LMP2 Oreca of Lutke crashed into the wall at Sunset Bend. Monk lost a position to Simon Mann on the restart but took no risks and slotted into P9.

As faster Gold- and Silver-rated drivers pushed through the field, Monk dropped to P10, but she remained the top bronze-rated driver—displaying again a very solid performance.

However, more interruptions followed, as two separate LMP2 incidents triggered another caution, including the AO Racing Oreca ending up in the Turn 1 barriers.

Monk pitted under caution when the GTD pit lane opened, stayed in the car, and rejoined in P13. She maintained strong pace, faster than the other bronze-rated drivers, and held position. At the three-hour mark, Sheena stayed out as other GTD cars began to pit. She finally stopped on Lap 78, handing over to Stevan McAleer, who rejoined in P15.

McAleer immediately set a strong pace in the 2:02s, catching Hasse Clot and moving up to P12 after the Van Der Steur Aston Martin received a drive-through penalty. McAleer gained a few more positions before pitting from P12, and Mike Skeen returned to the car for his second stint.

Photo credits: IMSA / Brandon Badraoui

With 7 hours and 40 minutes to go, the #40 Cadillac hit the wall at the final corner, triggering a Full Course Yellow. Skeen was up to P11 once the #96 BMW pitted before the neutralization. When the pit lane opened, Skeen pitted, stayed in the car, and rejoined in P6, making big gains in the pits for the Triarsi team.

Skeen maintained consistency, holding onto fifth place over the next stint before pitting on Lap 141, allowing Sheena Monk to return for her second stint.

Having rejoined in 12th place and cycled up into sixth during pit stops, it was another strong run for the JG Wentworth Triarsi Competizione driver, keeping the car in contention for a good result in the latter stages of the race. Sheena Monk in fact completed one of her signature clean runs, settling into a rhythm before handing the car back to Mike Skeen after completing her second driving shift of the day.

Drama unfolded in GTD, as the race-leading #32 Korthoff Mercedes of Kenton Koch came to a halt. Skeen gained one position, moving up into 12th, but the Triarsi team received a drive-through penalty for exceeding powertrain parameters. Four laps later, Skeen pitted again, with Stevan McAleer taking over.

McAleer found strong pace, running in the 2:02s, about four seconds behind Schandorff.

Skeen moved up to P12 when the class-leading AF Corse Ferrari came to a halt on Lap 225.

The first full-course yellow in several hours came when Casper Stevenson spun at the final corner.Once the GTD pit window opened, Skeen pitted but stayed behind the wheel, rejoining in 12th.

The race barely went green before going back under caution, as Matias Perez Companc crashed the #88 AF Corse LMP2 Oreca at the final corner.

As the sun set, a scenic golden hour blanketed the famous Florida race track. On the restart, Skeen overtook Sarah Bovy, moving up into P11.

He then set the car’s best lap at 2:01.6, improving further on the next lap to 2:01.596.

However, more drama struck the #021 Triarsi crew, as contact with a lapped car pushed the JG Wentworth car off and forced it to pit for an unscheduled stop. Skeen rejoined in 11th, now with a 20-second gap to the cars ahead.

Stevan McAleer took over next, bringing the Triarsi Ferrari back into 12th.

McAleer caught up with the Iron Dames Porsche, the two matching each other’s lap times. Eventually, the Scottish driver got ahead. At that point, McAleer was one of the fastest in class, managing to build a gap to Michelle Gatting—but then the car hit trouble again. While he initially continued, he was eventually forced to stop for repairs.

Te team attepted to go back out 10 laps later, but the car was now suffering from transmission issues, ultimately forcing the #021 Ferrari behind the wall - and ending their day early.

It was a disappointing ending, but the entire team showed great fighting spirit, battling through difficulties. The pace for a top-ten finish was evident, only to be denied in the final stages.

The team will regroup and return stronger for the next round: the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, where Sheena Monk and Stevan McAleer will share driving duties for the full IMSA campaign. Long Beach had been a highlight for the duo last year, bringing home a fourth place—a result they'll aim to build upon this time around.