SEBRING, FL, MAR. 12, 2004 -- Andy Wallace, Butch Leitzinger and James Weaver have driven sports cars togetherfor a decade with Dyson Racing. They know each other's strengths as well as howto negotiate hairpin turns in traffic.

They also know each other's weaknesses,and no prodding is necessary to get the trio to reveal them. Leitzinger can't pickmovies.

Five years ago, he convinced the two Brits that the late ChrisFarley's Beverly Hills Ninja was a good flick to see -- over Madonna's Evita.

Wallacecan't navigate a rental car. ''If I have a choice of going right or left, I alwaysget lost,'' Wallace admitted.

Weaver can't drive a rental car. It seemsthe man with unruly, curly hair has a tendency to run into trees and curbs whenhe's going less than 150 mph.''Did they tell you about the time I hit the oaktree in the [parking lot] when I was with my wife?'' he said. ``That was embarrassing.''

Working Well

In a world where co-drivers often back stab each other, the triogenuinely likes each other. And they like the same set-ups on cars. That's onereason they work so well together.

On Saturday, they will combine theirextensive experience to try to win Dyson Racing's first 12 Hours of Sebring.Theywill be driving the team's top car, the No. 16 Lola MG. It qualified third Thursdaybehind two Audi entries, including Pompano Beach-based Champion Racing's No. 38Audi R8 that won the pole with J.J. Lehto driving.

''This is going to bevery, very tough to beat the Audis,'' Wallace said.

Sebring InternationalRaceway's grueling 3.7-mile, 17-turn circuit is bumpy, tight and packed with fourclasses of cars.

Add the Florida heat, and the course built partly on aWorld War II airport runway is abusive to car and driver.

''Driving at Sebringfeels like you've been in a blender,'' Weaver said.

In Sebring's 51-yearhistory, no driver has won the prestigious endurance race more than three times.And only four have done that: Mario Andretti, Phil Hill, Hans Stuck and OlivierGendebein.

The Dyson trio has combined for 40 starts at Sebring, but onlyWallace has won it. He accomplished the feat in 1992 and 1993, both times drivingfor a Toyota factory team.''It's the third victory that's been elusive,'' he said.

DysonRacing has come in second twice, in 1997 and 1999, and in third 1988.

IT'STHE HOLY GRAIL

''When you talk about holding a race in awe, we do withSebring,'' team owner Rob Dyson said. ``It's the Holy Grail.''

Dyson gotteary-eyed when he talked about the biggest heartbreaker at Sebring. It was 1997.He was slated to drive the team's second car, the No. 20, but he got a call fromhis sister that his 86-year-old father died.

Dyson rushed home to New Yorkand watched the race on TV with his son, Chris, who now drives the team's secondcar. Wallace, Weaver and Leitzinger ran a great race that year but finished secondby 47.4 seconds.

Two years later, Dyson's top team lost the closest racein Sebring history -- by 9.2 seconds.

Wallace thinks this can be the yearand said the secret might be in stopping set-up guru Weaver from tinkering toomuch with the car.

''I think sometimes he thinks it's a 12-lap race, nota 12-hour race,'' Wallace said, grinning. 'Last night, we put him straight. Wetied him up, sat him in a corner and said, `You're not fiddling with the car anymore.'