By JOE SEELIG

SEBRING — A sudden storm took out the sheriff’s new license automatic tag recognition computer Thursday night and winds caused havoc for campers at the Sebring International Raceway.

“It pretty much took the party out of everyone,” said sheriff’s deputy J.P. Fane, who added there were no arrests and no crimes to report.
“Most people spent the night looking for their tents. It looked like there were tumble weeds out there, but they were just tents going by.”
Some people came out of their campers and had to hold onto their awnings to keep them from blowing off, Fane said.

Fane wasn’t sure Thursday if that was a record, but sheriff’s Lt. Booker Johnson told him that there were no arrests last year on the Thursday before the race, but he thinks someone was asked to leave the track.
Because the tag recognition system computer was whacked when a bolt of lightning struck near the main gate about 6:30 p.m., the sheriff’s office was not able to report the number of cars that had been scanned.

Technicians had just arrived at about 1 p.m. Friday and were going to see if any data could be retrieved. There were going to replace the damaged computer and new surge protection is being installed.
There have been no further thefts in the Paddock area either, Fane said.

On the opening day someone stole about $3,000 in cash and a some credit cards from seven members of five race teams.