TOP 5 GT DRIVERS (GT & GTC):

5. Johannes van Overbeek — While one of the soft-spoken drivers in the paddock, JvO showed his potential in 2012, helping lead Extreme Speed Motorsports to its first two victories in GT competition, including an impressive fight for the eventual class win at Mosport. It may have taken a few seasons for the former Flying Lizard ace to fully come to grips of a Prancing Horse, but it’s clear he’s now one of the best peddlers of the Ferrari 458, especially with the support of the Florida-based team.

4. Patrick Long — Enduring a challenging season with co-driver Joerg Bergmeister, the American Porsche factory driver made the most of the aging 997-based Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, which even with 2012 updates, was no legitimate match for the Corvette or Ferrari. Both Long and Bergmeister were very much on the limits of the package, having scored a win at Lime Rock and crossed the line first in a hard fight at Mosport, only for the car to flunk post-race tech.

3. Tommy Milner — Enjoying a stellar season with class wins at Long Beach, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Mid-Ohio and VIR, the second-year Corvette factory driver made a massive leap forward. Following a somewhat shaky start to his relationship with GM, despite a class victory at Le Mans, 2012 saw a more matured driver that clearly gelled well with veteran Oliver Gavin. Proof of that comes with Milner’s first ALMS title.

2. Jeroen Bleekemolen — The star of GTC for the second consecutive year, the Dutchman was clearly the driver to beat, no matter the team he was with. Having made four starts with four different operations (TRG, JDX, Alex Job, NGT), Bleekemolen took wins in all but one race, and finished runner-up in the other. Combined with his ALMS starts in P1 and P2 this year, he proved to be one of the most versatile and no doubt talented, especially when behind the wheel of a Porsche.

1. Oliver Gavin — With four wins and the GT class title, it was quite a season for the lanky Englishman, who took home his fourth ALMS championship in the last eight years. A near flawless performance all season in the No. 4 Corvette with young gun Tommy Milner saw Gavin regain the status as the lead dog within the GM camp. While competition in the production-based ranks was at an all-time high, Olly delivered the goods on nearly every occasion.

TOP GT AM DRIVER:

Cooper MacNeil — Graduating to the GTC ranks for 2012, the University of Colorado at Boulder student impressed with a storybook-like season, which saw three victories and the class championship in the Alex Job Racing entry. Paired with Leh Keen, one of the best Porsche drivers in the business, the duo proved to be the benchmark in the spec category, with MacNeil’s potential shining through.

John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at