Two top five GTD Pro finishes for Vasser Sullivan on streets of Detroit

Hawksworth, Barnicoat Earn Second-Place Podium Result

Hawksworth started from the third position on the GTD PRO grid and quickly moved up to second place after a competitor needed repairs on pit road. Barnicoat jumped in the No. 14 Lexus on lap 20 and returned to the streets of Detroit in second place. During his stint, a GTD PRO competitor made contact with the Lexus and sent it into the wall, which resulted in damage to the No. 14 Lexus and caused a steering issue for the remainder of Barnicoat's race. He was able to fight on and hold his spot, bringing the Lexus home in second. The podium finish is the second of the season for the defending GTD PRO champions, which includes winning the Twelve Hours of Sebring in March.

Thompson and Montecalvo were running in the Vasser Sullivan No. 15 Lexus entry this weekend for their first career GTD PRO starts with the GTD class not competing in Detroit. Montecalvo started 10th and turned the car over to Thompson early in the race. They both worked their way up through the GTD PRO field during the 100-minute race to earn a fourth-place result, which marks the best result of the season for the driver duo.

The Vasser Sullivan Lexus team returns to action in a six-hour endurance race at Watkins Glen International on Sunday, June 23. To keep up with all the racing action, follow Lexus Racing on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok by using #LexusPerformance.

Vasser Sullivan Driver Quotes

JACK HAWKSWORTH, No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3

What was your experience like racing on this street course for the first time?

'It was a solid weekend. We started on the back foot a bit, but the Vasser Sullivan boys did a good job all weekend with our Lexus RC F GT3. We had a good qualifying effort and a good race. Plenty of action today. Ben (Barnicoat) did a good job bringing it home with quite a bit of damage on the car and we'll come out of here with a second-place finish.'

BEN BARNICOAT, No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3

Can you talk about the eventful race today?

'So, obviously, that was a crazy race but first I think we've got to look at where we started this weekend. On Friday morning in practice, we were lacking quite a bit of pace to our competition. A credit to this Vasser Sullivan and Lexus Racing organization. We worked hard all-day Friday and just kept on improving every time we hit the track which allowed Jack (Hawksworth) to qualify in the third position which was a fantastic spot on a street course like this that is so tight and hard to pass on. Then, heading into today I think we all knew it was going to be a crazy race. Obviously, we had that very early yellow, but Jack was hanging in P2 after the 3 Corvette broke down. Then I hopped in and got going after the yellow and the 4 Corvette braked super early into turn 3. The gap was there, I went for it and then once I was in the gap I think he realized he braked too early, tried to cover me off and just drove me into the wall. Obviously, we hit him, dropped back a spot, and from that point I'm just very fortunate that we were able to finish the race. The car had a lot of damage, but we still showed fairly good pace and was able to hang onto P2 comfortably. Obviously, I'm sorry to the Vasser Sullivan guys that the car is scraped up, but I'm very happy with a P2 finish and good points. With six races to go, we've just got to keep working.'

PARKER THOMPSON, No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3

How was your race today?

'We're in Detroit, there's lots of casinos here so why not put it on 15 and see what happens. Huge hats off to Colin Mason and Chris Andrews. These guys have been really good on the box. They just needed one to fall their way. Their excellent strategy, excellent pit stop, and great execution from what is normally the 12 team that was the 15 team this weekend. Great to get my Vasser Sullivan boys a good result. They've deserved this one for a long time. Glad we delivered it here. Know it's not a points day for us, but it just gives us some momentum rolling into Watkins Glen, which is a place where we know our Lexus RC F GT3 is so fast.'

FRANKIE MONTECALVO, No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3

Can you talk about your first GTD PRO start?

'It was a crazy day all around. We started pretty far back and not where we wanted to be, but we got a P4 – our best finish of the season – in a different class. We'll take that. I'm happy for the 14 boys – they got a podium out of it and we were right there behind him. I wish we would've had a little bit more time, I think we could've got up there with them.'

About Lexus

Lexus' passion for brave design, imaginative technology, and exhilarating performance enables the luxury lifestyle brand to create amazing experiences for its customers. Lexus began its journey in 1989 with two luxury sedans and a commitment to pursue perfection. Since then, Lexus has developed its lineup to meet the needs of global luxury customers in more than 90 countries. In the United States, Lexus vehicles are sold through 244 dealers offering a full lineup of luxury vehicles. With eight models incorporating Lexus Hybrid Drive, Lexus is the luxury hybrid leader. Lexus also offers nine F SPORT models, one F performance model and one F model. Lexus is committed to being a visionary brand that anticipates the future for luxury customers.

Photo credit: Lexus
posted on conceptcarz.com

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