No. 12 and No. 89 Lexus RC F GT3 Finish Second and Third, Respectively, in GTD Class at Grand Prix
The Vasser Sullivan No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3 scored a second-place finish with drivers Jack Hawksworth and Parker Thompson to lead the way for the Vasser Sullivan team in the GTD class during Saturday afternoon's Long Beach Grand Prix. The No. 89 Lexus driven by Aaron Telitz and Frankie Montecalvo rounded out the GTD podium with a strong third-place finish at the famed 1.968-mile street course.
Thompson started on pole in the No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3 and held onto the lead until making a pit stop on Lap 25, while also making a driver change to co-driver Hawksworth. Montecalvo qualified sixth in the No. 89 Lexus RC F GT3 and ran near the top-five throughout the first portion of the race, until he gave way to co-driver Telitz under green flag conditions.
The Vasser Sullivan duo settled into second and third-place, respectively, during the next portion of the race, as the No. 89 Lexus managed to overtake many of the other leading cars, putting both into podium position. Hawksworth in the No. 12 car was able to overtake Telitz in the No. 89 to move into second place a few laps following their stops. A full-course yellow waved 53 minutes into the 100-minute race, bunching up the field for what would be the final restart of the race. Despite the opportunity to get back up with the leader, Hawksworth couldn't make a pass on the No. 177 Porsche, but each car held position to secure a two-three finish for the Vasser Sullivan Lexus team.
With both cars celebrating podium finishes, the strong results helped the Lexus team gain ground in the GTD class manufacturer standings. Lexus now sits third with 963 points – 58 behind the class-leading Porsche and just two behind Mercedes-AMG. In the team standings, the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan entry holds second-place, trailing the No. 57 Windward Racing team by 94 points.
The Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3s return to action at Laguna Seca on Sunday, May 11, where the GTD PRO and GTD classes will compete in the Monterey SportsCar Championship on the 2.238-mile road course. 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. 12 Lexus RC F GT3
What did it take to get a second-place podium finish today?
'In terms of a points day, it was really good. The weekend as a whole was really great. We had a good car in practice and then Parker (Thompson) did a great lap in qualifying to get us upfront. The first half of the race was going really well and then we just were on the wrong side of the strategy there. We pitted too early, ended up in the prototype traffic and then they had clean air and were able to put in a couple laps and jump out ahead of us. I tried to put him under pressure for a while there. Our Lexus RC F GT3 had some good pace the first half of the stint and then just didn't have enough to stay close to him and that was the race. Overall, it was a good day for the championship, and we'll move on to Laguna Seca.'
PARKER THOMPSON, No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3
What does it mean to get a runner-up podium finish after a tough start to the season?
'We always knew coming into this race that it was a possibility that competitors that aren't in the full time GTD championship would be willing to take more of a risk than we would, but it's days like today where you've got to look big picture. We're proud of our second-place effort and we're holding our heads high to finish out the West Coast swing strong in Laguna Seca.'
FRANKIE MONTECALVO, No. 89 Lexus RC F GT3
How does it feel to get a third-place podium result?
'I'm extremely excited to get a podium again with Aaron (Telitz). I feel like we're three for three here in Long Beach and to share it with the 12 car up there is awesome. The Vasser Sullivan team did a phenomenal job all weekend and couldn't be happier to get on the podium.'AARON TELITZ, No. 89 Lexus RC F GT3
Can you talk about your race today?
'What a great team day all around here with a double podium for Vasser Sullivan. Obviously, we would've loved to see one of our cars win. On the 89 side, just a great job all around. Frankie (Montecalvo) did a really good job. When a couple of the other cars pitted, Frankie laid down a couple of quick laps and had a fast in-lap and then the Vasser Sullivan guys executed an amazing pit stop. Frankie is a driver change wizard. Our driver change was super fast. We didn't change tires and that's where we made up our spots into second and then just settled into third and luckily held on there.'About Lexus
The Lexus RC F GT3 is in its ninth season in the GTD class, and fourth year in the GTD PRO category, competing in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship. Over the last seven seasons, Lexus and Vasser Sullivan have combined to earn 15 wins, 46 podium finishes and 24 pole positions with the RC F GT3. In 2023, Lexus won its first full-season IMSA GTD PRO Manufacturers Championship on the strength of two wins and podium positions in nine of 11 races.
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 nine 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
