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Vasser Sullivan plans to introduce a second Lexus RC F GT3 into their team for the upcoming round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in Long Beach on April 20. The sprint race at the Long Beach Grand Prix, lasting 1 hour and 40 minutes, will exclusively feature GTP and GTD cars, excluding the GTD Pro cars from last year’s race. In response, Vasser Sullivan has opted to field another car, specifically the #89, with a modified driver lineup, similar to their approach in 2021. Currently, the team operates a Lexus GTD and a Lexus GTD Pro for the 2024 season, with the #14 Lexus claiming a victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring last month. The #12 will be driven by Jack Hawksworth and Frankie Montecalvo, while the #89 will be driven by Ben Barnicoat and Parker Thompson. As regular competitors in the GTD Pro category and reigning champions, Hawksworth and Barnicoat will compete in the GTD category in the third round of the 2024 IMSA season. Vasser Sullivan Racing Team principals, Jimmy Vasser and James ‘Sulli’ Sullivan, have expressed the team and Lexus’ excitement for the Long Beach Grand Prix, emphasizing their goal to win. They believe that the partnership between Montecalvo and Hawksworth in the Vasser Sullivan No. 12 RC F GT3, alongside Barnicoat and Thompson in the Vasser Sullivan No. 89 RC F GT3, gives them the best chance at victory. Jeff Bal, Senior Manager of Lexus Motorsports Division, expressed his enthusiasm for returning to the streets of Long Beach and the honor of having Vasser Sullivan fielding a second GTD entry alongside the Vasser Sullivan No. 12 RC F GT3. In tribute to the year Lexus entered the luxury racing scene in the US, the team will use the number 89 alongside the 12 as a nod to their 35 years in the US market. Since 1989, Lexus has built a reputation based on unmatched quality and reliability, consistently offering a leading guest experience in the industry and shaping the luxury industry. Lexus’ philosophy of “There is no better, only better” is evident in all aspects of their brand, including racing.
