Vasser Sullivan Lexus Battles Through Adversity at VIR

It was not the weekend the Vasser Sullivan Lexus team was hoping for at Virginia International Raceway, but when the checkered flag flew on Sunday’s GT-only IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race, both Lexus RC F GT3 entries had fought their way to top-ten finishes despite a challenging weekend from start to finish.

Jack Hawksworth started 10th in the GTD PRO class and immediately went to work, taking advantage of an early pit strategy that vaulted the No. 14 into fifth place during the second stint. When Hawksworth handed off to Ben Barnicoat, the car returned to the track in eighth and was very much in contention for a stronger result.

Then came the contact. A collision from the No. 77 Porsche sent Barnicoat off the road, and grass collected on the grille cost the team precious time and track position. The Porsche was issued a drive-through penalty for the incident, and Barnicoat clawed his way back through the field to ultimately take the checkered flag in seventh place in GTD PRO.

“Jack and the engineers pulled off a great strategy to sort of get us to mid-pack, which was pretty remarkable,” Barnicoat said. “The Porsche made contact, sending me off, and without a yellow, that made anything more than a P7 unlikely. Just a tough weekend from start to end here at VIR.”

Hawksworth echoed the frustration but acknowledged the team’s resilience: “The guys did a good job overcoming the adversity with as much as we could control, and we’ll go back and see if there’s anything we can learn for the next one.”

The story in the GTD class was similar. Aaron Telitz started sixth in the No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3 and moved up to fifth before handing off to Benjamin Pedersen for the middle stint. Pedersen ran consistently in the top six before returning the car to Telitz for the closing run, with the No. 12 crossing the line in ninth place.

Both drivers were candid about the car’s struggles throughout the weekend, particularly with rear tire degradation in the Virginia heat, but neither lost sight of the positive.

“We came away with another top ten even when we’re struggling,” Telitz said. “Our Vasser Sullivan team never stopped trying. We’re going to regroup and we’ve got two races left to finish strong this year.”

Pedersen added: “We’ll go back to the drawing board and see how we can improve on ourselves and be even more tidy for Indy.”

The Vasser Sullivan Lexus program heads next to the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the final sprint race of the season on Sunday, September 20. After a tough weekend at VIR, both teams will be hungry to close out the year on a strong note. Follow @GAZOORacingUSA on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to keep up with all the action.