BRASELTON, Ga. (Oct. 14, 2024) – The Vasser Sullivan No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3 finished third in Saturday’s Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta with drivers Parker Thompson, Frankie Montecalvo and Aaron Telitz. The driver trio drove from the back of the GTD class to a podium result in the 10-hour season finale. Jack Hawksworth, Ben Barnicoat and Kyle Kirkwood ran strong early in the race in the No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3, however an engine issue ended their day early and they finished 13th in the GTD PRO class.

The No. 12 Lexus started in the 18th position in the GTD class after a penalty in qualifying sent them to the back of grid for the start of the 10-hour endurance race. Thompson started the race and worked his way up to 11th-place during his stint. Montecalvo jumped in the Lexus for three stints and ran at the front of the GTD field for 33 laps. Telitz and Thompson closed out the second half the race, battling for their podium position before finishing third with the No. 12 RC F GT3 leading 68 total laps by the race’s end.

The No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3, driven by Hawksworth, Barnicoat and Kirkwood, went off strategy early in the race to make up a number of positions on track. Hawksworth completed the first stint before Kirkwood took over driving duties nearly 30 minutes into the race. He led 28 laps during his two stints before Barnicoat jumped behind the wheel of the No. 14 Lexus. An engine issue shortly after the driver change ended the No. 14 team’s day early and they went on to finish 13th in class.

The Vasser Sullivan Lexus team ends the season with two wins, four podium results and five pole positions. Parker Thompson led the GTD class with three poles this season.

The 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season opens at Daytona International Speedway with the Rolex 24 at Daytona on January 25-26, 2025. 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 in the Lexus RC F GT3 for the first stint today?

“It was a disappointing day. We had a really good race going. We had a clean start and no issues. Our Lexus was competitive, and we certainly seemed like we were in the race, but obviously you never quite know until the end. It looked like we had decent pace, and we were up there toward the front, and it would’ve been interesting to see how it all played out, but unfortunately, we had an engine issue there that ruled us out. A tough way to end the season, but we’ll put it behind us and move on. Thank you to everyone for their efforts this year. We’ve had some amazing moments earlier in the year with some good podiums and our win at Sebring, but we’ve had some disappointing moments as well, so it’s been a season of ups and downs. Thank you to everyone at Vasser Sullivan and Lexus, and congratulations to the 12 car on their podium finish.”

BEN BARNICOAT, No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3

How are you feeling after going out of the season-ending Petit Le Mans early?

“I’m very disappointed to end Petit Le Mans early for the second year in a row. We had a good day going. Jack (Hawksworth) had a great start and with Kyle (Kirkwood) we went off strategy and that was working out well. I think we made 16 seconds up on the field doing that so I’m sure that would’ve come back to us later in the race where we would’ve been in a positive position. I hate that we had a technical failure for everyone. It’s been a tough season, and it would’ve been nice to end on a high and with a result that everyone on this Vasser Sullivan team deserves. Looking back at this season, to win the Twelve Hours of Sebring with two great teammates and our entire Vasser Sullivan Lexus team is a highlight not only for the season, but in my career. Congratulations to the 12 team on the podium finish tonight, it was very well deserved! Thank you to everyone for this season and I look forward to what the future holds.”

KYLE KIRKWOOD, No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3

How were your stints in the Lexus RC F GT3?

“We had a really good day going. Jack (Hawksworth) had a great first stint. We were way off strategy, and it seemed to be working for us quite well early in the race. You never know how it’s going to shake up, but it was going extremely well. Everyone on this Vasser Sullivan team did their job here today, it’s just an unfortunate event that occurred with a mechanical issue that didn’t allow us to finish today. Things like this happen in endurance racing. We had a lot of positives to take away from today. We thought we had a car that we could win with today and the three of us drivers and the team did a great job, so that’s the takeaway going into the off-season. Congratulations to the 12 team on their podium result today.”

PARKER THOMPSON, No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3

How excited are you to get a podium finish in the Petit Le Mans?

“Unreal day for the 12 team. I’ve been saying this for such a long time that we push through adversity, but man, we’ve had a lot of adversity this year. Finally, we came through from the last spot in GTD all the way to the podium. It was an awesome drive by every driver on this team and an awesome job by our Vasser Sullivan crew. We had a solid first stint and got us into the top 10 easily with some brake save and fuel save, and we cycled through our rotation. Everybody put their absolute A-game on. Huge thanks to Lexus Racing, TRD and Vasser Sullivan a podium. Exciting for everyone on this program.”

FRANKIE MONTECALVO, No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3

Can you take us through your stint in the race?

“I had a triple stint at the start of the race, which was definitely the right strategy. The Vasser Sullivan guys gave us a great Lexus RC F GT3 today. We were extremely competitive. I think I came all the way from the back at the start of the stint and just had an awesome run there. We cycled all the way to the front and led for a long time, saving the car and trying to keep it out of trouble. This is great after the season we’ve had. I can’t say enough about this finish. All the way from the back to P3 and I think we had a really great shot at a race win there. Aaron (Telitz) got pushed off track, our grille was covered in grass, and we were hoping it wouldn’t overheat there so it was a nailbiter all the way to the end. Everyone on the team did exactly what they needed to do, and we finished on the podium. It is a great way to end the season and to build momentum for next year.”

AARON TELITZ, No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3

How excited are you to be on the podium at the Petit Le Mans?

“I’m just so happy to be on the podium here at Petit Le Mans to end the year. It hasn’t been the greatest of years for the 12 crew, so to end it on the podium was a great finish. We soldiered home there at the end. We faced a lot of adversity this entire race, but our No. 12 Lexus RC F was up to the task. It just kept trucking along all the way to the end, and we came home with a solid result to show for it.”