A tactical masterstroke on pit lane proved to be the final word key to success for Vasser Sullivan Racing at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. The #14 Lexus RC F GT3 secured its second consecutive GTD Professional victory within the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, proving that typically, much less is extra.
Ranging from sixth on the grid for the two-hour and 40-minute Chevrolet Grand Prix, Jack Hawksworth delivered a strong opening stint, carving his method as much as fourth. However the race was finally determined 42 minutes in in the course of the first pit cycle.
In a superb technique name by engineer Geoff Fickling and strategist Dwight Brown, the workforce opted for a short-fill cease, electing to not high off the gas tank utterly. The lightning-fast cease clocked in at a mere 46.179 seconds, vaulting the Lexus forward of its rivals on pit lane.
Ben Barnicoat took the wheel and instantly capitalized on the monitor place. On the following restart, Barnicoat caught Nikita Johnson sleeping, executing a mega cross on the #59 RLL Group McLaren 720S GT3 Evo to grab the lead. From there, the #14 Lexus dominated, pacing the sphere for 78 of the ultimate 118 laps to take the checkered flag by 1.993 seconds.
“The blokes executed a extremely good pit cease; they had been in a position to get the tires on actually quick and get the gas in, get the probe out, and we beat some automobiles on pit lane,” Hawksworth mentioned. “Ben did a terrific job to catch the McLaren sleeping there on the restart and managed the race. Excellent execution.”
The victory carried further emotional weight for a driver duo that has traditionally endured brutal luck on the quick Canadian monitor. After a conservative qualifying technique left them sixth on the grid – operating just one set of tires whereas rivals used two – beginning deeper within the subject mockingly turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Each drivers joked post-race that ranging from the entrance row had beforehand cursed their efforts, making their cost from sixth the right treatment.
The hard-fought breakthrough additionally marked a historic milestone for the producer, registering the twentieth IMSA victory for the venerable Lexus RC F GT3 platform. Remarkably, 18 of these triumphs have been delivered by Vasser Sullivan, with Canadian Tire Motorsport Park turning into the ninth completely different IMSA circuit the place the workforce has tasted victory.
‘No Strain, Simply Chasing Wins’
With 4 races remaining within the season, the back-to-back victories have vaulted Hawksworth and Barnicoat again into the championship dialog, sitting simply 150 factors adrift of Paul Miller Racing’s Connor De Phillippi and Neil Verhagen.
A mere 60 factors separate second by way of sixth place, establishing a frantic closing stretch.
Regardless of the shrinking deficit, the Vasser Sullivan storage is not wanting on the math.
“I believe the strain is on everybody else,” Barnicoat mentioned. “We had potential from Sebring to win and it’s simply by no means actually gone our method. Now everybody’s simply been doing the identical factor. We’re having a little bit of luck and we’re successful.”
Hawksworth echoed his teammate’s ideas, including, “After some powerful races, we’re simply going for wins. If we maintain doing that, the factors will care for themselves.”
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