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Hawksworth, Barnicoat Deliver Solid Points-Paying Day At Laguna Seca
In the return of the GTD PRO class at the Course De Monterey in Laguna Seca, Calif., on May 14, 2024, the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3, driven by Jack Hawksworth and Ben Barnicoat, finished fourth. The No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3, with Parker Thompson and Frankie Montecalvo, secured ninth place in the GTD class.
Hawksworth began the race from fourth position on the GTD PRO grid and maintained his position during the initial stints. With an hour left in the race, he handed over to Barnicoat, who cycled out in fifth place. Barnicoat overtook the No. 3 car with ten minutes remaining, finishing fourth.
The No. 14 team now sits second in the GTD PRO driver’s standings following this result. Meanwhile, the No. 12 team started fifth in the GTD class and ended up ninth after a series of strategic decisions and race dynamics.
Driver Insights
Jack Hawksworth reflected on the race: "It was a solid day and weekend. We tested here a few weeks ago and made some good adjustments to make our Lexus RC F GT3 competitive. We had a strong qualifying session and maintained our position during the race."
Ben Barnicoat added: "Today was about strategy since we realised early on that we didn’t have the pace to win. We optimised what we had and managed to move forward during pit stops. Finishing fourth felt like an internal win given our circumstances."
No. 12 Team's Performance
Parker Thompson described his experience: "We were in a good position with a fast car, but a yellow flag came out at an unfortunate time, putting us a lap down. Despite this, our team executed a great strategy to keep us competitive."
Frankie Montecalvo echoed similar sentiments: "We had a good car and strategy, but the timing of cautions affected our race outcome. Nevertheless, we secured a top-10 finish."
Upcoming Races
The Vasser Sullivan Lexus team will next compete in a sprint race at the Detroit Grand Prix on June 1. The team remains focused and optimistic about their performance in upcoming races at Detroit, Watkins Glen, and Mosport.
Driver Quotes
Jack Hawksworth: "We tested here knowing Laguna Seca is tough for us. After testing, our engineers came up with good ideas to make our car competitive. We had a strong qualifying session and maintained our position during the race."
Ben Barnicoat: "We realised early on that we didn’t have the pace to win, so we focused on strategy. We managed to move forward during pit stops but finished fourth as we couldn’t maintain our position."
Parker Thompson: "A yellow flag came out at an unfortunate time, putting us a lap down. Despite this setback, our team executed a great strategy to keep us competitive."
Frankie Montecalvo: "The timing of cautions affected our race outcome. Nevertheless, we secured a top-10 finish and are looking forward to upcoming races."
The Vasser Sullivan Lexus team demonstrated resilience and strategic acumen at Laguna Seca. With their eyes set on future races, they aim to build on their current standings and achieve better results.
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