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Lexus

BARNICOAT, THOMPSON CLAIM SECOND STRAIGHT LONG BEACH TRIUMPH FOR LEXUS AND VASSER SULLIVAN

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LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 22, 2024) – Following a GT class track-record pole by Parker Thompson on Friday, the No. 89 Lexus RC F GT3 captured the GTD class victory within the Grand Prix of Long Beach on Saturday. Thompson, together with Ben Barnicoat, delivered Lexus and Vasser Sullivan’s second consecutive win on the streets of Long Beach (GTD PRO class winners in 2023) and the second consecutive win this season for the crew following the GTD PRO victory at Sebring final month.

The No. 89 was in management for many of the 100-minute dash race on the best way to victory. Thompson led the best way early on, constructing a multi-second hole to the pack behind him throughout his 40-minute stint. With one hour and two minutes remaining, Thompson introduced the No. 89 into the pits the place Barnicoat took over and adopted swimsuit. The Brit by no means seemed again throughout his run, even with a late-race warning, in the end reaching victory lane when the checkered flag flew.

The victory marks the second GTD class victory for each drivers, coupling Barnicoat’s class win at Detroit in 2022 and Thompson’s win final season at Watkins Glen. Overall, that is Barnicoat’s seventh profession IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship win and the second for Thompson.

Jack Hawksworth and Frankie Montecalvo got here residence fifteenth within the GTD class with the No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3. The No. 12 began on the entrance row subsequent to its sister automotive with Montecalvo behind the wheel. However, an early-race penalty dropped the New Jersey native to the rear of the GTD class. Montecalvo fought his means again up the sector earlier than handing the wheel to Hawksworth with simply over an hour remaining. Hawksworth additionally confirmed super grit, battling his means up the operating order earlier than struggling left rear harm to the Lexus RC F after contact with 33 minutes remaining, which ended the day early for the No. 12 crew.

The Vasser Sullivan Lexus crew returns to motion at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on Sunday, May 12. To sustain with all of the racing motion, comply with Lexus Racing on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok by utilizing #LexusEfficiency.

Vasser Sullivan Driver Quotes

BEN BARNICOAT, No. 89 Lexus RC F GT3
What does it imply to get one other win right here Long Beach?

“I have to say a huge thank you to the team. Vasser Sullivan and Lexus Racing USA, TRD (Toyota Racing Development). We’re on a bit of a roll at the moment, but we had a fantastic season last year, and Daytona is just a small bump in the road. Very lucky to be on this team with all the work they put in, with the hours of dedication to excellence. I don’t believe there’s any other GT team operating, pushing as hard as we are. The results aren’t a shock. You get what you put out, right? I’ve put so much into this and I’m just happy I can deliver the results for them. To go back-to-back here at Long Beach is special. This track is amazing and it’s an amazing venue. The atmosphere of having this race with INDYCAR; I owe Jimmy (Vasser, co-owner) and Sulli (James Sullivan, co-owner) big thank you’s to race in the GTD class today. They gave me a rocket ship RC F GT3. It’s pretty special to be back up here.”

PARKER THOMPSON, No. 89 Lexus RC F GT3
Was it a fairly easy race from the pole place at this time?

“It’s pretty tough when you know execution is the only thing between you and winning the race. There were a lot of pros that qualified yesterday, so I was up against a pretty tough field at the start. But I controlled the race from the start beginning and got a good jump, got into turn 1, handled a couple restarts and saved our Lexus RC F GT3 to make sure Mr. Platinum himself beside me (Ben Barnicoat) could bring it home. It was good!. Really cool, you know the number 89, the significance behind that is 1989 was the first time Lexus came stateside to the U.S. Awesome to honor them and get the win for them. Back-to-back at Long Beach is fantastic.”

JACK HAWKSWORTH, No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3
How would you describe your day?

“It was a very disappointing day. About everything that could go wrong did from the start. The No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus guys worked hard all weekend so I’m very disappointed for them, but no doubt they’ll come back fighting.”

FRANKIE MONTECALVO, No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3
What was your race like at this time?

“It was a tough day for the 12 car. The Vasser Sullivan team gave us a great car and we had a great starting position. But sadly, we received that penalty on the start. And then, we decided to chip away and get our places back one-by-one. But at the end of the day, we had to retire early due to some contact. Congrats to the No. 89 Lexus RC F GT3 for getting the win. Would’ve loved to be there in the end with them up front. Want to thank Vasser Sullivan for the great car and team. Also, I want to thank Lexus for keeping us in the mix.”

About Lexus
Lexus’ ardour for courageous design, imaginative expertise, and exhilarating efficiency allows the luxurious way of life model to create superb experiences for its prospects. Lexus started its journey in 1989 with two luxurious sedans and a dedication to pursue perfection. Since then, Lexus has developed its lineup to fulfill the wants of worldwide luxurious prospects in additional than 90 nations. In the United States, Lexus autos are bought by way of 244 sellers providing a full lineup of luxurious autos. With eight fashions incorporating Lexus Hybrid Drive, Lexus is the luxurious hybrid chief. Lexus additionally gives 9 F SPORT fashions, one F efficiency mannequin and one F mannequin. Lexus is dedicated to being a visionary model that anticipates the long run for luxurious prospects.

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BMW

WorldSBK in Magny-Cours: Celebrating Pole Position with Mixed Feelings at BMW Motorrad Motorsport

The ninth round of the FIM Superbike World Championship 2023 (WorldSBK) took place at Magny-Cours, where BMW Motorrad Motorsport had a combination of pole position celebrations and mixed feelings. Garrett Gerloff, a BMW Motorrad factory rider, showcased impressive performance throughout the weekend, finishing fourth in the first race and fifth in the second main race. Scott Redding achieved his best race result with a seventh-place finish, and Loris Baz followed suit with a seventh-place finish in the Superpole race. Michael van der Mark struggled to find his rhythm, finishing 13th in both qualifying and the Superpole race.

In the Superpole on Saturday, Gerloff set a new all-time lap record and claimed his first WorldSBK pole position, marking a significant achievement for both himself and the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team. However, Redding unfortunately slid and fell, finishing in tenth place but moving up to ninth on the grid due to a penalty issued to another rider. Van der Mark concluded the Superpole in 13th position.

Despite losing a few positions at the start, Gerloff maintained a position in the top five throughout the first race, finishing in fourth place as the best rider from an Independent team. Redding finished the first race in seventh place, while Baz encountered various problems and ended up in 13th position. Van der Mark crossed the finish line in 16th place.

The Superpole race on Sunday saw a collision between Redding and Gerloff, leading to both riders going down. Gerloff retired after heading to the pits, while Redding was able to rejoin the race and finish in 20th place. Baz secured seventh place in the Superpole race, setting a good start position for the second main race. Van der Mark finished in 13th position.

In the second main race, Gerloff finished fifth, once again achieving the best result for an Independent team. The race was briefly interrupted due to an accident involving Redding and Dominique Aegerter, but after restarting, Baz crossed the finish line in twelfth place. Unfortunately, Redding retired from the race due to a technical issue, and Van der Mark also failed to finish after a crash.

The next round of the 2023 WorldSBK season will take place at MotorLand Aragón, Spain, in two weeks’ time. BMW Motorrad Motorsport, along with the four riders and both teams, had successful testing sessions at Aragón at the end of August.

BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director, Marc Bongers, expressed his delight with Gerloff’s performance and the achievements of the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team. Bongers also acknowledged the unfortunate racing incident involving Redding and Gerloff, which had a negative impact on the team’s start position for the second main race. He emphasized the potential of the BMW M 1000 RR and the need to build on it in the remaining three rounds.

Gerloff himself expressed his satisfaction with the weekend, especially achieving his first pole position and achieving two top-five finishes. He expressed optimism in using this weekend as a foundation for future races.

Redding, on the other hand, acknowledged his string of bad luck throughout the weekend, with three crashes and a series of unfortunate events. Despite the setbacks, he remained positive and focused on improving at the upcoming races in Aragón.

Baz described the weekend as tough and not meeting his expectations. He acknowledged the technical issues and set up challenges but expressed determination to improve in the remaining races.

Van der Mark admitted to struggling with finding the right feeling for the bike during the weekend. However, he remained confident in the potential of the BMW M 1000 RR and looked forward to the next round at Aragón.