Vasser Sullivan Racing has restructured its two-car, two-class effort within the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for the 2025 season.
2023 IMSA GTD Professional Champions Jack Hawksworth and Ben Barnicoat will likely be break up after three seasons collectively in GTD PRO. Barnicoat will stay within the GTD PRO No.14 Lexus RC F GT3, however this yr the British driver will likely be joined by American Aaron Telitz, who returns to a full-time position at Vasser Sullivan after operating the Michelin Endurance Cup in 2024.
In the meantime, Hawksworth will be a part of Canadian Parker Thompson within the GTD No.12 Lexus for the total season.
Hawksworth and Barnicoat completed fifth in final yr’s GTD PRO standings with a win on the 12 Hours of Sebring, whereas Thompson was sixth within the GTD championship with a win at Lengthy Seaside, with Barnicoat as his co-driver in a one-off association.
Andretti International IndyCar driver Kyle Kirkwood will proceed in his position because the Michelin Endurance Cup driver aboard the No.14 Lexus, joined by Lexus veteran, 2014 GTD winner at Daytona, and NBC Sports activities Townsend Bell – again within the Daytona 24 Hours for the primary time since 2022.
Kirkwood can even pull double-duty at Daytona, sharing the No.12 GTD entry with Hawksworth, Thompson and Frankie Montecalvo, who has shifted from full-time to an Endurance Cup position for 2025. Likewise, Bell will drive and work for NBC as a race analyst for its protection of the Rolex 24.
Jeff Bal, Senior Supervisor of Lexus Motorsports, mentioned: “The 2025 IMSA season can’t come quickly sufficient. The one factor harder than successful the 2023 championship, was defending it.
“We discovered that the exhausting approach final yr and haven’t taken a time off because the checkered flag at Highway Atlanta in October. Your entire Vasser Sullivan and Lexus Racing workforce has managed by way of the highs and the lows, coming into this season absolutely targeted and dedicated to successful all of it. The motive force lineups showcase that we’ve acquired what it takes to win and we’re desiring to do exactly that starting with Daytona.
“IMSA continues to placed on an unbelievable present for all race followers and we’re lucky to be racing amongst lots of the world’s biggest, most storied packages. This yr’s going to be one for the ages.”
Vasser Sullivan Racing co-owners Jimmy Vasser and James Sullivan mentioned in a joint assertion: “We’re headed into the 2025 season with unfinished enterprise and the workforce has ready accordingly. Each driver on this line-up has received with us and we’re laser targeted on clinching one other championship and bringing dwelling the Rolex 24 victory. With Kyle Kirkwood pulling double responsibility between each vehicles, and Townsend Bell pulling double responsibility with the NBC sales space, this will likely be a really dynamic and highly effective Rolex 24 race for us.”
Barnicoat can also be dedicated to a full-season position at Akkodis ASP Group within the FIA World Endurance Championship, which has two date clashes with the IMSA GTD Professional class: The Motul Course de Monterey on the identical weekend because the WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, and the Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park on the identical weekend because the WEC 6 Hours of Sao Paulo. No announcement has been made about Barnicoat’s precedence program.
