CONCORD, N.C. – Vasser Sullivan Racing will run a full-time Lexus RC F GT3 entry in the upcoming IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD class with Aaron Telitz, Frankie Montecalvo and Richard Heistand driving the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3.
“Individually Aaron, Frankie and Richard each have wins and podiums with our organization, so it made sense to band them together as co-drivers,” Jeff Bar, Lexus Motorsports manager, said. “We’ve got a lot of faith in these guys collectively to lead us to a championship and our recent Daytona test confirmed we’ve made the right choice. We’ll be announcing our fourth driver for the Rolex 24 Hour race in the coming weeks.”
Telitz, a native of Wisconsin, will be competing in his fourth IMSA season for Vasser Sullivan.
He ran the 2019 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup, before becoming a full-time driver of the No. 14 Lexus entry in 2020 where he and Hawksworth scored three wins, five podiums and three pole positions.
They won the GTD Sprint Cup driver and team championships enroute to Lexus clinching the Sprint Cup manufacturer championship. This past year, Telitz again teamed with Hawksworth to finish seventh in the overall IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar GTD Drivers Championship.
“I’m thrilled to be taking the reins of the No. 12 Lexus RCF GT3 for Vasser Sullivan,” Telitz said. “I started my IMSA career in the No. 12 car before moving to the No. 14 and it’s been an amazing two years of full-time running with Jack (Hawksworth) in GTD. Now, Frankie and I are reuniting to lead the No. 12 side in GTD for Vasser Sullivan and Lexus.
“We’ve got Richard on board as the endurance driver which is big too as we have three guys who all have experience in the RC F and know what it takes to win in it. Huge thanks to Jimmy and Sulli, and everyone at Lexus for putting their faith in me once again. I can’t wait to get to work in Daytona next month.”
Montecalvo, from Highlands, N.J., will also be contesting his fourth season with Vasser Sullivan and Lexus in the IMSA GTD class.
He had a breakout season in 2020, capturing his first IMSA win (Road America) and first IMSA poles (Grand Prix of Sebring and Grand Prix at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta).
This past year, Montecalvo co-drove the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3, placing eighth in the overall GTD driver standings.
“So great to be able to race with the Vasser Sullivan family for the fourth year,” Montecalvo said. “We have had great success and momentum that I look forward to continuing. Each year we get stronger and stronger, so I feel this year we will be a major championship contender.”
Heistand, who resides in Miami, Fla., returns to Vasser Sullivan after driving for the team in 2019. He captured the team’s first pole that year at Mid-Ohio and co-drove with Hawksworth to the team’s first two victories, Mid-Ohio and Detroit.
Next season will mark the fourth year Lexus and Vasser Sullivan have partnered together. During that time, the Lexus RC F GT3 has earned seven GTD class wins, 18 podiums and nine pole positions.
The Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 entries return to the track for the Roar Before the Rolex 24 at Daytona (Fla.) Int’l Speedway on Jan. 21-23 to prepare for the Rolex 24 at Daytona on Jan. 29-30.