By: Lexus Racing
July 8 2018
The 3GT Racing No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3 recorded a second-place result in the GTD class (19th overall) in Sunday’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park with drivers Kyle Marcelli and Dominik Baumann.
This is the second podium finish this season for 3GT Racing and the Lexus RC F GT3 after the No. 14 Lexus also claimed the team’s first victory at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in May.
The No. 15 Lexus finished seventh in class with drivers Jack Hawksworth and David Heinemeier Hansson after running among the top-three GTD competitors majority of the two hour, 40 minute event.
Hawksworth recorded the fastest lap among GTD competitors with a circuit of 1:16.919 around the 2.459-mile, 10-turn Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada. It was the third time this season he was quickest on-track, also claiming top-honors at Mid-Ohio and last week at Watkins Glen.
Hawksworth earned the GTD pole position on Saturday with a GTD track qualifying record time of 1:15.581. It was the third time in six GTD races this season he would lead the class to the green with previous poles at Mid-Ohio and Watkins Glen.
Hawksworth tied for the most laps led in the GTD class by pacing the first 33 circuits (of 107), while Marcelli led 25 laps late in the race for 58 combined laps led by a 3GT Racing Lexus RC F GT3 driver.
Lexus Racing Quotes
Dominik Baumann, No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3
How do you feel after an up and down race?
“It was difficult. It was a crazy race. We had so many yellows and it was just one of my craziest races over here in North America. It was crazy watching Kyle (Marcelli) defending, attacking, it was just crazy for me from the pits. We were disappointed in the beginning because we lost a lot of time in the first pit stop, so we had to change something on our strategy. We had a perfect call from our pit crew. We stopped early and we had another stop and we gained seven seconds on the pit stop and that was our way to the success. Kyle had an amazing middle stint – he overtook four or five cars – and at the end it was just driving and keeping position.”
Kyle Marcelli, No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3
How does it feel to get this podium finish at your hometown race track?
“I think we have to be pleased. Of course, we’re competitors and we want to win and it’s a good thing when you’re upset with second. We had a fast car, but we really struggled at the end of this stint with our rear tires and we knew that, so we did not need the yellows. I needed it to stay green. Our race really was the second stint – we decided to stop early and try to undercut some of the competitors by getting a really quick out lap and that paid off and then on the restart I was just super aggressive and I think we passed four cars, which eventually inherited the lead. And we led for – I don’t know – the last 40 minutes or the first 40 minutes of the last stint and I knew the car behind was catching me, but it’s one thing to catch the competitor, another thing to get by. This place is difficult to pass, but again we just – we struggled for traction out of the last corner. We just had to settle in second place, so thank you 3GT Racing and second podium for the RC F GT3.”
Canadians In BOLD