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January 29, 2024
Bryan Herta Autosport opened the 2024 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season with a double podium in the 4-Hour BMW M Endurance Challenge at Daytona International Speedway on Friday.
BHA newcomers Denis Dupont, Nick Looijmans and Preston Brown earned the top spot for Hyundai in the season opener. The trio raced the no. 76 Elantra N TCR to second, securing Brown and Looijman's first ever IMSA podium finish. Brown qualified and started the race, and Looijmans took over for the middle stint. Dupont set the second fastest race lap while chasing the race winning #17 Audi.
Mason Filippi, Mark Wilkins, and the no. 98 Elantra N TCR crew matched their 2023 result with another third-place podium finish. Filippi raced from ninth to as high as second in his opening stint that totaled two hours and 23 minutes before turning over to Wilkins. While they were unable to catch the leaders, Wilkins, and the no. 98 team maximized their opportunities with a rewarding podium finish.
Taylor Hagler and Bryson Morris held on for a top-ten finish with strong pace and a great strategy, despite an eventful first two hours. Hagler was hit by the #5 Alfa Romeo which resulted in a tire puncture putting the no.77 team one lap down. Resilient, Hagler and Morris raced back inside the top-ten, finishing eighth.
The no. 33 Elantra N TCR driven by defending champions Harry Gottsacker and Robert Wickens started from the pole position. Gottsacker extended his series record when he qualified first, earning his TCR pole position. The pair raced solidly inside the top-two throughout the first two hours and 45 minutes, until they suffered a mechanical failure which ended their race prematurely and left them 12th. The pair led more laps than any other Hyundai, totaling 11, and raising $1100.00 for the local Arnold Palmer Childrens Hospital, courtesy of Hyundai Hope on Wheel's donation program, where they will donate $100 for every lap led by Hyundai to a local children’s hospital.
#33 Elantra N TCR
2023 CHAMPIONS
Started: 1st Finished: 12th (DNF) 2024 Standings: 12th
Harry Gottsacker: "Daytona is a place that we have marked on the calendar every year, because it is so important in helping develop the car for the season. This was the best Hyundai Elantra N TCR that we’ve put on track in Daytona. Robert and I really did our jobs in the race, and we were looking to have a battle for the win in the last 30 minutes. Unfortunately, we had an issue and didn’t get to go for the win, but we are going to bring it for the rest of 2024!"
Robert Wickens: "Everything was shaping up very well until it suddenly wasn’t. Harry had a great opening double stint. The team had some great pitstops and a strong strategy. Unfortunately, halfway through my opening stint we were forced into retirement with a mechanical issue. It stings, but we will come back even stronger in Sebring.”
#76 Elantra N TCR
Started: 13th Finished: 2nd 2024 Standings: 2nd
Denis Dupont: "I am extremely happy wiht our first race with the team. The whole team executed perfectly, and my teammates Nick and Preston drove a very strong race. That is the strong foundation we were looking for to start our season."
Nick Looijmans: "I still can't believe what we did at Daytona. I've been hunting for my first IMSA podium for a while, and to do it at Daytona with Bryan Herta Autosport feels extra special. Preston, Denis and I raced smart, and our crew executed perfect pitstops. A big thank you to everyone at BHA and Hyundai USA for their hard work."
Preston Brown: "I couldn't be happier with how we've begun the season with Bryan Herta Autosport. Coming off the Roar, I knew the drivers and crew were working really well together as a team, and while nothing was given, I felt we were prepared to put a good race together. To have finished second at Daytona was amazing, I am thrilled to have my first IMSA podium and feel very well prepared for Sebring"
#77 Elantra N TCR
Started: 11th Finished: 8th Standings: 8th
Taylor Hagler: "We had the car and the strategy to have a great result, but we never had the chance to show it. The toughest days at the track are the ones when you are not in control. It is
unfortunate that a mistake by a competitor took away that chance. The BHA team has learned and tested many things over the last two weeks, and we can take those notes with us as we prepare for Sebring in March."
Bryson Morris: "It was a bit of a tough race for us here in Daytona. After having contact early in the race with another car which put us 2 laps down, but we stayed focused and kept running with slight damage we showed great pace which shows promise for the rest of the season."
#98 Elantra N TCR
Stared: 9th Finished: 3rd 2024 Standings:3rd
Mason Filippi: "It was a great start to the season for Bryan Herta Autosport, with a double podium. Mark and I worked hard with our no. 98 crew to get back on the podium at Daytona. We really enjoyed hte race and are looknig forward to a tough and competitive season in our Elantra N TCR."
Mark Wilkins: “Making a habit of finishing third at Daytona is okay by me. This is a good start to our season. Surviving these 4-hour races is no easy feat but our Elantra N TCR was on point, and we executed a smart race. It’s a long season and every point is critical, so this is exactly what we needed to do. We have some time to get organized for Sebring and expect we’ll be strong there. Congratulations to the #76 team on their P2 finish! Double podium for the team is a great way to start the year!”
Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb Agajanian
Founded in 2009, Bryan Herta Autosport has grown from a single car Indy-Lights team into a multi-championship winning auto racing franchise. Led by IndyCar and Sports Car star Bryan Herta, Bryan Herta Autosport has won races in every discipline they have entered, including Indy Lights, Indy Car, Global Rallycross, and championship titles in Pirelli World Challenge and IMSA. BHA rose to prominence after winning the 2011 Indianapolis 500 in what was the final race of the Centennial Era, a celebration of 100 years of racing at The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with driver Dan Wheldon. Five years later, BHA partnered with Andretti Autosport, and defied the odds again, winning their second Indianapolis 500 with rookie driver Alexander Rossi. In 2018, BHA entered the American Sports Car scene beginning its immensely successful partnership with Hyundai. Together, BHA and Hyundai have won five championships in as many seasons, including five consecutive team and driver championships, and four consecutive (2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023) manufacturer's titles in IMSA's Michelin Pilot Challenge. For more information, visit: www.BryanHertaAutosport.com.
BHA/Hyundai Customer Support: Bryan Herta Autosport is the U.S. sales agent and part support representative of Hyundai TCR and TCA race cars for customer teams. The BHA/Hyundai Customer Support Team offers trackside engineering support, setup and tuning advice, and part and order fulfillments for the Hyundai Veloster N TCR and TCA teams and drivers from the BHA’s headquarters in Speedway, IN. Since its North American debut in 2019, the Hyundai Veloster N TCR has scored 27 race wins, and three TCR championship titles.
Hyundai Motor America
Hyundai Motor America focuses on ‘Progress for Humanity’ and smart mobility solutions. Hyundai offers U.S. consumers a technology-rich lineup of cars, SUVs, and electrified vehicles. Our 830 dealers sold more than 724,000 vehicles in the U.S. in 2022, and nearly half were built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. For more information, visit www.HyundaiNews.com.
Canadians In BOLD
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January 28, 2024
Daytona Beach, Florida – Lexus and Vasser Sullivan showed tremendous fight and determination during the 62nd Rolex 24 at Daytona after claiming front row positions for the 24-hour endurance event, however the results did not showcase the team’s overall performance. Challenges on the race track resulted in an 11th-place finish for the No. 14 RC F GT3 in the GTD PRO class and a 15th-place finish for the No. 12 RC F GT3 in the GTD category.
Starting from pole position, the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 was in contention for the GTD class win throughout the 24 hours. Aaron Telitz started the race sharing the car with Parker Thompson over the first few stints, where the No. 12 RC F GT3 was the dominant car early on. After pacing the field for most of the first three hours, they handed the wheel to Ritomo Miyata who also led the race in his Rolex 24 debut, running in the top-two the majority of his first run late Saturday afternoon.
Frankie Montecalvo jumped in the No. 12 for a double stint as nightfall came over Daytona International Speedway and ran a consistent pace. Once a yellow flag waved with a little more than 17 hours remaining, Telitz jumped back in the Vasser Sullivan Lexus, going from fourth to first on the ensuing restart. He and Thompson managed to fight for the lead throughout the night hours and stayed within the top five Sunday morning. On the final pit stop, however, with Thompson fighting for a podium position, the car caught fire in the pit lane, which led to a retirement and a 15th place finish. In total, the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 led 146 laps.
The No. 14 RC F GT3 started their GTD PRO title defense by overcoming early adversity in the Rolex 24 to finish in 11th place with drivers Jack Hawksworth, Ben Barnicoat, Kyle Kirkwood and Mike Conway. Starting second, Barnicoat took the early lead for the first 40 minutes of the race, leading 14 laps. At the first pit stop, Conway hopped in the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus for his first stint, but was hit by a spinning competitor on the ensuing restart which put the team in the garage for repairs. Through incredible teamwork and efficiency, the crew finished all adjustments in just over an hour to get the car back out in the race.
By clicking off laps and staying out of trouble, the No. 14 team was able to get back into the top ten by midnight as other competitors faced their own issues. Unfortunately, the car had to retire in hour 16 of the 24-hour endurance event due to overheating issues and ultimately came home 11th.
The Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3s return to action at Sebring International Raceway for the 12 Hours of Sebring on Saturday, March 16. Live flag-to-flag coverage will be on Peacock for authenticated subscribers, along with television coverage on the USA Network from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET. To keep up with all the racing action, follow Lexus Racing on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok by using #LexusPerformance.
Vasser Sullivan Driver Quotes
PARKER THOMPSON, No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3
How would you describe your performance and the team’s performance at the Rolex 24?
“Up until the last hour, the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus team did absolutely everything right. From the drivers to the pit crew, the engineers, we were the definition of perfection. To have it go away like that has me lost for words honestly. I can’t thank my teammates enough. Particularly Aaron Telitz who did a triple stint there at the end. We wouldn’t have been in that position without his effort. The pit box did an amazing job to keep us in the top race all day long. Unfortunately, we have to wait another 12 months to get another crack at it.”
FRANKIE MONTECALVO, No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3
How was your race with the Lexus RC F GT3 before what transpired in the last hour?
“It was a tough end to the day today. I feel like we were in the top two spots the entire time. It’s a hard blow to end this way. The No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus team did a phenomenal job. Qualifying on pole and then controlling the race for a while. We didn’t have contact until something inadvertent later in the race, which provided some damage. To end like this is a tough one. We had a great run going and had some great points going for us. Going out of the race early like this is tough for us and the team. But I know the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus team will get this thing back together and we’ll be ready for Sebring.”
AARON TELITZ, No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3
Can you take us through the race for yourself and the entire No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus team?
“I feel so bad for the Vasser Sullivan Lexus crew. I felt like we had a shot at the podium today. The whole team was operating at such a high level. To see it go away like that hurts a lot. My co-drivers did an amazing job throughout the race. Parker (Thompson), Frankie (Montecalvo) and Ritomo (Miyata) absolutely nailed their stints. Everyone contributed and the pit stops were excellent. Just a big bummer at the end, but I know this team will regroup and we’ll be hungry for Sebring.”
RITOMO MIYATA, No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3
Can you describe your first experience at the Rolex 24 and with the Vasser Sullivan Lexus team?
“I tried to take everything step-by-step since it was the first time for me at the Rolex 24 and with the Vasser Sullivan Lexus team. The main focus for my stints was to conserve the car overall, tires, fuel, brakes, everything else. Once we were able to do that, our focus shifted to the finish and the target was going for the win. Unfortunately, it didn’t go the way we had hoped.”
BEN BARNICOAT, No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3
Can you describe the eventful Rolex 24 that the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus team had?
“Yeah, obviously, on a day like today that we had as a group, team, and family, you can only look to the positives that came from this race. We had a great qualifying result last week and got to start the Rolex 24 from the front row for the first time and take the lead in the first corner, which was special. First stint felt like we had great pace in our Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3. We were in good control and comfortable, but what happened when Mike (Conway) was in the car was unavoidable. Wrong place, wrong time. That happens sometimes in motorsports. Just bummed for everyone that put so much effort into this race. We kept going after that incident to get as many points as we could. Fantastic job by the Vasser Sullivan crew to get the car ready to go. We were still able to get some points from the day and we did everything we could to maximize what we could. No one in this group deserves what happened to us and the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan RC F GT3 team today, but we are champions and we have a champion mindset. We have championship drive and we’re not going to let this race deter us from going on to achieve great things this year. We’re going to get our heads down and get ready for Sebring.”
MIKE CONWAY, No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3
What happened to take the No. 14 out of the race early?
“Really gutted we had the incident there in the first hour of the race. Not much I could do to avoid the spinning car in front of me. Maybe I could’ve seen it coming, but once it happened, I had nowhere to go. I’m really disappointed as I thought we had a good shot at the podium, so unfortunate we couldn’t achieve that. Also bummed for the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus team as they had a great shot at a podium as well. Tough day for the entire Vasser Sullivan team, but they’re a strong team and they’ll come back swinging. Big thank you to Vasser Sullivan and Lexus for the opportunity to drive the car again. And thanks to Jack (Hawksworth), Ben (Barnicoat) and Kyle (Kirkwood) for helping me. Hopefully we get to do it again.”
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January 24, 2024
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January 26, 2024
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January 24, 2024