ELKHART LAKE, WI

Race Summary:

• Parker Thompson and Vasser Sullivan teammate Frankie Montecalvo had a strong drive in the SealMaster liveried No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus, contending for a win in the IMSA SportsCar Weekend at Road America. A late-race pit stop for a splash of fuel dropped them from the lead position to finish 11th in the GTD class.
• Montecalvo qualified ninth and drove the opening stages of the race. Montecalvo, advanced to fourth position before handing the car over to Thompson at the halfway mark.
• Thompson worked to save fuel the entire time he was in the car. He battled his way into second place on merit, inheriting the lead as the team’s pit-stop strategy played out.
• Unfortunately, the team’s fuel-saving gamble fell short when the race, plagued by numerous caution periods, failed to produce one in the closing minutes. The No. 12 was forced to enter the pits for a splash of fuel, dropping them to 11th position, where they finished.

Parker Thompson:
“I don’t know what to say about that race. We didn’t need the yellows that came; as they did, we needed one more lap of yellow, and we were going to win our first GTD race together at a very special track for the Vasser Sullivan program and Lexus Racing. Kudos to my teammate, Frankie Montecalvo. He drove an awesome first stint after not having a strong start and put the car in a prime position, and the pit stand did an awesome job working through some adversity to have us in a position to take a nice win. We’re going to take this one on the chin and move on. I think I’ve said that too many times, but I know the results are coming, and everyone knows we’re here, so let’s keep grinding and see what we can do the remainder of the season.”

UPCOMING IMSA WEATHERTECH SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS

Michelin GT Challenge at VIR – August 25
Tirerack.com Battle on the Bricks at IMS – September 22
Motul Petit Le Mans – October 12

For more details and broadcast information, visit imsa.com.

WATKINS GLEN, NEW YORK

In a thrilling, weather-challenged race at Watkins Glen International, Parker Thompson, with teammates Frankie Montecalvo and Aaron Telitz, drove the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 to a fourth-place finish in GTD. The trio performed strongly in a Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen event, fraught with pouring rain, high winds, multiple caution flags, and a 40-minute red flag stoppage. Thompson closed the contest with tremendous pace, attacking the class leader in the final minutes before a side-to-side collision forced him off-track and dropped him down the order and off the podium.

Thompson showed class-leading pace throughout the event, with the fastest lap time in Practice 2 and Qualifying. On Sunday, he started on the pole and maintained the lead throughout his opening stint, building a solid foundation as he handed the car off to Montecalvo at the end of the first hour.

Montecalvo kept the momentum, leading throughout his first stint before rejoining in second place after a pit stop. He held this position until Telitz took over, navigating a race that saw rapidly changing weather conditions, including torrential downpours, that resulted in a lengthy red flag.

With about thirty minutes left, racing resumed, and Thompson rejoined the action in fourth place. Demonstrating his racing prowess and pace, Thompson quickly advanced two positions and aggressively challenged for the class lead. However, in a dramatic and decisive moment with just under nine minutes remaining, an attempted pass for the lead saw Thompson forced into a runoff area. Ultimately, he and the No. 12 GTD machine finished in fourth place.

Reflecting on the event, Thompson said, “There’s not much more to say after this except ‘onwards and upwards.’ The No. 12 Vasser Sullivan team did everything they needed to do to win the Watkins Glen six-hour race. We won here in 2023, and a repeat win was in sight, but it was taken away from us, racing hard in the final minutes for the win. I’ll decompress and learn from this. I’m new to the closer role in these GTD races, and I’m still learning who is fair and who is a foe out there. I learned that the hard way today. One thing is for sure: we’ve got more momentum than any other team in GTD, and I can’t wait to take that back up to the Great White North and use this as motivation to fuel the fire for the back half of the season.”

Thompson, Montecalvo, and the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 team will aim for their first victory of the season as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship heads north of the border to Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, July 12-14. This track holds special significance for Canadian-born Thompson, who has been victorious there in various series throughout his career. For 2024, the event represents Thompson’s only opportunity to race in front of a Canadian crowd, and no doubt, he will look to leverage the team’s momentum to secure victory there.

UPCOMING IMSA WEATHERTECH SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS

Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park – July 14
IMSA Sportscar Weekend at Road America – August 4
Michelin GT Challenge at VIR – August 25
Tirerack.com Battle on the Bricks at IMS – September 22
Motul Petit Le Mans – October 12

For more details and broadcast information, visit imsa.com.

WATKINS GLEN, NEW YORK

Parker Thompson put the SealMaster No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 on the pole in GTD for the 2024 Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen. The Canadian driver’s lap time of 1:44.642 seconds on the renowned 11-turn, 3.4-mile road course at Watkins Glen International was 0.600 seconds faster than the next best competitor in class.

This achievement marks Thompson’s third IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship pole position of the season, following impressive performances at the season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona and the Grand Prix of Long Beach. This is the first pole position for the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus in Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen.

Thompson will be joined by teammates Frankie Montecalvo and Aaron Telitz for Sunday’s race start. The trio aims to defend their 2023 GTD class victory. Their experience and strong teamwork will be critical as they aim to convert their qualifying result into a race win.

Thompson reflected on his pole position, “This is just the start. Vasser Sullivan and Lexus Racing gave me an absolute rocket. Our Lexus loves Watkins Glen, and we love it back, so we’ve got a job to finish. It’s great; I’ve worn a couple of these pole hats this year, which is fantastic. My hat’s off to the 12 guys—they deserve this. The momentum is coming for us; we’re coming into our own, but nobody remembers the pole winner; they only remember the race winner. So we’ve got a job to do tomorrow.”

The start of Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen on Sunday, June 23, will be broadcast live on USA Network from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET, along with live flag-to-flag coverage on Peacock from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET. With Thompson’s pole position setting a promising tone, Vasser Sullivan Lexus Racing is poised to earn their best result of 2024 to date at Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen.