Friday, April 17, 2026 – Long Beach, CA – Vasser Sullivan driver Frankie Montecalvo is set to take on one of North America’s most iconic street circuits this weekend, teaming up with Jack Hawksworth for the Long Beach Grand Prix as part of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Montecalvo and Hawksworth will co-drive the No. 89 Lexus RC F GT3 in the highly competitive GTD class. The event marks the first sprint race of the IMSA season, a 100-minute, all-out battle on the tight and unforgiving streets of Long Beach.
“It’s awesome to be able to add Long Beach to the racing calendar for 2026, as I had planned to only participate in the endurance rounds. The grand prix is one of my favorite events of the year, and I’m excited to be able to join forces with Jack for this round,” said Montecalvo.
“Historically, the Lexus performs well at this circuit, so I’m looking forward to a strong weekend. Last year, Aaron [Telitz] and I finished third behind Jack and Parker [Thompson], so we will all be pushing for another double podium and, ideally, the win.”
The pairing brings experience and unfinished business to the Southern California circuit. Montecalvo and Hawksworth previously teamed up at Long Beach, showing strong pace with a front-row qualifying effort in 2024.
“The Vasser Sullivan crew has been working hard to make the necessary setup changes after Sebring to get us ready for Long Beach. Jack and I have worked well together here before, and we know what it takes to be competitive. The goal is to execute a clean race, keep our time in the pits to a minimum, and put ourselves in position to win at the end.”
On track action for the Long Beach Grand Prix begins on Friday, April 17. Fans can catch live coverage of the race on Saturday, April 18 at 4:00 PM ET on NBC Network on the Peacock App. Be sure to follow Frankie on Facebook, Instagram, and X to stay up to date with all of Frankie’s racing news.