Wednesday, January 25, 2023 – Highlands, NJ – For the fifth consecutive season, Vasser Sullivan racing driver Frankie Montecalvo will contest the No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3 in the GTD class of the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship. Montecalvo is pleased to continue his relationship with Vasser Sullivan and Lexus Racing USA and is hoping to start the year with a win at the super bowl of the IMSA Championship – The Rolex 24.
“It’s fantastic to be back with Vasser Sullivan and Lexus Racing for a fifth season. When you’re able to be with a team for this amount of time, it’s incredibly helpful, as you know all the crew and how the team functions, and we have extensive knowledge about the car,” explained Montecalvo.
The No. 12 car completed a successful three-day test at the Roar last weekend. Aaron Telitz took on qualifying duties and was able to secure a P8 starting position.
“The Roar went well for us. The team has become even stronger since last year. We think we have good pace, but it’s always hard to tell how we stand against the other manufacturers until the race starts. The 24 hours isn’t about all-out pace though. It’s about consistency and staying out of the carnage with all the other classes, especially with such a large field.”
Montecalvo will once again share the No. 12 Lexus with Aaron Telitz for the full IMSA season. Reigning North American Porsche Carrera Cup Champion, Parker Thompson, will join the duo for the four endurance rounds, and Kyle Kirkwood will complete the lineup for the Rolex 24.
“We have a phenomenal driver line-up this year. It’s probably one of the best that we’ve ever had for the 24, so I’m very optimistic about our chances of finishing on the top step. Aaron, Kyle and I have a lot of time in the Lexus. Parker hasn’t had a ton of time in the car before the test sessions, but has got up to speed quickly and has proven to be an asset to our team.”
“I’ve been chasing a Rolex win for almost a decade. We came close in 2019 when we finished second, but it would be a dream to finish on the top step of the podium. We had a bit of bad luck last year when I was hit by a competitor in a different class. We went several laps down while the team worked to fix the car, so our chances of a win were doused early.”
“There are 61 cars set to take the green flag on Saturday. Of those 61, 24 make up the GTD class, the largest, and arguably the most competitive, class in the Rolex 24 fight. Our goal this weekend is to keep the car clean, be consistent with pit stops and every lap we turn, spend the least amount of time in the pits, and hopefully at the end of 24 hours, we’ll cross the finish line first.”
On track action for the Rolex 24 begins on Thursday, January 26 and continues through the weekend. The green flag flies at 1:40 PM ET. You can watch Frankie race live with coverage beginning at 1:30 PM ET on NBC Network until 2:30 PM. USA Network will begin coverage at 2:30 PM, and you can also stream the race live on the Peacock App.To stay up to date with current broadcast times and all of Frankie’s racing news, be sure to follow him on Facebook and Twitter.