Wednesday, October 18, 2023 – Highlands, NJ – After an exciting 2023 IMSA Championship season where Vasser Sullivan driver Frankie Montecalvo saw six top-five finishes and a win, the season came to a close at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta over the weekend. Montecalvo and co-driver Aaron Telitz secured a third-place finish in the GTD Drivers’ championship, but that accolade did not come easily.
Montecalvo and Telitz were joined by Parker Thompson for Petit Le Mans, the ten-hour endurance race that marked the finale of the IMSA WeatherTech season. The duo went into the weekend in third place in the championship, but the fourth and fifth place contenders were only a few points behind.
Telitz qualified the No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3 third in class. After a chaotic start, Telitz was able to hold his position in the top five before handing the car over to Montecalvo who would complete a triple stint. Thompson took over driving duties from Montecalvo, and at some point during his stint, the team noticed an issue that would require immediate attention. The No. 12 would be forced to change the gear box in the middle of the race.
“It was great to get back to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta for the final race of the season. We had limited track time ahead of the race, but the team did a phenomenal job to have a car that was dialed in right off the truck,” said Montecalvo.
“Aaron qualified third in mixed conditions, so we were able to start well ahead of most of the field and stayed trouble-free through the start and into the first hours of the race. Aaron had a great first stint and handed the car off to me where I completed a triple stint.”
“My stint was uneventful, and I was able to avoid most of the carnage that caused multiple yellow flag periods in the opening hours of the race. The fourth-place championship contender was taken out in one of those yellow flag incidents, so we thought we were looking good to keep third place. However, the team noticed an issue with the gear box overheating when Parker was behind the wheel, and we were forced to go behind the wall and diagnose the issue.”
“We weren’t sure if something was stuck in the venting system to the gear box to cause the high temperatures, but the team made the decision to replace the gear box during the race. The guys made the switch in 45 minutes, and we were able to get back out on track. Had we not changed the gear box, we would not have finished high enough to secure enough points to keep third place in the championship, so I cannot thank all the guys enough for pushing through and working so hard to bring us home to the checkered flag.”
“We ultimately finished sixteenth in class, securing enough points to retain our third place in the GTD Drivers’ Championship. The season finish marks my highest driver ranking in my career in IMSA, but that would not have been possible without the support from our incredible Vasser Sullivan and Lexus teams as well as Aaron and Parker. I also must give a massive congratulations to Jack and Ben on winning the championship in the GTD-Pro category. Lexus won the Manufacturer’s Championship, so it was a fantastic year, and I cannot wait to see what 2024 has in store.”
Montecalvo is looking forward to spending time with family during the off season but will be eagerly awaiting the 2024 Rolex 24. Don’t forget to follow Frankie on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date with all of his racing news and 2024 racing plans.
