Live timing and scoring from each session available at www.IMSA.com. Live updates are available throughout the weekend on BHA social media and www.bryanhertaautosport.com

 

FAST FACTS:

A Look Back: It was a sunny day at Watkins Glen International Raceway just two years ago when Robert Wickens took his first TCR win in just his fifth race using hand controls.

 

Maiden Victory: Preston Brown and Denis Dupont score their first TCR victory two weeks ago with their win in the #76 Elantra N TCR at Mid Ohio. The pair are second in the points standings. It was also BHA's first IMSA win of the season, and second TCR victory in 2024. The first came earlier this month at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring when Bryson Morris, Harry Gottsacker, Mason Filippi and Mark Wilkins took the TCR class win in the #831 Elantra N TCR.

 

1701 Miles West: The BHA Pikes Peak team is making their debut on America's Mountain with drivers WRC regular Dani Sordo, media personality and racer Ron Zaras and Pikes Peak winner Randy Pobst driving Hyundai's award winning electric IONIQ 5 N. #198 Sordo and Pobst in the #49 are driving the IONIQ 5 N TC Spec while Zaras is competing in the #13 IONIQ 5 N production model. Sordo is in the prestigious "Fast 15," having qualified eighth overall and the fastest in the exhibition class at 4:01.514.

 

Live streaming from Sunday's 102nd running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb can be found here Mobil 1 - YouTube and live timing:PIKES PEAK LOWER SECTION FRI PRACTICE (livetiming.net)

 

HHOW: Hyundai Hope On Wheels  has pledged to donate $100 for every lap a Hyundai Elantra N TCR leads during every race of the 2024 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season. Roswell Park Oishei Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Program will receive the donation based on laps led this weekend at Watkins Glen. 2024 Season Tally: $10,200 (Daytona: $1200, Sebring: $2100, Laguna Seca $2300, and Mid Ohio 44).

 

2023 CHAMPIONS

2024 Best Start:1st 2024 Best Finish: 3rd (Sebring) 2024 Rank: 3rd (1070pts)

Harry Gottsacker: “We have really unlocked a lot of potential in the setup of our #33 over the past few races, and we’re looking forward to continuing that development at Watkins Glen. It is more important than ever that we keep putting ourselves in the right position to capitalize on strategy and speed to get our first win of the season. Leading a bunch of laps on the way for the Hyundai Hope on Wheels program is just an added bonus!"”

 

Robert Wickens: “This is such a fun part of the Michelin Pilot Challenge calendar. We are slowing working our way forward in the championship and the #33 Elantra N TCR car is looking to get back on the podium! Watkins Glen is such an awesome venue! Personally, it’s my favorite track in North America, and I hope we can get ourselves a win to sign off on the first half of the 2024 season. Hyundai Hope on Wheels continues to raise money for local pediatric hospitals by donating $100 for every lap led by a Hyundai. Let’s keep adding to that total this weekend!”

 

2024 Best Start: 13th 2024 Best Finish: 1st (Mid-Ohio) 2024 Rank: 2nd (1180pts)

Denis Dupont: "I'm excited to go to surely one of the most exciting tracks on the calendar. We are coming with strong momentum following our race win at Mid Ohio. Now it gives us a new opportunity. We'll have to focus on the small details and margins to make sure we have a strong weekend."

 

Preston Brown: "Watkins Glen is a personal favorite of mine, with the significant elevation changes and variety of corner types. I feel like we are getting into a rhythm now that we have almost reached the halfway point of the season, but I don't take anything for granted. This is going to be a very hard and very hot race. It's going to require fast and mistake-free execution from everyone on the team to secure us a spot on the podium."

 

2024 Best Start: 4th 2024 Best Finish: 8th 2024 Rank: 7th (900pts)

Taylor Hagler: “With a quick turnaround to Watkins Glen, I am focused on the race this weekend. Our goal is to have a strong, clean race and The Glen is the perfect place for that with flowing long corners that suit the Hyundai Elantra N TCR well. The energy around this track is special and the fans always turn out. Ready to get the race weekend started!”

 

Bryson Morris: “Excited to get going at Watkins Glen with double duty after our short break! It is one of my favorite tracks on the calendar, and with good pace from Mid Ohio I am sure we will be competitive for a win with a little bit of luck!”

 

2024 Best Start: 4th 2024 Best Finish: 3rd (Daytona) 2024 Rank: 4th (1060)

Mason Filippi: “Watkins Glen is one of my favorites on the schedule. After Mid Ohio we are looking to get back on the steps. Mark and I stood on the podium once together at Watkins Glen, racing against each other in 2018. I’m looking forward to the hot weather and high-speed corners while cheering on our teammates at Pikes Peak!”

 

Mark Wilkins: “Mid Ohio was a really strong event for us on the 98. We showed solid pace and were in a position to win but it wasn’t meant to be. This weekend we get a shot at redemption! So many great memories from Watkins Glen. I have had some great wins here including with Robert in 2022 and going back to 2008 in Daytona Prototype. There have also been some tough Watkins races in years past as well; definitely a circuit that has rewarded massively or been quite challenging. We’re approaching the midway point of the season, and the championship is very close. There is lots to play for and if we can find consistency and the top step moving forward, we’ll be in good shape. Mason and I are excited to get the weekend started and look forward to leading some more laps for Hyundai Hope on Wheels! We’ll keep pushing!” 

 

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 consecutive team and driver championships, and four consecutive (2020, 2021, 2022, 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 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. in 2024, there are five BHA Customer Support Teams racing Elantra N TCR cars in Canada, The USA and in Mexico.

 

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.

 

 

Watkins Glen, New York – Lexus and Vasser Sullivan are back in the Empire State at famed Watkins Glen International for the Sahlen’s Six Hours at the Glen, the sixth race of the 2024 IMSA season. Both the No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3 in GTD PRO and the No. 12 RC F GT3 in GTD return to Upstate New York as defending race winners in last year’s historic six-hour endurance event where the Vasser Sullivan Lexus team captured their first ever double victory by winning both GT classes. The two teams and all five drivers are eager to back up those triumphs as the points battles heat up in both classes.

 

Lexus factory drivers, Jack Hawksworth and Ben Barnicoat, will split up the six-hour endurance race in the No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3 as they did last year on their way to victory. The Brits come to Watkins Glen fresh off a second-place finish in a hectic GTD PRO race on the streets of downtown Detroit three weeks ago. The podium result kept the No. 14 team second in the GTD PRO drivers and team points standings, as well as Lexus maintaining second in the class manufacturer’s standings.

 

With the return of endurance racing, Parker Thompson and Frankie Montecalvo will be rejoined by Aaron Telitz in the No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3 this weekend in hopes of repeating their GTD class win at Watkins Glen. Thompson and Montecalvo are coming off their first-ever starts in GTD PRO at Detroit earlier this month, ending the weekend with a hard fought fourth-place finish. The No. 12 team enters the weekend 10th in the GTD points standings, while Lexus sits fourth in the manufacturers standings.

 

The start of the 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. To keep up with all the racing action, follow Lexus Racing on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok by using #LexusPerformance.   

 

Vasser Sullivan Driver Quotes  

 

JACK HAWKSWORTH, No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3  

What is the outlook at Watkins Glen this weekend?

 

“Watkins Glen has always been a great race track for the team and our Lexus RC F GT3 cars. It’s a blast to drive, and we’ve had success there previously, coming away with a victory in the sprint race there in 2021 and then the double win last year! With that being said, the six hours is always a tough race and lot can happen and usually does. We’ll focus on ourselves, try to put together a clean weekend and hopefully bring home some solid points.”

 

Detail your excitement returning to Watkins Glen.

 

”It’s Watkins Glen time! This is an easy race for us all to be really excited about. Our Lexus RC F GT3 always flies around the awesome, fast flowing, high grip track that ‘The Glen’ is. Last year was such a special day for the program with the double win for our Vasser Sullivan team. It would be amazing if we can do it again.”

 

Can you take us through your mindset returning to Watkins Glen?

 

"I’m thrilled to be back at Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen with the same lineup that earned our Vasser Sullivan squad victory here in 2023. This Watkins Glen circuit is a great match for our Lexus RC F GT3 race cars. Winning a race as demanding as the Sahlen’s Six Hours takes an outstanding effort and a little bit of luck, and our group is well aware of that. There’s no doubt I’ll be pushing the No. 12 as best I can to repeat our victory in GTD.”

 

FRANKIE MONTECALVO, No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3  

How is it being back at Watkins Glen which is close to home for you?

 

”I always love racing at Watkins Glen. This circuit is one of the closest to my home, which makes it easy for friends and family to support. The Lexus RC F GT3 always performs phenomenal at this track and is a blast to drive. We will be defending our race win from last year and cannot wait to get down to business. Our driver line up is exactly the same, but we have gained momentum and more experience.”

 

AARON TELITZ, No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3  

What are your thoughts for this weekend?

 

"I can't wait to get back to work with the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan boys! Parker (Thompson), Frankie (Montecalvo) and I are ready to defend our title at ‘The Glen’ and get the 12 car its first win of the season. The Glen is one of my favorite tracks and I really enjoy the six-hour format. The perfect blend of sprint and endurance mindset."

 

 

The Lexus RC F GT3 enters its eighth season in the GTD class, and third year in the GTD PRO category, competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Over the last six seasons, Lexus and Vasser Sullivan have combined to earn 15 wins, 42 podium finishes and 21 pole positions with the RC F GT3. Lexus won its first full-season IMSA GTD PRO Manufacturers Championship on the strength of two wins and podium positions in nine of 11 races in 2023.  

 

Lexus' passion for brave design, imaginative technology, and exhilarating performance enables the luxury lifestyle brand to create amazing experiences for its customers. Lexus began its journey in 1989 with two luxury sedans and a commitment to pursue perfection. Since then, Lexus has developed its lineup to meet the needs of global luxury customers in more than 90 countries. In the United States, Lexus vehicles are sold through 244 dealers offering a full lineup of luxury vehicles. With eight models incorporating Lexus Hybrid Drive, Lexus is the luxury hybrid leader. Lexus also offers nine F SPORT models, one F performance model and one F model. Lexus is committed to being a visionary brand that anticipates the future for luxury customers.  

 

Toronto, Canada - Mayer Deonarine, the rising 15-year-old race car prodigy, is thrilled to announce his participation in the upcoming FEL Motorsports event, marking a significant milestone as he prepares to race in his home country of Canada.

 

Having spent the majority of his young but illustrious career competing in the highly competitive circuits of the United Kingdom and the United States, Mayer is eagerly anticipating the opportunity to showcase his talents on Canadian soil. This event signifies not only a homecoming but also a pivotal moment in his journey as a professional race car driver.

 

"I am incredibly excited to race in Canada," said Mayer Deonarine. "Competing internationally has been an amazing experience, but there's something special about racing in front of a home crowd. It's a dream come true to be able to bring my passion and skills back to where it all started."

 

Mayer also expressed his appreciation for the FEL initiative, highlighting its role in providing invaluable opportunities for young and upcoming drivers who often face financial challenges. The FEL Motorsports initiative is designed to support and nurture the talents of aspiring racers, offering them a platform to compete and grow within the motorsports industry.

 

"The FEL initiative is fantastic for drivers like me," Mayer continued. "It's not easy to break into this sport without significant funding, and FEL Motorsports is giving young talents a chance to prove themselves and gain exposure. I'm grateful for this opportunity and look forward to making the most of it."

 

Mayer Deonarine's participation in the FEL Motorsports event underscores his dedication and passion for racing, as well as his commitment to overcoming the financial hurdles that many young drivers face. His story is one of perseverance, talent, and a relentless drive to succeed.

 

As Mayer gears up for the race, his fans and supporters are eagerly waiting to see him in action. This event promises to be a thrilling display of skill and determination, with Mayer Deonarine leading the charge for the next generation of Canadian motorsport talent.