Lexus Racing at the 64th Rolex 24 at Daytona
Lexus Racing and the Vasser Sullivan team walked away with two top-ten rankings at the 64th Rolex 24 at Daytona, held January 21–26, 2006. Competing at the iconic Daytona International Speedway, the No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3 grabbed ninth in GTD, and the No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3 finalized a 10th-place result in the GTD PRO category after 24 hours of intense competition.
The No. 12 squad, which started 14th, saw Benjamin Pedersen complete his first stint for the team before handing over to Frankie Montecalvo. Aaron Telitz and Esteban Masson followed, helping the team reach the top five by Saturday evening. A significant six-hour caution for visibility issues on Sunday morning changed the race dynamic. Though the team slipped out of the top five during the closing hours, they earned a respectable ninth-place finish against a competitive field of 21 cars.
The No. 14 GTD PRO entry started 11th with Jack Hawksworth, marking his 10th year competing in this event for Lexus. Kyle Kirkwood and Ben Barnicoat joined him in the rotation as they navigated the 24-hour marathon. Despite leading a lap during a long caution, the team encountered trouble late in the race with a lengthy repair stop and a drive-through penalty. By staying focused and capitalizing on the errors of other teams, they were able to secure 10th place overall in their class.
Lexus and Vasser Sullivan look forward to competing again on March 21 at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. To get more details on Lexus Racing or to check out our new and used vehicle inventory, we invite you to reach out to our dealership in Mesa.