3GT Racing - Lexus F Performance Racing fields Lexus F entries in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

3GT Racing heads east for Lime Rock Grand Prix

July 20, 2017 by brendafperformance Leave a Comment

3GT Racing heads to New England’s home of racing, Lime Rock, in Lakeville, Connecticut, for the Northeast Grand Prix on July 22. It’s the 8th race in the 2017 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.

The team, which has earned seven top-10 finishes this season, hopes the 1.5-mile course will be the setting for a podium or win for the Lexus RC F GT3 cars, No. 14 and 15.

“We’re so close to a win or podium right now,” said Sage Karam, driver of the No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3. Karam set a new GTD track record during qualifying at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park less than two weeks ago and won the TOTAL Pole award. He led the GTD class for nearly the whole first hour of the two-hour race, but a couple of drive-through penalties during the first pit stop pushed the car back and he and co-driver, Scott Pruett, earned the No. 14 team’s first fifth-place finish. The No. 15 Lexus RC F GT3 finished fifth earlier in July at Watkins Glen.

Karam, who has only raced at Lime Rock once, in 2009 when he was 14-years old, said he doesn’t think it will take him long to relearn the track.

“I remember it’s a short track with a lot of right hand turns,” he said. “Hopefully the cars will roll off the trailer like they did in Canada. We’ve shown we have the speed, we’re ready for a win.”

Hall of Famer, Pruett, has been to Lime Rock many times. “I’ve been there when it’s wet and when it’s dry,” Pruett said, adding that weather can make a difference at the historic track. “Because the laps are so short and things happen so fast, it’s a fun track to run. And since we’re just going to be running with the GTLM cars, it will change things up significantly.”

The race at Lime Rock will be the first of two showdowns with GT class cars, GT Daytona (the class that includes the Lexus RC F GT3) and GT LeMans (GTLM).

Jack Hawksworth, driver of the No. 15 Lexus RC F GT3, said having the race include only the two classes will not only impact traffic, but should make the race a little more challenging. “Traffic’s going to be a bit of an issue because the track is so small,” Hawksworth said. “It’s a short, fast track and it will be interesting to see how it all plays out. I haven’t raced there, but I’m ready. And we are definitely ready for a win.”

The other half of the No. 15 Lexus RC F GT3 driving team, Robert Alon, drove his first race at Lime Rock last year in PC. “I really enjoyed the track,” Alon said. “It’s a road course oval. You don’t have to worry a lot about the track, it allows you to just focus on the racing.”

The 2-hour, 40-minute race will begin at 3:05 p.m. and will be broadcast live on FS2 starting at 3 p.m. (ET) and on IMSA Radio on IMSA.com.

ABOUT 3GT RACING:

3GT Racing was formed to race the Lexus RC F GT3. Owned and operated by five-time Trans-Am Series Champion, Paul Gentilozzi and his longtime partners, Tony and John Gentilozzi, the East Lansing, Michigan-based team principals have been involved in motorsports for more than 46 years and they have claimed more than 75 victories and 15 manufacturer and driver championships.

Filed Under: Team PR Tagged With: IMSA, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Jack Hawksworth, Lexus, Lime Rock, Lime Rock Park, Robert Alon, Sage Karam, Scott Pruett

3GT Racing earns first fifth at Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix

July 10, 2017 by 3GT-Racing Leave a Comment

It was a rollercoaster weekend for the 3GT Racing team at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park during the Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix, seventh race of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.

The No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3, with drivers Sage Karam and Scott Pruett, finished in fifth place. It is the second fifth place for the 3GT Racing team and the first for the No. 14.

Karam set a new GTD track record during qualifying on Saturday in the No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3, with a fastest lap of 1:16:536, the former track record lap was 1:18:245. He started in first and maintained the lead position for 35 laps, until coming in for a pit stop and driver change.

Two drive-through penalties earned during the pit stop put the car, with driver Pruett, further back in the pack and fighting to return to the front. He made it through the traffic, coming in for the second driver change at P8.

“I think, for having two drive-through penalties, dang, we did ok getting fifth at the end,” Pruett said. “The team did a great job, Sage did a great job recovering. It was a crazy day with the on and off rain. All we can do is keep doing what we’re doing. The car has been strong. We caused our own issues today, unfortunately. We’ll just keep tying things up and work to make it better.”

Karam said he felt terrible about the penalty, but the car felt great when he was in the first time and the second.

“It was my first-time leading this season and it felt great. I was kind of cruising, then the pit stop came and everything that we needed to go right, went wrong,” Karam said. His second drive was focused on moving through the traffic. A couple of yellow flags helped tighten up the pack and the on-again/off-again rain helped Karam make ground on some of the cars in front of him.

The No. 15, with drivers Jack Hawksworth and Robert Alon, finished 12th, but first the car had to make an incredible comeback after being damaged during practice session when Hawksworth went off the track at turn three.

The 3GT Racing crew worked through the night, even made a quick trip to Michigan to retrieve needed parts, and had the car up and running in time for the race. Starting at the back of the pack was inevitable, but Alon brought the car from 14 to 10 before bringing it in to pit.

Then, in a bizarre coincidence, Robert Alon earned the same drive-through penalty Karam had received minutes earlier. When he brought the No. 15 Lexus RC F GT3 in for a pit and driver change, and couldn’t get the car in neutral. “I can’t thank the crew enough for all the work they did,” Alon said. “They worked all night to get the car back together, and not only get it together, but it was quick.”

Hawksworth got the No. 15 Lexus RC F GT3 back on the track and did his best to punch through the traffic. He had great speed, but even with a yellow flag, didn’t have the time he needed. “The car was incredible, very fast. I passed the leader, got back on the lead lap, then we lost it in the pit exchange. I caught the leader up again, tried to pass him but only passed him once. I was always catching cars and getting stuck behind them,” he said. “We were one of the quickest cars on the track for the whole race.”

John Gentilozzi, 3GT Racing Technical Director, said he was impressed with the cars speed, but especially disappointed in the outcome on behalf of the crew who had worked through most of the night to repair the No. 15 Lexus RC F GT3.

“I’m really sorry we couldn’t reward the crew with a better finish. A win or a podium, or something,” Gentilozzi said. “But, in the end, we had two really good cars, two very fast cars, and for us to get back out there after what happened in practice is a testament to the guys that work on those cars. What first looked desperate turned out to be an OK day considering we took fifth with the 14, ran a clean race and brought both cars home in one piece. We’ll try again at Lime Rock.”

ABOUT 3GT RACING:

Filed Under: Race Reports Tagged With: Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, GTD, IMSA, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Jack Hawksworth, Lexus, Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix, Robert Alon, Sage Karam, Scott Pruett

3GT’s Sage Karam qualifies P1, sets new track GTD record

July 9, 2017 by 3GT-Racing Leave a Comment

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park GTD track record set by Sage Karam

Sage Karam in the No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3, streaked through the qualifying session of the Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix and not only earned the starting position on the grid, but set a new track record for the GTD class at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

Karam, who has been saying all season that he couldn’t wait to get to Mosport, set the fastest lap in qualifying, 1:16:536, beating the former track record lap 1:18:245, by nearly two seconds. This is the first IMSA pole for the Lexus RC F GT3.

Karam said he was looking forward to racing with his Michigan roommate and competitive teammate, Jack Hawksworth, but the No. 15 didn’t make it out for qualifying.

The morning practice session came to a red flag when Jack Hawksworth, in the No. 15 Lexus RC F GT3, slid into the wall coming out of turn three. The car remained under repair during the 15-minute qualifying session.

3GT Racing’s managing partner, Paul Gentilozzi, said the team was evaluating the No. 15 and would continue to work on it through the night. “It appears to be reparable, but we will continue to analyze the damage and we certainly hope to be there at the beginning of the race.”

The No. 14 did well in the first practice session, earning a P1, but the third practice session ended with the No. 14 in 8th. Karam said the team made a few changes before qualifying that turned out to be all for the better.

“The car felt great after that,” he said. “I just had to drive it. This track really clicks with me, ever since the beginning, whenever I’ve driven here and today felt the best. It’s pretty cool getting a GTD class record. Any place you can hold records is good. I’m trying to catch up to my teammate, Scott Pruett. He has all those records and with this one, now I’m one record closer.”

Karam’s co-pilot in the No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3 said he was thrilled to see Karam get the pole.

“It’s exciting for the team. It’s exciting for the whole organization as we continue to make progress. Now we have to turn that into a win,” Pruett said. “This was the next thing in line, get a pole, win a race. We got the pole, now we have to win a race.”

Jack Hawksworth, No. 15, Lexus RC F GT3: “I am very disappointed and it was my mistake. I got a little wide in turn 3 and as soon as I touched the grass, it just dragged me in, I hit some kind of mound and just took off. Obviously, I feel bad for the guys who have worked so hard on the car. They’ve done a great job, the car felt fantastic. With the No. 14 winning the pole it shows the good speed we have with these cars. I’m just disappointed for the team. We are very competitive and while we have to start from the back in the race, we have a very fast car. We’re going to rethink our strategy and perhaps we can pass these guys up. Anything can happen.”

Robert Alon, No. 15, Lexus RC F GT3: “It was disappointing not being able to take part in the qualifying session, but I’m glad Jack’s ok and chances are very good we’re running tomorrow. I’m excited to get the car on track and I think we have a solid chance to bring it from the back, we’ve got good speed. I’m really stoked for Sage, had a couple P2s in qualifying in the past, but pole position is a great feeling, great for Lexus, for 3GT Racing, for the whole program.

ABOUT 3GT RACING:

Filed Under: Race Reports Tagged With: Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, GTD, IMSA, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Jack Hawksworth, Lexus, Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix, Robert Alon, Sage Karam

3GT Racing, Lexus in Canada for seventh IMSA race

July 7, 2017 by 3GT-Racing Leave a Comment

This will be the first time at the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park for 3GT Racing and the Lexus RC F GT3 cars, No. 14 and No. 15. And the first time for driver Jack Hawksworth of the No. 15 car.

Hawksworth recorded the fastest lap of the race in the GTD class in last weekend’s six-hour endurance race at Watkins Glen, NY. Both cars finished in the top ten at the Sahlen’s Six Hour of the Glen, the No. 14 car finished sixth, the

“We are so close to getting the result we deserve,” Hawksworth said. “We have a very fast car and it was evident at Watkins Glen, that we’re better in the pits in terms of tire change and things like that. And in sprint races, like the one at CTMP, it’s absolutely crucial to be quick. I’ve been saying that we’ve been getting better, inching closer and closer and it feels like right now we’re knocking on the door. Hopefully this is the weekend we get the win.”

Alon, co-driver of the No. 15 Lexus RC F GT3, has a little more experience at CTMP. Alon has driven at Mosport for the last three years, finishing third in the PC class in 2016.

“It’s a great course, very cool,” Alon said. “It’s very high speed, great flow. Our car is really good and I think we have a serious shot at doing well. We will have to have a good race with no issues, no penalties, and if that happens, I believe we’ll be at the podium.”

The No. 14 team. Pruett and Karam, has earned four top-ten results in the No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3. Both drivers are fond of CTMP and have experience at the 2.459-mile twisting track.

Karam won the pole at CTMP in the Pro Mazda Championship race in 2012, he said it’s his favorite track. “I’m really excited to be back at CTMP,” he said. “There’s just something about this track that fits my style. It’s very high speed, really flowing, a great rhythm track. It’s a lot of fun and I can’t wait to get back out there.”

Pruett raced the prototype class at CTMP in 2014 and 2015. He also raced Trans Am and IMSA and between them, visited Mosport three times and won three times.

“I think the Lexus RC F GT3 has shown real strength with fast tracks and fast turns so hopefully this will be a good track for us,” Pruett said. “I feel like we turned a corner in Detroit that carried through to The Glen. I hope we continue the momentum through to our time here at Mosport.”

The green flag drops on the Mobil Sports Car Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on Sunday at 12:05 p.m. The race can be viewed live on FS1 beginning at noon and on FOX Sports Go. The race will also be streamed live on IMSA.tv and the IMSA Mobile App.

ABOUT 3GT RACING:

Filed Under: Team PR Tagged With: 3GT Racing, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Jack Hawksworth, Lexus, Mobil Sports Car Grand Prix, Robert Alon, Sage Karam, Scott Pruett

3GT earns first top five finish, both cars finish in top six

July 3, 2017 by 3GT-Racing Leave a Comment

The 3GT Racing team’s Lexus RC F GT3 cars, No. 14 and 15, finished in the top six in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition Sunday in the Sahlen’s Six at The Glen.

Paul Gentilozzi said: “We have now entered into a competitive window where we have the opportunity to challenge for race wins. Our next accomplishment is to assure we do not make mistakes as a team or drivers to give us the track position to challenge at the end of each race.”

The No. 15, driven by Jack Hawksworth, finished 5th, the best result this season. Hawksworth seemed to be on a path to the pole early in the race. He started in third position and within the first hour of the six-hour endurance race, had moved into first and held the lead for 56 laps.

The No. 15 car earned 9 of the fastest 10 laps during the race and Hawksworth had the fastest lap of the race in the GTD class with a time of 1:44:786.

Hawksworth said he was happy with the car’s performance.

“I just had the freedom to drive the heck out of it. There was nothing to lose,” he said. “I was going for it, trying to make stuff happen. We obviously had a little bit of bad luck there in the middle of the day with a penalty, but we came back strong and got a top-five. Again, close but no cigar, but we’ll take a top-five, so I’m happy.”

Hawksworth shared driving duties in the No. 15 Lexus RC F GT3 with Robert Alon and Austin Cindric.

Robert Alon, who was unable to hold Hawksworth’s lead position when he took over at the first driver change said that he felt the car definitely deserved a podium. “A few things went wrong for us today,” Alon said. “There was a penalty, I lost quite a bit of time there, it just wasn’t a good day. The car felt good, and in the end Jack brought it back.”

Cindric, who has been racing full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, drove with 3GT Racing in the two previous endurance races, at The Rolex 24 at Daytona and Sebring.

“I wish this six-hour race would have been a 12-hour race, because I really feel like we would have had a shot at a podium with a little more time,” Cindric said. “The car was great to drive and I’m so glad I had the opportunity. Thanks to 3GT Racing and Lexus.”

Sage Karam and co-pilot Scott Pruett, earned their third sixth finish, in the No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3.

“We ran a great pace today,” Pruett said. “We continually make great strides forward. The penalty today is something you have to live with, but doesn’t mean I have to agree with it. Other than that, we continually are making strides forward and it was nice for 3GT Racing to have a top-five with the 15 Lexus finishing fifth. We’ve got to keep fighting for a win.”

The race in Watkins Glen, NY, an 11-turn, 3.4-mile course, was the third endurance race of season and the sixth race in the 11-race series.

Karam, who had an incident with the No. 14 during qualifying on Saturday, praised the crew for the work they did getting the Lexus RC F GT3 back together in time for the Sunday race.

“It was a great race for the No. 14 and No. 15,” Karam said. “The team’s best finish at fifth and both cars inside the top six – that’s great. We had a penalty which pushed us back and as hard as we worked to get back up front, it wasn’t enough. But we push harder and harder every time. I’m really excited for the future of this squad. It’s only going to go up from here.”

Next up is the Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Ontario, Canada. The race will be Sunday, July 9 from 12:05 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.

About 3GT Racing

3GT Racing was formed to race the Lexus RC F GT3. Owned and operated by five-time Trans-Am Series Champion, Paul Gentilozzi and his longtime partners, Tony and John Gentilozzi, the East Lansing, Michigan-based team principals have been involved in motorsports for more than 46 years and have claimed more than 75 victories and 15 manufacturer and driver championships.

Filed Under: Race Reports Tagged With: IMSA, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Jack Hawksworth, Lexus, Paul Gentilozzi, Robert Alon, Sage Karam, Scott Pruett, Six Hours of The Glen, Watkins Glen, Watkins Glen International