A tactical masterstroke on pit lane proved to be the ultimate key to success for Vasser Sullivan Racing at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. The #14 Lexus RC F GT3 secured its second consecutive GTD Pro victory in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, proving that sometimes, less is more.
Starting from sixth on the grid for the two-hour and 40-minute Chevrolet Grand Prix, Jack Hawksworth delivered a solid opening stint, carving his way up to fourth. But the race was ultimately decided 42 minutes in during the first pit cycle. In a brilliant strategy call by engineer Geoff Fickling and strategist Dwight Brown, the team opted for a short-fill stop, electing not to top off the fuel tank completely. The lightning-fast stop clocked in at a mere 46.179 seconds, vaulting the Lexus ahead of its rivals on pit lane.
Ben Barnicoat took the wheel and immediately capitalized on the track position. On the ensuing restart, Barnicoat caught Nikita Johnson sleeping, executing a mega pass on the No. 59 RLL Team McLaren 720S GT3 Evo to snatch the lead. From there, the No. 14 Lexus dominated, pacing the field for 78 of the final 118 laps to take the checkered flag by 1.993 seconds.
“The guys executed a really good pit stop; they were able to get the tires on really fast and get the fuel in, get the probe out, and we beat some cars on pit lane,” Hawksworth said. “Ben did a great job to catch the McLaren sleeping there on the restart and controlled the race. Perfect execution.”
✌️ for ✌️
Amazing effort, amazing teamwork, amazing result. This whole family just doesn’t give up, and it feels great to be back where we know we should be 💪 @CTMPOfficial is always a great weekend, but this one feels really special.
Thank you, Canada 🇨🇦 #imsa#lexuspic.twitter.com/gq2Zww0deh
— Ben Barnicoat (@BenBarnicoat) July 13, 2026
The victory carried extra emotional weight for a driver duo that has historically endured brutal luck at the fast Canadian track. After a conservative qualifying strategy left them sixth on the grid – running only one set of tires while rivals used two – starting deeper in the field ironically turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Both drivers joked post-race that starting from the front row had previously cursed their efforts, making their charge from sixth the perfect remedy.
The hard-fought breakthrough also marked a historic milestone for the manufacturer, registering the 20th IMSA victory for the venerable Lexus RC F GT3 platform. Remarkably, 18 of those triumphs have been delivered by Vasser Sullivan, with Canadian Tire Motorsport Park becoming the ninth different IMSA circuit where the team has tasted victory.
‘No Pressure, Just Chasing Wins’
With four races remaining in the season, the back-to-back victories have vaulted Hawksworth and Barnicoat back into the championship conversation, sitting just 150 points adrift of Paul Miller Racing’s Connor De Phillippi and Neil Verhagen.
A mere 60 points separate second through sixth place, setting up a frantic final stretch.
Despite the shrinking deficit, the Vasser Sullivan garage isn’t looking at the math.
“I think the pressure is on everyone else,” Barnicoat said. “We had potential from Sebring to win and it’s just never really gone our way. Now everyone’s just been doing the same thing. We’re having a bit of luck and we’re winning.”
Hawksworth echoed his teammate’s thoughts, adding, “After some tough races, we’re just going for wins. If we keep doing that, the points will take care of themselves.”
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