Press Release
59KB
november 03, 2015 - Lexus
Lexus Partners with F Performance Racing for 2016 and Beyond
- Scott Pruett and Paul Gentilozzi form new team
- Multi-year team agreement
- Upcoming season focuses on vehicle development
Paul Gentilozzi and newly formed F Performance #racing to field the #rcfgt3 in a soon to be announced sports car series. This new #racing venture is part of the Lexus’ global motorsports effort that will see the Japanese luxury brand competing on tracks in the United States beginning in 2016. The new race vehicle is based upon the production #lexus RC F high performance coupe that went on sale at the end of 2014.
“A core mission of F Performance #racing was to strengthen the Lexus’ F brand by applying lessons gleaned from #racing, while nurturing an engineering culture that transfers that knowledge to dynamic, high performance passenger car development. We are very excited about what this #partnership and race effort can mean for the brand in the years to come,” said Jeff Bracken, group vice president and general manager, #lexus division.
Veteran driver and road #racing legend Scott Pruett will pilot the #rcfgt3, bringing a wealth of experience to bear during the vehicle development phase. F Performance #racing will campaign a limited schedule in 2016. In its inaugural year, the team’s primary focus will involve developing the race organization while gathering data and track experience to help further propel vehicle development. For the 2017/18 season, the plan calls for F Performance #racing and Pruett to participate in a full sports car #racing schedule with a multi-vehicle effort.
Background
Pruett and #lexus have a history of success both on and off-the-track. The Roseville, California native campaigned Lexus-powered prototypes from 2004-2007 in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Championship Series earning three driver championships and winning the Rolex 24 at Daytona overall in 2007. In fact, Pruett has won the 24 Hours of Daytona a total of five times, earned 12 class victories and a record 60 wins in American sports car competition. Beyond his on-track feats, Pruett was integral part of the development and global promotion of both the #lexus LFA supercar and the #lexus IS F performance sedan.
“When #lexus left motorsports, I pledged to them that I would be there to help them return when that time came,” said Pruett. “That time is now and I could not be more ecstatic to be representing #lexus as a performance brand ambassador and on the track in the F Performance #rcfgt3.”
Gentilozzi competed in his first professional motorsports #event 45 years ago. That NHRA drag #racing #event started a career that turned left and right into a significant road #racing career resulting in five Trans Am driver championships with three different brands and virtually every record in the Trans Am history book. Gentilozzi also earned two Daytona 24 Hour class victories and an overall victory in the storied-event in 1994. On his path to more than 40 first place trophies, Gentilozzi’s teams accomplished three additional driver championships for Scott Pruett, Klaus Graf and Tomy Drissi and ten manufacturer championships in IMSA and Trans Am combined. Tony Gentilozzi joined the family business in 1994 and quickly became an accomplished championship engine builder taking teams to more than 50 wins and 100 podium finishes. In the fall of 1998, John Gentilozzi joined the action, engineering multiple championships and team records. A true “family” powerhouse was formed through victories in Champ Car, IMSA, Grand Am and Trans Am competition.
And Now, it Begins….
The #racing family is ready to embrace a new challenge. In early 2015, at the North American International #auto show, #lexus announced the brand would return to #racing with its high performance
RC F. The possibility of returning to the hotly contested GT ranks in 2016 with Lexus’ high performance niche brand was a race team’s dream. Given the brand’s commitment to competition, #lexus racecars are poised to develop a motorsports heritage through sports car #racing around the world. Simply put, this is a “must do” challenge for F Performance #racing and Scott Pruett.
“An opportunity to reunite with North America’s greatest sports car driver and a great friend, Scott Pruett and #lexus, a globally prestigious brand validating their performance potential, is a racer’s dream,” said Paul Gentilozzi. The #racing family patriarch continues, “One that would put an exclamation point on anyone’s motorsports career.”
Accepting the challenge of being part of a developing #lexus Motorsports heritage, both
F Performance #racing and Pruett look to 2016 and beyond with great anticipation of the first on-track success for the #rcfgt3.
2016 #lexus #rcf GT3 basic specificationsOverall Length189.2 inches (4805 mm)Overall Height50 inches (1270 mm)Width78.75 inches (2000 mm)Wheelbase107.5 inches (2730 mm)Curb weight2866 lbs. (1300 kgs.)PowerProduction 5.0–liter derived V8 (500+hp)Transmission6-speed Sequential w/paddle shiftersOriginToyota Technocraft, Japan Lexus launched in 1989 with two luxury sedans and a commitment to pursue perfection. Since that time, #lexus has expanded its line-up to meet the needs of global luxury customers. #lexus is now going beyond its reputation for high quality vehicles with the integration of innovative technology, emotional exterior and interior designs, and engaging driving dynamics and performance. With six models incorporating #lexus Hybrid Drive, #lexus is the luxury hybrid leader. #lexus also offers eight F SPORT models and one F performance model. In the United States, #lexus vehicles are sold through 236 dealers who are committed to exemplary customer service.
Lexus_RC_F_GT3_001_6064CF6B38D16A64AE58D3AD622A4A133775B08F
3000x1996, 2MB
Lexus_RC_F_GT3_002_950836E5B9B75727F2A8D1D2140E1275D7947C23
3000x1997, 1MB
Lexus_RC_F_GT3_003_FC7949ECD92FCD16D2C4F5722DBDF0D9B32CF4F8
3000x1997, 1MB
Lexus_RC_F_GT3_004_BDC47EF1052DF1A15EF0FF3FADB74EFE0BF9523A
3000x1997, 2MB
Lexus_RC_F_GT3_005_7402EE54D3B86CC5B65862DD3661953A3573E356
3000x1997, 4MB
Lexus_RC_F_GT3_006_E52460C351F754AD020E9FCFC86847891E46CD39
3000x1997, 3MB
Related news |
||
|
|
|
april 04, 2019
|
march 19, 2019
|
february 21, 2019
|
|
Refreshed 2020 #Lexus RC F boasts enhanced performance and updated designNew 2020 #RCFtrackedition offers exclusive upgrades desig... |
Lexus and the AIM VASSER SULLIVAN (AVS) race team competed in the second round of the #imsa WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at ... |
New #rcftrackedition #coupé with exclusive performance styling upgrades, developed with input from international #Lexus GT #racing... |
Download all 
You might be interested in |
||
|
|
|
february 05, 2019
|
january 29, 2019
|
january 24, 2019
|
|
European debut of the #Lexus #LCconvertible #concept, a #design vision for an open-top version of the flagship #LC coupéEuropean d... |
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 28, 2019) – #Lexus and newly formed race team AIM VASSER SULLIVAN (AVS) opened the 2019 IMSA WeatherT... |
Newly formed race team AIM Vasser Sullivan (AVS) is set to campaign the No. 12 and No. 14 #Lexus RC F GT3s in the IMSA WeatherTech... |
Italian 
Download all 
Share
Share via mail 
Automotive
Sport
Events
Art&Culture
Design
Fashion&Beauty
Food&Hospitality
Technology
Nautica
Racing
Excellence
Corporate
OffBeat
Green
Gift
Pop
Heritage
Entertainment
Health & Wellness