Vasser Sullivan Racing Bio
Vasser Sullivan Racing is an American motorsports team founded in 2010 by James “Sulli” Sullivan and later established under the Vasser Sullivan name in partnership with Jimmy Vasser. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, the team is Lexus’ factory partner in the IMSA SportsCar Championship and claimed the 2023 GTD Pro Drivers’ and Teams’ championships with the Lexus RC F GT3.
Early Life and Background
James “Sulli” Sullivan built his racing interests through motocross and rallycross activities before forming SH Racing and related ventures; his early entrepreneurial work set the foundation for a professional motorsports program. Jimmy Vasser, the 1996 PPG Indy Car World Series champion, brought decades of open-wheel experience and prior team ownership to the partnership, linking Vasser Sullivan to established American racing networks.
The two principals began collaborating professionally in the early 2010s and consolidated activities under the Vasser Sullivan identity when they partnered with other teams and series entries. The organization developed from regional and rally programs into a purpose-built sports car operation based in Charlotte, drawing technical staff with experience across IMSA, IndyCar, and NASCAR disciplines.
Path to MotorSports
Vasser Sullivan’s move into high-level sports car competition followed a sequence of partnerships and program expansions. The team partnered with established outfits to gain experience in national series, leveraging relationships with teams such as Dale Coyne Racing in IndyCar to broaden its competitive footprint and operational expertise.
The team won a manufacturer bid to run Lexus factory activities in North America and entered the IMSA SportsCar Championship in 2019. That OEM relationship shaped Vasser Sullivan’s development path, enabling access to manufacturer resources, engineering collaboration, and a GT3 platform in the Lexus RC F GT3 that would become central to the team’s on-track success.
Vasser Sullivan Racing Career
Early Career (2010–2018)
Founded in 2010 by James Sullivan, the organization spent its early years building motorsport capabilities through rallycross and supporting race programs. During this period the team established management structures, recruited technical staff, and developed partnerships that would later support a transition into top-tier sports car competition.
By the mid-2010s Sullivan and Jimmy Vasser were collaborating on multiple ventures that combined Sullivan’s team-building experience with Vasser’s championship pedigree. Those collaborative efforts prepared the organization for higher-profile entries and manufacturer-level racing commitments.
IndyCar Partnership and Development (2018–2021)
Vasser Sullivan publicly entered open-wheel competition through a collaboration with Dale Coyne Racing in the 2018 IndyCar Series, fielding entries under a combined banner and supporting established drivers. The partnership allowed Vasser Sullivan to compete at street circuits and ovals while the organization continued to build sports car capabilities.
The IndyCar work provided race operations experience at a national level and strengthened the team’s technical and logistical competencies. After several seasons of collaboration, Vasser Sullivan and Dale Coyne Racing concluded the partnership, enabling the team to concentrate resources on sports car racing and its growing relationship with Lexus.
IMSA Breakthrough (2019–2023)
Vasser Sullivan Racing entered the IMSA SportsCar Championship in 2019 as Lexus’ North American factory team, initially partnering with AIM Autosport to form AIM Vasser Sullivan. The combined effort produced early success, including a class victory at the 2019 Sports Car Challenge of Mid-Ohio with drivers Jack Hawksworth and Richard Heistand in GTD competition.
Following the split with AIM Autosport at the end of 2020, Vasser Sullivan executed a significant internal overhaul, hiring engineers, mechanics, and technical staff with experience across IMSA, IndyCar, and NASCAR. The organization appointed Greg Cates as general manager and restructured the program to operate Lexus factory efforts directly.
GTD Pro Title and Consolidation (2022–2023)
Heading into the 2022 season Vasser Sullivan expanded its professional driver roster, signing Ben Barnicoat alongside Jack Hawksworth in the #14 GTD Pro entry while maintaining strong lineups across its #12 and endurance entries. The team blended sprint and endurance strategies, adding experienced race engineers and crew members to optimize performance across IMSA’s varied calendar.
The strategy culminated in a championship-winning 2023 campaign. Vasser Sullivan captured the IMSA SportsCar Championship GTD Pro Drivers’ and Teams’ titles with the #14 pairing of Ben Barnicoat and Jack Hawksworth in the Lexus RC F GT3, securing the championships with a decisive points margin and delivering Lexus its factory victory in the class.
Current Team Era (2024–Present)
Following the 2023 title, Vasser Sullivan retained core drivers and continued to refine personnel and engineering roles across both full-season and endurance programs. The team maintained its two-car GTD and GTD Pro structure, fielding entries under car numbers 12 and 14 and adjusting lineups to balance championship ambitions with endurance-cup commitments.
Vasser Sullivan sustained its partnership with Lexus and focused on maintaining momentum from the title season. Leadership emphasized continuity in driver pairings where possible and introduced strategic lineup changes to optimize results across sprint rounds, endurance races, and the Michelin Endurance Cup.
Driving Style and Strengths
Vasser Sullivan Racing is noted for combining professional sprint pace with disciplined endurance execution. The team favors precise car setup and tire management tailored to the Lexus RC F GT3, leveraging seasoned engineers and a collaborative driver environment to extract consistent race results across track conditions.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones include the team’s first IMSA GTD class victory at Mid-Ohio in 2019, the transition to operating as Lexus’ North American factory effort, and the 2023 GTD Pro Drivers’ and Teams’ championships. Those results established Vasser Sullivan as a leading sports car program in North America.
Vasser Sullivan Racing Career Wins
Vasser Sullivan Racing’s verified highlights span class victories, podiums, and the 2023 IMSA GTD Pro championship. Early GTD class wins in 2019 and multiple season results thereafter laid the groundwork for the team’s championship run in GTD Pro with the Lexus RC F GT3.
IMSA SportsCar Championship Highlights
The team’s IMSA record includes the class victory at the 2019 Sports Car Challenge of Mid-Ohio and the successful 2023 campaign that yielded both Drivers’ and Teams’ titles in GTD Pro. The 2023 outcome is the organization’s primary verified championship accomplishment at the IMSA level.
Other Wins & Perfromances
Beyond IMSA, Vasser Sullivan’s earlier activities included competitive outings and partnerships in rallycross and open-wheel collaborations that contributed to operational growth; specific regional title totals and additional series victories are not summarized here without direct verification.
Vasser Sullivan Racing Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Vasser Sullivan’s ownership and leadership link James “Sulli” Sullivan’s entrepreneurial motorsports roots with Jimmy Vasser’s championship and team ownership background. That combination brought together rally and motocross origins with open-wheel championship experience, creating a cross-disciplinary leadership foundation for the team’s sports car program.
2025 Season Performance
For 2025 Vasser Sullivan restructured driver duties across its two-car program. Ben Barnicoat is paired with Aaron Telitz in the #14 entry for GTD Pro competition, while Jack Hawksworth and Parker Thompson will split duties in the #12 GTD entry. The team also defined its Michelin Endurance Cup driver rotations, bringing Kyle Kirkwood into the #14 endurance lineup and alternating Frankie Montecalvo and other endurance specialists across long-distance events.
The 2025 plan reflects a blend of continuity and targeted change: pairing proven GTD Pro pace with experienced endurance additions to defend performance across sprint and endurance formats. Vasser Sullivan’s outlook emphasizes manufacturer collaboration with Lexus, stable engineering leadership, and adaptive driver assignments aimed at sustained competitiveness in IMSA’s GT categories.