HAWKSWORTH, BARNICOAT DELIVER FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON FOR NO. 14
Race Summary:
Jack Hawksworth qualified and started the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan with Dreyer and Reinbold Racing Lexus RC F GT3 from the pole and led the opening stint of today’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen before pitting under caution just over 30 mintues into the race for fuel and four tires. He rejoined third and maintained position until making his second stop shortly after the two hour mark.
During the pit stop, the crew completed another flawless service with four tires, fuel and a driver change to Ben Barnicoat. Once the pit cycle was complete, Barnicoat moved into second before reclaiming the lead shortly after the restart, where he remained for the majority of his stints.
With just over 90 minutes remaining, Barnicoat pitted under caution for tires, fuel and a driver change back to Hawksworth, who rejoined fourth. With just over an hour remaining in the race, he worked his way back to the lead before making a final splash-and-go fuel stop with less than 55 minutes remaining.
With the GTD PRO field on split fuel strategy, Hawksworth returned to the field in fourth, but was the only car that could make it to the finish on fuel if the race remained green. He reclaimed the lead with nine minutes remaining and held off the field to secure the victory.
The win marks the No. 14 team’s first win of the 2026 season. Hawksworth and Barnicoat led 83 laps and earned their second Six Hours of the Glen victory together after also winning in 2023. Hawksworth previously won the 2021 Watkins Glen sprint race alongside Telitz.
Quotes:
Jack Hawksworth:
“We had an amazing Lexus RC F today. It was fantastic all race long and we had a lot thrown at us throughout the whole race. Sometimes we were back down to fourth and then we would come back through to the lead. The Vasser Sullivan team just did an amazing job. Every pit stop was perfect, and our Lexus was fantastic and Ben (Barnicoat) drove unreal today. It was just a fantastic day. Everybody did their job.”
Ben Barnicoat:
“Yeah, absolutely. It’s been a long time coming. I’m so proud of everyone on this Vasser Sullivan and Lexus Racing team. We’ve had a lot of pace and done a lot of great things on this team, it just all hasn’t quite clicked. I felt like we could’ve won on a lot of other opportunities this season, but it just hasn’t worked. I felt like it was our day. I’m really proud of everyone on this Vasser Sullivan team and my teammate Jack (Hawksworth). We’re closing the points gap and we’re coming back.”
Notes:
No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3:
Hawksworth and Barnicoat are the full-time drivers of the No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3 for the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season in GTD PRO, with Kyle Kirkwood competing in select endurance races.
The No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus now has three wins at Watkins Glen International, the first coming in GTD in a sprint race in 2021 with Hawksworth and Telitz and the others in GTD PRO in 2023 and today with Hawksworth and Barnicoat.
Hawksworth has been with the program since its inception in 2017 and is contesting his eighth season with Vasser Sullivan. The 2023 GTD PRO champion has scored 12 wins with the team and 13 total IMSA victories. Hawksworth has captured 12 pole positions with Vasser Sullivan, 16 total with Lexus and 17 overall career poles in IMSA and now leads the series for most poles in the modern era.
Barnicoat is in his fifth season with Vasser Sullivan and Lexus. The 2023 GTD PRO Champion has eight IMSA wins, six in GTD PRO and two in GTD in as many starts.
Vasser Sullivan Lexus:
This was the eighth time Vasser Sullivan and Lexus compete together at Watkins Glen International. The team has three wins on the road course in upstate New York, the first coming in the GTD Sprint race in 2021, and the other two in 2023 when the team swept both the GTD and GTD PRO wins.
The Six Hours of the Glen is the third of five endurance events in the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar season. The others are the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring, the SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix at Road America and Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.
The 2026 IMSA season marks the eighth year Lexus and Vasser Sullivan have partnered together. During that time the Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3s have earned an impressive 17 wins, 51 podiums, and 29 poles. They have won the GTD PRO Championship in 2023 and the GTD Sprint Cup Championship in 2020.