Huge congratulations to the Lexus Vasser Sullivan team on the 2023 IMSA GTD Pro championship!! Lexus started their IMSA campaign about 6 years ago, and to see them achieve this goal is… I dunno… just heartwarming. Nothing against any of the other teams, but it just feels like the good guys won here. Why? Because look, big picture:
Toyota & Lexus is about the only car maker that’s still on the same side as ‘the enthusiasts’…
Yeah – I realize that’s a bold statement, and feel free to have/share your own opinions. But consider this: As the automotive industry races/rushes to modern tech & electrification, almost every car company has sold out, broken enthusiast’s hearts, sacrificed their heritage, diluted their brand, leveraged tech against their customers, and lied to us about ‘sustainability’. Which brings me to my next point:
Toyota & Lexus is about the only car maker that’s stayed on the same side as ‘the truth’…
Akio Toyoda and Koji Sato have stood up to pressure and become a voice of wisdom, reason, & truth for the automotive industry… during a time of manipulation & misinformation. They’re proven themselves to be true enthusiasts with the courage to be true leaders when this industry desperately needs some. Toyota has gone against the grain & created the Gazoo Racing (GR) brand with 3 new US models dedicated to spirited driving. And that’s combined with an entire new era of rugged SUVs that are coming through the Toyota & Lexus pipeline. Plus – not sure if you realize this, but you can get the next-generation Tacoma with 4wd, a turbo, AND a manual transmission. C’mon! And now…
The cherry on top – is the IMSA GTD Pro championship…
It’s a championship in a series that’s centered around endurance sports car racing… in a specific class that revolves around factory-backed ‘production cars’ (versus a prototype). I was at Petit, and I spoke to different folks affiliated with Lexus. And I got the unified & unanimous sense that this IMSA program (and now championship) has put a new energy into Lexus. Lexus makes a stunning street car, but let’s be honest, they could stand to get a little more rowdy. Fair? Well, this IMSA championship may have really ignited that fuse within the Lexus brand. In other words, there’s a lot to celebrate here, and it could be more than just a championship.
Car photos by Matthew Lankford // Team photo from Lexus
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Great Article. I was at Petit and despite the 14 going out early we had a great celebration.
Andrew Gilleland, who has headed this venture, is one of my closest friends and college buddies from Appalachian State. Several of our closest buddies make as many races as we can to support the team.
You nailed it when you said the “good guys won”
Sully, Jimmy, Jeff Bal and the team are just a bunch of regular guys with a passion for racing and winning.