Kent’s Mike Conway will compete in the No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3 along with full-season Lexus drivers Jack Hawksworth and Ben Barnicoat in the 2023 Rolex 24 at Daytona.
The No. 14 Lexus driver lineup is set to take on the GTD PRO class during the grueling 24-hour endurance race at Daytona International Speedway later this month.
Conway joins Lexus factory drivers Hawksworth and Barnicoat in Daytona, who finished fourth in the 2022 Rolex 24 at Daytona in the newly-formed GTD PRO category. Hawksworth and Barnicoat went on to finish second in the IMSA GTD PRO championship last year on the strength of two wins, six podium finishes and two pole positions during the 2022 season.
The 2023 Rolex 24 at Daytona will mark Mike’s first-ever race in GT3 machinery and his fifth appearance at the iconic twice-around-the-clock event. Mike’s previous exploits at the event have been in the DPi class, with 2018 marking his best-ever finish at Daytona when he finished in second place.
The 2023 season will mark the fifth year Lexus and Vasser Sullivan have partnered together. During that time, the Lexus RC F GT3 has earned an impressive 10 wins, 28 podiums and nine pole positions.
The Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 entries return to the track in the Roar Before the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway on January 20-22 to prepare for the 2022 Rolex 24 at Daytona on January 28-29.
Conway is a two-time World Endurance champion and has been driving for Toyota Gazoo Racing in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) since 2015. The 39-year-old British driver has an impressive resume having raced globally in the Formula 1 GP2 Series, International V8 Super Cars Championship, WEC, Formula E, IndyCar Series and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Conway has competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans nine times, winning the prestigious race in 2021 in the Toyota Gazoo Racing HyperCar, and has finished runner-up four times. He has also won the British Formula Ford Championship in 2002, Formula Renault 2.0 UK championship in 2004 and the British Formula Three championship in 2006.
Speaking of the chance to race with Lexus, Mike Conway said:
“I’m excited to be racing in the No.14 Lexus RC F GT3 at the Rolex 24 at Daytona with Vasser Sullivan.”
“It’s my first time racing in a GT car so there is a lot to learn, but the whole Vasser Sullivan team and my teammates, Jack and Ben, have been really helping to get me up to speed. I’m looking forward to getting on track at Daytona in the coming weeks.”
Meanwhile, Jeff Bal, Senior Manager – Motorsports, Sponsorships & Experiential Marketing – Lexus Division added:
“We’re extremely fortunate to have Mike join our lineup for this year’s Rolex 24. We’re grateful our colleagues at Gazoo Racing have afforded us the opportunity for Mike to jump in and we’ll undoubtedly leverage this opportunity to not only put the Lexus up front when the checkers fly on Sunday, but also use the time together to further advance our efforts committed to building ever-better cars for Lexus.”
“When you combine Mike’s talent with the experience and success both Jack and Ben have in the Lexus RC F GT3, we feel this year’s lineup will be a force to be reckoned with in the PRO class.”
“We are excited to have Mike join Vasser Sullivan and the Lexus family and looking forward to watching this lineup do great things at Daytona later this month.”
Vasser Sullivan Team Principals Jimmy Vasser and James ‘Sulli’ Sullivan added:
“We’ve enjoyed some good IndyCar podium battles with Mike (Conway) in years past, so we’re glad to have him racing for us, and not against us! Mike is no stranger to the Rolex 24 and it’s a privilege to have his first race in a GT3 car be with us.”
Image courtesy of Vasser Sullivan Racing.