FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News and Notes from AIM VASSER SULLIVAN
AVS Full Season Driver Line-Up Complete,
Car Numbers Assigned,
Michelin Tire Test Report and 2019 Livery Experiment
Dallas, Texas (December 17, 2018) – Rounding out the 2019 full-season driver line-up for AIM VASSER SULLIVAN is Floridian Richard Heistand. Heistand will partner with Jack Hawksworth in all 11-rounds of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
“We are excited to complete our full season line-up for AIM VASSER SULLIVAN,” explained AVS principal and team engineer Ian Willis. “Richard joins us after a successful return to racing this past year in Europe where he held his own against top amateur and professional drivers in the highly competitive Porsche Supercup series.”
“I’m really excited to share driving duties with Jack and benefit from the diverse and successful racing experience at AIM VASSER SULLIVAN,” said Heistand. “A proven car in the Lexus RC F GT3, a proven team and a super-fast and winning teammate make for an exciting season and I can’t wait to get going with our Championship challenge in 2019.”
Also confirmed this week:
· Car numbers 12 and 14 will be raced by AIM VASSER SULLIVAN in 2019: Townsend Bell and Frankie Montecalvo will race the No. 12 Lexus RC F as an homage to AVS team co-owner and former IndyCar Champion Jimmy Vasser. Vasser and his No. 12 were synonymous with numerous podiums and victories during Vasser’s illustrious open-wheel career including capturing the 1996 CART Championship.
The No. 14 RC F GT3, which carries significant meaning to Lexus, will be campaigned by Hawksworth and Heistand.
· On Tuesday, December 11, AVS participated in the mandatory Michelin tire test at Daytona International Speedway with Hawksworth, Heistand, Bell and Montecalvo all getting valuable seat time in the Lexus RC F GT3 race car. The team was very happy with the performance of the new chassis on the Michelin tires.
· While at the test, onlookers were surprised to see the AVS entry had a split personality:
The left side of the car featured a silver base, while the right side had a black base with the two liveries split right down the middle. The team was running the split livery to determine which color combination will give the team the highest visibility. Expect further tweaks and a decision on the team colors as the final liveries will be unveiled at the ROAR.
The team’s next on-track action will feature both the No. 12 and the No. 14 entries in their full 2019 liveries at the ROAR Before the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway, January 4 – 6, 2019.
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About AIM VASSER SULLIVAN:
AIM VASSER SULLIVAN (AVS) is a new professional racing team competing in the GTD class of the IMSA WeatherTech Championship with two Lexus RC F GT3 entries. AVS is owned by AIM partners Andrew Bordin, Ian Willis and Keith Willis, and Vasser-Sullivan Racing partners Jimmy Vasser and James ‘Sulli’ Sullivan. AVS leadership has a combined 100+ years of experience in operations, engineering, marketing and racecraft.
AIM Autosport formed in 1995 and have been winners in every category of open wheel and sports car racing they have competed in. AIM has multiple race wins, plus overall team, driver and manufacturer Championships in both Grand AM and IMSA competition.
Vasser and Sullivan were allied and partners from 2011-2016 with KVSH Racing in the IndyCar Series. In 2017, Vasser and Sullivan established Vasser-Sullivan Racing to compete in the IndyCar series. In 2018, they formed a partnership with Dale Coyne to establish Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan to compete full time in the IndyCar Series Championship. In its first year, the team earned multiple podiums including winning the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, and finishing seventh in the 2018 championship standings.
AIM VASSER SULLIVAN Contacts:
Jim Bowie – CMO, AIM VASSER SULLIVAN
Mobile: (416) 272-8358
jbowie@aimvassersullivan.com
Kevin Diamond – Director Communications, VASSER-SULLIVAN RACING
Phone: (415) 332-2016
Mobile: (415) 729-6011
kdiamond@aimvassersullivan.com
