ABOUT THE TEAM
AIM VASSER SULLIVAN (AVS) - AVS leadership has a combined 100+ years of experience in operations, engineering, marketing and racecraft.
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
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-Sullivan Racing
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.
TEAM PRINCIPALS
100+ years of experience in operations, engineering, marketing and racecraft.
Andrew Bordin - Partner/Sporting Director
Andrew acts as the Sporting Director for AIM Vasser Sullivan, but titles are limiting. Andrew’s career began behind the wheel. A quick ascent up the Player’s Racing Driver Development ladder had Andrew in line for Player’s CART program which had included Jacques Villeneuve, Greg Moore, Alex Tagliani, Patrick Carpentier, Paul Tracy and more.
Andrew also directed his competitive spirit into forming AIM Autosport with the goal of operating a world-class, Championship-caliber race program and motorsports services business.
Andrew directs the short- and long-term strategic goals for AIM, and also manages finances, human resources, facilities and legal services for AIM. At the track, Andrew capitalizes on his Championship-winning racing pedigree to assist with communication between drivers and engineers during testing and assists as a spotter as required.
Andrew also directed his competitive spirit into forming AIM Autosport with the goal of operating a world-class, Championship-caliber race program and motorsports services business.
Andrew directs the short- and long-term strategic goals for AIM, and also manages finances, human resources, facilities and legal services for AIM. At the track, Andrew capitalizes on his Championship-winning racing pedigree to assist with communication between drivers and engineers during testing and assists as a spotter as required.
Jimmy Vasser – Partner/ Team Principal
Jimmy Vasser, the 1996 IndyCar Series champion is one of the most recognized and respected names in racing. He competed in 14 full seasons and was co-owner of KV Racing Technology from 2004-2016, KVSH Racing 2014-2016, and Vasser-Sullivan starting the 2018 season.
Vasser holds some of the finest credentials in U. S open-wheel racing history. In addition to his championship, he was runner–up in 1998 and third in 1997. Vasser stands among the leaders in most of the career statistical records and has won some of racing’s most coveted trophies including: The PPG Cup in 1996, the Best Driver ESPY Award in 1997; the Borg Warner Trophy (as an owner) in 2013 and the Vanderbilt Cup for his victory at the inaugural U. S. 500 in 1996. In addition to the U. S. 500, his major race wins include: two victories at California Speedway, the Marlboro 500 in 1998 and his last career win in 2002 (his average speed of 197.995 mph was the fastest 500-mile race in U.S. history until 2014).
Vasser was the 1986 SCCA National Formula Ford champion (winning the SCCA President’s Cup) and was a 24 Hours of Daytona class winner in 1992. His prime years were spent away from the Indy 500 due to the CART-IRL split, however he did win the three 500-mile races and his 1996 championship was the first for Honda in IndyCar competition. Vasser started 238 races including a then record 211 consecutive starts.
A successful business man in his own right, Vasser owns Chevrolet and Toyota dealerships as well as V12 Vineyards in Napa, CA.
Vasser holds some of the finest credentials in U. S open-wheel racing history. In addition to his championship, he was runner–up in 1998 and third in 1997. Vasser stands among the leaders in most of the career statistical records and has won some of racing’s most coveted trophies including: The PPG Cup in 1996, the Best Driver ESPY Award in 1997; the Borg Warner Trophy (as an owner) in 2013 and the Vanderbilt Cup for his victory at the inaugural U. S. 500 in 1996. In addition to the U. S. 500, his major race wins include: two victories at California Speedway, the Marlboro 500 in 1998 and his last career win in 2002 (his average speed of 197.995 mph was the fastest 500-mile race in U.S. history until 2014).
Vasser was the 1986 SCCA National Formula Ford champion (winning the SCCA President’s Cup) and was a 24 Hours of Daytona class winner in 1992. His prime years were spent away from the Indy 500 due to the CART-IRL split, however he did win the three 500-mile races and his 1996 championship was the first for Honda in IndyCar competition. Vasser started 238 races including a then record 211 consecutive starts.
A successful business man in his own right, Vasser owns Chevrolet and Toyota dealerships as well as V12 Vineyards in Napa, CA.
Ian Willis - Partner/Team Principal/Engineer
Ian boasts 35 years+ of top-level motorsports success and is lead engineer for AIM Vasser Sullivan.
Back in the 1990s, Ian along with his brother and fellow engineer Keith, designed and built the globally-recognized AERO Formula Ford. Ian was also the race driver for the AERO in the early days with numerous race wins. The chassis remains largely unchanged and is still winning races today. This chassis also launched the careers of many world-class drivers with Ian as lead engineer.
Ian, who is highly-regarded with the sporting, technical and scrutineering departments as well as in the executive suite at the major sports car sanctioning bodies, has directed the on-track product for AIM to numerous driver, team and manufacturer Championships.
Ian also enjoys top-level experience and success with race car engineering, race car design and development, race team management, race strategy, data analysis, driver development and coaching, and apprentice engineer training.
Back in the 1990s, Ian along with his brother and fellow engineer Keith, designed and built the globally-recognized AERO Formula Ford. Ian was also the race driver for the AERO in the early days with numerous race wins. The chassis remains largely unchanged and is still winning races today. This chassis also launched the careers of many world-class drivers with Ian as lead engineer.
Ian, who is highly-regarded with the sporting, technical and scrutineering departments as well as in the executive suite at the major sports car sanctioning bodies, has directed the on-track product for AIM to numerous driver, team and manufacturer Championships.
Ian also enjoys top-level experience and success with race car engineering, race car design and development, race team management, race strategy, data analysis, driver development and coaching, and apprentice engineer training.
James “Sulli” Sullivan – Partner/ Team Principal
James Sullivan, known as “Sulli”, founded SH Racing in 2010 to compete in the 2011 Indianapolis 500. The alliance continued for the 2012 and 2013 IndyCar series seasons, and included a victory in the 2013 Indy 500 with driver Tony Kanaan.
In 2013, Sullivan expanded to establish SH Rallycross with an entry in the RedBull Global Rallycross Series. In 2014, the Sulli owned team won a medal at the ESPN X-Games in its first full season of GRC competition with driver Nelson Piquet Jr, marking the beginning of a very successful four-year run in RedBull GRC.
In 2014, Sulli announced the creation of KVSH Racing with Kevin Kalkhoven and Jimmy Vasser to compete full-time in the IndyCar Series. KVSH Racing went on to win five IndyCar races from 2014 – 2016 with driver Sebastien Bourdais.
In 2017, Sulli and now partner Jimmy Vasser established Vasser-Sullivan IndyCar. They, along with Dale Coyne established Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan to compete full-time in the IndyCar series with driver Sebastien Bourdais. In its first year the team won the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and finished seventh in the 2018 championship standings.
In addition to racing, Sulli co-founded sports nutrition supplement Protein Bullet and the Dallas-based private equity fund Modena Capital Group. He graduated from Baylor University in 2003 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Entrepreneurship and Marketing.
In 2013, Sullivan expanded to establish SH Rallycross with an entry in the RedBull Global Rallycross Series. In 2014, the Sulli owned team won a medal at the ESPN X-Games in its first full season of GRC competition with driver Nelson Piquet Jr, marking the beginning of a very successful four-year run in RedBull GRC.
In 2014, Sulli announced the creation of KVSH Racing with Kevin Kalkhoven and Jimmy Vasser to compete full-time in the IndyCar Series. KVSH Racing went on to win five IndyCar races from 2014 – 2016 with driver Sebastien Bourdais.
In 2017, Sulli and now partner Jimmy Vasser established Vasser-Sullivan IndyCar. They, along with Dale Coyne established Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan to compete full-time in the IndyCar series with driver Sebastien Bourdais. In its first year the team won the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and finished seventh in the 2018 championship standings.
In addition to racing, Sulli co-founded sports nutrition supplement Protein Bullet and the Dallas-based private equity fund Modena Capital Group. He graduated from Baylor University in 2003 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Entrepreneurship and Marketing.
Keith Willis - Partner/Engineer
With over 30 years in motorsport alongside his brother Ian, Keith has experienced success at every level of motorsport, and will also lead the engineering group at AIM Vasser Sullivan.
Keith and Ian designed and built the globally-recognized, race- and Championship-winning AERO Formula Ford.
At the race team headquarters, Keith oversees and manages AIM’s in-house machine shop, fabrication, quality control, spare parts and inventory control, plus race car preparation department as well as oversight for all transportation and logistics. Keith also manages AIM’s full- and part-time race staff, both at the race track and at the race shop.
Keith and Ian designed and built the globally-recognized, race- and Championship-winning AERO Formula Ford.
At the race team headquarters, Keith oversees and manages AIM’s in-house machine shop, fabrication, quality control, spare parts and inventory control, plus race car preparation department as well as oversight for all transportation and logistics. Keith also manages AIM’s full- and part-time race staff, both at the race track and at the race shop.
