Rising star Kirkwood completes Vasser Sullivan’s enduro lineup
Kyle Kirkwood will return to Vasser Sullivan Racing’s Lexus team for IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s four Michelin Endurance Cup races.
Kirkwood, the 2019 Indy Pro 2000 champion, was underemployed in 2020 due to Indy Lights going on hiatus, but managed to land a part-time ride in what was then called AIM Vasser Sullivan, competing at both Petit Le Mans and the 12 Hours of Sebring.
Now he has signed on to join Jack Hawksworth and Aaron Telitz in the #14 Lexus RC F in the Rolex 24 Hours, Sebring, Watkins Glen Six Hours and Petit, and this trio will be joined at Daytona by IMSA GT legend Oliver Gavin.
A joint statement from team owners Jimmy Vasser and James ‘Sulli’ Sullivan reads: “We obviously have a ton of confidence in Kyle. He was an outstanding addition to the team last year and we are very excited and pleased we are able to add him to our Endurance Cup lineup.
“He brings a familiarity with the team and our other drivers and we look forward to even more on-track success this season.”
“I’m ecstatic to come back to Vasser Sullivan in a Lexus RC F GT3 for the endurance rounds of the 2021 season,” said Kirkwood, 22. “The team is constantly excelling and this year everyone has made extreme strides to make sure we have a successful season.
“Our preparation is immense and I am really looking forward to kicking-off the 2021 season at the Roar Before the Rolex 24 this weekend!”
Kirkwood, whose open-wheel career will restart this year, will find himself working with and racing against Robert Megennis in two series – the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup events for Vasser Sullivan Racing and Indy Lights for Andretti Autosport. Megennis was confirmed as the #12 Lexus RC F’s enduro extra last week, where he will race alongside fulltimers Zach Veach and Frankie Montecalvo. Townsend Bell will complete the #12 car’s quartet for the Rolex 24.
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| Series | IMSA |
| Author | David Malsher-Lopez |
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