RC F GT3 Carries High Hopes Into Long Beach Grand Prix

Lexus’ factory racer heads to Southern California down but not out.

It was only a year ago at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach that we caught our very first glimpse of the Lexus RC F GT3 Concept. And now, as we prepare for this weekend’s kickoff of the 43rd annual running of the race, we get to see the car compete in third race. On the heels of a couple of disappointing finishes, expectations are obviously running high.

The RC F GT3 debuted back in January at the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The #15 car, piloted by Robert Alon, Austin Cindric, Dominik Farnbacher and Jack Hawksworth, finished 14th in the GTD class (36th overall). After a bit of a run-in with another car, the Scott Pruett-piloted #14 Lexus had to bow out and finished 27th (54th overall).

Team Lexus then headed to the 12 Hours of Sebring in March, and their results improved slightly. The #15 car finished 13th in class (28th overall). But the 3GT Racing #14 Lexus fought mechanical issues and could only muster an 18th place class finish (35th overall).

To say that the team rides into Long Beach with high hopes is a bit of an understatement, especially for 3GT driver Pruett, who has a long and rich history at Long Beach. Pruett was elected to the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame in 2012 after racking up six wins at the circuit.

One of those wins, back in 2006, came in a Lexus prototype. Fast forward 11 years and the decorated racing driver will look to do it again, this time in a brand-new Lexus.

High speeds, tight corners and one city! The @3GT_Racing team is ready to hit the streets of @ToyotaGPLB. #LexusRCF GT3 #LexusPerformance pic.twitter.com/dvwSrBJVhU

— Lexus Racing USA (@lexusracingusa) April 3, 2017

Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.