Olivier Pla Takes over for Tristan Nunez at Action Express Racing; Ben Barnicoat and Kyle Kirkwood Will Drive the Vasser Sullivan Lexus at Detroit
By Mark Robinson
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Action Express Racing announced Tuesday that the team has signed Olivier Pla to partner with Pipo Derani in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R for the remainder of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season, beginning with this week’s Chevrolet Sports Car Classic in Detroit.
Tristan Nunez, Derani’s co-driver in the first five events of the 2022 season, will remain with the team in a standby role.
It marks a return to the WeatherTech Championship for Pla, who has 43 starts and three wins in an IMSA career that began in 2008. Most recently, Pla drove for Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian last season in the Daytona Prototype international (DPi) class. Pla tested in the No. 31 Cadillac DPi-V.R last week at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
“Joining Action Express Racing is very special to me,” Pla said. “I’ve been racing against them for many years, and I know how good they are on the track. What they’ve achieved by winning so many races and championships speaks for itself. It will be a big challenge to arrive mid-season but I’m ready to take on this challenge. The Cadillac DPi-V.R is a fantastic car and I can’t wait to race it. And of course, extremely happy and proud to join such a great driver and friend Pipo Derani!”
Derani and the No. 31 Cadillac are currently fifth in the DPi standings, 132 points out of first place at the halfway point.
“We are happy to have Olivier join the AXR team starting with the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix this weekend,” said Gary Nelson, Action Express team director. “The IMSA DPi class is very competitive this year and we want to make sure we can have a strong second half to the season.
“Tristan has done a great job driving the Whelen Engineering Cadillac. All of us at Action Express Racing have developed a great relationship with Tristan and his family. He is a young driver with many wins and championships in his future. Tristan remains a major part of this team, and we value having his input on the race weekends to keep moving our program forward.”
Saturday’s 100-minute race at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park airs live at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network and IMSA Radio.
Barnicoat, Kirkwood Set to Drive No. 17 Lexus at Detroit
Ben Barnicoat and Kyle Kirkwood will co-drive Vasser Sullivan’s second GT Daytona (GTD) entry in Saturday’s Chevrolet Sports Car Classic, the team confirmed Tuesday.
This weekend’s WeatherTech Championship race is the second straight where the GTD PRO class is not competing, so Vasser Sullivan has again elected to move its GTD PRO Lexus RC F GT3 into GTD – renumbered from 14 to 17 – and run it alongside the No. 12 Lexus that competes in the full GTD season.
Jack Hawksworth was set to be one of the drivers in the No. 17 Lexus this weekend until sustaining an undisclosed injury in a motocross incident that will prevent him from competing while he recuperates at home in England. Barnicoat, Hawksworth’s teammate in GTD PRO, will fill in and be joined by Kirkwood, who helped Hawksworth and Barnicoat to a fourth-place GTD PRO finish in the Rolex 24 At Daytona to open the season.
Kirkwood has seven previous WeatherTech Championship starts with Vasser Sullivan, all in endurance events. The 23-year-old Floridian is also a rookie in the IndyCar Series, where he finished 17th in Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 driving for A.J. Foyt Racing. Kirkwood will also drive in Sunday’s IndyCar race at Detroit.
“Super stoked to be back with Vasser Sullivan in the Lexus RC F GT3,” Kirkwood said. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in the car, and I’m looking forward to competing in my first sprint race. I will be doing double duty in Detroit, racing in both IndyCar and IMSA. That means more track time for me, which will be a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to driving the Vasser Sullivan Lexus again and I’m ready for the challenge.”