Pruett to become Lexus brand ambassador (Update)
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| Scott Pruett |
01/05/18
Lexus announced today that veteran sports car racer Scott Pruett will continue as a brand ambassador for the luxury automaker following his retirement from racing later this month. In his new role, Pruett will continue his long-standing partnership with Lexus as a brand advocate, while also assisting with product testing and development, Lexus Performance Driving School events, select Lexus at-track experiences and special appearances at Lexus brand events.
The 57-year-old Hall of Famer announced earlier today his plans to compete in his final race – the Rolex 24 at Daytona – later this month on Jan. 27-28. The five-time Rolex 24 winner will be a co-driver in the 3GT Racing No. 15 Lexus RC F GT3 in the grueling 24-hour event at famed Daytona International Speedway to end his impressive racing career.
“Scott has been a tremendous competitor and spokesman for the Lexus brand for a number of years," said Jeff Bracken, group vice president and general manager, Lexus Division. “It’s a bittersweet day. While we will miss seeing him racing for wins and championships, we are thrilled he will continue his partnership with Lexus as a brand ambassador. Scott has played a significant role in the development of our race cars, and even more importantly he has been instrumental in the development of our F performance brand since its inception 10 years ago."
Pruett will co-drive the No. 15 Lexus at Daytona with Dominik Farnbacher, Jack Hawksworth and David Heinemeier Hansson.
The Roseville, California, native earned championships and wins in a Lexus-powered prototype for Chip Ganassi Racing when Lexus competed in the Grand-Am Rolex SportsCar Series from 2004 to 2009. Over six seasons Pruett won 22 races, including two Rolex 24 at Daytona’s (2007-08) and two championships (2004, 2008) in a Lexus. When Lexus announced its return to North American sports car racing in 2017, Pruett joined 3GT Racing and has played a guiding role in the development of the Lexus RC F GT3 race car the past two years.
“It is a privilege to continue my long relationship with Lexus as a brand ambassador," Pruett said. “I am both excited and honored to partner with a brand that focuses on luxury and performance. My relationship with Lexus started in November 2003, but all of the races and championships we’ve won together have been just one part of the equation."
Along with assisting in the development of the Lexus RC F GT3 on the race track, Pruett also played an integral role in the launch of the Lexus F Performance brand in 2008 with both the Lexus IS F performance sedan and the Lexus LFA supercar.
“Having the opportunity to be part of Lexus’ launch of the F performance story from the very beginning has been such an exciting opportunity for me," Pruett added. “This has allowed me to bring insight from my 50 years of varied experiences to the program and I believe this is just the beginning of even greater things you’ll see Lexus bringing forward in the future."
Overall, Pruett has earned a record-setting 60 North American sports car victories, including a record-tying five Rolex 24 at Daytona victories. He was inducted into two motorsports Halls of Fame in 2017 – the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame. Pruett began his career in 1968 racing go-karts as an eight-year-old, and while he’s best known for his sports car career, Pruett has also been successful in Indy Car (formerly CART), NASCAR and is a three-time SCCA Trans Am champion.
Lexus' passion for brave design, imaginative technology, and exhilarating performance enables the luxury lifestyle brand to create amazing experiences for its customers. Lexus began its journey in 1989 with two luxury sedans and a commitment to pursue perfection. Since then, Lexus has developed its lineup to meet the needs of global luxury customers in more than 90 countries. In the United States, Lexus vehicles are sold through 239 dealers offering a full lineup of luxury vehicles. With five models incorporating Lexus Hybrid Drive, Lexus is the luxury hybrid leader. Lexus also offers six F SPORT models and two F performance models. Lexus is committed to being a visionary brand that anticipates the future for luxury customers.