Fourteen Drivers Compete to Own the First Lexus IS 500 F SPORT Performance in ‘License to Thrill’

By Joe Kucinski - September 16, 2021

Lexus issues a License to Thrill to auto enthusiasts by pitting them against each other on a racetrack. Four will get the right to purchase the car. The fastest will win it!

We have all be eagerly anticipating the arrival of the 2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance. We were excited from the first look and that excitement only grew after we had a chance to drive it. A normally aspirated V8 engine cranking out 472-horsepower stuffed into a Lexus sport sedan has a way of raising your heart rate. Now imagine being selected as one of the lucky few with the chance to buy one of the first available. Thrilling stuff. Now, imagine being handed the keys to a FREE one. That might have you reaching for the Beta-blockers. Lexus recently launched the “License to Thrill” campaign that follows 14 auto enthusiasts as their driving skills were put to the test for a chance to be the first five people in the country to own the IS 500 F SPORT Performance. The top driver got the surprise of a lifetime.

Lexus invited the 14 hopefuls to APEX Motor Club in Arizona. They had varying degrees of experience on a racetrack, but all are passionate about Lexus. Before they were turned loose on the track, they got pro tips from Lexus IMSA Drivers Townsend Bell, Jack Hawksworth and Aaron Telitz. Then, each driver had a shot at posting the best lap time in the IS 500. Each driver dug deep to find extra speed wherever they could. Lexus posted a video of the competition on their YouTube channel. All the drivers had a blast but only one would leave with the keys to a brand-new Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance.

Qualifying Round 1 and 2

In the first round the four slowest drivers are eliminated as the top ten advance and keep the dream alive. The top driver in this round held a significant 1.6 second advantage over the second quickest. That leaves lot of speed for driver number two to find if he hopes to take the top prize. The driver on the third step of the podium after round one is about 2.5 seconds behind the leader.

In Q2 five of the remaining ten drivers would be eliminated. The quickest driver in this round was driver number two from round one so he did find that speed that he needed. Second place in round two was about eight tenths behind and there was a large, nearly four second gap back to the third quickest. Was this going to be a two-horse race for the top spot? Either way, everyone that advanced from this round was eligible to be one of the first five to order a new IS 500 F Sport Performance. That is a pretty sweet deal.

The Final Round

To finish first, you must first finish. That old racing adage was forgotten by the driver who had previously set the fastest lap. He was pushing a little too hard and ran out of talent and sent his Lexus off the track which ended his day. And then there were four. And the end of the day Mike P. earned the top step of the podium with a lap time of 2:12.936. While he celebrated with the others, he was given the unbelievable news. He was going home in a brand new IS 500 F Sport Performance courtesy of Lexus. But the fun doesn’t stop there.

Townsend Bell was given a chance to beat the lap time that Mike P. put down. Bell set a blistering 2:03.533, a massive 9.5 second advantage over the winning time of the day. Folks, this is why they are professionals. License to Thrill was a fantastic event for a fantastic car. Check out the video below for all the action. And Lexus if you are reading this and considering a License to Thrill 2, I am also passionate about the new IS 500 F Sport Performance, and I have my own helmet. Just saying.