Brian Deegan was one of etnies’ early moto-x team riders in the 1990s when the brand first entered motorsports.  Deegan has been a leader on the team for many years, and in 2009, he introduced the brand to Rally Racing when he entered the X Games Rally Racing competition and took fourth place, despite major mechanical damage.  In addition to his 10 X Games medals and co-founding the Metal Mulisha, Deegan has been a driving force behind freestyle motocross since its inception.  He recently made a successful transition to four-wheel racing with a strong showing in X Games 15 Rally racing, and an Unlimited Lites Championship in LOORRS off-road truck racing.

“I am stoked to be back driving a rally car for X Games this year.  Rally cars are badass, they have so much horsepower and are really fun to drive,” said Brian Deegan.  “I have been with etnies for 14 years now and they always support me.  If I am doing Freestyle, Rally or Truck racing, they always have my back.”

“The Rally and SuperRally events are going to be amazing this year at X Games, and I’m excited to be part of etnies,” said Foust.  “It’s always a highlight of the season to compete in Los Angeles and the Ford Fiestas are the cars to beat this year.”

Known for his winning track record, Rockstar Energy Drink driver Tanner Foust is one of only four drivers that have been invited to compete in every X Games Rally competition – scoring gold in 2007, silver in 2008 and bronze in 2009. Foust represented Team USA in the annual Race of Champions twice, has earned two Formula DRIFT championship titles, a Production Rally championship title and five Ice Racing championships.  He is also well-known for his driving off the track, with appearances as the lead stunt driver in the films Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, Bourne Ultimatum, Dukes of Hazzard, Red Dawn and Iron Man 2.  He is currently an on-air host for the TV show Supercars Exposed, and was also picked as co-presenter for the US version of the seminal BBC auto show, Top Gear.

Check out the new Tanner Foust feature on etnies.com, and stay tuned to etnies’ website for updates on the team.

Find Tanner on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/tannerfoustracing or follow him on Twitter: @tannerfoust.

About etnies:
Established in 1986, etnies is the first skateboarder-owned and operated global action sports footwear and apparel company. etnies not only pushed the envelope by creating the first pro model skate shoe, but it pioneered technological advances  and changed the face of skateboard footwear forever. Today etnies’ vision, led by owner and skateboarder Pierre-André Senizergues, is to remain the leading action sports company committed to creating innovative products that provide the most style, comfort and protection possible.  etnies stays true to its roots by sponsoring a world class team of skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding, moto x and BMX riders and continues its dedication by giving back to each of these communities.  For additional information, visit etnies.com.

Press Contact:

Ashton Maxfield

etnies Public Relations

949.900.2884 or ashton.maxfield@soletechnology.com

But the driver emerged from the contest with sixth-place in the standings after he drew a black flag during the fiercely competitive main event. Officials declared a knock into teammate Andreas Eriksson too aggressive and, even though Eriksson insisted the incident wasn’t Foust’s fault, the rallycross newcomer wound up with a penalty.

“The sport is wild and race contact is part of the game,” said Foust. “But there’s a fine line between aggression and being deemed too aggressive and that’s part of my learning curve.”

The event in Höljes, Sweden, was the rookie Foust’s third round of the European Rallycross Championship. He has qualified for the A-Final main event twice this season, and is rapidly becoming a threat in the series. The versatile driver is the first American to compete in the FIA European Rallycross Championship.

The rallycross in Höljes, about 300 miles northwest of Stockholm, is a season highlight, with a course featuring massive jumps and blind corners. The event draws more than 30,000 enthusiastic fans to take in the action.

“This is an incredible event,” said Foust. “These hoards of people camp in the woods for the entire week and overrun a town that normally only has a population of 100.  The enthusiasm for the racing is absolutely fierce!”

Foust took on a tough field at the hotly contested Lydden Hill round last month to emerge with his first top-five result. In what was only his second event, he battled through a tough field to advance to the final heat before a driveshaft failure took him out of podium contention.

Foust is scheduled to contest five European Rallycross events this season in a 600-horsepower, all-wheel drive Rockstar Energy Rallycross Ford Fiesta prepared by champion Eriksson’s Olsbergs MSE Ford team.

“Mechanically, the Fiestas were perfect.  We made small changes to set-up for weather but otherwise had no issues,” said Foust. “It was really a great weekend for the team getting their two cars into one of the most difficult A-Finals in the series.”

He got his first feel for the vehicle at X Games in 2009 when he drove one of the team cars to a bronze medal. This summer’s X Games contest in Los Angeles will feature an American version of the rallycross discipline, known as SuperRally. Foust will compete both in the traditional rally event, as well as the SuperRally contest, where it is hoped his European Rallycross experience will give him the edge on the competition.

Foust is a two-time Formula Drift champion and X Games Rally gold medalist who has twice represented Team USA at the international Race of Champions.

Rallycross is a blend of circuit racing, off-road racing and rally competition. It promises intense crowd-pleasing action in a fan-friendly track environment. Six drivers line up to start at once, piloting high-horsepower compact cars through race traffic over a challenging short course that features jumps, unbanked turns, hills and transitions between pavement and gravel.

Foust’s 2010 competition schedule also includes a return to the Formula Drift series in his Rockstar Energy Drink Scion TC, ESPN’s Summer X Games and select rally events.
ABOUT TANNER FOUST

Tanner Foust is a versatile and multi-talented driver known for his supreme car control and a proven track record of podium placements and national championships. He is a two-time Formula Drift champion (2007, 2008), and one of just four drivers to have been invited to every X Games Rally competition, with the Rockstar driver scoring gold in 2007, silver in 2008 and bronze in 2009. He has twice represented Team USA in the annual Race of Champions, teaming with NASCAR star Carl Edwards in 2008 and Travis Pastrana in 2009.

His varied race experience also includes multiple seasons of open wheel competition, the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, five Ice Racing championships, a Production Rally Championship title and the SCORE Baja. He also holds class lap records at numerous US road courses in Time Attack.

Even if you haven’t seen Foust on the track you’ve likely witnessed his precision car control on TV or the big screen. He was a lead driver in the Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, Bourne Ultimatum, Dukes of Hazzard, Red Dawn and Iron Man 2, movies, and also handles stunt driving in numerous popular TV shows and commercials.

Foust is currently an on-air host for Supercars Exposed, and was also picked as co-presenter for the US version of the seminal BBC auto show, Top Gear.

TANNER FOUST’S RALLYCROSS PROGRAM IS MADE POSSIBLE BY:

Rockstar Energy Drink (www.rockstar69.com); Ford Racing (www.ford.com); Etnies (www.etnies.com); Memphis Car Audio (www.memphiscaraudio.com); Fulmer Helmets (www.fulmerhelmets.com); Motegi (www.motegiracing.com); Alpinestars (www.alpinestars.com); Lucas Oil (ww.lucasoil.com); Olsbergs/MSE (www.olsbergs.se); AEM (www.aempower.com); Öhlins (www.ohlins.com; Teknines (www. teknines.com)

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit www.tannerfoust.com. To arrange interviews or find out more, contact pr@galeandco.com . Photos by Jan Tore Brustad.

The event in Höljes, Sweden, is a season highlight for the European Rallycross Championship, with more than 30,000 to pack into stands to take in the action.

“Rallycross is an exciting and ridiculously aggressive sport, which makes it ideal for spectators,” said Foust. “This round of the championship in Sweden is incredibly popular with fans – it’s really a cultural event with racing at its center — and I’m really glad we were able to make Sweden part of this year’s season.”

The driver, who is running his rookie season in the series, took on a tough field at the hotly contested Lydden Hill round last month to emerge with his first top-five result. In what was only his second event, he battled through a tough field to advance to the final heat before a driveshaft failure took him out of podium contention.

“Imagine strapping yourself into an angry little 600 hp car in a real-life video game and you’ll get an idea of what European rallycross is like.” said Foust, who will be among more than 40 drivers set to contest the top Division 1 category at the event.

Foust is scheduled to contest five European Rallycross events this season in a 600-horsepower, all-wheel drive Rockstar Energy Rallycross Ford Fiesta prepared by champion Andreas Eriksson’s Olsbergs MSE Ford team. The versatile driver is the first American to compete in the FIA European Rallycross Championship.

He got his first feel for the vehicle at X Games in 2009 when he drove one of the team cars to a bronze medal. This summer’s X Games contest in Los Angeles will feature an American version of the rallycross discipline, known as SuperRally. Foust will compete both in the traditional rally event, as well as the SuperRally contest, where it is hoped his European Rallycross experience will give him the edge on the competition.

Foust is a two-time Formula Drift champion and X Games Rally gold medalist who has twice represented Team USA at the international Race of Champions.

The sport is a blend of circuit racing, off-road racing and rally competition. It promises intense crowd-pleasing action in a fan-friendly track environment. Six drivers line up to start at once, piloting high-horsepower compact cars through race traffic over a challenging short course that features jumps, unbanked turns, hills and transitions between pavement and gravel.

Foust’s 2010 competition schedule also includes a return to the Formula Drift series in his Rockstar Energy Drink Scion TC, ESPN’s Summer X Games and select rally events.
ABOUT TANNER FOUST

Tanner Foust is a versatile and multi-talented driver known for his supreme car control and a proven track record of podium placements and national championships. He is a two-time Formula Drift champion (2007, 2008), and one of just four drivers to have been invited to every X Games Rally competition, with the Rockstar driver scoring gold in 2007, silver in 2008 and bronze in 2009. He has twice represented Team USA in the annual Race of Champions, teaming with NASCAR star Carl Edwards in 2008 and Travis Pastrana in 2009.

His varied race experience also includes multiple seasons of open wheel competition, the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, five Ice Racing championships, a Production Rally Championship title and the SCORE Baja. He also holds class lap records at numerous US road courses in Time Attack.

Even if you haven’t seen Foust on the track you’ve likely witnessed his precision car control on TV or the big screen. He was a lead driver in the Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, Bourne Ultimatum, Dukes of Hazzard, Red Dawn and Iron Man 2, movies, and also handles stunt driving in numerous popular TV shows and commercials.

Foust is currently an on-air host for Supercars Exposed, and was also picked as co-presenter for the US version of the seminal BBC auto show, Top Gear.

TANNER FOUST’S RALLYCROSS PROGRAM IS MADE POSSIBLE BY:

Rockstar Energy Drink (www.rockstar69.com); Ford Racing (www.ford.com); Etnies (www.etnies.com); Memphis Car Audio (www.memphiscaraudio.com); Fulmer Helmets (www.fulmerhelmets.com); Motegi (www.motegiracing.com); Alpinestars (www.alpinestars.com); Lucas Oil (ww.lucasoil.com); Olsbergs/MSE (www.olsbergs.se); AEM (www.aempower.com); Öhlins (www.ohlins.com; Teknines (www. teknines.com)

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit www.tannerfoust.com. To arrange interviews or find out more, contact pr@galeandco.com .

“The racing in England this weekend was incredible,” said Foust. “Rallycross is an unbelievably tough sport with lots of contact and aggression on the track; it’s like the coolest video game ever.”

Battling against more than 30 entries in the hotly contested Division 1, the driver fought his way into the final heat of six cars. Foust was set to race against the best in the sport – including defending champion Sverre Isachsen, from Norway, local hero Liam Doran and Belgian rally star Francois Duval. But a driveshaft failure at the start line of the heat left Foust unable to fight for the overall win. He finished in sixth-place overall.

It was a strong result for the series newcomer, who had said he was pleased to earn a spot in the A Final in only his second European Rallycross Championship race.

“The mechanical failure was a disappointment, but getting to the A Final was a huge achievement for me and the team,” said Foust. “I learned a lot, and I’m getting more competitive with every heat.”

The versatile driver is the first American to compete in the FIA European Rallycross Championship. He had a successful debut in his latest motorsport discipline earlier this month with an eighth-place finish in Portugal.

Foust is scheduled to contest five European Rallycross events this season in a 600-horsepower, all-wheel drive Rockstar Energy Rallycross Ford Fiesta prepared by champion Andreas Eriksson’s Olsbergs MSE Ford team.

He got his first feel for the vehicle at X Games in 2009 when he drove one of the team cars to a bronze medal. This summer’s X Games contest in Los Angeles will feature an American version of the rallycross discipline, known as SuperRally.

The driver is a two-time Formula Drift champion and X Games Rally gold medalist who has twice represented Team USA at the international Race of Champions.

The sport is a blend of circuit racing, off-road racing and rally competition. It promises intense crowd-pleasing action in a fan-friendly track environment. Six drivers line up to start at once, piloting high-horsepower compact cars through race traffic over a challenging short course that features jumps, unbanked turns, hills and transitions between pavement and gravel.

Foust’s 2010 competition schedule also includes a return to the Formula Drift series in his Rockstar Energy Drink Scion TC, ESPN’s Summer X Games and select rally events.

ABOUT TANNER FOUST

Tanner Foust is a versatile and multi-talented driver known for his supreme car control and a proven track record of podium placements and national championships. He is a two-time Formula Drift champion (2007, 2008), and one of just four drivers to have been invited to every X Games Rally competition, with the Rockstar driver scoring gold in 2007, silver in 2008 and bronze in 2009. He has twice represented Team USA in the annual Race of Champions, teaming with NASCAR star Carl Edwards in 2008 and Travis Pastrana in 2009.

His varied race experience also includes multiple seasons of open wheel competition, the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, five Ice Racing championships, a Production Rally Championship title and the SCORE Baja. He also holds class lap records at numerous US road courses in Time Attack.

Even if you haven’t seen Foust on the track you’ve likely witnessed his precision car control on TV or the big screen. He was a lead driver in the Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, Bourne Ultimatum, Dukes of Hazzard, Red Dawn and Iron Man 2, movies, and also handles stunt driving in numerous popular TV shows and commercials.

Foust is currently an on-air host for Supercars Exposed, and was also picked as co-presenter for the US version of the seminal BBC auto show, Top Gear.

TANNER FOUST’S RALLYCROSS PROGRAM IS MADE POSSIBLE BY:

Rockstar Energy Drink (www.rockstar69.com); Ford Racing (www.ford.com); Etnies (www.etnies.com); Memphis Car Audio (www.memphiscaraudio.com); Fulmer Helmets (www.fulmerhelmets.com); Motegi (www.motegiracing.com); Alpinestars (www.alpinestars.com); Lucas Oil (ww.lucasoil.com); Olsbergs/MSE (www.olsbergs.se); AEM (www.aempower.com); Öhlins (www.ohlins.com; Teknines (www. teknines.com)

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit www.tannerfoust.com. To arrange interviews or find out more, contact pr@galeandco.com . PHOTO: Tanner Foust hits the dirt in the second round of the 2010 FIA European Rallycross Championship.

Foust is one of more than 30 competitive entries in the hotly contested Division 1 category. The competition is set for this Sunday and Monday at the Lydden Hill Race Circuit (May 30-31).

The versatile driver is the first American to compete in the FIA European Rallycross Championship. He had a successful debut in his latest motorsport discipline earlier this month with an eighth-place finish in Portugal.

Foust, who will contest five European Rallycross events this season, piloted a 600-horsepower, all-wheel drive Rockstar Energy Rallycross Ford Fiesta prepared by champion Andreas Eriksson’s Olsbergs MSE Ford team.

He got his first feel for the vehicle at X Games in 2009 when he drove one of the team cars to a bronze medal. This summer’s X Games contest in Los Angeles will feature an American version of the rallycross discipline, known as SuperRally.

“SuperRally is a perfect fit for X Games and will bring all of the most extreme parts of motorsports into one event,” said the three-time X Games rally medalist. “There’s door-to-door racing, sliding off road, jumps and the cars can do 0-60 mph in less than 2.5 seconds!”

The driver is a two-time Formula Drift champion and X Games Rally gold medalist who has twice represented Team USA at the international Race of Champions. He will be fielding media questions during a scheduled news conference at the event on Sunday, May 30, at 10:30 a.m.

The sport is a blend of circuit racing, off-road racing and rally competition. It promises intense crowd-pleasing action in a fan-friendly track environment. Six drivers line up to start at once, piloting high-horsepower compact cars through race traffic over a challenging short course that features jumps, unbanked turns, hills and transitions between pavement and gravel.

Foust’s 2010 competition schedule also includes a return to the Formula Drift series in his Rockstar Energy Drink Scion TC, ESPN’s Summer X Games and select rally events.
ABOUT TANNER FOUST

Tanner Foust is a versatile and multi-talented driver known for his supreme car control and a proven track record of podium placements and national championships. He is a two-time Formula Drift champion (2007, 2008), and one of just four drivers to have been invited to every X Games Rally competition, with the Rockstar driver scoring gold in 2007, silver in 2008 and bronze in 2009. He has twice represented Team USA in the annual Race of Champions, teaming with NASCAR star Carl Edwards in 2008 and Travis Pastrana in 2009.

His varied race experience also includes multiple seasons of open wheel competition, the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, five Ice Racing championships, a Production Rally Championship title and the SCORE Baja. He also holds class lap records at numerous US road courses in Time Attack.

Even if you haven’t seen Foust on the track you’ve likely witnessed his precision car control on TV or the big screen. He was a lead driver in the Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, Bourne Ultimatum, Dukes of Hazzard, Red Dawn and Iron Man 2, movies, and also handles stunt driving in numerous popular TV shows and commercials.

Foust is currently an on-air host for Supercars Exposed, and was also picked as co-presenter for the US version of the seminal BBC auto show, Top Gear.

TANNER FOUST’S RALLYCROSS PROGRAM IS MADE POSSIBLE BY:

Rockstar Energy Drink (www.rockstar69.com); Ford Racing (www.ford.com); Etnies (www.etnies.com); Memphis Car Audio (www.memphiscaraudio.com); Fulmer Helmets (www.fulmerhelmets.com); Motegi (www.motegiracing.com); Alpinestars (www.alpinestars.com); Lucas Oil (ww.lucasoil.com); Olsbergs/MSE (www.olsbergs.se); AEM (www.aempower.com); Öhlins (www.ohlins.com; Teknines (www. teknines.com)

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit www.tannerfoust.com. To arrange interviews or find out more, contact pr@galeandco.com . PHOTO: Tanner Foust hits the dirt in the first round of the 2010 FIA European Rallycross Championship. For some coverage of Foust’s rallycross debut, visit: http://www.rallycross.hu/tannerfoust_ercitv.html

Foust piloted a 600-horsepower, all-wheel drive Rockstar Energy Rally Cross Ford Fiesta prepared by champion Andreas Eriksson’s Olsbergs MSE Ford team. The driver got his first feel for the vehicle at X Games in 2009 when he drove one of the team cars to a bronze medal. “It’s hard to describe just how fast the Rockstar Energy Ford Fiesta is,” said Foust. “It is an incredibly powerful and nimble car.”

Foust said the contest at the Pista Automóvel de Montalegre in Montalegre, Portugal, (May 1-2) was an education in the sport.

“Learning a new discipline is a process and I’m happy with the result – especially considering the level of competition here and how tricky this track is,” said Foust.

There were more than 50 entries in the contest; Foust was among 20 drivers to take on the elite, Division 1 category.

The driver is a two-time Formula Drift champion and X Games Rally gold medalist who has twice represented Team USA at the international Race of Champions.

The Portugal competition marked a new career stage for the multi-talented racer and TV host. He is the first American to take on the European Rally Cross Championship and is expected to contest five rounds this year. His next round of the FIA European Rally Cross Championship is at the Lydden Hill Race Circuit later this month (May 30-31).

“I’m somewhat familiar with the Lydden Hill course and I’m  looking forward to battling it out there — while realizing I’m still on the steep side of the learning curve.”

Later this year, a series of European-style Rally Cross events will take place in the US. The sport will dominate the second-half of the traditional U.S. rally season.

The sport is a blend of circuit racing, off-road racing and rally competition. It promises intense crowd-pleasing action in a fan-friendly track environment. Six drivers line up to start at once, piloting high-horsepower compact cars through race traffic over a challenging short course that features jumps, unbanked turns, hills and transitions between pavement and gravel.

Foust’s 2010 competition schedule also includes a return to the Formula Drift series in his Rockstar Energy Drink Scion TC, ESPN’s Summer X Games and select rally events.
ABOUT TANNER FOUST

Tanner Foust is a versatile and multi-talented driver known for his supreme car control and a proven track record of podium placements and national championships. He is a two-time Formula Drift champion (2007, 2008), and one of just four drivers to have been invited to every X Games Rally competition, with the Rockstar driver scoring gold in 2007, silver in 2008 and bronze in 2009. He has twice represented Team USA in the annual Race of Champions, teaming with NASCAR star Carl Edwards in 2008 and Travis Pastrana in 2009.

His varied race experience also includes multiple seasons of open wheel competition, the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, five Ice Racing championships, a Production Rally Championship title and the SCORE Baja. He also holds class lap records at numerous US road courses in Time Attack.

Even if you haven’t seen Foust on the track you’ve likely witnessed his precision car control on TV or the big screen. He was a lead driver in the Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, Bourne Ultimatum, Dukes of Hazzard, Red Dawn and Iron Man 2, movies, and also handles stunt driving in numerous popular TV shows and commercials.

Foust is currently an on-air host for Supercars Exposed, and was also picked as co-presenter for the US version of the seminal BBC auto show, Top Gear.

TANNER FOUST’S RALLY CROSS PROGRAM IS MADE POSSIBLE BY:

Rockstar Energy Drink (www.rockstar69.com); Ford Racing (www.ford.com); Etnies (www.etnies.com); Memphis Car Audio (www.memphiscaraudio.com); Fulmer Helmets (www.fulmerhelmets.com);  Alpinestars (www.alpinestars.com); Lucas Oil (ww.lucasoil.com); Olsbergs/MSE (www.olsbergs.se); AEM (www.aempower.com); Öhlins (www.ohlins.com; Teknines (www. teknines.com)

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit www.tannerfoust.com. To arrange interviews or find out more, contact pr@galeandco.com . PHOTO: Tanner Foust hits the dirt in the first round of the 2010 FIA European Rally Cross Championship. CREDIT: ERC24.com

Los Angeles, CA October 22, 2009 – Drift Champion and X Games Rally Gold Medalist, Tanner Foust, has been invited to compete at the Race of Champions on November 3rd and 4th in the iconic Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium in Beijing, China. The Rockstar Energy Drink sponsored racer joins 2009 Rally America Champion and Freestyle Motocross star, Travis Pastrana, to represent America as Team USA.

The Race of Champions is an annual event that pits champions from Formula One, World Rally Championship, NASCAR, Le Mans, Touring Car Racing and other motorsports from around the world against each other in a series of head to head races in an assortment of race cars. The drivers compete both individually in the Race of Champions and as teams representing their countries for the Race of Nations Cup.

The Race of Champions makes a historic move from Europe to China after several years of competition in London’s Wembley Stadium and the Stade de Paris. Foust competed at the 2008 Race of Champions for Team USA alongside NASCAR racer, Carl Edwards, as Pastrana’s alternate. Pastrana sustained an injury filming his hit MTV show, Nitro Circus. Foust beat current Formula One Champion, Jensen Button, in front of a home crowd of 80,000 in his first round of the Race of Champions, and then was defeated by 2008 ROC runner-up, David Coulthard. The 2008 event was certainly a learning experience for Foust and he is ready to do battle for Team USA alongside Pastrana who has attended ROC several times.

Foust remarks: “What an honor to be invited back to the Race of Champions! This year I’m teamed with the man I replaced in ‘08, Travis Pastrana. Besides being THE most competitive human being on the planet, he’s an extremely talented driver. I just hope he doesn’t bring the Nitro Circus crew–I’d like to make it back to the States in one piece!”

In addition to the Race of Champions and Race of Nations Cup, Foust will be headlining daily tandem drifting demonstrations against a top Chinese drifter on a modified version of the ROC course. These demos along with the race action will be broadcast on TV live in forty countries and streamed over the internet.

The ROC is a gathering of the world’s motorsport elite. The event drew eighty thousand plus live spectators and millions of live TV viewers worldwide last year. This is the twenty-second year of the Race of Champions. ROC is expected to air in the USA on Discovery HD early in the New Year.

Sunday December 15th, London, UK — This weekend Rockstar Energy Drink racer, Tanner Foust, earned a spot competing at the Race Of Champions at Wembley Stadium as the alternate to extreme sports star, Travis Pastrana, the 2008 Rally America Champion and X Games Rally gold medalist. Unfortunately, Pastrana had to withdraw due to injuries sustained filming his Nitro Circus TV Show for MTV earlier in the week. Foust joined this year’s most winning NASCAR racer, Carl Edwards, to represent Team USA for the event.

In his first trip to the legendary Race of Champions, 2007/8 Formula Drift champion and this year’s X Games Rally silver medalist, Foust, in front of fifty thousand plus spectators and millions of live TV viewers, beat Formula One star, Jensen Button, in a tight head-to-head race. Foust moved on to the event’s quarter-finals but was beaten by another F1 star, David Coulthard, while racing KTM X Bows. Coulthard was the event’s runner up, and was undefeated racing the X Bows even against 2008 ROC Champion Sebastien Loeb.

Foust’s win against Button, was vindication after his disappointing Race of Nations first round earlier in the day–he stalled a WRC Ford Focus on the line and was knocked out of the competition by Touring Car champ Andy Priaux, Foust’s stall was caused by a fault with the launch control on the Focus—the same problem eliminated last year’s ROC winner, Mattias Ekstrom in a race also against Priaux later on that day.

Foust’s teammate, Carl Edwards, also had a good showing at the Race of Champions beating out Formula One’s winningest racer of all time, Michael Schumacher, during the quarter-finals. Unfortunately, in the semi-finals racing KTM X Bows also, Edwards was beaten too by Coulthard who was clearly out to prove a point in probably his last professional race outing,

Foust said of his experience, “This weekend I felt a lot like a ten year old trying to take in Disneyland in forty five minutes. There was so much to experience and very little time to absorb it. The ROC organizers were spectacular, seamlessly pulling off a year’s worth of planning in just five hours. The cars and the track were a driver’s playground, but the highlight of the trip was the camaraderie and competition with some of my driving heroes.”

Overall it was a great showing for Foust who despite beating hometown boy, Button, became a crowd favorite with his tail-out drift driving antics. The invite to the Race of Champions has thrust Tanner Foust to the highest levels in the world of motorsports and he showed he has the skill to compete at this top level on the world stage.

The Race of Champions is an annual event that pits champions from Formula One, World Rally Championship, NASCAR, Le Mans, Touring Car Racing and other motorsports from around the world against each other in a series of head to head races in an assortment of race cars. The drivers compete both individually in the Race of Champions and as teams representing their countries for the Race of Nations Cup. The ROC is a gathering of the world’s motorsport elite. The event drew fifty thousand plus live spectators and millions of live TV viewers worldwide. This is the twenty first year of the Race of Champions. ROC will air on Discovery HD early in the New Year.