ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey
It was a rough weekend of rallycross for Tanner Foust at the Atlantic City doubleheader. Racing left the Rockstar Energy Drink Volkswagen Beetle battle scarred and the driver looking ahead to a comeback surge in the final three rounds of the season.
“We’re in this championship fight to the end,” said Foust. “The track in Seattle is one of my favorites in the series and I’ll be writing my championship comeback story at the doubleheader there next month.”
The points leader heading into Rounds 8 and 9 on the Jersey Shore, Foust started the weekend with a target on his back. He set the second-fastest lap in qualifying and looked set for another strong performance until the Rockstar Energy Drink Volkswagen Beetle hit a curb during Saturday competition in wet conditions and took damage to both wheels on the right side.
“It wasn’t the way you want to start a doubleheader and I felt like it set the tone for the weekend,” said Foust. “With so much contact throughout the field and penalties all over the place, I never felt like I got a chance to compete.”
He was ready to put his misfortune behind him in the next round of heat racing when he climbed to second and then went on to win his semifinal race to earn a pole position start in the main event. But multiple hits in the first corner of the final saw him sidelined with vehicle damage and he recorded tenth-place points — a disappointing setback in a tight championship race.
The driver’s trials continued through Sunday as Foust again qualified near the top of the pack but was one of a number of drivers to face sanctions for racing contact as officials issued penalties with a heavy hand.
In the semifinal, Foust crossed the line in second place but was dropped to third on a controversial penalty that forced him into a difficult second row, outside start position in the main event. That set him up for a battle through traffic in the chaotic, 10-car, 10-lap final. After multiple hits, he crossed the line seventh but officials ruled him at-fault for car-to-car contact and demoted him to ninth.
After the weekend, Foust remains in a close battle at the top of the points standings. With three races to go, he is third — just three points behind rival Steve Arpin in second place. Volkswagen teammate Scott Speed leads the points race.
“I felt like a pinball out there,” said Foust. “It’s frustrating to come out with a result like this after working so hard all weekend. I’m just glad that the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross Team was able to pull out the win for Scott.”
Off the track, Foust found welcoming fans and said he enjoyed the opening parade down the Atlantic City boardwalk on Friday. The driver and his team also visited a nearby Volkswagen dealership. People packed the venue at the Bader Field airport just off the famed Atlantic City boardwalk to take in the two days of exciting racing. The action from both days aired live on NBC.
Next, the series travels west to the Seattle area for a doubleheader weekend at the popular Evergreen Speedway venue. Also a venue for Formula Drift, Foust has competed at the Monroe, Washington, track many times and it is one of the driver’s favorites.
But first, Foust is set to compete in the longest off-road race in the United States in a Polaris RZR. On Friday, August 18, he joins Rhys Millen Racing to take on the UTV category in the 2017 General Tire Vegas to Reno. It is Foust’s second off-road appearance in a UTV this year. He set a Top 10 pace in his Best in the Desert debut at the famed Mint 400 in the Polaris RZR Star Car.
In addition to the championship battle, Foust is also facing another Global Rallycross Championship competition. Voting to determine the series’ Fan Favorite driver is now open. Fans can vote once per hour from now until the season finale for their favourite driver. Fans have awarded Foust the Fan Favorite honor each year since it was established in 2013.
Rallycross is an action-packed blend of circuit racing, off-road racing and rally. Drivers line up in heats of up to 10 cars for hard-hitting competition over a challenging short course featuring jumps, unbanked turns, hills and transitions between pavement and gravel.
Next up: Vegas to Reno!
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, national championships and world records. He is a three-time U.S. rallycross champion (2012, 2011, 2010) who has also won four X Games gold medals (2013, 2010, 2007), and two Formula Drift championships (2008, 2007).
He has held multiple world records including for the astonishing Hot Wheels Double Loop Dare, which saw Foust drive a car through a 66-foot loop-the-loop. He scored the indoor speed record for TV’s Top Gear USA, and set a distance jump record with Hot Wheels when he made a 332′ ramp-to-ramp leap in a truck at the Indy 500.
His varied race experience also includes multiple years of open wheel competition, the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, rally racing, various types of sports car racing and the SCORE Baja. He has represented the USA in the annual Race of Champions three times, teaming with NASCAR star Carl Edwards in 2008, Travis Pastrana in 2009, and Mick Doohan in 2010.
When he isn’t racing, the professional driver also performs on television and handles stunt driving in popular films, TV shows and commercials. He is featured as a stunt driver in Need 4 Speed, as well as other major releases including the Bourne Legacy, Bourne Ultimatum, Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, Dukes of Hazzard, Red Dawn and Iron Man 2.
ABOUT VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC.
Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc., an operating unit of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VWoA) is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. VWoA’s operations in the United States include research and development, parts and vehicle processing, parts distribution centers, sales, marketing and service offices, financial service centers, and its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Volkswagen Group is one of the world’s largest producers of passenger cars and Europe’s largest automaker. VWoA sells the Beetle, Beetle Convertible, CC, e-Golf, Golf, Golf Alltrack, Golf GTI, Golf R, Golf SportWagen, Jetta, Passat,
Tiguan and Touareg vehicles through approximately 652 independent U.S. dealers. Visit Volkswagen of America online at http://www.vw.com or media.vw.com to learn more.
ABOUT ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT
Based in Indianapolis and led by racing legend Michael Andretti, Andretti Autosport boasts a wide racing portfolio rooted in tradition and designed for success. Together with Andretti Formula E and Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross, Andretti Autosport fields multiple entries in the IndyCar Series and Indy Lights, along with entries in the FIA Formula E Championship and Global
Rallycross. The company boasts four IndyCar Series championships (2004, 2005, 2007, 2012), two Indy Lights titles (2008, 2009), one Pro Mazda championship (2013) and one USF2000 championship (2010) and has captured victory at the famed Indianapolis 500 four times (2005, 2007, 2014, 2016). Additionally the team holds two X Games Gold Medals and one Global
Rallycross championship (2015). To share in the Andretti story, please visit online at AndrettiAutosport.com and follow along on Twitter via @FollowAndretti.
ABOUT ROCKSTAR
Rockstar Energy Drink is designed for those who lead active lifestyles — from athletes to rockstars. Available in over 25 flavors at convenience and grocery outlets in more than 30 countries, Rockstar supports the rockstar lifestyle across the globe through action sports, motor sports, and live music. More at http://www.RockstarEnergy.com
