Fan favorite Tanner Foust out early at MCAS New River
Rockstar Energy Drink driver joins TV team for live broadcast
JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (July 7, 2015) — Rockstar Energy Drink driver Tanner Foust was sidelined early after a hard hit from a rival driver during the Global Rallycross Championship race at Marine Corps Air Station New River this Independence Day weekend.
So, the two-time series champion and host of Top Gear on History spent much of Sunday’s competition as a guest commentator on the live NBC telecast, joining play-by-play announcer Toby Moody and analyst Townsend Bell in the broadcast booth.
“I’d rather have been out there racing, but I enjoyed being part of the broadcast team on Sunday,” said Foust. “It’s definitely a different perspective when you’re up there watching the race and one of the things that was great to see was the enthusiasm of the fans.”
Sunday’s race saw an estimated 10,000 spectators, who overflowed grandstands to take in the action on the temporary track, built into the runway at MCAS New River. Specialized aircraft, including a V-22 Osprey and a CH-53 Super Stallion, were on display alongside the rallycross cars in the paddock. It was the first time that a championship points-paying motorsport competition took place on an active military installation and the event was the highlight of a big Fourth of July celebration for many military families in the area.
“I’m disappointed that we couldn’t bring home a win at MCAS New River, but it was an incredible race day anyway,” said Foust. “It was an amazing feeling, being able to put on an exciting show for these men and women serving our country. These fans have been the absolute best and I hope we can come back here again soon.”
Unable to start the first round of heat racing due to a mechanical issue, Foust lined up as one of the favorites for second-round heat competition. But a collision with Ken Block after the first corner caused the left-rear suspension to break away from the car and forced Foust to a stop.
He planned to return to competition for the Last Chance Qualifier and fight his way back into the final. Once the car was back in the paddock, however, the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team discovered that the impact had been so hard that it not only tore part of the suspension off the car but also damaged the engine. Foust’s race day was over.
Before the competition began, Foust joined the local military community for July Fourth celebrations at Camp Lejeune that included a live concert and driver autograph signing. He also presented a donation from sponsor NAPA Chassis to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, a leading national charity that supports the men and women of the United States Armed Forces and their families. The organization has provided over $150 million in support of the families of military personnel lost in service, and for severely wounded military personnel and veterans.
Next, Foust will race the Global Rallycross Detroit doubleheader, July 25-26. With 100 points on offer in the two races, the driver will be looking to return to the top of the points standings. A win during the Daytona doubleheader last month vaulted him to third in the championship.
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. As many as 10 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. It is sometimes described as an action motorsport and is emerging as the top youth-market motorsport in the world.
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 also 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 also 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.
A dominant driver in the sport of rallycross, Foust is the only American driver ever to win a round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship. He made his rallycross debut overseas in 2010 with a select campaign and finished both 2011 and 2012 ranked in the top three. At home, Foust has been a leading driver in the sport since it was first introduced to the United States in 2010, and in 2014 won the New York round of the Global Rallycross Championship for the new Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team.
His varied competition experience includes multiple years of open wheel racing, the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, rally racing, off-road truck competition, 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 in films and on television. He is an on-air host for the U.S. version of the seminal BBC auto show Top Gear, produced by BBC Worldwide Productions and airing on the HISTORY channel. Episodes of his online documentary series, Life in the Foust Lane, are available on the Rockstar Energy Drink YouTube channel.
Foust also handles stunt driving in numerous popular films, TV shows and commercials. He is featured as a stunt driver in the Need 4 Speed film, 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 movies.
ABOUT ROCKSTAR
Rockstar Energy Drink is designed for those who lead active lifestyles — from athletes to Rockstars. Available in over 20 flavors at convenience and grocery outlets in over 30 countries, Rockstar supports the Rockstar lifestyle across the globe through action sports, motor sports, and live music. For more information visit: http://www.RockstarEnergy.com
