Solid start to GRC season for Rockstar Energy Drink driver Tanner Foust
Big air and big battles for two-time champion
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (June 1, 2015) – Rockstar Energy Drink driver Tanner Foust put on a thrilling show to earn a fifth-place result at the 2015 Global Rallycross season opener in Fort Lauderdale.
“I’m happy to get some good points to start the season,” said Foust, who set a blistering pace early in the weekend to earn the number two qualifying position, behind teammate Scott Speed. “Our performance this weekend on the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team shows the potential of the Beetle. They’re pretty awesome machines.”
The Fort Lauderdale opener was action packed, with big air and plenty of door-to-door contact. The narrow track offered few passing opportunities and all the drivers were pushing hard for the holeshot.
In his opening heat, Foust got caught in a pack of cars heading into the first corner and slid into the tires separating the main lap from the joker. He clawed back to finish the heat in third place.
In the second round, Foust tangled with Austin Dyne and found himself forced into the Last Chance Qualifier to battle for a spot in the Final. There, he led from the green flag to the checker to secure a spot on the main event.
Battling from the third row in the Final, Foust fought back through the field and again met Dyne. After several unsuccessful attempts to find a way past, Foust made an unusual move: he kept it pinned over the tabletop jump and made an exciting midair pass.
“That was the highlight of the weekend for me,” said Foust. “I landed all the way at the bottom of the ramp and gained the position.”
Foust finished fifth to start the season with a solid 32 points. Teammate Speed was second, while the race win went to Ken Block. Nelson Piquet Jr. finished third.
Next, Foust will travel to Austin, Texas, and the Circuit of the Americas for the X Games rally car competition. The action sport festival takes place June 4 to 7, with the rally competition scheduled for Saturday, June 6 and airing on ABC. Foust, a four-time X Games gold medalist, is a fan favourite.
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: www.RockstarEnergy.com
