OTTAWA, Canada (June 19, 2017) – Tanner Foust is in the lead of the Global Rallycross Championship after earning a win and a second-place result in this weekend’s Canadian doubleheader.
“I’m so happy for the team. What a great way to finish a very long weekend in Canada!” said Foust. “I think the Beetles are the car to beat and it’s a heated battle. The way the points are, the championship is going to be tight throughout the year.”
In the first race, Foust set the fastest qualifying time and fought for the win with a target on his back. His door-to-door battle with a series rookie in early heat racing produced one of the most exciting moments of the weekend for fans as he and his rival got huge air side-by-side over the 70-foot dirt jump. And after earning the pole position for the final, he held his ground through arough 10 laps to cross the finish line in second.
On Sunday, course officials switched the joker and main laps, turning the typical shortcut Joker into a disadvantageous longer lap. Although unusual in Global Rallycross, this is frequently the format seen in Europe where Foust started his rallycross career, and he was well-equipped to change up his strategy.
The Rockstar Energy Drink driver qualified narrowly in second, behind his Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross teammate Scott Speed, setting up a pitched battle between teammates. In his first heat, the duo battled hard, with Foust completing the race in a photo finish that left him narrowly in second.
“We had a great crowd and even above the noise of the engine inside the car I could hear them screaming at the close finishes,” Foust said.
The second round of heats saw Foust take an epic, fifth-gear spin when a tire lost air mid-way through a high-speed corner. His luck finally turned in his third heat race, when he took the win by just two-hundredths of a second in his second photo finish of the weekend. The result put him on pole position in his semifinal and he made it look easy from there, leading both that race and the main event from green flag to checkers.
The back-to-back podiums were a welcome result for the driver, who left the previous doubleheader second in the points after a mixed result. He won the first race but stopped short of a sweep when he struck a rut and broke a wheel while leading the Day 2 final.
“I feel like it’s more than double the pressure to run these doubleheader events because they’re so tough on teams,” said Foust. “You go through this incredibly fast-paced couple of days of racing and repairing and then beating up the car again, and the last thing you want to do as a team is to walk away picking up the pieces without anything to show for it. When that kind of weekend ends with a win, all the hard work and struggles are forgiven and forgotten as you celebrate together.”
Sunday’s victory was made even sweeter by being able to celebrate on the podium with his teammate at his side. Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross teammate Speed finished second. Foust has a record of strong performances in doubleheader rallycross competition. The driver has landed on the podium in all but two of the 10 doubleheader weekends in series history, including eight outright race wins.
Ottawa race was the first-ever Canadian stop for the Global Rallycross Championship but Foust, who has competed north of the border in other series previously, said he felt welcomed by local fans who turned up in droves for the Father’s Day weekend event.
Ottawa’s Canada Aviation and Space Museum played host and the event was one in a slate of activities celebrating Canada 150, the official campaign this summer to celebrate 150 years since the confederation of Canada.
The next stop in the championship takes place July 9 in Indianapolis, Indiana, home base for the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team. Foust said he is looking forward to being able to meet the many friends and family members that support his teammates.
“I have signed hats and posters and water bottles for so many of our team members’ kids but never had a chance to meet them. It’s going to be a family affair in Indy and I’m really looking forward to it.”
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.
Full coverage of each round of the 2017 Global Rallycross Championship airs on NBC. Check local listings.
Tanner Foust gets air in Ottawa. He scored a win and a second-place result in doubleheader racing this weekend.
Rockstar Energy Drink driver Tanner Foust is all smiles after a pair of podiums in Canada.
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
