Tanner Foust Maintains Championship Position Despite Tough Weekend In The Netherlands

VALKENSWAARD, Netherlands (August 13, 2012) – Rockstar Energy Drink driver Tanner Foust emerged from a challenging race in the Netherlands with his second-place position in the European Rallycross Championship fight intact.    It was a happy outcome for the driver, who put in an amazing come-from-behind drive to finish sixth in the contest. Following the timed practice sessions on Saturday, Foust’s team performed a full engine swap that, under championship rules, resulted in a heavy penalty and he found himself playing catch-up from the very start of the race.  “Making a comeback with an eight-position penalty is virtually impossible but every team member put in 110 percent to give us a chance,” said Foust. “I definitely felt pressure to perform after the team worked so hard to get us back into the race.”     Rallycross is hard-hitting motorsport that is notoriously tough on equipment. Foust’s Rockstar Energy Drink Ford Fiesta is a reliable performer and this was a rare mechanical issue for the team.     “The Rockstar Energy Drink Ford Fiesta is a very competitive car and it has taken me to the podium more often than not,” said Foust. “Everybody has tough luck now and then, and this was our weekend for it.”     Even so, Foust drove to a second-place overall qualifying time that, with the penalty, landed him in the B-Final. He took a win in that race, giving him a shot at the main event and an outside chance to podium. After a hard fight, he eventually crossed the line in sixth.    On the heels of a second-place finish a week earlier in Belgium, it wasn’t the result Foust had hoped for. But it was enough for him to hold on to his second-place position in the title race. With two contests remaining in the championship, Foust is the only driver still mathematically capable of overtaking points leader Timur Timerzyanov for the title.  “This series is very competitive and I’m proud to fly the American flag in such an international field,” said Foust, who is the only U.S. driver ever to make a run on the European championship.    Foust is favored for a top finish at any race he enters. He has earned four podium results in six series starts this season and hasn’t finished out of the points at any round. The American driver made his debut in rallycross competition only two years ago with a calendar of select European events, and rapidly became a contender.    He is a fan favorite for his competitive effort and his Hollywood experience as a stunt driver and TV host draw considerable interest in Europe where Fans line up for photos and autographs at every contest. He is earning positive reviews for his new YouTube series, Life in the Foust Lane, which released its second weekly episode Thursday. Top Gear USA, which he hosts alongside Rutledge Wood and Adam Ferrara, begins airing its third season Tuesday, August 14.    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 and changing track and surface conditions that can include dirt, gravel, and wet and dry tarmac.

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 three-time X Games gold medalist (2007, 2010), and two-time Formula Drift champion (2007, 2008). 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. He returned to the event in 2010 as teammate to Mick Doohan on the All Star Team.

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.

When he isn’t racing, the professional driver also performs in films and on television. He is an on-air host for the US version of the seminal BBC auto show Top Gear, produced by BBC Worldwide Productions and airing on the HISTORY channel. The third season of Top Gear premieres August 14.

His stunt driving includes performing as a lead driver in the Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, Bourne Ultimatum, Dukes of Hazzard, Red Dawn and Iron Man 2 movies, and he also handles stunt driving in numerous popular TV shows and commercials.

TANNER FOUST’S RALLYCROSS PROGRAM IS MADE POSSIBLE BY:

Rockstar Energy Drink (www.rockstar69.com); Ford Racing (www.ford.com); Etnies (www.etnies.com) and Motegi (www.motegiracing.com). 

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Visit www.TannerFoust.com. To arrange interviews or find out more, contact fred@beyondmg.com. 

PHOTO: Tanner Foust at GRC Round 8. CREDIT: Jakub Nitka/ERC24.com