ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey (August 10, 2017)
Global Rallycross Championship points leader Tanner Foust has a target on
his back this weekend as the series heads into a critical doubleheader weekend
on the Jersey Shore.
The series returns to Atlantic City for two days of racing at Bader Field this
Saturday and Sunday. Although the same venue as last year’s Atlantic City stop,
the 2017 doubleheader offers an all-new course design on the runways of
the old city airport. The nearly mile-long track is expected to be fast,
featuring a 60/40 tarmac-to-dirt mix, and the series’ traditional 70-foot dirt
jump.
“With two races in a single weekend, the stakes are high. There are a lot of points on the line and every driver will be trying to get all of them,” said Foust. “It’s going to be exciting racing for the fans.”
Doubleheader events pose a significant challenge in rallycross where teams must
manage vehicle wear and tear over back-to-back events. Foust has a strong
record in doubleheader competition, landing on the podium in all but two of the
10 doubleheader weekends in series history, including eight of his career
total 13 outright race wins.
“The key to a doubleheader is working well with your team,” said
Foust. “I feel very fortunate to have the backing of Volkswagen Andretti
Rallycross, which I know can handle anything we throw at them.”
Foust, a two-time series champion, currently leads the points with five rounds
remaining in the 12-race schedule. He is 26 points ahead of Volkswagen Andretti
Rallycross teammate Scott Speed. A year ago in Atlantic City, the Rockstar
Energy Drink driver had a strong weekend of racing and was looking at the win
when a puncture in the main event dropped him from first to fourth.
In addition to the championship battle, Foust is also facing
another Global Rallycross 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 title each year since the trophy was established in 2013.
The weekend kicks off Friday evening at 6 p.m. with a
vehicle parade and autograph signing on the famous Atlantic City boardwalk.
Racing begins Saturday with Round 7 qualifying at noon and Round 8 starts
Sunday at 11:30. Both races air on NBC with live coverage starting at 5 p.m. on
Saturday and 4:30 p.m. on Sunday.
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.
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 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 www.RockstarEnergy.com
