GLOBAL RALLYCROSS RACE REPORT: MEMPHIS ROUND 1

4.30.17

A new track and new race format
couldn’t stop the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team of Scott Speed and Tanner
Foust, kicking off the season in dominating fashion on a hot and humid Southern
Saturday at Memphis International Raceway.  

After getting the jump on Lap 1 over Foust in
Saturday’s Final, Speed opted to take the Joker on Lap 2, putting a distance
between him and second. As Speed drove to a 3.65 second lead over his teammate,
Foust chose to take the Joker on his fourth lap, closing the gap on Speed and
putting a distance between second and third. With the 10-lap main event winding
down, Foust ran out of laps chasing down first, forcing him to settle for
second as Speed took the checkered flag. 

With his podium, Foust claims his first of
the season while earning a record 25th of his career, in addition to
his Semifinal A and Heat 3B wins. Speed becomes the winningest driver in Global
Rallycross series history with Saturday’s Final win, his 12th in GRC
competition, just ahead of Foust. Speed also picked up a win in Semifinal B and
Heat 2B. 

Leaving Memphis, Speed leads the championship
points over Foust, while Volkswagen leads over Honda and Subaru in manufacturer’s
points. Red Bull Global Rallycross returns for Round 2 action May 20-21 at the
Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, KY. 

Scott Speed – No. 41 Oberto Circle K Beetle
GRC

Started: 1 // Finished: 1 // Championship 1
(79 pts.)

“(Being the winningest GRC driver in history)
is a great stat, but those wins are all part of having a great team –
starting with Tanner Foust, I have an incredible teammate. The whole Volkswagen
Andretti Rallycross team just worked this offseason. We put in the work, and
when we wanted to stop we worked some more. When you show up to the first race
and you put this kind of performance down, it just makes all that work
worthwhile. Big shout out to Circle K and Oberto for coming on this year, and
obviously Rockstar – thanks so much, guys.”

 

Tanner Foust – No. 34 Rockstar Energy Drink
Beetle GRC

Started: 2 // Finished: 2 // Championship 2
(74 pts.)

“Memphis really is a tricky track, because that first corner is so
fast. You kind of dive in there and wobble your way up the banking. Qualifying
second on the new format was kind of rough, so I’m really excited to be able to
come back and finish second after that. My teammate Scott [Speed] really put up
amazing heats, so you just have to grab on to those heels and hang on. The
points are much closer now as we went into the Final. The points are very
similar for everybody. It’s definitely spreading the points out with the format
change, which is one of the main functions of making that work. This track was
awesome, the crowd was awesome, and what a great way to start the season!”