Foust claims battle for second when a crash from behindpropels him across finish line
FOUNTAIN, Colo. – June18, 2011 – Friday afternoon Marcus Gronholm finished second in the SuperRally competition to Tanner Foust. The second-place podium served as an inspiration for the two-time WRC champion. The next day, Gronholm came out to dominate – , he topped qualifying and led the final race flag-to-flag to deliver Fiesta another Global RallyCross Championship victory in the AWD RallyCross, this time at Pikes Peak International Raceway.
“It was a goodfinish,” said Gronholm. “Everything is about the start here and I made it in front of Tanner and therefore I could turn in first into the corner and that was the key. “Once you are in front you can do your own driving and I knew that we were fast and I could choose my own lines. Plus we were lucky in that we didn’t hit anybody. I saw that Tanner had fallen behind, but I didn’t know thathe had crashed at the finish line.”
GRC championship leader Tanner Foust claimed second after his Rockstar Fiesta was punted across the timing line by Michael Jernberg. At first there was uncertainty if either car had finished but RallyCross Race Controlconfirmed Foust the second place finisher giving Ford and Fiesta a 1-2 finish, a result which is currently under review.
Foust’s epic battle with Jernberg in the RallyCross finalewas an embodiment of RallyCross as a sport. It appeared Foust had narrowly topped the Swedish driver, when the Fiesta won a hard-fought battle into the final turn. However Jernberg’s desperation move spun both cars off the track as Foust brushed past the finish line, knocking over the scoring pylon as he went.
In the normal post-race confusion that was enhanced by the spectacular collision at the finish line, after Global RallyCross race control confirmed Foust as the second-place finisher and the podium celebration continued. Shortly thereafter Global Rally Cross Race Control put the result under official review pending a review of available video and photographical evidence. That review is ongoing and official results are not expected until Sunday or Monday.
“That was not the ideal finish,” said Foust the defending XGames champion who narrowly missed clinching the GRC championship this weekend.“We all knew that part of the track had some danger built into it as the cars came together. “ I saw Jernberg coming I could hear Ted (Foust spotter) in the microphone screaming “push, push push.” I came through and I tried to stay inmy lane but I knew I had a nose on him at least. He caught my back tire, he said he came through ‘a little bit hot,’ and we both ended up shooting off theside of the track. Unfortunately there was a big concrete wall off the side ofthe track. I went off and saw the concrete wall and I learned some new words in Swedish from my spotter on the radio. The Fiesta bounced on the wall and kind of pirouetted and then it landed. Luckily it didn’t go over. They say the caris fixable for X Games. So I claimed second place backwards. We will take it.”
In March Gronholm swept the season-opening weekend at Irwindale and after missing Round 2 in Snoqualmie, Wash., the WRC legend returned in his Best Buy Fiesta. Gronholm’s second-place finish to Tanner Foustin the Friday SuperRally, was the first time the native of Finland had lost a heat in the GRC. He quickly regained his form on Saturday.
Gronholm came back with a vengeance and posted a qualifyinglap of 52.51 seconds as he crushed the competition in qualifying, edging his teammates Foust (52.9 sec.) and Brian Deegan (53.47 sec.) who were second andthird overall. When the AWD A Main Final started Gronholm was quickest off the line and drove away running a flawless race en route to his second RallyCrossand third win overall in the GRC.
Brian Deegan qualified third for the A Main Final and wasrunning in the top four when a mechanical issue sidelined his Metal MulishaRockstar Fiesta. He finished eighth in the final race.
The Global RallyCross Championship will return to action at XGames 17 July 28-31 in Los Angeles. Invitations to X Games are expected to beissued in the next ten days and Foust, Gronholm and Deegan are all expected to participate.
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