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GRX: Foust Takes Las Vegas Win, Claims Title
Tanner Foust won the final round of the Global Rally Cross (GRC) season to win the 2012 Championship...
Tanner Foust locked up the Global Rallycross Championship with a win in Las Vegas. (Photo: Paul Webb/Ford)
With an enthusiastic crowd in the stands and a bevy of industry insiders on hand, Tanner Foust won the final round of the Global Rally Cross (GRC) season to win the 2012 Championship. The American racer held off his his Rockstar Energy teammate Brian Deegan in the Final to bring home a Ford 1-2 and seal his second consecutive GRC Championship. The podium was completed by Rhys Millen in his Hyundai Veloster.
Deegan’s second place finish in the race confirmed his second place result in the championship after he had to race his way into the Final via the LCQ. Deegan, the X Games star and motocross innovator who has had to wage his own comebacks through his racing career, was once again on the back foot after a first-turn incident in the opening qualifying heat kept him from finishing.
The setback, which saw his championship hopes go from improbable to nearly impossible in just one turn, didn’t faze the former motorcross star. Deegan shook off the disappointment to win the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) and move ahead to the Final.
“A lot of times in my career I’ve had a lot of ups and downs,” said Deegan. “I had to go through the toughest route possible (to get to the final). I got hit from behind, got a flat, so I ended up in the LCQ.”
With the Las Vegas skyline in the background of the the temporary circuit, which featured asphalt, dirt, a 50-foot jump, and a “Joker” shortcut that each competitor was allowed to take once during each race, the 10 lap final set the stage for a championship showdown.
Qualifying heat race 1 winner Ken Block made a lightning start with the same Ford Fiesta that he used to score a second place finish in the X Games round. Foust followed Block in close pursuit through the opening laps, as Deegan worked to fight his way forward after he had to start from deep in the field.
Foust kept the pressure on the famed Gymkhana star, and an extra dose of exit speed in the final corner saw Foust go from hunter to the hunted with a strong inside move to take the lead from Block heading into turn one. But before the next lap was even complete, the championship took another turn as a mechanical issue for Block saw him pull over with volumes of smoke coming from his visually strident Monster Energy Ford.
Blocks’ stranded and smoking car forced the GRC organizers to call a red flag and stage a full restart. After having his seemingly clear run to the checkered flag halted by the red flag, Foust kept his cool to pounce on the restart, taking the lead and holding firm at the front to collect his second consecutive GRC victory and second consecutive Championship.
“That was so fun--following his (Block) Fiesta around,” said Foust, who scored two GRC wins in 2012. “I kept closing the gap and went bumper to bumper over the jump. It was just so committed and intense. On the restart, I knew that as long as I got a good start, I’d be able to fend off the guys and in the end, it just worked out! It has been such a great year in the Fiesta. The Ford driver lineup was so strong, which makes winning the manufacturer’s championship in GRC just that much better.”
The first eight laps I was second, after Ken had a great start, and it was honestly so cool to be behind him with flames popping out of the exhaust. He went a bit wide on one of the very last laps of the race, so I was able to get by him and then he caught on fire.”
Deegan fought Foust all the way to the finish, leaping up to second in the running and trailing his teammate all the way to the finish.
“I was on the outside, so I just went for it, I had nothing to lose,” said Deegan. “I looked and saw that everyone was braking, but I just gassed it and slid around into the corner! The guys all went to the joker--I ran long two laps, and then when I went to the joker, I came out and Tanner was right there. All I could do was apply pressure. Tanner did a great job. I wanted to win, but this is great for Ford, so a good day--not a great day but I’ll take it!”
One could surmise that whomever it was in the GRC organization that first suggested that the series stage a finale at SEMA is likely heading to the boss’s office looking for a raise after the race. With the event taking place in conjunction with the huge SEMA show, the trackside suites were packed with industry heavies, including high-level manufacturer representatives, team owners and players in IndyCar and American Le Mans, as well as a bevy of enthusiastic fans.
2012 GRC Final Championship Results:
Tanner Foust, #34 Ford, 94 points
Brian Deegan, #38 Ford, 84
Samuel Hubinette, #77 Saab, 63
Rhys Millen, #67 Hyundai, 63
Ken Block, #43 Ford, 58
Stephan Verdier, #12 Hyundai, 52
David Binks, #17 Ford, 45
Marcus Gronholm, #3 Ford, 43
Travis Pastrana, #199 Dodge, 41
Sverre Isachsen, #11 Subaru, 40
Andy Scott, #26 Saab, 38
Dave Mirra, #40 Subaru, 35
Bucky Lasek, #81 Subaru, 35
Toomas Heikkinen, #57 Ford, 33
Liam Doran, #33 Citroen, 30
Pat Moro, #59 Subaru, 22
Sebastien Loeb, #72 Citroen, 21
Bryce Menzies, #99 Dodge, 12
David Higgins, #75 Subaru, 9
Andreas Eriksson, #3 Ford, 8
With experience at Skip Barber Racing School, Lime Rock Park, and several IndyCar teams, Matt Cleary has covered open wheel and sports car racing for over a decade. Working for Sunday Group Management, Cleary also provides strategic motorsports consulting for a range of clients in the sport. You can follow him on Twitter @sundaygroup
Deegan’s second place finish in the race confirmed his second place result in the championship after he had to race his way into the Final via the LCQ. Deegan, the X Games star and motocross innovator who has had to wage his own comebacks through his racing career, was once again on the back foot after a first-turn incident in the opening qualifying heat kept him from finishing.
The setback, which saw his championship hopes go from improbable to nearly impossible in just one turn, didn’t faze the former motorcross star. Deegan shook off the disappointment to win the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) and move ahead to the Final.
“A lot of times in my career I’ve had a lot of ups and downs,” said Deegan. “I had to go through the toughest route possible (to get to the final). I got hit from behind, got a flat, so I ended up in the LCQ.”
With the Las Vegas skyline in the background of the the temporary circuit, which featured asphalt, dirt, a 50-foot jump, and a “Joker” shortcut that each competitor was allowed to take once during each race, the 10 lap final set the stage for a championship showdown.
Qualifying heat race 1 winner Ken Block made a lightning start with the same Ford Fiesta that he used to score a second place finish in the X Games round. Foust followed Block in close pursuit through the opening laps, as Deegan worked to fight his way forward after he had to start from deep in the field.
Foust kept the pressure on the famed Gymkhana star, and an extra dose of exit speed in the final corner saw Foust go from hunter to the hunted with a strong inside move to take the lead from Block heading into turn one. But before the next lap was even complete, the championship took another turn as a mechanical issue for Block saw him pull over with volumes of smoke coming from his visually strident Monster Energy Ford.
Blocks’ stranded and smoking car forced the GRC organizers to call a red flag and stage a full restart. After having his seemingly clear run to the checkered flag halted by the red flag, Foust kept his cool to pounce on the restart, taking the lead and holding firm at the front to collect his second consecutive GRC victory and second consecutive Championship.
“That was so fun--following his (Block) Fiesta around,” said Foust, who scored two GRC wins in 2012. “I kept closing the gap and went bumper to bumper over the jump. It was just so committed and intense. On the restart, I knew that as long as I got a good start, I’d be able to fend off the guys and in the end, it just worked out! It has been such a great year in the Fiesta. The Ford driver lineup was so strong, which makes winning the manufacturer’s championship in GRC just that much better.”
The first eight laps I was second, after Ken had a great start, and it was honestly so cool to be behind him with flames popping out of the exhaust. He went a bit wide on one of the very last laps of the race, so I was able to get by him and then he caught on fire.”
Deegan fought Foust all the way to the finish, leaping up to second in the running and trailing his teammate all the way to the finish.
“I was on the outside, so I just went for it, I had nothing to lose,” said Deegan. “I looked and saw that everyone was braking, but I just gassed it and slid around into the corner! The guys all went to the joker--I ran long two laps, and then when I went to the joker, I came out and Tanner was right there. All I could do was apply pressure. Tanner did a great job. I wanted to win, but this is great for Ford, so a good day--not a great day but I’ll take it!”
One could surmise that whomever it was in the GRC organization that first suggested that the series stage a finale at SEMA is likely heading to the boss’s office looking for a raise after the race. With the event taking place in conjunction with the huge SEMA show, the trackside suites were packed with industry heavies, including high-level manufacturer representatives, team owners and players in IndyCar and American Le Mans, as well as a bevy of enthusiastic fans.
2012 GRC Final Championship Results:
Tanner Foust, #34 Ford, 94 points
Brian Deegan, #38 Ford, 84
Samuel Hubinette, #77 Saab, 63
Rhys Millen, #67 Hyundai, 63
Ken Block, #43 Ford, 58
Stephan Verdier, #12 Hyundai, 52
David Binks, #17 Ford, 45
Marcus Gronholm, #3 Ford, 43
Travis Pastrana, #199 Dodge, 41
Sverre Isachsen, #11 Subaru, 40
Andy Scott, #26 Saab, 38
Dave Mirra, #40 Subaru, 35
Bucky Lasek, #81 Subaru, 35
Toomas Heikkinen, #57 Ford, 33
Liam Doran, #33 Citroen, 30
Pat Moro, #59 Subaru, 22
Sebastien Loeb, #72 Citroen, 21
Bryce Menzies, #99 Dodge, 12
David Higgins, #75 Subaru, 9
Andreas Eriksson, #3 Ford, 8
With experience at Skip Barber Racing School, Lime Rock Park, and several IndyCar teams, Matt Cleary has covered open wheel and sports car racing for over a decade. Working for Sunday Group Management, Cleary also provides strategic motorsports consulting for a range of clients in the sport. You can follow him on Twitter @sundaygroup
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