VARX Preview Report: Detroit
The Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team heads to Michigan for the first Red Bull Global Rallycross Championship race in the Motor City. With mechanical issues troubling the team in recent races, drivers Tanner Foust and Scott Speed will strive to get back in the driver championship hunt with twice the points on the line in the second doubleheader of the season.
Tanner Foust, driver of the No. 34 Rockstar Energy Drink Volkswagen Beetle GRC, currently sits in sixth position in the series’ driver championship. Aiming for two podium finishes, the voted fan favorite stands 59 points from the top spot.
“You wouldn’t think it, but with the bad luck and issues we have had these last few race weekends it actually feels like we have momentum going into the Detroit doubleheader,” said Foust. “The Beetle GRC has proven to be fast in all of the Global Rallycross rounds, practices and qualifying sessions. Now it is just a matter of time before we can consistently convert that into victories and podiums. Detroit will be a perfect venue to showcase the series. The city is not a stranger to racing, so it will be a great experience to bring the world of rally to Belle Isle.”
Scott Speed, driver of the No. 41 Kinetic Vision Volkswagen Beetle GRC, is currently ninth in the driver championship, 100 points behind the leader. Similar to his teammate, Speed has consistently been one of the fastest in early practice and heat sessions throughout the season. Unfortunately, he suffered mechanical problems in Daytona and at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, pushing him back in the points race for the season.
“I am super excited to race in Detroit this weekend,” said Speed. “It’s always good to go to new places and show new fans how awesome this series really is to help grow our sport. After the unbelievably bad luck we have had lately, I cannot wait to get on-track and put down a solid weekend in the Kinetic Vision Beetle GRC. We have had a car that could win every weekend, so now it’s time to get good results and bring home some hardware.”
Available now, the Varx Supercars app is free to download for iOS and Android users, providing race fans with the perfect mobile companion to every race weekend. Users can stay up to date on schedules, session results, and live timing and scoring all in the palm of his or her hand. Search “Varx Supercars” in the App Store or on Google Play to download.
Red Bull Global Rallycross Detroit will take place at Belle Isle Park in Detroit, MI, from July 24-26. NBC will air the races live on Saturday, July 25, at 2 p.m. and Sunday, July 26, at 4:30 p.m. ET. Follow @vw and @followandretti on Twitter for live updates throughout the event.
