Tanner Foust to compete in the ERC?

[tbtstt]

Not sure if this is just a case of mis-quoting, but several US rally forums are reporting that Tanner Foust will be coming over to Europe to compete in the ERC?

I initially thought they just meant Foust would be competing in the US rallycross events to be held later in the year but, having read the source article:

http://www.worldrallysport.com/forum...=4265#post4265

It indicates that he's actually coming over here to compete. I assume that will be in a Ford/Olsberg MSE car?

Anyone else heard this rumour/can add some fact to it?

[Adam Walker 36]

Well spotted! I would like this to be true as it would be a good advertisement for the sport. I guess it would be a Erikkson fiesta as he drove one at the X games? On another topic has anyone heard there is a celeberity drive for the Swift series for every round of the series. I tried to get a couple of names at the rallycross masterclass but peoples lips were sealed!!

[rich_cooper]

Would be good to see him in the ERC

[sjones]

As far as im aware, This has been confirmed. He will be racing a OlsbergsMSE Fiesta in Portugal.

[Stephen H]

is it a one off drive, or is he likely to race in france too?

[sjones]

Hes doing the first four rounds I think then returning to America.

[rich_cooper]

so he isdoing the uk round then ?

Still thinking about going down to it. Just a long way for doing 1 day.

[Stephen H]

Originally Posted by rich_cooper

so he isdoing the uk round then ?

Still thinking about going down to it. Just a long way for doing 1 day.

I would expect practice, timed practice and first runs to be on the sunday, with 2nd and 3rd runs and finals on the Monday, so a two day meeting as last year.

I`m sure "Miss sideways smiley rallycross" could confirm

[rich_cooper]

Originally Posted by Stephen H

I would expect practice, timed practice and first runs to be on the sunday, with 2nd and 3rd runs and finals on the Monday, so a two day meeting as last year.

I`m sure "Miss sideways smiley rallycross" could confirm

Yes but I can only get down on 1 day

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by rich_cooper

Yes but I can only get down on 1 day

If you can only make one day then make it the Monday - and get there early as it fills up quick!

[sjones]

Press Release

TANNER FOUST TAKES ON NEW DISCIPLINE: EUROPEAN-STYLE RALLY CROSS

LOS ANGELES (Tanner Foust Racing) -- Tanner Foust is moving into exciting new racing territory in 2010 with the addition of European-style Rally Cross to his competition schedule.

"I'm really excited to be on the leading edge of this discipline as it grows in the US," said Foust. "It's been popular in Europe for years -- the fans here are going to love it."

The Rockstar Energy driver will travel to Europe this year to participate in four events before returning home to America where the sport will dominate the second-half of the traditional U.S. rally season.

A two-time Formula Drift champion and X Games Rally gold medalist who has twice represented Team USA at the international Race of Champions, Foust said he considers Rally Cross a blend of circuit racing, off-road racing and rally competition.

"I've been watching European-style Rally Cross for years," said Foust. "I love the combination of dirt, pavement, jumps and door-to-door action – it's like a real-life videogame.."

The discipline promises intense crowd-pleasing action in a fan-friendly track environment. Six drivers line up to start at once, piloting high-horsepower compact cars through race traffic over a challenging short course that features jumps, unbanked turns, hills and transitions between pavement and gravel.

For his first European-style Rally Cross event in April, in Portugal, Foust will pilot a 600-horsepower, all-wheel drive machine prepared by European Rally Cross Champion Andreas Eriksson's Olsbergs MSE Ford team. Foust got his first feel for the vehicle at X Games in 2009 when he drove one of the team cars to a bronze medal.

"These are nimble, high-powered cars with incredible handling," said Foust. "They're purpose-built for this incredibly challenging discipline and absolutely insane to drive."

Foust said he's pleased to be getting a head-start on the competition and is proud to be representing the US as the sole American in the European Rally Cross Championship this year.

"The European rounds are a great opportunity for me to get a handle on this sport before it comes to America," said Foust. "When the sport debuts in the US later this year, I'll be ready to go."

Foust's 2010 competition schedule will also include a return to the Formula Drift series in his Rockstar Energy Drink Scion TC, ESPN's Summer X Games and select rally events.

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 and national championships. He is a two-time Formula Drift champion (2007, 2008), and one of just four drivers to have been invited to every X Games Rally competition, with the Rockstar driver scoring gold in 2007, silver in 2008 and bronze in 2009. He has twice represented Team USA in the annual Race of Champions, teaming with NASCAR star Carl Edwards in 2008 and Travis Pastrana in 2009.

His varied race experience also includes multiple seasons of open wheel competition, the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, five Ice Racing championships, a Production Rally Championship title and the SCORE Baja. He also holds class lap records at numerous US road courses in Time Attack.

Even if you haven't seen Foust on the track you've likely witnessed his precision car control on TV or the big screen. He was a lead driver in the Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, Bourne Ultimatum, Dukes of Hazzard, Red Dawn and Iron Man 2, movies, and also handles stunt driving in numerous popular TV shows and commercials.

Foust is currently an on-air host for Supercars Exposed, and was also picked as co-presenter for the US version of the seminal BBC auto show, Top Gear.

[rich_cooper]

Originally Posted by tbtstt

If you can only make one day then make it the Monday - and get there early as it fills up quick!

Monday is the 1 day i can make it. Im tempted to drive down sunday night. It looked very very busy on the monday last year so might not be great for getting photos but im still thinking about going down to it!

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by rich_cooper

Monday is the 1 day i can make it. Im tempted to drive down sunday night. It looked very very busy on the monday last year so might not be great for getting photos but im still thinking about going down to it!

Yeah, I normally take the video camera with me to Lydden and the ERC is the only event where I've struggled to find a decent spot to record from.

Get there early enough and you should be OK though!

[NaBUru38]

ERC stands for FIA European Rally Championship to me, shouldn't you write ERX or ERXC?

[rx-guru]

We in RX land don’t care too much about such minor things.
As soon as we get our FIA recognised World series together we change to WRC anyway…

[nickyf1]

Won't be long before the Americans have adapted the wonderful sport of Rallycross to some sort of Supercross style stadium sport

Ive always wanted to go up to knockhill for the British championship, may aswell enjoy it while its still here and go.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by nickyf1

Won't be long before the Americans have adapted the wonderful sport of Rallycross to some sort of Supercross style stadium sport

Already have ages ago with the Mickey Thompson stadium series racing off road trucks. Was real popular in the 1980's with factory support and big sponsors but it died off in the mid 1990's due to a variety of problems.

Moving into rallycross for Rally America is a way for them to try to make the sport financially viable. We'll see what happens, but I think the time is ripe for that type of sport again. Everyone is bored to tears with indycrap and nascrap.

[rich_cooper]

Originally Posted by nickyf1

Won't be long before the Americans have adapted the wonderful sport of Rallycross to some sort of Supercross style stadium sport

Ive always wanted to go up to knockhill for the British championship, may aswell enjoy it while its still here and go.

In america that will work for them, and i see nothing wrong with having a race or two like that over here, if there was a stadium that you could still have a good track with open racing on! But i cant see that sort of thing going on here at all!

As for knockhill, i want to go up there for a rallycross meeting so im planning on going up for the superprix weekend

[NaBUru38]

They should also try competing at dirt ovals (with chicanes, jumps, etc.) jointly with popular short track series.

[dcdesign]

Rallycross on dirttrack jumps: no way... the jump that resembles most those jumps is the bumps section of momarken... remember Hansen's crash? so the top drivers won't risk there machinery there, and the budget drivers neither: going on to those jumps means their shocks probably will be destroyed...

[rx-guru]

Very few people still know that they had a jump at Valkenswaard in its early days (1971 or 72). After just one meeting with lotsa damage it was removed, due to most of the competitors going mad.
Anyway, a perfectly designed jump, like the one at Höljes, is a bonus for each RX venue.
However, I expect the Yanks to produce an X-Games alike jump for their "European style" RX events at the NJMP.

[1969MGCGTdriver]

Originally Posted by rx-guru

However, I expect the Yanks to produce an X-Games alike jump for their "European style" RX events at the NJMP.

Hopefully not. As much as I like the X-Games big jump, it needs to stay a special one-off thing. However making the rest of a course run inside and outside of a stadium would be the way to go in the smaller venues. some of the LARGE stadiums might be able to have a ROC style course that stays completely inside the stadium.

[Minicross424]

Did they not have a go at doing that many years ago at the oval stadium at Northampton?
I remember going there once when i was little and seeing the circuit within the oval.

[rx-guru]

@ 1969MGCGTdriver: BTW, there is a former wellknown British RX driver living not far away from you. John Smith (and his wife Jeeta) moved from Folkestone in the UK to Kissimmee in 1989.

[rx-guru]

Found news yesterday stating that Foust confirmed just three (rather than four) 2010 ERC rounds yet: Montalegre/Portugal, Lydden Hill/Great Britain and Höljes/Sweden.