PoloDriver

It may have been victorious in the recent Red Bull Global Rallycross Championship (GRC) round in New York, but the Polo-RX-powered Andretti Autosport team suffered a setback in its points fight at the fifth race of 2024 in Charlotte last weekend (26-27 July).

The North Carolina track was cruel to both Tanner Foust and Scott Speed’s 500+bhp Polo RXs, with both drivers failing to finish in the top three driver placings for the final. Speed was fifth, while Foust, hindered by tyre problems and a black flag incident with Sverre Isachsen, was three places further down the field.

‘It was a hard weekend at the dirt track. The course developed deep ruts and just about everybody got flat tyres,’ said Foust. ‘Our wheels are incredibly tough and stand up to the abuse, but it’s tough to keep up the pace when you’re running on metal instead of rubber.’

Foust continued: ‘I was in the middle on the start in the final and there just wasn’t room in the first corner for all three of us. I had a tyre go flat when we tried to squeeze through and my race was pretty much over right there.’

‘This sport is rough and my Rockstar Energy Drink Volkswagen Polo held up really well this weekend, the Top Gear USA presenter reported. ‘There were definitely battle scars from all the hits out there, but the crew worked hard and if it wasn’t for the flat tyre, we would have had a real shot at a win.’

Rallycross supremo Ken Block topped the podium at The Dirt Track, while former F1 driver Nelson Piquet Jr leads the overall standings with 227 points. Andretti Autosport’s Speed is in second place with 181 points. Round 6 of the Red Bull GRC will be at the Daytona International Speedway on 22-23 August.

2014 RED BULL GLOBAL RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP,

CHARLOTTE: FINAL RESULTS
1 Ken Block, #43 Hoonigan Racing Division Ford Fiesta ST
2 Sverre Isachsen, #11 Subaru Rally Team USA
3 Nelson Piquet Jr, #07 SH Racing Rallycross Ford Fiesta ST

2014 RED BULL GLOBAL RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP,

DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS

1 Nelson Piquet Jr, 227

2 Scott Speed, 181

3 Steve Arpin, 164

4 Joni Wiman, 162

5 Ken Block, 155

2014 RED BULL GLOBAL RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP,

TEAMS’ CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS

1 Ford, 472

2 Volkswagen, 293

3 Subaru, 196

4 Hyundai, 92

5 Chevrolet, 3