Ford Racing clinches GRC manufacturers championship with gold and silver medals at X Games Los Angeles
Toomas Heikkinen won the gold medal to make it four consecutive victories in his Ford Fiesta ST and extend his GRC championship lead.
Tanner Foust added to his impressive medal collection with silver for the runner-up spot.
Toomas Topi Heikkinen claimed the gold medal while Tanner Foust secured silver at X Games Los Angeles to help Ford Racing clinch the Global Rallycross Championship manufacturers crown for a third successive season.The result marked the fourth consecutive triumph for Bluebeam OlsbergsMSE Ford Fiesta ST ace Heikkinen, while also increasing his lead in the championship standings. His and Fousts efforts maintained Fords GRC dominance through the first six events, with the Blue Oval taking 15 of a possible 18 podium finishes including five victories.
Winning the Global Rallycross Championship manufacturers title with our Fiesta ST is a proud accomplishment for Ford Motor Company and all Ford fans, said Jamie Allison, director, Ford Racing. We extend our appreciation to our teams OMSE and Hoonigan Racing, and to all of our drivers and team members who made this great achievement possible.
Coming off the back of a three-race winning run in GRC, Heikkinen might have been seeded only sixth in Los Angeles, but he soon showed he would be one of the favourites after bolting from third to first in his heat.
The final was unbelievable for me. It feels so good, said the Finn. The first corner was so stuffed. I went in side-by-side and door-to-door with Ken Block. I went a little too wide after that, so when Liam Doran and Ken started to crash, I just watched and went in-between them.
Foust, driver of the Rockstar Energy OlsbergsMSE Ford Fiesta ST produced a similarly strong performance in the Los Angeles rallycross event. The American had a difficult GRC heat race as he duelled for the second automatic transfer position with Timur Timerzyanov, but he ultimately prevailed and went on to speed to the runner-up spoils in the final.
It was definitely a battle. It was just a war during the heat, said Foust. My vantage point in the final was that I had ten cars in front of me and Im like, Okay, well just see what happens. Then all of a sudden Ken is backwards, tyres are flying through the air, theres fire, theres everything, so I powered around the outside corner and ended up second. I just followed Topis dust from that point to the finish.
The Global Rallycross Championship will resume at Atlanta Motor Speedway on August 10, followed by rounds at Charlotte Motor Speedway on September 22 and the season finale in Las Vegas on November 7.
Final results (Ford finishers)1. Toomas Heikkinen2. Tanner Foust6. Ken Block7. Brian Deegan8. Patrik Sandell
Drivers points 1. Toomas Heikkinen 1172. Tanner Foust 783. Brian Deegan 724. Ken Block 70 5. Patrik Sandell 69