Volkwagen Andretti Rallycross and Scott Speed Killing It... X-Games 2014

(Scott Speed X-Games 2014 in Austin - photo by VWoA)

The 2014 Summer X-Games in Austin took place this weekend, and the Volkswagen/Andretti team definitely made some noise. Scott Speed of Volkswagen Andretti RallyCross claimed the top spot on the Redbull Global RallyCross podium again this year, winning the gold.

Speed not only won the final, but crushed all his races including both heats, and the quarterfinal. This would be his second X-Games victory, his being at the X-Games in Brazil last year. His teammate, Tanner Foust unfortunately was unable to finish his race in the quarterfinal, knocking him out of contention, although he won both his heats.

Volkswagen announced back in February at the Chicago International Auto Show that they were teaming up with Andretti Autosport to enter the Global RallyCross circuit. The team consists of Scott Speed and Tanner Foust, both very seasoned drivers. These drivers have been proving that they will be a force to reckon with this season, with Foust having 22 heat wins and Speed winning the first two races of the season, the first being at the Top Gear Festival Barbados. Both drivers have been racing in two European rallycross prepared Volkswagen Polos. The team will be switching soon to 560+ horsepower All Wheel Drive Beetles, which have been featured at multiple car shows this year.

(X-Games 2014 - Photo by VWoA)

So who are these hardcore drivers? Well Scott Speed is no stranger to motor sports. The 31 year old began carting at the age of 10, winning a handful of titles. He moved up the Formula Series in 2001, and began driving as a test driver for Red Bull Racing's Formula One team in 2005, the first American to participate in a Formula One event since Michael Andretti in 1993. In 2006, Speed joined Red Bull's Scuderia Toro Rosso team, the relationship lasting for two years. Speed then transitioned into the NASCAR scene, achieving 22 top ten finishes, and a win in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2008. In 2013 Speed joined the GRC circuit, and has been dominating since. He currently is driving the #77 7Up car.

Tanner Foust may be a more recognizable name for most. Foust has been a professional driver since 2003, starting off as a Hollywood stunt car driver. His credits include Iron Man 2, Fast & Furious, a few Bourne movies, and the Dukes of Hazzard. He began hosting the U.S. version of the very popular BBC series, Top Gear in 2010, and just began shooting their fifth season. Besides the big and small screens, Foust is a real contender in the racing world. Foust was the first driver in Formula Drift history to win back-to-back series championships in 2007 and 2008. Foust won his first X-Game in 2007 winning the gold in the rally racing event, and is the most decorated X Games driver with 9 medals. He also raced in the European Rallycross series, being the first American to compete in the Championship. Foust currently drives the #34 Rockstar Energy Drink car for the Volkswagen Andretti team and is featured in a commercial for the all new 2015 GTI.

The next GRC race will be in our own backyard, the Volkswagen RallyCross DC, from June 21-22nd. The event will take place at DC United's RFK Stadium, near Capitol Hill. The city will be transformed to host the event, which is being produced by Andretti Sports Marketing. Tickets are on sale ranging from $20-$149, and will definitely be an event you won't want to miss.

Let us know if you'll be attending the Volkswagen RallyCross DC in a couple weeks by tweeting us @stohlmanauto. Until next time!


Esther Cho
VW Product Specialist
@esther_ch5

Move Over Herbie, There's a New Beetle Racer in Town!

(Photo from VWoA Media)

Yesterday at the 2014 Chicago Auto Show, Volkswagen announced that they will be teaming up with Andretti Sports Marketing to enter the Red Bull Global Rallycross Series. The Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team will initially begin the season with European rallycross-prepared Polos, then switch to a 560+ horsepower, All Wheel Drive GRC Beetle. Joining the team will be 2011 and 2012 GRC winner Tanner Foust, and former F1 and NASCAR star Scott Speed.

“Red Bull Global Rallycross is the perfect form of motor sports for a youthful, exuberant, and growing brand in the U.S. market,” stated Michael Horn, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. “We’re excited to partner with Andretti Autosport, one of the great names in American motor sports, and delighted that we will be running the iconic Beetle in the series.”

What is Rallycross? 

Rallycross is a form of racing that's done on a mixed surface, closed circuit. The automobiles typically driven on this circuit are heavily modified production or specially built road cars. Rallycross has been a part of European and Australian motor sports since the late 1960's and reached our side of the pond in 2010, debuting at the X Games 16, under the name of SuperRally. 

Volkswagen Motorsports

(Rally Sweden 2014 - Photo from VW Motorsports)

Volkswagen started competing in the World Rallycross Series in 1978. After years of competing with variations of the Golf, VW left the series in 1990. After a quiet decade, Volkswagen Motorsports returned to the sport at the 2011 Rally Finland with two Skoda Fabia S2000's (Skoda is a Volkswagen Group automotive company from of the Czech Republic). They then later debuted their Volkswagen Polo R WRC at the beginning of the 2013 World Rallycross season, eventually winning the series that season with French rally drivers, Sebastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia. The Polo R WRC has a straight-four engine with turbocharger and intercooling, transversally mounted in front of the front axle, with a 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. Truly a monster. The 2014 season began at Rally Monte Carlo, where Volkswagen Motorsports started off strong with a win by Ogier and Ingrassia in the Polo R WRC car #1. Rally Sweden began a few days ago, and will have live coverage until the 8th. The Finnish driver, Jari-Matti Latvala is currently in the lead in the Polo R WRC car #2 after day 2. 

Global RallyCross

(Photo from VWoA Media)

The Red Bull Global RallyCross Series is a rallycross series based in the United States, that began development in 2009. The first full season in 2011 was won by driver Tanner Foust, who as before mentioned will be joining the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team. With the expansion of the X Games, GRC expanded globally also in 2013, featuring races in Brazil, Germany and Spain. The season will open in May at the Top Gear Festival in Barbados, with the GRC Beetle will debut at the X Games in June in Austin, TX. And for those who have a tight travel budget this year, the series will have a race in the Washington DC area, scheduled for June 22nd.

Share your excitement for this terrific motor sports news with us at @stolhmanauto. Until next time!

Esther Cho

Volkswagen Product Specialist

@esther_ch5