VARX Preview Report: Daytona
THIS WEEKEND THE VOLKSWAGEN ANDRETTI RALLYCROSS TEAM TRAVELS TO DAYTONA BEACH FOR THE FIRST OF FOUR IMPORTANT DOUBLE-HEADER WEEKENDS, WHERE TWICE THE VALUED RED BULL GLOBAL RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS WILL BE ON THE LINE. DRIVERS TANNER FOUST AND SCOTT SPEED WILL BE LOOKING FOR REDEMPTION AFTER FINISHING SIXTH AND TENTH RESPECTIVELY DURING LAST YEAR’S RACE AT THE VENUE.
SCOTT SPEED, DRIVER OF THE NO. 41 SHARK WEEK VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE GRC, IS LOOKING TO CONTINUE HIS SUCCESSFUL RUN FOLLOWING A WIN TWO WEEKS AGO AT THE SUMMER X GAMES IN AUSTIN, TX, AND A SECOND PLACE FINISH AT GRC FT. LAUDERDALE IN MAY. SINCE THE X GAMES RACE WAS NON-SCORING, SPEED STILL SITS IN SECOND PLACE IN THE DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP, JUST TWO POINTS BEHIND THE CURRENT POINTS LEADER.
“I’M REALLY PUMPED TO GET INTO DAYTONA AND START THIS WEEKEND ON THE RIGHT FOOT,” SAID SPEED. “WE’RE COMING WITH GREAT MOMENTUM FROM THE FIRST TWO RACES, ESPECIALLY X GAMES, AND THIS NEXT EVENT WILL BE IMPORTANT TO THE TEAM. SINCE IT’S A DOUBLE-HEADER, WE NEED TO RUN CLEAN AND MAINTAIN WHAT WE CAN CONTROL.”
TANNER FOUST, DRIVER OF THE NO. 34 ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE GRC, CURRENTLY SITS IN FIFTH PLACE IN THE DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP. IN THE FIRST TWO RACES, FOUST HAS BEEN AMONG THE FASTEST IN PRACTICE AND QUALIFYING SESSIONS, BUT ENCOUNTERED CHALLENGES IN HEAT RACES, RESULTING IN FIFTH PLACE FINISHES IN BOTH EVENTS.
“THE FIRST RACE OF THE SEASON IS ALWAYS A GREAT TEST OF HOW WELL THE TEAMS HAVE DONE OF PREPARING THEIR CARS DURING THE OFF SEASON,” SAID FOUST. “SO FAR, SCOTT (SPEED) AND I HAVE SHOWN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE BEETLE GRC AND WE KNOW THERE IS MORE TO COME. THE LEVEL OF COMPETITION IN THE GLOBAL RALLYCROSS SERIES THIS YEAR IS UNDENIABLY HIGHER THAN IN PREVIOUS YEARS, SO IT MAKES AN AWESOME SHOW FOR THE FANS. I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DOUBLE-HEADER IN DAYTONA TO TAKE THE SPEED WE HAVE FOUND IN THE PREVIOUS RACES AND SHOW SOME RESULTS FOR THE NO. 34 MACHINE.”
IN CELEBRATION OF THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, THE VOLKSWAGEN ANDRETTI RALLYCROSS TEAM RELEASED A VIDEO THIS WEEK, HOSTED BY TANNER FOUST AND SCOTT SPEED, HIGHLIGHTING THE TRADITION OF VOLKSWAGEN MOTORSPORT IN THE UNITED STATES, THE HERITAGE OF RACING BEETLES, AND THEIR EXCITEMENT TO RUN THE BEETLE GRC FOR ITS FIRST FULL SEASON.
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 DAYTONA WILL TAKE PLACE AT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY IN DAYTONA BEACH, FL, FROM JUNE 19-21. NBC WILL AIR THE RACE LIVE ON SUNDAY, JUNE 21, AT 2:00 P.M. ET. FOLLOW @VW AND @FOLLOWANDRETTI ON TWITTER FOR LIVE UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE EVENT.
