Another 1-2 Finish For Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross Clinches 2017 Red Bull Global Rallycross Driver's Championship

October 16, 2017 by Volkswagen

Tanner Foust had a perfect weekend in Los Angeles, while Scott Speed stayed near the front to win the Driver's Championship, besting his teammate by just 19 points.

Herndon, VA — Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross teammates Scott Speed and Tanner Foust battled each other all weekend for the top spot on the track and in the championship at the Port of Los Angeles. While Foust took the win at his home track, Speed secured the Driver's Championship following a second-place finish in the Final.

Speed, driver of the No. 41 Oberto Circle K Beetle GRC, drove smart all weekend. After qualifying second on Friday, Speed battled to second- and third-place finishes in early Heat races on Saturday, but won his Semifinal, putting him into a good starting position for the Final. Speed was shuffled to fourth in early laps of the Final, but fought his way back to a second-place finish, safely clinching the Driver's Championship.

'The whole week leading up to the race I was constantly thinking of the what-ifs, all the problems that could happen going in with a solid lead,' said Scott Speed. 'My hat is off to everyone—I have the best team out here. I'm so lucky to have them and we have great partners in Volkswagen, Circle K, Oberto, Expedite Home Loans and Rockstar. It truly was a team effort!'

On Friday, Foust, driver of the No. 34 Rockstar Energy Drink Beetle GRC, qualified fastest and continued to stay in the top spot through Saturday's Heat races, Semifinal, and ultimately came home with the win in the Final. Foust celebrated his fifth win of the 2017 season and finished second in the overall Driver's Championship for the second year in a row.

'The key is qualifying,' said Tanner Foust. 'That sets you up for success for the rest of the weekend. We snuck that away from Scott Speed and then there was a glimmer of hope. We came into the Final actually having a chance to win the championship if Scott finished eighth or worst. I'm not going to lie, that was a big gap in points, but I was feeling it. I'm so happy for our team on the Rockstar side of the Volkswagen Andretti tent.'

Going into this weekend's race, just 30 points separated first-place Speed from second-place Foust in the Driver's Championship. With the conclusion of Saturday's race, Scott Speed finished the 2017 Red Bull Global Rallycross season with 826 points, 19 points ahead of Tanner Foust. Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross also celebrated its third consecutive Manufacturer's Championship.

'We're so excited to end the 2017 Red Bull Global Rallycross season with the final race win, the Driver's Championship and the Manufacturer's title,' said Hinrich Woebcken, CEO of the North America Region, Volkswagen and President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. 'This is a great day for the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team and we're happy to be a part of it today with the team in Los Angeles.'

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'Congratulations to Scott, Tanner and the entire Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team for another fantastic season and a great finale in LA,' said Sven Smeets, Motorsport Director, Volkswagen Motorsport. 'It could not end better with Scott winning his third title and Tanner winning the last race. It proves that the partnership between Volkswagen of America, Andretti Autosport, and Volkswagen Motorsport is the perfect match to win races and titles! Looking forward to next year already, but first it is time to celebrate!'

Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross will return to action next season for the 2018 Red Bull Global Rallycross Championship. Follow @VW on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for upcoming announcements.

About Volkswagen of America, Inc.

Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc., an operating unit of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VWoA) is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. VWoA's operations in the United States include research and development, parts and vehicle pro1cessing, parts distribution centers, sales, marketing and service offices, financial service centers, and its state -of-the- art manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Volkswagen Group is one of the world's largest producers of passenger cars and Europe's largest automaker. VWoA sells the Atlas, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, CC, e-Golf, Golf, Golf Alltrack, Golf GTI, Golf R, Golf SportWagen, Jetta, Passat, Tiguan, Tiguan Limited, and Touareg vehicles through approximately 652 independent U.S. dealers. Visit Volkswagen of America online at www.vw.com or media.vw.com to learn more.

About Andretti Autosport

Based in Indianapolis and led by racing legend Michael Andretti, Andretti Autosport boasts a wide racing portfolio rooted in tradition and designed for success. Together with Andretti Formula E and Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross, Andretti Autosport fields multiple entries in the IndyCar Series and Indy Lights, along with entries in the FIA Formula E Championship and Global Rallycross. The company boasts four IndyCar Series championships (2004, 2005, 2007, 2012), two Indy Lights titles (2008, 2009), one Pro Mazda championship (2013) and one USF2000 championship (2010) and has captured victory at the famed Indianapolis 500 five times (2005, 2007, 2014, 2016, 2017). Additionally, the team holds two X Games Gold Medals and one Global Rallycross championship (2015). To share in the Andretti story, please visit online at AndrettiAutosport.com and follow along on Twitter via @FollowAndretti.