- Volkswagen
- 2017
- Volkswagen Beetle
- auto shows
- Chicago Auto Show
- race cars
- coupe
If you like watching 600-horsepower rally __cars going wheel to wheel on loose-surface racetracks with huge jumps and lots of contact, then odds are you’re excited for the upcoming 2017 season of the Red Bull Global Rallycross championship. Carrying the momentum after a dominant performance in 2016 is the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team, which just revealed a duo of race-ready Beetles decked out in fresh racing liveries at the Chicago Auto Show. Once again taking the helm will be two-time title winner Tanner Foust, as well as defending champ Scott Speed.
“We’ve been working really hard to improve our __cars over the off-season,” said Speed, “and I can’t wait to get to racing so we can defend our title again.” Speed managed to secure an impressive back-to-back championship win last year, and will once again pilot the No. 41 Beetle. No. 41 is covered in green, red, and white, and features prominent branding from sponsors Oberto All Natural Beef Jerky and Circle K, both of which appeared on the car previously, but now enjoy a more permanent spot on the Beetle’s body panels.
Meanwhile, former Top Gear USA co-host and Scott’s current teammate Tanner Foust will once again pilot the No. 34 Beetle, which is draped in long-time sponsor Rockstar Energy Drink’s black and yellow livery. Foust managed a record-breaking 25 consecutive Heat wins last year, as well as a second-place championship finish. This will be his 12th consecutive year with backing from Rockstar.
“It feels like the 2016 season ended a long time ago,” Foust said, “so I’m really eager to get back behind the wheel of this ferocious machine. Last year we had a lot of great results, and I’m confident that with all our hard off-season effort we can be up at the front of the field again in 2017.”
The 2017 season of the Red Bull Global Rallycross championship will feature 12 events taking place at venues across the U.S. Look for the season opener on April 29th in Memphis, Tennessee.
Continue reading for the full story.
Why It Matters
If there’s one thing VW does right, it’s rally racing. Although it’s unfortunate the German automaker withdrew from the World Rally Championship in 2016 after an incredible four consecutive manufacturer championship titles with wonder-shoe Sebastien Ogier, I’m glad VW is sticking with the GRC.
This will be the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team’s fourth season in the series, and so far, things are looking quite positive indeed. The team managed to take wins in eight of last year’s 12 races, accumulating some 18 wins and 34 podiums total throughout its GRC competition history. Throw in those back-to-back driver’s championship titles for Speed, and VW is looking like the favorite for 2017.
“Our Volkswagen Motorsports partners in Germany and the Andretti Autosport team in Indianapolis have been focused on accomplishing even more in 2017, and we look forward to celebrating the triumphs of Scott, Tanner, and the team in the coming season,” said Volkswagen of America Senior Vice President of Marketing Vinay Shahani.
We’ll see where they end up when the dust finally settles.
Press Release
Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross is proud to present its pair of Beetle GRC challengers for the 2017 Red Bull Global Rallycross championship at the Chicago Auto Show. Back-to-back series champion Scott Speed will celebrate a new partnership in 2017, driving the red, white, and green No. 41 Oberto Circle K Beetle GRC for the majority of the season, while two-time GRC champion Tanner Foust will return to action in a newlook No. 34 Rockstar Energy Drink Beetle GRC.
The championship-winning drivers will return for their fourth season with the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team, hoping to achieve similar levels of success to their 2016 campaign. Last year, Speed won his second-consecutive Red Bull GRC title, while Tanner Foust set a record of 25 consecutive Heat wins on his way to a second-place championship finish.
Speed will welcome Oberto All Natural Beef Jerky and Circle K onto his No. 41 Beetle GRC on a more permanent basis this season. Previously, the company’s branding appeared on Speed’s Beetle GRC for the Seattle round of the 2016 championship.
“I’m super excited to have Oberto on the car this year, and I’m sure that we’ll share some of the same success we were able to enjoy together last year,” said Speed. “We’ve been working really hard to improve our cars over the off-season, and I can’t wait to get to racing so we can defend our title again.”
Rockstar Energy Drink returns as a partner with Tanner Foust for the 12th straight year in 2017. This season, the No. 34 Beetle GRC will feature a darker livery, incorporating symbols of the Rockstar brand, accented with yellow highlights. “It feels like the 2016 season ended a long time ago, so I’m really eager to get back behind the wheel of this ferocious machine,” said Foust. “Last year we had a lot of great results, and I’m confident that with all our hard off-season effort we can be up at the front of the field again in 2017.”
In its brief, three-year history, the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team has swiftly become a dominant force in Red Bull Global Rallycross. By winning eight of 12 races in 2016, the squad earned Volkswagen its first ever Red Bull Global Rallycross Manufacturer’s Championship and achieved a second-consecutive driver’s title for Scott Speed. Overall, the team has amassed 18 wins and 16 other podium finishes in the series.
“We are extremely proud of the success the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross program has achieved so far,” said Vinay Shahani, Volkswagen of America SVP, Marketing. “Our Volkswagen Motorsport partners in Germany and the Andretti Autosport team in Indianapolis have been focused on accomplishing even more in 2017, and we look forward to celebrating the triumphs of Scott, Tanner, and team in the coming season.”
The 2017 Red Bull Global Rallycross championship will consist of 12 races spread across eight venues across North America. The season will begin Saturday, April 29 in Memphis, TN.
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