Most of you know Tanner Faust as the Top Gear US host, but he started his career with drifting and rallycross and he is bloody good at this! A while ago he even beat Ken Block in a special stage designed by Block. At 2011 Autosport International show in Birmingham, Tanner unveils his new Fiesta Rallycross for 2011.
This slammin’ Fiesta is a 600 hp all-wheel drive vehicle, purpose-built for rallycross. Developed by the Swedish Olsbergs MSE team, the car is similar to the one Foust campaigned on the European and US rallycross championships in 2010, and which bashed and jumped its way to double gold medals at X Games in 2010. Tanner Foust is the is the first American ever to compete in the FIA European Rallycross Championship.
“It is great to fly the American flag overseas and when it comes down to it, it’s driver against driver,” said Foust. “The real pleasure I get out of it is bringing this sport to the US and showing people at home how cool this sport is and how much potential it has.”
He was an immediate threat in a limited 2010 European Rallycross campaign that took him to Portugal, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany, and Czech Republic.
“I got a taste of it last year and I’m looking forward to battling it out again in 2011,” said Foust. “I’m really enjoying it: the series is very competitive, and the fans are educated and enthusiastic.”
In the United States, Foust took a pair of gold medals at the X Games Rally competitions, and finished on the podium at all four of the inaugural US rallycross races.