Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Marcus Grönholm and Best Buy confirmed for 2012 Global RallyCross Championship



Minneapolis, MN, February 21, 2012 - Best Buy Racing will return to the Global RallyCross Championship in 2012 with a two car team partnering with Olsbergs Motor Sport Evolution (OMSE) for an all out assault to bring the GRC title and X Games 18 Gold back to Minneapolis. Headlining the Best Buy team will be two-time World Rally Champion Marcus Grönholm who won three GRC events in 2011.The second Best Buy car will be driven by leading British RallyCross Championship contender David Binks who finished third in the 2011 championship.

“We are excited to be back in the Global RallyCross with Marcus and David,” said Mark Williams of Best Buy Racing, “it is exciting that in 2012 the GRC will reach a broad demographic from fans of the X Games to the larger NASCAR audience. This is the start of a multi-year relationship with OMSE leveraging the GRC’s global expansion as a great way to promote Best Buy Mobile and the Best Buy brand generally.”

“I am really pleased to be competing in the GRC with Best Buy Mobile and OMSE” said Grönholm who claimed a silver and bronze medal at X Games 17 in the Best Buy Fiesta, “although I won some races last year that is not good enough. I have always wanted to win every time I get in a car and I have some unfinished business in the GRC.”

“I have had a demanding fitness routine over the winter and I know OMSE has continued development of the Ford Fiesta. The competition has stepped up both in the Best Buy team and the field in general. I can’t wait to take Best Buy Mobile to the top of the podium.”
Grönholm spent the 2011 season with Best Buy Racing in the GRC and in 2012 will be joined by David Binks the young Englishman who ran several events with Best Buy backing with his family team before moving over to an OMSE run Ford Fiesta.

“This is a dream come true for me,” said Binks who will turn professional with the team. “The GRC is where everyone wants to be and to partner with Best Buy and OMSE is a great opportunity for me to challenge for wins and ultimately the championship. I will have a little adjustment to US courses and to the jump, but Marcus was a great teammate at Lydden last year and I look forward to working with both he and Andreas again.”

“I am really pleased that Best Buy and Marcus are coming back in 2012” said Andreas Eriksson, team principal of Olsbergs MSE and the architect behind the Olsbergs Ford Fiesta domination of X Games 15,16 and 17. “I’ve know Marcus a long time and He is a perfectionist and he pushes everyone, including himself, to be the best they can be – and then to be better! That just raises the game for everybody which is good. I enjoyed running David last year and he showed at Lydden that he has the pace. I think he will surprise a few people this year.”

About Best Buy Co., Inc.
Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY) is a leading multi-channel global retailer and developer of technology products and services. Every day our employees – 180,000 strong – are committed to helping deliver the technology solutions that enable easy access to people, knowledge, ideas and fun. We are keenly aware of our role and impact on the world, and we are committed to developing and implementing business strategies that bring sustainable technology solutions to our consumers and communities.
For information about Best Buy, visit www.bby.com

About Marcus Grönholm
In 2012, two-time World Rally Champion, Marcus Grönholm, will compete in the Global RallyCross Championship with the Best Buy Mobile/OMSE Ford Fiesta. Over the course of his over twenty year professional career, Grönholm raced for Toyota, Peugeot and Ford winning 30 rallies on his way to two World titles. Grönholm entered his first rallycross event in 2008 and duly won his first event – the Swedish round of the European RallyCross Championship. In 2011, Grönholm made his debut in the Global RallyCross Championship winning three of the four rounds and winning Silver and Bronze medals at X Games 17. Grönholm lives in Finland with his wife and children.
About David Binks
In 2012, David will compete in the Global RallyCross Championship with the Best Buy Racing/OMSE Ford Fiesta. Raised near Gosforth in the north of England, David started his racing career just after his 16th birthday in the ubiquitous Mini in the national Minicross Championship. After winning the Championship he competed in various two-wheel drive cars before entering the SuperCar class with a Ford Fiesta. The first season saw his first overall victory and third place in the Championship. In 2011 he continued with his family run team but with added backing from Best Buy UK. This led to running the last few events in an OMSE-run Ford Fiesta and David delivered performances that convinced Best Buy and OMSE to bring him to the Global RallyCross Championship in 2012. David will live in Huntington Beach, California for the coming season to focus on his racing career.