Saturday, July 25, 2015

Ken Block Earns Record-Setting Sixth Career Red Bull Global Rallycross Win in Detroit


Detroit, MI, ; Hoonigan Racing Division’s Ken Block earned his record-setting sixth career Red Bull Global Rallycross victory in Detroit on Saturday, passing Patrik Sandell in the race’s late stages to further extend his Supercar points lead. Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross driver Scott Speed and Red Bull Olsbergs MSE driver Sebastian Eriksson completed the podium, while Chip Ganassi Racing’s Brian Deegan and fellow Red Bull OMSE driver Joni Wiman completed the top five.
“It was quite an eventful time!” Block said after the race. “I was happy with second place and taking home some good points, but I ended up with the win. I’m the all-time winningest GRC driver now with six wins, so that’s pretty cool. I’m really stoked—that’s just a testament to how hard my team and I work.”
Block and Sandell each won both of their heat races to set up a face-off in the final, with the Swedish driver muscling past to take an early, and sizable, lead. But with three laps to go, the Bryan Herta Rallysport car encountered a mechanical issue, allowing the field to drive past him.
“I was so focused on getting a good start that I just braked a bit late to make sure that I had the momentum to get through the first corner, and it took me a little wide,” Block explained. “Patrik got around me on the inside. He was pulling away from me a little bit, but then I saw some smoke and some fire from his car. I don’t know what happened, but I just had to find the right spot to get by him and make sure people didn’t catch up to me.”
In GRC Lites, points leader Tanner Whitten took the first victory of his career for DirtFish Motorsports. Miles Maroney earned the best finish of his career for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, passing Austin Cindric for the second position on the final lap. Cindric completed the podium, his third of the year for OMSE.
Unofficial Red Bull Global Rallycross Detroit I Supercar results are as follows:
  1. Ken Block, #43 Hoonigan Racing Division Ford Fiesta ST
  2. Scott Speed, #41 Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross Beetle
  3. Sebastian Eriksson, #93 Red Bull Olsbergs MSE Ford Fiesta ST
  4. Brian Deegan, #38 Chip Ganassi Racing Ford Fiesta ST
  5. Joni Wiman, #31 Red Bull Olsbergs MSE Ford Fiesta ST
  6. Austin Dyne, #14 Bryan Herta Rallysport Ford Fiesta ST
  7. Steve Arpin, #00 Chip Ganassi Racing Ford Fiesta ST
  8. Nelson Piquet Jr., #07 SH Racing Rallycross Ford Fiesta ST
  9. Patrik Sandell, #18 Bryan Herta Rallysport Ford Fiesta ST
  10. Tanner Foust, #34 Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross Beetle
  11. Bucky Lasek, #81 Subaru Rally Team USA WRX STI
  12. Sverre Isachsen, #11 Subaru Rally Team USA WRX STI
Red Bull Global Rallycross action from Detroit continues on Sunday with round six of the championship for both Supercar and GRC Lites. Sunday’s action will be broadcast live on NBC at 4:30PM ET.