CHRIS “ATKO” ATKINSON RETURNS TO WRC WITH MONSTER WORLD RALLY TEAM

Akinson pictured here on the 2006 WRC Rally Japan, enjoyed some great results with Subaru: Pictures Nonaka Oikawa

MONSTER WORLD RALLY TEAM ANNOUNCES A TEAMMATE FOR DRIVER KEN BLOCK AT WRC MEXICO: CHRIS “ATKO” ATKINSON

February 21st, Los Angeles, California: Ken Block and the Monster World Rally Team are pleased to announce that professional rally driver Chris “ATKO” Atkinson will be joining Block as a teammate for the upcoming 2012 WRC Mexico. 

“I’m stoked about returning to the WRC for Mexico this year,” said Atkinson. “It’s a race that I’ve taken second at previously, so I feel great about the roads there. Plus, I’m getting to team up with Ken [Block] and his Monster World Rally Team for the race, which is absolutely awesome. Between that and getting to drive the same-level car that just won Sweden a few weeks ago, I can’t wait. Mexico’s going to be great.”

While currently only a one-off situation, Atkinson’s teammate, Ken Block, is excited about having a partner for Mexico.

“ATKO’s an incredible driver and we’ve been friends for a few years now,” said Block. “Obviously, I’m thrilled that he’s going to be joining me in Mexico as a teammate and racing for MWRT. Mexico’s already one of my favorite races of the year and this is going to make it that much better.” 

For the event, ATKO will be fully supported by MWRT with a livery that borrows elements from Block’s, as well as livery matching Alpinestars driving suits, DC Shoes driving shoes, special ATKO team t-shirts, plus PR support and being included in the team’s daily video updates that will be released under Ken Block’s Facebook fan page. 

To keep track of both Block and Atkinson throughout the course of WRC Mexico, follow their progress at monsterworldrallyteam.com

In the meantime, you can also follow Atkinson on Twitter (@ChrisAtko) and on Facebook (facebook.com/AtkoWRC).

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 16^th 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.

Joseph Burke Motorsports Welcomes International Champion Rory Kennedy to Team

Rory Kennedy [left] pictured here with driver Mark Higgins while competing on the Irish Tarmac Championship in 2007. Photo ©Neil McDaid

Irish Champion co-driver to Call Notes at Rally in the 100 Acre Woods

 February 18, 2012. Atlanta, GA.—Joseph Burke Motorsports (JBM) will have a change in co-drivers at Rally in the 100 Acre Woods. Four-time Irish tarmac champion navigator Rory Kennedy will be calling the notes for driver Joseph Burke the weekend of February 24-26, in Salem, Missouri. Burke heads into the second event in the Rally America Championship fourth overall in the championship standings.

 “We are really excited to have Rory calling the notes for Rally in the 100 Acre Woods,” explains Joseph Burke. “After finishing in the top five at Sno*Drift Rally, we know Rory brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the team that will help us continue our march to the top of the standings.”

 In addition to the Irish tarmac championships, Rory Kennedy is a two-time British Rally Champion co-driver. Although this is Kennedy’s first visit to the Ozarks, he is no stranger to rally in the United States. He sat with Joseph’s father, Seamus Burke, in 2002 competing in the SCCA Pro Rally.

 With the team’s regular co-driver Alex Kihurani on an extended off shore work assignment, this is the second time JBM has had to tap into the international community of co-drivers. Ireland’s Paddy Robinson stepped in and guided Burke to a fourth place finish at Sno*Drift in January.

Mechanical Upgrades

-    Joseph Burke and Paddy Robinson on their way to a 4th place overall finish at Sno*Drift 2012. Photo ©Neil McDaid

After being sidelined at 100AW in 2011 with electrical problems after only two stages, JBM is banking on a trouble free run this year. The team has made some significant upgrades to the open class Mitsubishi Evo between Sno*Drift and 100aw. They have moved to a 5-speed Drenth sequential gearbox and added an updated suspension.

 “We have no doubt that this will be one tough rally. With the return of 5-time Rally in the 100 Acre Woods champion Ken Block and visiting Polish Champion Krzysztof Holowczyc we fully expect the pace to be insane right out of the gate,” continued Burke. “I really like this rally. The stages are some of the best on the circuit. With the mechanical updates and Rory on the notes, hopefully we will quickly gel and get ourselves in position to get a podium finish and advance in the standings.”

Burke finished sixth overall in 2010, his first attempt at the event.

2012 Rally in the 100 Acre Woods will take place February 24th and 25th and

will be highlighted on Rally-America.com through the live broadcast of RallyStream.tv.

Follow JBM on their Facebook and Twitter outlets for behind the scenes work leading up to and during the race weekend. We would like to give a special thanks to our many fans through the U.S. and beyond, we hope to make you proud.

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/JosephBurkeMotorsport

Twitter: www.twitter.com/josephburke

Instagram: http://followgram.me/joeekrub

Ken Block Is Back With an Insane 19 Event Schedule

February 16th, 2012, Los Angeles, California – The Monster World Rally team is pleased to reveal Ken Block’s brand-new livery and 2012 schedule. Debuting for the first time in part one of a two part season launch program (part two arrives on February 20th), Block’s 2012 program brings forth not only a new look for the Master Hoonigan, but also a new focus and more varied direction moving into the 2012 race season, which includes campaigning a full season in the highly-anticipated Global RallyCross Championship, while continuing to compete in the World Rally Championship.

“I’m super stoked to be able to run such a diverse schedule this year,” said Block. “Global RallyCross is shaping up to be a very exciting and new championship here in the United States and I’m looking forward to the new challenges that will bring. I’m also thrilled that despite committing to the full GRC season, I’m still going to be able to fit three WRC events into my schedule, as well as a handful of Rally America and Canadian Rally races.

I don’t think there’s another driver out there that gets to compete in so many different series, as well as gets to do awesome side projects like Gymkhana FIVE and my Gymkhana World Tour. I’m truly a lucky bastard because this is going to be an amazing year!” Three different Ford Fiestas will aid Block in his 19-event attack this year. Each cloaked in a fresh, new graphic scheme, which also carries over to an entirely new line of team gear available from DC.

The Hybrid Function Hoon Vehicle (H.F.H.V.) will take on the lion’s share of events, competing in all the GRC rounds and X Games, plus select Rally America and Canadian rallies. It will also return to star in Gymkhana FIVE, which will debut mid 2012. While the M-Sport prepared Ford Fiesta RS WRC will be used at Rally Mexico, Rally New Zealand and Rally Finland. Leaving the Olsberg MSE-built four-door Fiesta on the road for the 5 stops of the Gymkhana World Tour.

  “We really went all-out for our launch this year,” said Block. “I phoned in favors to two great friends to assist in our launch videos. My buddy, actor and comedian Nick Swardson, came out in a huge way and took my place to give some ridiculous answers to questions during the first part of our season launch program in our 2012 Q&A video.

Also, my long-time friend and fellow DC athlete, skateboarder, Steve Berra came out to lend his video skills on the second part of our season launch program, our schedule and livery reveal video. They both absolutely killed it and I’m beyond stoked with the results.” For the 2012 season, Block and the MWRT would like to welcome three new sponsors: Shining Monkey car care products, Snap-On tools and the all-new DiRT Showdown videogame. Block and MWRT would also like to thank the following sponsors for their continued support moving forward into the 2012 season: Monster Energy, Ford, DC Shoes, Pirelli, Hoonigan, SPY Optic, GoPro, Alpinestars and Ryno Power.

They’re Back, Ken Block “Lord of the Hoonigans” and his Monster World Rally Team are set to make their much anticipated return to the USA Rally scene.

HE'S BACK, KEN BLOCK TO COMPETE IN RALLY AMERICA'S RALLY IN THE 100 ACRE WOOD 

                                     FEBRUARY 24-25 IN SALEM, MISSOURI 

WILLISTON, VT, February 15, 2012 - Rally America is proud to announce that Ken Block, WRC driver and creator of the Gymkhana videos, and co-founder of DC Shoes, is joining the 2012 Rally America National Championship to compete in the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood. The event will be held on February 24-25 in Salem, Missouri. Fans who cannot attend in person can catch many hours of live event streaming and video recaps, as well as regularly updated stage times and results, at Rally-America.com.

"We are very excited that Ken Block will be competing in the upcoming Rally in the 100 Acre Wood," said Bill Fogg, CEO of Rally America. "There is always a buzz around Ken, his racing skills and his personal brand. His participation is thrilling for our race organizers and Rally America fans all over North America."     

"Rally in the United States has definitely grown in popularity since I first got started back in 2005," said Block. "It's been great to watch that growth and I'm stoked that this year I'm finally getting back to the series I first started in by competing at Rally in the 100 Acre Wood. It's one of my favorite rallies, so I'm stoked that it's how I'm kicking off my 2012 season."  

Block has won the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood in five consecutive years from 2006-2010, breaking legendary driver John Buffum's record for most wins at the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood. Block has ten overall wins at Rally America National Championship events.

Block and his Monster World Rally Team is expected to unveil their new livery and full schedule for 2012 tomorrow Thursday. For more info and the latest news check back here and also www.monsterworldrallyteam.com and www.rally-america.com