Race Preview: X Games Munich
IN BRIEF: It’s double the fun in Germany this weekend, as Global Rallycross stages a doubleheader event at X Games Munich this Saturday and Sunday.
TUNE IN INFORMATION: (all times Eastern)
- Saturday, 9:30 AM: ESPN3.com (Live)
- Saturday, 1:00 – 6:00 PM: ABC
- Saturday, 7:00 – 11:00 PM: ESPN
- Sunday, 11:00 AM: ESPN3.com & ESPN (Live)
ENTRY LIST: Click here for the full entry list.
LAST RACE: Three drivers earned their first X Games medals in Foz do Iguaçu, with Scott Speed beating Toomas Heikkinen and Patrik Sandell to the line. OlsbergsMSE-prepared Ford Fiestas took the first five finishing positions, giving Ford a huge leg up in the race to defend its manufacturer’s championship.
DRIVER CHANGES: Three drivers will make their GRC season debuts in Munich, including two drivers making their rallycross debuts. Townsend Bell (OMSE2) and Mattias Ekstrom (Marklund Motorsport) are the two newcomers, while the third is a big name in the rallycross world: Timur Timerzyanov, the defending European Supercar champion and current points leader, who will substitute for the otherwise-occupied Travis Pastrana. Timerzyanov raced in last year’s season finale, finishing ninth.
“I think it’s awesome having Timur involved,” said Bryce Menzies, Timerzyanov’s Pastrana Racing teammate for the weekend. “He has so much knowledge of changing stuff and trying new things, so I think it’s going to be good this weekend to see what ideas he has to make the cars faster.”
THE TRACK: The Munich layout is 807.3 meters long and features a nearly 60:40 ratio of gravel to tarmac. The eight turn course is constructed behind the Fröttmaning bus station near the Allianz Arena, earning it the nickname “FröttmaRing.”
“This track is completely different than what we’ve had for GRC and X Games,” said Sverre Isachsen. “This is more like what we have in Europe. This is really good.”
ON THE DOUBLE: X Games Munich will feature two races, to make up for the rain-cancelled X Games Barcelona event. These events will mark GRC’s first doubleheader since the inaugural 2011 season, but the first time in which two consecutive days of points-paying rallycross has been held. Only Marcus Gronholm was ever able to pull off a doubleheader sweep, doing so at Irwindale Speedway on March 25-26, 2011.
DRIVER POINTS:
- Scott Speed, 21
- Toomas Heikkinen, 18
- Patrik Sandell, 15
- Steve Arpin, 13
- Brian Deegan, 12
MANUFACTURER POINTS:
- Ford, 39
- Dodge, 12