Tag Archives: Timur Timerzyanov

Dodge Dart Team Set For Global Rallycross Races In Munich

MUNICH, Germany (Friday, June 28, 2013) – Two races are on the Global Rallycross schedule here this weekend during X Games Munich. Saturday’s race is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. (EDT) with Sunday’s event set for 11:00 a.m. (EDT). Saturday’s race will be televised live by ESPN3.com with a replay on ABC at 7:00 p.m. Sunday’s event will be televised live by ESPN and ESPN3.com. at 11:00 a.m.

Gary Johnson, SRT Motorsports Racing Manager, is in Munich for the doubleheader and provided these comments about Friday’s activities.

“Today was only jump practice. It’s a really beautiful track here; they’ve done a great job putting it together.

“I think the Dodge Darts are going to be pretty strong at this event because of the type of course – it’s fairly long and fast with a couple of sweepers. We have Timur (Timerzyanov) replacing Travis (Pastrana) this weekend. He’s a well-established Rallycross driver. And, of course, Bryce (Menzies) is eager to have a good weekend.

“Timur knows what he likes in a setup; he has a lot of knowledge about this type of racing. The team is reacting, setting the car up to what he likes. It seems to be working based on what we’ve seen today. I think tomorrow’s race is going to be interesting.

We actually have practice, qualifying and the race tomorrow and it’s the same on Sunday, everything in one day.”

Weekend Schedule

Saturday

  • 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. (EDT) – Practice/Seeding
  • 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. (EDT) – Race

Sunday           

  • 8:20 – 9:00 a.m. (EDT) – Practice
  • 9:15 – 10:00 a.m. (EDT) – Seeding
  • 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (EDT) – Race

Photo credit: Alison Merion Padron

GRC TV: Friday Recap

On Friday, the stars of Global Rallycross got their first taste of the FrottmaRing at X Games Munich with jump practice. Tanner Foust breaks down some of the unique characteristics of the track, while Townsend Bell describes his first competitive experience in a rallycross car and Timur Timerzyanov talks about his return to the series.

To watch this weekend’s Global Rallycross doubleheader at X Games Munich, tune in Saturday at 9:30 AM ET on ESPN3.com, Saturday at 7:00 PM ET on ABC, and Sunday at 11:00 AM ET on ESPN and ESPN3.com.

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:

  1. Scott Speed, 21
  2. Toomas Heikkinen, 18
  3. Patrik Sandell, 15
  4. Steve Arpin, 13
  5. Brian Deegan, 12

MANUFACTURER POINTS:

  1. Ford, 39
  2. Dodge, 12

GRC Drivers No Stranger to Competing in Germany

Though both Global Rallycross and X Games may be making their first-ever stops in Germany, heading to Munich at the end of June, that doesn’t mean that GRC drivers are unfamiliar with competing in the country. In fact, if the past is any indication, visiting the country should be a welcome site for much of the sport’s European contingent.

The European championship often features a round at the Estering circuit, located in Buxtehude in the northern part of Germany. Over the past decade, Estering has hosted eight events, including last year’s season finale won by Liam Doran.

But three-time European champion and current Subaru PUMA Rallycross Team driver Sverre Isachsen is perhaps the king of the Estering. Isachsen took his first Supercar victory in Buxtehude in 2005, and claimed additional wins in 2006, 2009, and 2010. Only twice, in 2004 and 2008, did he fail to score the victory while competing at the track.

While Isachsen was often unbeatable, Andreas Eriksson, the man behind OlsbergsMSE and the new GRC Lites concept, would frequently mount a strong challenge. Eriksson won the race in 2008, finished second to Isachsen in 2006 and 2009, and added a fifth place in 2010.

Many drivers with GRC links besides Doran also competed at Buxtehude last season. Andy Scott, who ran four GRC races in 2012, finished fifth in the Supercar class, while Timur Timerzyanov, not long before he made his GRC debut with OMSE, finished 14th. Future GRC Lites driver Joni Wiman finished eighth in the Super 1600 class, while Anton Marklund wrapped up his Touring Car class championship with a seventh place run.

Two of the drivers making their GRC debuts at X Games Munich also have experience racing in Germany. Mattias Ekstrom is one of the DTM touring car series’ most legendary drivers, debuting in the series in 2001 and taking 17 victories and two championships since then. Meanwhile, Townsend Bell made his CART debut at the Lausitzring in 2001, finishing on the lead lap in 13th place in a Patrick Racing Reynard-Toyota.

Photo credit: QBA/QNIGAN.com

Timur Timerzyanov to Replace Travis Pastrana at X Games Munich

Pastrana Racing announced today that Timur Timerzyanov will drive the No. 199 Red Bull/Discount Tire Dodge Dart in the Global Rallycross event at X Games Munich on June 29-30. Timerzyanov will replace Travis Pastrana, who will be unable to attend the race due to other commitments. Pastrana will return to the car at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 11.

Timerzyanov, 26, is the defending European Supercars champion, having won six races in 2012 in 10 starts. He ranks first in the same division through five races this year, having finished second in the previous three race events.

X Games Munich will be the second event of Timerzyanov’s Global Rallycross career. Last season, he was an injury replacement at the season finale in Las Vegas, where he scored a heat victory and finished ninth in the main event.

Currently, Pastrana ranks seventh in GRC points with 10, while teammate Bryce Menzies ranks 15th. Dodge ranks second in the GRC manufacturer’s championship with 12 points.