Blues, BBQ and Elvis: a few things Memphis is known for. This year they can add the Red Bull Global RallyCross to that list. For 2017, the GRC series got down in the dirty South to kick off the season at Memphis International Speedway.
Along with new venues, 2017 also introduced a new points system, more heats and a new format where top qualifiers start in the back of the grid. The addition of more heats means more chances to earn points. These new changes should make for a more competitive season.
We last left Red Bull’s Global RallyCross series back in October for its finale in Los Angeles, with Scott Speed taking his second back-to-back championship title.
In the season opener, Speed picked up right where he left off running strong all weekend, sweeping pole position in qualifying, multiple heats and semifinals. You could say that he was already "up to speed" despite being months removed from last season's finale.
By the final, all eyes were on Speed. The rest of the field wasn't going to let him sweep the race, including VW teammate Tanner Foust. Not long after crossing the starting line, an incident with Patrik Sandell’s Subaru ended his day early and forced a restart.
Once restarted, VW teammates Speed and Foust jumped into first and second with a fight for third place between Sebastian Eriksson (Honda), Mitchell deJong (Honda) and Steve Arpin (Ford) going on up until the checkered flag dropped.
At the last lap, Arpin took advantage of the the Joker Lap to take third place, which he held until the end of the final lap.
Foust stayed on Speed's tail though the whole final, finishing less than a second behind Speed. The podium ended with a Speed, Foust and Arpin.
