“FAST FORDS PROVIDED THE MOST ENTERTAINMENT”
Energy might be hosting the next competition. The most recent took place in the Greek town of Marathon, a location outside Athens that gave its name to the long- distance athletic endurance race, whereas previous GRiDs have been held in the USA, Madrid and at Santa Pod Raceway in Northamptonshire.
Many of the most successful GRiD drivers cut their teeth barrel sprinting in the UK – an excellent way to have fun whilst learning how to control a car at speed during a time trial. It is this lowcost, ‘open to all’ route into highprofile motorsport that’s exactly what Block and Monster Energy have been keen to promote. And with a worldwide audience able to tune in live via social media, Gymkhana GRiD has never been more popular.
The thrills and spills presented to us in Greece were nothing short of spectacular, with titans of the motorsport world doing their best not to be outshone by lesserexperienced guys who were just as eager to please the thousands of fans that had turned up to witness the pyrotechnic-laden racing extravaganza. Needless to say, a stack of smoking tyres capable of challenging the Acropolis in sky-scraping stakes soon began to materialise in the paddock!
No fewer than fifty-five drivers and their cars lined up for action, but none suffered as much misfortune as series founder, Block, and his M-Sport-built Fez. All present expected to see him in the final round, but disastrous hesitation from flag-bearing grid girls failed to start the Hoonigan’s run, knocking his concentration and essentially handing the round to multiple X- Games medallist and fellow Monster Energy man, Doran.
Solberg went on to win the AWD class with his WRC Citroen Xsara. A trio of English Nissan drivers ( Luke Woodham, Adam Elder and Danny Cross) took the RWD class podium places, but it was fast Fords that provided the most entertainment; it goes without saying that Block and Bakkerud’s Blue Ovals are silly quick machines that had everyone smiling, but it was the high quota of Cossie-powered four-wheelers on display that gathered together in order to provide punters with a late-night drift demonstration – something that the local police encouraged a repeat of on the public highway during a parade through the streets of Marathon!
If Gymkhana GRiD sounds like the kind of motoring event you’d like to compete in, have a butcher’s at the Monster Energy website (