GRC SEASON FINALE
If the excitement of the SEMA show wasn’t enough, the Global RallyX (GRC) decided to hold the final round of the 2013 season in the heart of Las Vegas. Unlike last years’ event just across the road, this time it was held at the other end of the strip – opposite the unmistakable Luxor hotel (shaped like a pyramid with a giant sphinx out front).
Going into the final instalment of the season, Ford had already bagged the manufacturers’ title and OlsbergsMSE driver, Toomas Heikkinen had also wrapped up the drivers’ championship too. Second and third spot were still very much up for grabs with the aim being a Ford podium lock-out. The track was seriously impressive, considering it was constructed in the days leading up to the event in an unused car park. With all the heats decided the day before, it was a case of running through the four final heats, last chance qualifier (LCQ) and then the grand final.
The racing is usually pretty close, but what strikes you the most is the sound of the 600bhp engines popping and fizzing away on anti-lag as they literally rip the tarmac away from beneath them. After the heats had all been run, a lot of paintwork had been exchanged and untold amounts of race fuel consumed, virtually all of the big names made it through to a pretty epic 12-car grid final.
The area dropped into silence as the cars were shown the 30-second board, then 10-seconds before the flag dropped, a hail of what sounded like gunfire let rip as the driver’s initiated their launch control systems; flames spitting, turbos spooling and then carnage began as 12 cars funnelled down trying to get through the first corner ahead of their neighbour.
Tanner Foust made a lightning start and pulled a noticeable lead over Ken Block in his Ford Fiesta and Travis Pastrana in the Dodge. Despite chaos ensuing behind the leading three, it seemed Tanner was home and dry – before the officials, reviewing the launch video, ruled a false start and pulled him in for a stop-go penalty.
This dropped Tanner straight back in behind Travis, who by this time had been caught and passed by Ken Block. After a couple of laps of enthralling bumper-to-bumper action Tanner also managed to get past, just before the jump ramp.
Meanwhile Ken Block had pulled a substantial lead – a tall task for anyone to make up, but Tanner wasn’t deterred. Mr. super-smooth was gaining noticeably on Mr. Gymkhana up front, but as they entered the final lap, other than mechanical failure the results were sealed and it was Block that crossed the line first – taking his only GRC win of the year!
Despite this being his first victory, his consistent scoring left him 3rd overall in the drivers’ standings with Tanner taking the runner-up spot. Either way, it was a dramatic ending to the season in a dramatic location and a particularly good season for Ford taking the manufacturer title and having Fords taking 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the drivers’ title too.