“Magic Marcus” wins in Texas

Category: GRC, June, News Posted 10.06.12 00:58 by Eddi Laumanns

The second round of the Global RallyCross Championship at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth has been claimed by former double World Rally Champion Marcus Grönholm.

Finn Marcus Grönholm has won Round 2 of the GRC at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, ahead of the two American make colleagues Tanner Foust and Brian Deegan. The Final was started three times after Norwegian Sverre Isachsen blocked the Gap Jump ramp during the first attempt while Briton Andy Scott had crashed into the tyre walls behind the Gap Jump during the second Final attempt. After two red flags, Marcus Grönholm took the chequered flag at the first ever Global RallyCross Championship “Hoon Kaboom” at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday.

The first race had to stop when Norwegian Sverre Isachsen stalled in front of the 70-foot [21m] jump. Before that mis-hap, Brian Deegan, Tanner Foust, and Grönholm led the race. After the first restart, Grönholm took advantage and jumped out to an early lead taking the Joker Lap. During the second restart, Grönholm stuck to his strategy – opting to take the Joker in his first lap and shot out to an early lead. Grönholm’s experience saw him hold on to his early lead.

Grönholm ended up taking a clean sweep of the competition. Leading from pole to win his heat, the first of the afternoon, and seeing off the challenge from Travis Pastrana and Andy Scott. He joined the first two placed drivers from each of the following three heats – together with two Last Chance Qualifiers – to make up a final grid of ten cars featuring Grönholm and competitors Foust, Hübinette, Deegan, Scott, Isachsen, Millen, Binks, Block and Verdier for the six lap final.

Grönholm’s win in Texas gives him his second successive victory in two weeks and a maximum points score in the GRC standings.