Red Bull GRC Los Angeles Preview: Teammates For The Title

Red Bull GRC Los Angeles comprises the final two races of the Red Bull Global Rallycross season, and it’ll also come down to two drivers: teammates Scott Speed and Tanner Foust.

This weekend’s Red Bull Global Rallycross Los Angeles doubleheader looks an awful lot like last year’s Red Bull GRC Los Angeles doubleheader.

Once again the championship rests squarely between Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross teammates Scott Speed and Tanner Foust. Steve Arpin is not out of contention, a true dark horse, as he’d need to drive well and likely have the two cars in front of him catch fire – something that can happen, as we all remember what went down in Daytona.

But barring Scott leaving his mixtape in the car again, it’ll be a Volkswagen driver holding the title by Sunday evening – and it’s really a toss-up as to which one.

Foust leads Speed by 13 points going into this weekend’s two races and has momentum by virtue of winning last time out at GRC Seattle, but otherwise they both have similar resumes.

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Foust is a two-time Global Rallycross champion, the only multiple titleholder; Speed is the reigning Global Rallycross champion.

Speed has three wins this season; Foust has four victories. (And really, you could consider this a draw given that Speed was dominating Daytona before the fire incident.)

Both of them have consistently run up front in their heats and semis.

Both of them are capable of getting good starts and that early advantage on the field.

So it’s anyone’s guess if we’ll be hearing “and new” or “and still” on Sunday, but either way the trophy is once again going to Volkswagen, which clinched the manufacturers’ title after Foust won at Seattle.

The real story of GRC Los Angeles, then, might be the scrapping that goes on behind them for position, pride and the future of the league.

Will Arpin be able to hang onto that third spot and deliver a strong season for sophomore squad Chip Ganassi Racing? His teammate Brian Deegan might mix it up too, as he’s proven to be difficult in all the best ways.

As longtime frontrunners Olsbergs MSE finish their first campaign in Hondas after years of being with Ford, will they be able to deliver? Or might they wind up second-guessing their decision to change manufacturers?

Could somebody crafty, like Bryan Herta Autosport’s Patrik Sandell, show up and crash everyone’s party just because he can?

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There are plenty of opportunities for something crazy to happen, especially since there are two races on the docket. The doubleheader is a lost art throughout motorsports but GRC has stuck with it and it normally leads to some pretty exciting racing.

While Tanner Foust and Scott Speed put their friendship aside to see which one of them has Volkswagen supremacy, GRC Los Angeles should offer not only that intriguing title fight but plenty of mayhem further down the ranks.

Red Bull GRC Los Angeles takes place Oct. 8 and 9 from The Port of Los Angeles. For tickets and more information, visit the Red Bull Global Rallycross website.

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