Speed wins MCAS New River race 1

Scott Speed persevered through a mechanical failure in heats and a last chance qualifier appearance to grab his first victory of the Red Bull Global Rallycross season at Marine Corps Air Station New River on Saturday. Speed, the defending Supercar champion, got past Brian Deegan on the final lap of a muddy main event to earn the eighth victory of his Red Bull GRC career.

“At the start, I was so surprised to come out of the corner in second, but then Deegan came flying around the outside of me!" Speed exclaimed. “He figured out before everybody that the grip was out there, and then we had a heck of a race to the finish. I used my Joker and closed the gap and capitalized on the last lap.

“It was a great race—I really appreciate that one because it was one heck of a show. It ain’t over until it’s over!"

Heavy rain just before the Supercar final forced the field onto wet BFGoodrich Tires for the 10-lap battle. Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross driver Tanner Foust took an early lead over teammate Speed, Deegan, and Steve Arpin, but pulled off midway through the race with mechanical issues. The wet track also claimed the cars of Jeff Ward and Bucky Lasek, both of whom ended the final early with their own incidents.

Deegan inherited the lead over Speed and Arpin, clawing his way through the dirt with a nearly unrecognizable car, but saved his Joker Lap until the very end of the race. With this weekend’s Joker being longer, Speed was able to make up the difference and claim victory by 2.171 seconds.

In GRC Lites, Miki Weckstrom took his second victory of the season for Olsbergs MSE X Forces after the main event was abbreviated to five laps due to lightning. Behind him, freestyle motocross star Blake “Bilko" Williams and Lites rookie Parker Chase earned their first career podium finishes in second and third.

Unofficial results from Red Bull Global Rallycross MCAS New River (I) are as follows:

1. Scott Speed, #41 Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross Beetle
2. Brian Deegan, #38 Chip Ganassi Racing Ford Fiesta ST
3. Steve Arpin, #00 Chip Ganassi Racing Ford Fiesta ST
4. Patrik Sandell, #18 Bryan Herta Rallysport Ford Fiesta ST
5. Austin Dyne, #14 AD Racing Ford Fiesta ST
6. Sebastian Eriksson, #93 Honda Red Bull Olsbergs MSE Civic Coupe
7. Joni Wiman, #31 Honda Red Bull Olsbergs MSE Civic Coupe
8. Tanner Foust, #34 Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross Beetle
9. Jeff Ward, #07 SH Rallycross/DRR Ford Fiesta ST
10. Bucky Lasek, #81 Subaru Rally Team USA WRX STI
11. Sverre Isachsen, #11 Subaru Rally Team USA WRX STI

Red Bull Global Rallycross