Ford Announces Fiesta ST Race Car and Ford’s Expanded Partnerships for Global RallyCross Championship
Listen up race fans! Ford has announced the Fiesta ST Race car and an upcoming expanded partnership. The 2014 Fiesta ST in many ways a race car that is built for the streets. Now, Global RallyCross Championship (GRC) fans will be able to get an up-close look at the same car built exclusively for competition at the Chicago Auto Show.
Ford’s global launch of the new Fiesta ST is under way. Ford Racing will soon introduce the ST performance badge in the 2013 season of the Global RallyCross Championship as well as the Global X Games.
This new move is part of Ford’s expanded Global RallyCross program that capitalizes on the growing popularity of the series and its increased visibility through X Games and some fast-paced personalities, including: Tanner Foust, Brian Deegan and Ken Block.
The first Fiesta ST GRC vehicles will debut this season with Block, Deegan and two-time Global RallyCross champion, Foust. Foust and Deegan will both give performance car enthusiasts and the media their first look at the OlsbergsMSE Fiesta ST GRC race car this week at the Chicago Auto Show.
According to Andreas Eriksson, OlsbergsMSE team principal, “OlsbergsMSE has a good history developing extreme/RallyCross cars. With the longer-term manufacturer relationship with Ford and its technical support, together we will develop even stronger RallyCross cars. ”
“Outside of our technical development, we will also be very focused on providing our drivers with the information and input they need to be the best,” he added. “This is the way our entire OlsbergsMSE program moves forward, together with Ford.”
The Global RallyCross Championship will have a true global presence this year. In addition to five North American events, there will also be four X Games this year with RallyCross competition. Ford is sole automotive sponsor for all four 2013 summer global X Games, which will include the traditional event in Los Angeles and new venues in Brazil, Spain and Germany.
Fiesta is no stranger to success. Check out some highlights from the 2012 Global RallyCross Championship
- 1-2 finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway by Marcus Gronholm and Foust
- Sweep at Texas Motor Speedway by Gronholm, Foust and Deegan
- Silver and bronze at X Games by Block and Deegan
- Third-place podium finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway by Deegan
- 1-2 finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway by Foust and Deegan
- 1-2 finish at SEMA in Las Vegas with Foust and Deegan
- Foust clinched second-consecutive GRC Championship, followed by Deegan
- Ford clinched second-consecutive GRC manufacturer’s championship with four first-place finishes and 12 podium appearances
To learn more, click here. When you’re ready to buy a speedy Fiesta of your own, take the short drive down I-45 to Planet Ford in Spring (serving The Woodlands, Aldine, Tomball and greater Houston and surrounding areas).