Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross driver Scott Speed ran down Subaru Rally Team USA’s Patrik Sandell in the final few laps of Red Bull Global Rallycross’ first race at Atlantic City at Bader Field, to claim a decisive victory in Round 8 of the 2017 season.
After using the Joker lap on Lap 5 of 10, Speed launched past Sebastian Eriksson’s Honda Red Bull Olsbergs MSE Honda Civic Coupe for second, and then had a handful of laps to catch race leader Sandell to secure his third win of the year and second in a row, denying Sandell both his and Subaru’s first 2017 wins in the process.
On Lap 9, Speed forged through on the dirt, muscling his way past Sandell - briefly - before Sandell regained the lead over the jump on the same lap. But Speed made it through just at the end of the lap to hang on for the lead, then brought it home a lap later.
With his 14th career win, Speed now moves into first in Red Bull GRC history among race winners, breaking a tie with teammate Tanner Foust. Unofficially he now has a 7 point lead over Foust (535-528) with Steve Arpin 18 points back in third.
“To be fair, he drove a great race and it was a super difficult pass to make! It was such great racing at the end!” Speed exhaled to NBCSN’s Will Christien, describing the battle with Sandell.
What a Final! @scottspeed wins @GRCseries Round 8 in #AtlanticCity! 🏆 #GRCseries pic.twitter.com/jf1XbyXwxV
— Andretti Autosport (@FollowAndretti) August 12, 2017
Sandell was a season-best second, while Steve Arpin in his Loenbro Motorsports Ford Fiesta made it to third on the final lap, getting around Eriksson. With Volkswagen, Subaru, Ford and Honda in the top-four positions, it made it four manufacturers in as many positions.
Mitchell DeJong was fifth ahead of Oliver Eriksson and Austin Dyne, with Cabot Bigham, Chris Atkinson and Foust all out of the race. Results are unofficial.
As noted, for Foust, day one in Atlantic City couldn’t have gone any worse. He entered with a 22-point lead but contact with Speed on the opening lap sent him off course, somehow saving the car even as he careened through the grass. But things got worse upon re-entering when making contact with another car, which appeared to be Arpin, sending him into a final spin and first lap retirement.
Sunday’s second race coverage from Atlantic City airs at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC.