Rate this article:
"NASCAR Legends"
“NASCAR Legends” by Don Hunter and Ben White belongs on the shelf of every true NASCAR fan...
Our Price: $19.98
"Hot Rod Pinups II"
A Sequel to his 2005 bestseller Hot Rod Pin-ups, ace photographer David Perry offers an all-new collection of images.
Our Price: $35.00
Mickey Thompson: The Fast Life and Tragic Death of a Racing Legend
The complete story of this true American legend is one worth slowing down for.
Our Price: $25.00
The Rally X Games' stadium course made for a lot of action and surprises. » More Photos
"If you're not nervous on the starting line, you might as well quit," said Colin McRae, standing at the base of a 70-foor jump jutting up from the floor of the Home Depot Center soccer stadium a few hours before the start of Summer X Games 13. "I'm more nervous here than I would be at a WRC event, because you only get one shot at it here. You're a little bit nervous the whole way through because if you do make a mistake, it's not like the race is even 10 minutes long where you could, at least, settle back into it."
Bizarrely, after grabbing the holeshot and leading Monster Subaru driver Ken Block in his head-to-head heat race around the large course that started on the dirt of the stadium floor before exiting up to a large butterfly-type asphalt section, McRae's 2007 Summer X Games would be, literally, turned upside down, when he leaped backed into the stadium, overshot a turn and held on for a wild ride that ended with his No Fear Energy Subaru WRX Sti, on its roof.
"I overcooked the corner," sighed McRae in disbelief. "I hit the hand brake and slid and just touched the barrier. We caught the barrier with the rear and it pulled the front end. There was a gap in the rails, so the front came into the guard. Then the only option then was to try and push the other one out of the way and we tried to push it and the car rode onto it and then it flipped over the top of it. It all happened quickly."
His race run, McRae and co-driver Carolyn Bosley hoped to make a run for the bronze medal, patiently waiting for a trio of Vermont SportsCar mechanics to bash and pop the car back into something close to useful. "The car is straight, it just has bad panel damage," offered McRae. "The problem is the broken windscreen. They might not let us run again."
He had it right, the X Games officials pulling the WRX off the respirator due to the shattered windshield.
The most exciting race of the Summer X Games 13 Rally Car Racing Super Special was between 2006 gold medal winner Travis Pastrana and Rally America regular and drifting veteran Tanner Foust. It all came down the very last corner, the two cars banging off one another. Pastrana crossed the finish line first, but was
"I knew Travis was going to go big no matter what, so I wasn't too surprised to see him come over on me," explained Foust, whose day job is doing stunt work in such films as Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift. "That's so X Games, though. You take a cool sport and then it raise it to another level and you get craziness like that. I was glad to have moved on, though, that's for sure."
The race for the gold medal boiled down to a dogfight between Block and Foust, the multi-talented stuntman beating Block across the line with a time of 2:50.25 to Block's 2:50.93.
Tanner Faust celebrates an unexpected win. » More Photos
When asked if he entered the X Games expecting to win a medal, Foust was quick to reply.
"Are you kidding? I mean, it was like Colin McRae and Travis Pastrana practically showing up with the gold medal. All my driving heroes are out there going out and you can't imagine actually being able to take the gold away from them. That was my game plan, but it certainly wasn't my true expectation. This is a very surreal experience. The X Games has really done a justice for rally racing. To walk away with a gold medal… I can't imagine how psyched I'm going to feel tomorrow."
Block, founder of the DC Shoes brand and multi-time Rally America series event winner, was gracious in defeat.
"I just made a couple little shifting mistakes and that's all it takes on a small course like this," lamented the Californian. "I made one or two little errors and that gave him the win. I'm really disappointed I wasn't able to beat him, but Tanner is a great driver and we had a good battle and I look forward to next year."
Then there was Pastrana… Still a bit smarting from the disqualification, the bronze medal around his neck was matched with his big "Ah, shucks" smile.
"I was really happy with how we drove and the car ran amazing," he said in the paddock, bent and bruised rally cars everywhere. "It was demolition derby out there. I drove my best and still crossed the line first. It was the wrong line, though! It was the right call. It is what it is. After winning the gold last year and to only get the bronze definitely sucks."
- Press Releases | Advertising | Jobs | Feedback | Terms & Conditions | Privacy | Site Map
Fox Sports | FUEL TV | FX Network | FOXReality | National Geographic -
The Online Motorsports Authority© Copyright 2008 Speed Channel, Inc. All Rights Reserved.