[h=2]GRC to open season with new Memphis event[/h] Thursday, 16 February 2017
GRC / Image by Red Bull content pool
The 2017 Red Bull Global Rallycross season will kick off with a brand-new event at Memphis International Raceway. Taking place on Friday, April 28 and Saturday, April 29, the new event will represent the first of 12 rounds on this year's championship schedule.
"We're looking forward to bringing wheel-to-wheel Red Bull GRC action back to Tennessee with our new partners at Memphis International Raceway," said Red Bull GRC CEO Colin Dyne. "Memphis is a perfect host city for our 2017 kickoff round, as our teams get back to action after an exciting offseason and start the chase for our next title."
Located only 15 minutes from downtown, Memphis International Raceway's 3/4-mile oval will be transformed into a dynamic Red Bull GRC course with the addition of dirt and the series' signature 70-foot jump. From the starting grid, located just outside of Turn 3, drivers will charge down the front-stretch into the banked Turns 1 and 2 before taking on the dirt and jump in the infield. The field will then race down pit road in the opposite direction, dip into the infield, and rejoin the tri-oval in Turn 4 before accelerating to the finish line.
Red Bull Global Rallycross Memphis will represent the first outing for numerous driver and team pairings in both the Supercar and GRC Lites classes, including Patrik Sandell's first race with Subaru Rally Team USA. In last year's Supercar opening round, Tanner Foust cruised from the pole to the main event win with a perfect round, while Miki Weckstrom won last year's Lites kickoff in only his first career start in the series.
"Memphis International Raceway is thrilled to have this opportunity to host Red Bull Global Rallycross for the kickoff of their 2017 season," said Pam Kendrick, president of Memphis International Raceway. "The opportunity to bring a new and different racing experience for the Memphis and surrounding markets is always a plus. We feel our venue is the best of both worlds, in performance and adjustability to accommodate this great series."