3 FD Drifters Make the X-Games Rally Finals

[Mike Peters]

Wrecked posted something about Verdier running his FD car with all the AWD stuff put back on, is that his FD car in the vid with a new paintjob and stuff?

If so, that guy is my hero.

[Bebop]

You know what Jonny.... your right!

After 2 laps to go they just stopped updating it... once again poor production, poor commentary, good race lol.

Even the running order was messed up, on the screen they showed Tanner droped to last a few times when he never lost first after turn 1 in the first lap.

They need to add on like 5 laps and 2 mandatory jumps!

And yea, that is his FD car, you can tell by the front bumper never hanging on right....lol jk

[MonkeySlide]

So FD drivers dominate the X games rally...

Does everyone realize what this means? All the extreme sports guys are now going to take up pro drifting to improve their rally skills. Lord help us!

[Bebop]

without getting into detail... it definitely goes both ways.

[MonkeySlide]

without getting into detail... it definitely goes both ways.

You're talking about JR right? He was hanging out with Block in the Monster Energy rally pit the whole weekend.

It would be interesting if it did happen but I'm not sure how great the chances are.

[Justin Banner]

You're talking about JR right? He was hanging out with Block in the Monster Energy rally pit the whole weekend.

It would be interesting if it did happen but I'm not sure how great the chances are.

Well, a lot of FD guys are going to be doing the Ken Block Invitational, including JR. Maybe his next step is Rally Car RallyCross (or racing in TORC and/or LORRS, which I'd perfer to see, but I'm partial to the trucks ).

[Slapshotnerd]

Block already has gone drifting with JR. Just not competitively.... there were a lot of rumors that Block / JR were going to have their OWN team this year, aside from Falken. Looks like the Block leg of that plan didn't work out, but the Monster part did. I don't think Block will be drifting next year because he'll be too focused on his "grid" production, and presumably another season of WRC.

PS - Was anyone else entertained by Verdier's ability to keep parts on his car??? It's exactly like FD

[Mike Peters]

You're talking about JR right? He was hanging out with Block in the Monster Energy rally pit the whole weekend.

It would be interesting if it did happen but I'm not sure how great the chances are.

Keep in mind JR/Block/Everyone involved is a car guy.

Just because they're playing with cars together doesn't mean they are going to dedicate the time and resources to do a full pro deal in whatever type of motorsport they are hanging out at.

Cars are fun, I doubt you'll see JR at WRC or Block at FD anytime soon, although we'll probably see them playing with cars a lot.

I was a little suprised Rhys didn't try to put a program together for X Games though. It's cool to see motorsports growing at X Games.

[Piner]

true, "where is rhys?" had crossed my mind especially since RMR was the one who prepped all of the fords

[Bebop]

You're talking about JR right? He was hanging out with Block in the Monster Energy rally pit the whole weekend.

It would be interesting if it did happen but I'm not sure how great the chances are.

Actually No.

I'm referring to the fact that alot of formula D guys have backgrounds in sports that are in the x games before competing in FD.

Alot of BMX Motocross Snowboard and Surf junkies in the series

[verdier]

thank you guys for watching. What a weekend!!!
Small recap of my x-games.
First, yes I drove my drift car. After Seattle we started to put it back in awd. GTI builded some front and rear bumpers, skip plate etc... Then the car went to Crawford for sequential trany, new Garrett turbo (with 45 mm restrictor) remaping etc.. Still with the same engine as FD, stock reflashed ecu and stock differential ecu. I didn't have anti-lag or Launch control (broke off one of the speed censor). The only upgrade from the FD spec where turbo, speed sensors, suspension (Tein wrc), trany (Kaps), and rally wheels (enkei). Brake where and downgrade from STI to stock wrx (so we could fit the small 15 inch rally wheel)
So I pretty much went to the x-games on a $5 budget as usual.
The front bumper was hanging to low and keep braking into the compression, nothing i could do about it. Not design for rally-cross.

Friday practice.
My the second time on the track, they watered it right before i went, i knew it was going to be slippery but not that bad, i lost the car under braking before the bridge under the ramp and crash the back of the car into the K-rail (didn't loose my drift). It was so bad that i had to take the car to the frame shop that night to get it back straight.

Saturday qualifying. Qualify 2nd, only Pastrana was faster, but crashed the car right after the finish line, went to wide into the marbel and in the k-rail again, and destroyed the car. Right front frame rail moved into the engine and broke the front timing pulley and locked the engine. Good thing we had 5 hours to fix it. A chain and a truck and we pulled the frame of the engine. rebuild the front part of the engine and hoped that no valve got bent. engine restarted perfect. I also bent and cracked the left rear hub (no spare). ran the car in comp with positive camber on that wheel.
we zipped tied the car back together for the comp so it could look nice for the first 10 feet.

First round. Went well, because of my seeding (2) i had first pick at the gate, car was awesome no problem.

Finals. Still first pick at the gate since Pastrana was out i was the highest seed.
1 min from start i notice that my hanz device wasn't attached to my helmet. spend the next 50 sec putting it on, then they sign me 10, 10, 10 witch they didn't do in the first round, so i thought they meant 10 min delay (dum *Censored**Censored**Censored* that I'am), no it was 10 sec to start. i realize it went i heared Tanner's engine going into launch mode. I was like " oh s&%$t!!, put the car back in 1st, switch all the fan on and when i looked at the light it was go time. I was a second late and left the line last.
First corner Tanner and Deagan went wide and i was able to cut back in the inside and steal the corner from Deagan. Nice drag race down the stadium. We touched at least 4 time. That was awesome. The next 3 laps I was closing on Tanner, then I started to loose some power, I thought Deagan pushed me and bent my exhaust, but one of my intercooler pipe that got bent during my crash in qualy crack and start braking. Right after the big jump it just let go and lost all power, i barely made it to the top of the stadium, Deagan passed me and between the arch Sam try to pass me on the outside but i was able to friendly block him, going down to the finish the car wouldn't go and Sam passed me 100 feet from the finish. I was so pissed, but looking at the all experience it was awesome. Especially that 5 hours earlier my car and engine where in pieces.
Fun time, now time to fix the car AGAIN for FD vegas.

Thanks to all my sponsors, Cooper tires (awesome rallycross tire), Crawford performance, GTI, Tein, Clutch Masters, Enkei, Ignite racing fuel, Subaru of Ontario, Sparco, Apr, Von Zipper, Motul, K&N, Seibon...

And yes we did do 5 laps, tv score was off.

[Jonny Fonseca]

Congrats Stephan!!! You killed it!!! I had a feeling that was your FD car haha!!! I remember in old interviews you were saying that you do use the car for rally! Hope you get more sponcers this year or next!

[Bebop]

Your the man Stephan!!

Thanks for the weekend run down!