Red Bull Global Rallycross returns to Bushy Park Circuit in Barbados this weekend for the final double header event of the year and the penultimate rounds of the 2015 Red Bull GRC season.
After dominating in Los Angeles, Scott Speed goes into the weekend as the man to beat. He is also the defending Barbados race winner, having taken victory in the 2014 season opener at the circuit.
Speed’s performance in LA three weeks ago catapulted him from sixth to second in the points standings. The former F1 driver now lies just eight points adrift of championship leader Ken Block who despite winning three of the the opening five races, holds only a slender advantage after a weekend to forget last time out.
Block will be hoping to banish that bad luck in Barbados, especially after spectacularly rolling out of the lead of the final during last year’s visit to the island.
There may be three races left in the 2015 season but it’s still all to play for in the championship fight.
Five drivers – Bock, Speed, Sebastian Eriksson, Patrik Sandell and Nelson Piquet Jr. – have the potential to leave Barbados with the points lead, while five drivers – Piquet, Tanner Foust, Steve Arpin, Joni Wiman and Austin Dyne – could drop out of title contention entirely if results don’t go their way this weekend.
This weekend’s track layout will be the longest in Red Bull GRC history. At 1.1208 miles long, the track will be the series’ first to run over a mile long and features a camelback jump which will see the cars take to the air twice in quick succession.
As well as changes to the track layout at Bushy Park, the entry list also features a few differences.
Sverre Isachsen will be the sole Subaru entrant this weekend, with Travis Pastrana and David Higgins‘ cameo appearances in LA their only confirmed events of the season.
Bucky Lasek is missing from the official entry list that was published earlier this week. Although no indication for his absence was given, the skateboarding superstar suffered a heavy crash on the second day of the LA event which took his car out of contention for the rest of that weekend.
Making a welcome return to the Red Bull GRC fold in Barbados will be Rhys Millen. After running one of his two Hyundai Veloster Turbos for the versatile Brian Wong in LA, Millen will be getting behind the wheel for the first time since the Las Vegas finale last season.
Motorsport icon Millen took two race wins last season and could have been a potential championship challenger this season had Hyundai not pulled their support of his eponymous team.
This year’s visit to Barbados also marks the first time that GRC Lites will race in the Caribbean nation. 10 entries will take to the track in the support series with nine drivers so far revealed.
As with Daytona, Detroit and Los Angeles, Friday and Saturday will take the form of a typical Red Bull GRC race weekend with an additional event taking place on Sunday.