Loenbro Motorsports has announced a tie-up with Hoonigan which will see Steve Arpin campaign a partial Americas Rallycross season alongside Ken Block.
Arpin, who was a championship contender in Global Rallycross, has long been expected to move over to the new IMG-led series for this season, and follows GRC champions Scott Speed and Tanner Foust, as well as Patrik Sandell and Chris Atkinson in moving over to the new championship.
“The support from our owners, Paul and Jon Leach of Loenbro, our sponsors and our fans during our GRC run has been unbelievable,” Arpin said. “We have accomplished so much as a small, private team. We’ve earned a tremendous opportunity to work closely with Ken Block and Hoonigan.”
Arpin and Loenbro’s allignment with Block will be part of a three-way technical and marketing alliance, which will involve Loenbro Motorsports continuing the development of the Ford Focus RS RX which has been campaigned by Block in World Rallycross for the past two seasons.
Block said he was “excited about partnering with Steve on my 2018 rallycross plans.”
“Steve and his team have offered to continue with development of the Ford Focus and I think they’re a great partner for myself and my team when it comes to ARX,” he said.
Arpin finished third in the GRC points standings last year, ending the season as the highest-placed privateer entrant after racking up two event wins and a further five podiums. Block last competed in rallycross in the US back in 2015 where he took three wins and led the points standings for much of the year, only for a late season slump to drop him down to seventh in the final rankings.
Block has confirmed he will compete at both Trois-Rivières in Canada and at Circuit of the Americas. Arpin’s programme is expected to be similar.
