For Immediate Release: Los Angeles, California, 5th August 2013; Bad luck and small mistakes plagued the Marklund Motorsport team at Summer X Games in Los Angeles, California.
The weekend began with Anton Marklund competing in the debut X Games Gymkhana Grid event, pitched against eight drivers, battling head-to-head against the clock, on an assault course consisting of hairpin bends, figure eight turns and 720-spins. Taking the fastest time on the left side of the track and qualifying second, Marklund, completely new to the style of driving, was a surprise medal contender.
Marklund won the first two races of his quarter final against Higgins, but blew the head gasket as he crossed the finish line after the second race. With smoke billowing from the car, Marklund attempted to compete in his semi-final against Sandell, despite the damage to the engine. Unfortunately the organisers pulled him back as the residue from the VW Polo R could’ve impacted the track for both him and the other drivers and was forced to retire. Marklund finished the evening in 4th place ahead of the event founder, Ken Block.
Speaking of Gymkhana Grid, Marklund commented, ”I qualified 2nd and won my quarter final against Higgins but the engine blew as I crossed the finish line, I was pumped to start the semi final, where I was head-to-head with Sandell, but in hindsight it would have made a mess of the track and even more of a mess of the car! I felt like I had a medal in my hands so I’m really disappointed with how the day ended but Gymkhana Grid was an awesome event to take part in, it was the first time I’d competed in anything like it and I can’t wait to do it again.”
Day two of competition saw both Marklund and guest driver, Timur Timerzyanov, compete in the headline GRC race. But, it was to be another day of bad luck for the team, with Timerzyanov losing a tough fought battle with Foust in his heat, leaving him with too much damage to make it to the last chance qualifier (LCQ) and Marklund not finishing either of his races after crashing with Millen and the tyre bank in his heat and then ploughing into the wall in the first few seconds of the LCQ.
”So, today wasn’t a good day for me! I wasn’t strong in seeding and I had a bad start in my heat, as I got further into it, I took a hit and broke my front suspension and ended up last of my group. Then the LCQ was even worse! Straight off the finish line I smashed into the wall, damaging the car and taking me out of the race – fingers crossed we’ll have better luck in Loheac,” stated Marklund.
Russian driver Timerzyanov explained, ”I feel that the Polo was good, we only had a few small things to adjust after practice and seeding and I felt like it could’ve gone so well. I had a good start in my heat but I made a mistake on the dirt, clipping the wall, causing me to lose time. Tanner caught up with me and we began to battle for 2nd, I tried to keep my line clean but we were side by side and he pushed me out on the last corner, breaking my suspension and causing me to finish 4th. Ten minutes between my heat and the LCQ wasn’t enough time to fix the car. It’s disappointing that we didn’t make it to the LCQ and final but it’s always small things that can cost you a race.”
The team’s next race is in the FIA European RallycrossRX Championship in Loheac, France, at the end of the month.
