Foust, Pastrana for Team USA at ROC

Tanner Foust and Travis Pastrana are the latest drivers to be confirmed for next month’s Race Of Champions at Pite Havsbad in Pitea, Sweden. The pair will compete in both the individual contest, as well as the Nations Cup representing the USA.

Both are no strangers to the international all-star event, having appeared together in the 2009 edition of the ROC and winding up as semi-finalists in the team contest, while Foust also contested the 2008 event in London.

Pastrana, meanwhile, has a further seven appearances (2004-07, ’10, ’11, ’17), most notably reaching the final of the 2006 Nations Cup single-handedly in Paris after Jimmie Johnson and his replacement Scott Speed both withdrew through injury. He was set to contest the 2022 event but withdrew due to injury himself after being involved in a BASE jumping incident, being replaced by Colton Herta, who made it to the Nations Cup final with Johnson, only to be beaten by Team Norway.

“I’ve always loved the Race Of Champions, even if I have quite a track record of injuring myself down the years: I once raced in Paris with a broken leg and this year I broke my pelvis base jumping the week before,” said Pastrana. “So I guess I can’t claim to have mellowed much over the years… and I might now have to make a mental note to make sure I stay fit enough to be there in January!

“Then I’ll really look forward to racing with Tanner, having a blast on the snow and ice and hopefully winning Team USA’s first ROC Nations Cup since 2002.”

Pastrana heads to the Race of Champions as the reigning Nitro Rallycross champion and with six U.S. stage rally titles to his name. Foust is a four-time U.S. rallycross champion, and holds the event wins record for the discipline Stateside too, but has more recently been plying his trade in Extreme E with McLaren.

“It’s an honor to be coming back to the Race Of Champions again,” he said. “It’s been too long since my last visit but I’m thrilled to have a chance to compete against such an amazing lineup of motorsport greats from all over the world.

“I’ve done some ice racing too so I hope I can use that experience to help Team USA take on the rest of the world and maybe even surprise the Nordic teams. Either way, to hang out with Travis is always guaranteed to be memorable…”

Foust and Pastrana will be joined by the likes of Tom Kristensen, Thierry Neuville, Petter and Oliver Solberg, Mika Hakkinen, Valtteri Bottas, Johan Kristoffersson, Jamie Chadwick, Felipe Drugovich, Felix Rosenqvist and the recently announced Mick Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel at the snow and ice racing event on January 28-29.