Tomorrow, Hoonigan Racing Division’s Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino set out to bring home their first-ever Rally America championship title by competing in the final round of the 2013 season at the Lake Superior Performance Rally. LSPR is the 7th stop of the 2013 Rally America calendar and Block and Gelsomino find themselves in a position to bring home their first-ever championship. All they need to do is win the rally.
“This is definitely an exciting position to be in,” said Block. “We started off the season with some bad luck during the first three events, but we’ve gone out and won the last three and clawed our way back from the brink of a disastrous start. Now we’re set up for this ultimate battle in the final race. For us, it’s one of those must-win situations, but I’m feeling confident that we’ll have good pace on stage and that our car is properly dialed in. I’m ready to win this thing and bring home my first-ever championship title!”
While Block is fighting for his first-ever championship title, the man he’s doing battle with, David Higgins, is the defending champion from 2012 and 2011. Higgins also happens to be one of Block’s driving coaches from early in his rally career, setting up an interesting student vs. teacher moment for LSPR. Additionally, Higgins has a near-perfect record of always making the podium at Rally America events. But, this season, Block has won 48 of a possible 98 stages this season to Higgin’s 30.
The HRD duo of Block and Gelsomino have nabbed two second overall championship finishes and one third overall championship finish in the Rally America series, but that first overall title has eluded them. However, in this all-or-nothing final race scenario, they’re on the cusp of getting their first. An overall win secures the championship by tying fellow competitors David Higgins and co-driver Craig Drew for points, while giving the edge to Block and Gelsomino based on total number of events won throughout 2013.
To see if the HRD boys can bring home the championship, be sure to follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
throughout Friday and Saturday for updates.
