X Games Checkpoint: Stephan Verdier (US Race Report)
Currently third in Global Rallycross Championship points, Stephan Verdier remains the only non-Ford driver in the series to score a podium finish, quickly becoming the expert of alternate strategy by running clean laps by himself at Charlotte. Despite some rotten luck at Texas and an engine built for stage rally rather than rallycross, Verdier’s early-season performance has him confident in his chances at X Games, the “Super Bowl” of the GRC.
“I’m going to be definitely more aggressive than I was during the other races, but I’ve got to be smart about it too,” Verdier said. “Maybe instead of waiting in the back, I’ll be fighting with the guys up front from the start and try to see what I can do. But we’ll see after qualifying my times compared to the other guys. If I’m really close to them, there’s definitely a chance of me fighting with them.”
