Marcus Grönholm to sit out Las Vegas Global RallyCross event

Race winner Marcus Gronholm

Photo by: Michael C. Johnson

Inkoo, Finland, Friday September 21, 2012. Marcus Grönholm will sit out round 5 of the Global Rallycross series at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, pending a full medical review scheduled for the beginning of October to assess his progress since his accident at the X Games 18 in July this year.

Contingent upon the report from his medical team, Marcus will then decide whether to compete in the final round of the championship, which takes place on 30th October at SEMA Show, also in Las Vegas.

In the interim, international rallycross veteran and CEO of OMSE, Andreas Eriksson, will take up the entry for the Best Buy Mobile Ford Fiesta at this weekend’s event in Nevada. Andreas’ last rallycross appearance was in 2011 GRC at Snoqualmie, WA, where he was coincidentally substituting for Marcus and finished with a 1st and a 3rd place.

Marcus said, “I have worked hard on my rehabilitation since the accident at the X Games at the beginning of July. I feel fine, however doctors set a date in October in order to ensure I am 100% fit, so I cannot compete in Vegas and I will wait until the assessment before thinking about my next step.”

He continued, “I will however be in Las Vegas, and I can think of no-one better to fill in for me and keep the Best Buy Mobile challenge alive than Andreas. He is fast, but I can still give him some tips!”

While Marcus awaits his medical assessment in October, he remains busy making plans for 2013. “Of course competing in a car in some shape or form is my preferred option, but I have been busy developing lots of ideas for next season, some involving active competition, some involving different roles outside of the car, which will be quite different for me, but still will be exciting and challenging in equal measure. This way I can move forward with a clear plan regardless of the doctors’ verdict next month,” he concluded.

Source: Marcus Grönholm media