Here is a man who needs no introduction. What with his X Games Rally Gold and Silver medals, stunt driving, hosting SuperCars Exposed and the highly anticipated U.S. Top Gear, and now back to back Formula D Championships, Tanner Foust's name should be as household as Lysol, Tide or "subprime crisis."
And if you don't know who he is, go ahead and flip on over to page 74. The pictures of the cover model are over there, so check out what you came here to see and put us back down on the newsstand. Try not to put any creases. Hurry up, cause you're keeping us out of the hands of readers who actually care to know more about the greatness that is Tanner Foust.
Your second FD championship. How cool is that?
Bitchin! It's hard for anyone to finish at the top once, but a team's true capabilities are really proven when it wins back to back championships.
When the season began, did you think that you were going to do a repeat performance?
I was so relieved to get through 2007 that I was not expecting anything from 2008. I only hoped we could do well and prove to be a consistent threat in the series, even with all the trick toys other teams were bringing out. But to expect our aging Z to beat everyone was a bit of a tall order.
Besides swapping final drives for different tracks, what changes, if any, were made to the Rockstar/AEM Z33 from last year?
With the help from Rockstar we were able to spend some time on the car and freshen it up. We stripped it to the bare metal and stitch welded the car on its way to a complete rebuild. Besides the stiffer chassis and lighter weight, we also added a bit of steering angle to keep up with the 'Joneses'.
How was it working with Steph Papadakis and Shawn Hillier as your crew?
They suck! They keep making great, reliable cars just so they can put all the pressure on me! [laughs].
Steph is, of course, a great car builder and has made a career on that ability. His attention to detail and professional integrity will keep him earning work as a builder for as long as he wants. Shawn cranked it out this season and earned the Top Mechanic award at multiple events. These are the guys who make it all happen in our little world.
As one of our Formula D Diaries drivers, how was the experience?
I enjoyed reading what the other drivers had to say. It was interesting to hear what they thought of the tracks and what changes they made to set up for each venue.
Back in Chapter 5, Monroe, WA, you said: "Okubo accidentally hit my driver's side while closing the gap... HARD." Was that the hardest crash of the season?
That one may have been the hardest. I'm thinking about it and I don't think I hit the wall that hard this season. Whew! We used the same bumpers all year but the Okubo hit rang my bell a bit.
What was the worst crash you've ever been in?
I've dropped a motorcycle on the highway and rolled a street car, but the hardest crash I've had in competition was in a rally car. I dropped off a 30 foot cliff at 75 mph and lawn darted into a hillside. Even with my 5-point harness on, I cracked my helmet on the gear shift.
Ouch! How bad were the injuries?
Both my co-driver and I were extremely lucky. We walked away from the crash with only torn ligaments in our necks.
During competition at Monroe, WA, rain soaked the track. How do the wet conditions affect your driving?
I enjoyed the wet track. I come from an ice driving background and was a lead instructor at a performance ice driving school in Steamboat, CO for eight years. The slippery part didn't bother me and was pretty fun. The hard part is adapting to a track that is mostly wet but has little patches of dry that grab tires and spin you out.
Was the ice driving school where you built the foundations of your drift skills?
Absolutely. The time on the ice is where I really got addicted to the world of car control which lead me directly into drifting.