With the next generation of Hyundai buyers eagerly awaiting the upcoming launch of the 2012 Veloster, Hyundai fuels the excitement by teaming with Rhys Millen Racing (RMR) and Red Bull to campaign the car in the high-energy sport of rallycross.
At the Chicago Auto Show, Hyundai Motor America adds the Veloster coupe to its motorsports program with the help of champion race car driver Rhys Millen, who fabricated and will race the first 500-horsepower AWD Veloster rally car in the 2011 U.S. Rallycross Championship. RMR and Hyundai are constructing a second Veloster rally car that will be a shared ride between rally champion Marcus Dodd and world record freestyle motorbike rider Robbie Maddison. Millen and Maddison will drive the Veloster rally cars at Summer X Games. A third Veloster rally car will be constructed to compete in the 2WD class in limited number of U.S. Rallycross Championship events and will be piloted by to-be-announced celebrity drivers.
2011 U.S. RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE (schedule is subject to change)
Rd. 1March 26-27Irwindale Speedway, Irwindale, Calif.
Rd. 2April 16-17TBA, West Coast Venue
Rd. 3June 18-19Pikes Peak International Raceway, Pueblo, Colo.
X Games 17 July 26-31Los Angeles, Calif.
Rd. 4Oct. TBDRoad Atlanta, Atlanta, Ga.
Rd. 5Oct. 29-30N.J. Motorsport Park, Millville, N.J.
We feel the Veloster is a perfect fit for X Games and the U.S. Rallycross Championship series as we expand our motorsports efforts, said Mike OBrien, vice president, Product and Corporate Planning, Hyundai Motor America. The all-new 2012 Veloster is a playful, fun to drive car and thanks to Rhys and his team were excited to introduce it to racing fans ahead of its launch this summer. I teamed up with Rhys father, Rod, nearly twenty years ago for Hyundais original Pikes Peak rally program, so it is great to be back in the sport again with his son inspiring a new generation.
The Veloster Concept inspired me to expand Hyundais motorsports program back into their routes of rally, said Millen, professional race driver and founder of RMR. Weve transformed the Velosters lightweight, rigid architecture into a rally car with an engine producing 500-horsepower and 600 lb.-ft. of torque. We hope some of the performance learnings from the Veloster rallycross program have a role in the development of future Veloster models.