Tannner Foust will run the full 2024/25 Nitrocross Group E schedule in the #34 FC1-X with sponsorship from Clarios and its Optima Batteries line.
Foust finished sixth in the inaugural Nitrocross (then Nitro Rallycross) Supercar championship, but his experience in the current top category is limited to a single weekend in 2023/24 at Utah Motorsports Campus, where he placed ninth and third. Most of this stems from his commitment to Extreme E and other projects, spending two seasons in the fellow electric vehicle series with McLaren and notching two second-place runs with Emma Gilmour, and competing in the Crandon World Cup in 2022.
McLaren replaced Foust with Mattias Ekström for the 2024 season, giving the former time to pursue other endeavours. Most of his projects so far this year have been working as an ambassador for brands like Optima, Ram Trucks, and Volkswagen.
With his recent focus on EVs, which includes being the first person to complete the NORRA Mexican 1000 in one in 2021, Clarios was more than eager to step up and fund a Nitrocross effort.
“Competition in the automotive space has proven to be one of the most effective ways to promote innovation and development in personal transportation,” said Foust. “We owe most of the technologies in our daily drivers to advancements made in motorsports. As we move to the world of hybrids and EVs, I believe it’s critical to continue this pace of innovation.”
The FC1-X electric rallycross car was introduced for the 2022/23 season. Clarios framed the entry as providing them with an opportunity to “test new battery technology in these extreme race conditions.”
“Foust has positioned himself at the forefront of EV development, performance, and new vehicle development projects, making a partnership between him and Clarios a no-brainer,” commented Clarios communications vice president Tom Downie. “Much like Nitrocross, our goal is to uplift emerging automotive industry technology and get people excited about future vehicle technologies.”
The five-weekend, ten-race 2024/25 Nitrocross season begins at Richmond Raceway on 7/8 September.