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Snoqualmie, WA, USA -- Teams are preparing to return to flat-out competition on Saturday after an exciting first day of action at Old Mill Adventure Park that saw veteran Swedish rallycross driver Andreas Eriksson emerge on top — after lining up against teammate Tanner Foust.

“This track is fun,” said Eriksson after the podium ceremony, as he stood in front of the Best Buy Ford Fiesta he drove to victory. “It’s very challenging and you can go hard and make time on your competitors. Tomorrow is going to be exciting when we get five cars out on the track at once.”

Friday was the first of two days of racing at the Twin Peaks round of the first-ever Global RallyCross Championship. On Saturday, the action heats up even more when the field of top drivers in two-wheel and all-wheel drive return to the course.

Drivers will be looking to start strong and stay out front as they navigate the inventive Twin Peaks course, which features hairpin turns, a 70-foot gap jump and competition that runs right through a century-old warehouse – all the while battling race traffic. It will be aggressive, non-stop racing all day long.

“It’s a narrow course, and it’s going to be close racing when we get five of us out there at once,” said driver Foust, who serves as one of the hosts of Top Gear USA when he isn’t behind the wheel of a racecar. “Saturday is going to be a great day for fans.”

Second place in Friday’s SuperRally racing went to Foust in his Rockstar Energy Drink Ford Fiesta. Third place went to Stephan Verdier, who pushed his Crawford STI past Subaru Rally Team USA driver Dave Mirra in one of the closest elimination rounds of the day.

The quarterfinal match-up between Mirra and Verdier saw the two drivers head-to-head through three close races that included bumping, door-to-door action and a finish-line pass. The final race of the three saw Mirra forced to concede to Verdier, in his Crawford STI, when his Subaru WRX STI suffered damage and he was unable to finish.

Mirra, a popular BMX rider who has more X Games medals than any other athlete in history, had a challenging day behind the wheel. He rolled the Team Subaru racecar while attempting to navigate a tricky corner underneath the gap jump. Spectators cheered as he landed on his wheels and crossed the finish – his car showing some battle scars. He will be back on the course on Saturday for the RallyCross competition.

The 70 foot gap jump also provided plenty of thrills for fans. In Joseph Burke’s first attempt, he approached with too much speed and jumped long, nosing the front-end of his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX into the dirt. The car suffered heavy damage to the front end and he crossed the finish line with smoke pouring out of the radiator. It remains to be seen whether his crew will be able to repair the vehicle overnight so that he can return to Day 2 competition Saturday.

In two-wheel drive, an unusual match-up between Oregon driver Cody Crane and Swedish driver Mikael Eriksson saw a scrappy, 1988 Honda CRX battle it out with a high-spec 2002 Porsche rallycross car. The racing was unexpectedly close and the fans cheered wildly for underdog Crane, but it was the Erikson in the 911 who took the class win.

Drivers in the Global RallyCross Championship are vying for a chance to win the first-ever series title – and a chance to earn an invitation to X Games 17 Rally competitions held in downtown Los Angeles this July. Two-wheel drive entries also have a shot at a prize purse to benefit grassroots competitors.

Fans tuned in to watch the action live on Facebook and ESPN3 where coverage streamed all day long. Full race coverage will air May 14 on ESPN2 (check local listings). The series has a multi-year programming relationship with ESPN, with Global RallyCross Championship broadcasts slated to follow NASCAR Nationwide and NHRA shows on ESPN and ESPN2.

In addition to the fierce door-to-door rallycross competition at the Old Mill Adventure Park, drivers will also be available for autograph sessions and a vendor midway will offer further entertainment for fans.

Tickets on Saturday are just $20 and are available at www.global-rallycross.com. Gates open at 11:30 a.m. Fans can also find the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/GlobalRallyCross) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/GlobalRallyX) to sign up for a chance to win tickets and other prizes.

The RallyCar organization sanctions the Global RallyCross Championship events. Competitors in the Global RallyCross Championship may also elect to score points in the U.S. Rallycross Championship.

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Photo: WorldRallySport | Matt Galantuomini