Ford Racing won the Red Bull Global Rallycross (GRC) at Las Vegas as Olsbergs MSE’s Joni Wiman piloted his Ford Fiesta ST to the 2014 championship, with Ken Block winning the event.

Wiman bested fellow Ford driver Ken Block, who won his second race of the season, by five points en route to the fourth straight driver series title for Ford and the first of his career.  Ford also clinched its fourth straight manufacturers’ championship after Round 7 at Los Angeles earlier this year.

“I had to try to take down Ken, but he was a bit too fast,” Wiman said after finishing second in the race, and celebrating the drivers’ championship. “In the final, the start was very good for us, but unfortunately there was the red flag and the restart wasn’t very good. I was third after the first lap but we played it well with the Joker Lap and at that point I knew that staying right behind Ken would be enough for the championship and I just brought the car to the finish line from there.”

"We are incredibly proud of Joni and the entire OMSE team," said Jamie Allison, director, Ford Racing.  "To win a championship as a rookie is remarkable.  The combination of driver talent and the phenomenal OMSE team effort were key contributors to four championships in four seasons.

"It has also been a phenomenal season for SH Rallycross and Hoonigan Racing Division.  The success of our Ford teams this season with a podium finish in every race proves that the Fiesta ST remains the rally car to beat."

Block made it close by running a perfect weekend, winning his heats, the semi-final and final, closing the championship gap from 11 points to five.

“I did everything I could to try to win the championship but it wasn’t enough,” said Block. “It was really out of my hands because it came down to what happened with Joni. I did everything I could by winning the heat and winning the race but it wasn’t enough.”

“I am disappointed, but really proud of my team that with everything we went through this year we were able to come this close. My Ford Fiesta, the setup of it and what we are doing as a team is probably the best rallycross car in the world.”

While Block was disappointed coming up just short, for Wiman it was the culmination of a tough rookie season in SuperCar after bringing home the Lites championship in 2013.

“My Ford Fiesta ST has been running really well all season. It has just been up to the driver and I am really happy to be able to take this for the whole team and everyone that has been with me.”

Fellow Ford championship contender Nelson Piquet Jr. suffered bad luck, breaking a gear box in the semi-final round and was unable to compete in the last chance qualifier (LCQ).  All three drivers entered the season finale with a shot to take home the championship, capping another stellar season on the track for Ford.

“No question, this was the toughest championship we’ve won,” said Olsbergs MSE CEO/Team Principal Andreas Eriksson. “It was a tough one, but I am also really proud of Ken (Block’s) success and how he progressed as a driver. When I met him in the beginning he was a wild guy and now he is simply a really good driver and he has shown the whole world that.

“In many ways this is the most satisfying championship because I lost all my star drivers after last year and I brought in new people that nobody knew who they were. I brought in Topi Heikkinen (2013 champion) last year and everyone thought I was crazy and we won, and now I have done it with Joni. That proves I can find the right guys and make them winners.  But it was the hardest one because we didn’t get all the results we wanted and there were a lot of sleepless nights.”

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