Former X Games Gold Medallist and GRC winner Deegan eyeing rallycross return

Former X Games gold medallist and freestyle motocross star Brian Deegan is eyeing a return to rallycross.

American driver Deegan first sampled four-wheel motor sport in 2009, racing in the LOORS (Lucas Off Road Racing Series] and winning the title as a rookie. Having previously become interested in four-wheel competition by watching two-wheel rival Travis Pastrana and rally legend Colin McRae competing at X Games 12 in 2006, Deegan finally made his maiden rallycross Supercar appearance in Summer X Games 2009, driving an Olsbergs MSE Ford Fiesta (MK6) to finish fourth.

Racing a newer MK7 Fiesta for the X Games 2010, Deegan scored a brace of silver medals behind Tanner Foust, before he subsequently raced in the Global Rallycross Championship over a six-year period from mid-way through the maiden 2011 campaign, during which he switched from the OMSE stable to Chip Ganassi Racing (for 2015). His GRC tenure included 18 podiums from 42 starts, in which time he claimed a pair of wins – an X Games gold in Los Angeles in 2011, and victory in his final rallycross appearance to-date, also in Los Angeles, in 2016.

Now Deegan, who has recently returned to four-wheels in off-road racing, is eyeing a rallycross comeback.

“I hear they’re doing an electric rallycross series next year, and I’m in, I want to race more,” Deegan told Rallycross World. “If [a] rallycross opportunity comes up I want to be a part of it. I love rallycross, the sport’s so fun and I think you can still do it at an older age, because it’s car racing – the car’s kind of the equaliser, I’d love to do it. I’m trying to figure out a way to get involved and I think it would be awesome.”

More detailed insights from Deegan’s rallycross career will be revealed in a project set to be launched by Rallycross World later this year, but for now, check out a range of images from his rallycross exploits below.

Racing head-to-head with nemesis Travis Pastrana at X Games 2010 – Deegan’s second rallycross Supercar drive

Watching Pastrana and Colin McRace inspired Deegan to sample four-wheel-drive machinery

Driving with Olsbergs MSE, Deegan’s more permanent rallycross transition began in 2011…

…with almost immediate success, winning X Games gold in the final round of the GRC that year.

Deegan came close to winning the GRC title in 2012, and claiming podiums in all but the first round, but was eventually beaten to the crown by team mate Tanner Foust. For 2013, he again raced in GRC, but also made his European Rallycross Championship debut at Kouvola in Finland, but was put out of contention by a puncture.

A late deal for 2014 kept Deegan in an OMSE Fiesta for what would be his final year with the Swedish squad.

He switched to Chip Ganassi Racing for 2015, to drive an M-Sport built Fiesta Supercar, but scored a single podium in LA.

Deegan returned to being a regular podium finisher in GRC 2016…

…and claimed victory in his final start to-date, in the last round of the season in Los Angeles

Deegan has returned to off-road racing recently, and is eyeing a return to rallycross.