The long awaited and highly anticipated event had finally arrived. On December 3-4, 2010, Gymkhana Grid held its inaugural competition, the Ken Block Invitational at Irwindale Speedway. Drivers from different disciplines, ranging from time attack to rally to drifting, composed the driver roster.

AWD and RWD: Two very different classes

The two driveline classes at Gymkhana Grid were AWD and RWD. Since the all-wheel drive machines have power going to all four tires compared to rear-wheel drive, there was a noticeable difference in tactics when it came to navigating the course. We asked Rockstar Energy Drink's Tanner Foust what he thought of the AWD class and gymkhana and he stated, "I wasn't sure what to expect of the course and the competition. I've watched Ken Block's videos which were exciting, but it's totally different driving the course. While the tight track layout levels the playing field a little for the lesser-powered cars, I noticed that the layout really does cater to rally cross, giving the short wheel base, all-wheel drive competitors an edge for fastest times."

RWD: Pushing The Front Tires

The rear-wheel-drive class was composed primarily of Formula Drift's pro drivers. Some had experience from the Hollywood Park teaser held in August, while others were trying the grid for the first time. Kevin Abbring and the virtually-stock bio-methanol-powered 350Z of the BioMCN/Bas Koeten Racing team were invited from the Netherlands to compete. Abbring said, "(Gymkhana Grid) is great, it combines a lot of different driving techniques and motorsports elements. We were competing against cars with twice the horsepower and half the weight." He went on to finish the competition in third place. Dai Yoshihara was the dominant competitor in the RWD class, piloting the V8-powered Discount Tire 240SX. His focus was reflected in his track times, getting around the course in as little as 52.394 seconds. His flawless performance (not a single penalty assessed throughout the eliminations) and precision driving earned him a spot in the finals. John Russakoff pushed his F20C-powered Toyota Corolla AE86 to its limits, battling his way through the eliminations and climbing into the finals against Yoshihara. But the underdog Russakoff could not find a weakness in Yoshihara's game, accepting the runner-up position on the podium. "Overall the event was really cool," says Russakoff. "I found it quite affordable to compete, as I only used ¼ of the amount of tires compared to a Formula Drift event. I would certainly come back to compete again!" Yoshihara adds, "I liked how the event was timed. There is always a clear winner. Although the layout was confusing at first, after a few laps you'd have the course memorized. The required elements (like drifting) are not necessarily the fastest way around the track, but they add flair that challenges drivers and pleases the crowds."

AWD: Turnin' & Burnin'

The AWD competitors battling for dominance hailed from a variety of backgrounds. The dominant players in the class happened to be rally and rally cross drivers. But mechanical issues plagued several teams. Crawford Performance's STI suffered issues that could not be remedied in time to put driver Bucky Lasek on the grid against Block in the first elimination round. Andrew "ACP" Comrie-Picard's Evolution experienced a fiery failure while going around the last barrel, barely making it to the finish line.

All Fiesta Finale: The Technician And The Showman

The AWD finalists also happened to be the quickest. Foust and Block, both driving OMSE-built Ford Fiestas, seemed to benefit from their rally experience despite having different backgrounds. Block was training for rally competition when his internet sensation exploded from his practice videos demonstrating precision driving and showmanship. Foust's no-nonsense technical style could be seen in his execution of the course. In the first run, Foust locked in the quickest time of the entire weekend, a 49.581. Unfortunately, a hit cone in the slalom penalized him an additional second, giving him a 50.581, but it was enough to beat Block, who ran a flawless 50.688. After swapping sides, the lights turned green and both Fiestas lapped the track without error, but Foust's quicker time of 50.787 earned him the victory at the Gymkhana Grid Ken Block Invitational. Foust comments, "Learning to drift in a RWD is just as important as "hooning" in an AWD. I wasn't used to "playing around" in the car compared to rally cross or circuit racing, but all of these experiences combined for a win at Gymkhana Grid. Ken's a good driver and I look forward to competing against him again in the future." Block concludes, "My main goal was to put on a great event and I think we succeeded at that, so I don't mind the second place finish. Plus I am sure Tanner will be back for a rematch. Things are looking good for the Gymkhana Grid Series for 2011. We hope to see it grow into a bigger series with a proper championship event to wrap up the season."