Rallycross phenom Mitchell deJong will make his long-awaited race debut in a First Corner FC1 Hypercar this weekend, taking on the debut event of RallyX Americas at Crandon International Raceway. Under the mentorship of the legendary Tanner Foust, deJong will step into Foust’s car and carry the colors of Optima Batteries on his FC1 for this weekend’s event.

deJong was one of America’s top young rallycross talents in the 2010s, winning two X Games medals and dominating the 2014 GRC Lites championship with seven wins in nine finals. He scored a top five finish in his first full Supercar season in 2017 with three podiums. After a long break, he returned to the sport in 2024 with two wins and four podiums in four races in the FC2 with BAK40 Motorsports.

In sim racing, deJong has also established himself as one of the world’s most successful drivers. Having appeared in many of iRacing’s premier global esports championships, winning multiple iRacing Rallycross titles and eNASCAR races along the way, he has long been a factory Porsche esports driver through his team, Coanda Esports.

“I’m super excited to make my FC1 debut this weekend in the Optima Batteries car,” said deJong. “Filling in for a legend like Tanner Foust is pretty surreal. The last time I raced at Crandon I was 14 years old, so coming back 14 years later and getting the chance to compete against the best drivers in the sport is something special. I can’t wait to get on track.”

Foust was the first American driver to establish himself as a global force in rallycross, winning GRC championships in 2011 and 2012, adding another in ARX in 2019, and taking numerous World and Euro RX wins along the way. Prior to that, he was a two-time Formula Drift champion and multi-time X Games gold medalist; he also remains one of the most sought-after personalities and stunt drivers in the TV and film industry. Foust took part in the inaugural RallyX Americas demo at Crandon last fall and will return to the series later in the season.

“Mitchell deJong has demonstrated his winning DNA for years in rallycross,” said Foust. “It’s shocking he hasn’t had his chance to compete in the FC1 car yet, so I’m happy to help create that program through my relationship with Optima Batteries. Also, this weekend Lia Block will be carrying the Optima flag for the first time. I look forward to growing that collaboration and hopefully to being a small part of Lia’s inspiring career. 

“Thank you RallyX for bringing professional rallycross back to the states!”

BUY 2026 RALLYX AMERICAS TICKETS:

• June 19-21 | Crandon International Raceway | Click here
• June 26-27 | Eldora Speedway | Click here
• August 22-23 | Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières | Click here