Skip to main content

Rhys Millen Races Around D.C. Ahead of the Red Bull Global Rallycross 2014

In his 23 years of living in the U.S., New Zealand-born Rhys Millen never visited Washington D.C. But during his first trip to the nation’s capital, the Hyundai driver got the presidential treatment as he shredded through the streets past the city’s famous landmarks, in celebration of this weekend’s Red Bull Global Rallycross race.

Escorted by a motorcade and with plenty of police, fire department and service personnel nearby, Millen tore through downtown D.C., racing around the U.S. Capitol building and the Washington Monument. He ended his tire-screeching, road-ripping drive at RFK Stadium, where GRC will take place this Saturday, June 21, and Sunday, June 22. Check out the insane clip of his precision driving below, packed with burning rubber, revving engines and flying dirt that’s sure to get you geared up for the weekend’s intense motorcross competition.

“The motorcade was riding at a constant 35 mph,” said Millen, who drove the same car he will race with during the GRC. “We were going the posted speed limit, but I may have stretched it a little.”

Riding Out: Supercross Takes on the Northeast

Millen may have respected the speed laws during his tour of the city, but once his car is set to race, he’ll only be concerned with his rev counter and gear position. The GRC cars in the competition come from the factory as production models, but improvements to the engine, chassis and safety features make them race-ready. The cars are built to withstand jumps and contact with other vehicles, and do not operate with any electronic traction aids. Ford, Volkswagen, Subaru, Hyundai and Chevrolet are the official manufacturer partners of the series, and the companies’ cars will produce 600 horsepower and accelerate from 0-60 mph in 1.9 seconds once they hit the dirt and tarmac track.

Millen didn’t participate in the GRC last year due to sponsorship issues with Hyundai, and he’s coming off a 14th place finish in Rallycross at the X Games in Austin. The GRC returns to Washington D.C. for the first time in ten years, and Millen will join action sports legends like Tanner Foust, Scott Speed and Bucky Lasek in this year’s competition.

The Red Bull Global Rallycross race will air live on NBC on Sunday, June 22, at 2:00pm EST.