Scott Speed overcame a mechanical failure to win this weekend’s Red Bull Global Rallycross event at Top Gear Festival Barbados, the first event of the 2014 Red Bull Global Rallycross season. It was the third career victory in the series for Speed, who transferred to the final via heat victory in the debut of the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross program.

The event was held at Barbados’ Bushy Park Circuit, the country’s premier motorsports facility, which received an extensive reworking in preparation for the weekend-long event.

“It was an awesome weekend,” said Speed. “We had the speed right away, but with a big mechanical in the heat race, we had to come from behind from that point on. The guys did a great job twice, getting the car ready to make qualifying and to make the last heat.”

Steve Arpin and Brian Deegan, two drivers to advance to the final via the last chance qualifier, rounded out the podium in second and third place, respectively. The event marked Arpin’s first career podium finish, while Deegan scored his fourth podium finish in the past seven Red Bull GRC events, dating back to last July. Formula 1 veteran Nelson Piquet Jr. and defending GRC Lites champion rounded out the top five.

The final was briefly red-flagged after an incident between Ken Block and Joni Wiman. After Wiman passed Block in the second-to-last corner, Block hit a curb, sending his car upside down and sliding into the concrete barrier on the frontstretch. Block walked out of the car under his own power, while his representatives confirmed that he was not injured.

Scott Speed