ROC: The public wants to see Sargent on Team USA

Last month, the motorsport world learned that the Race of Champions would return to Australia for the first time in 2025, this time at the Sydney Olympic Stadium.

Moreover, it is scheduled for March 7-8, i.e. the weekend before the Australian Grand Prix, so local racing fans can only be jealous: two such exciting events will take place within just a week of each other.

It was immediately announced that seven-time Australian V8 Supercars touring car champion Jamie Whincup and five-time MotoGP champion Mick Duane will compete in the 2024 ROC. It is worth remembering that this is the father of Jack Duane, who won his Formula 1 will make its debut with Alpne – unless of course the Renault factory team’s plans change.

A week later it was announced that Germany would be represented in the race by its almost traditional participants: Sebastian Vettel and Mick Schumacher, and at the end of October news emerged that Sebastien Loeb, a nine-time world rally champion, would join them. from France, and Hayden from New Zealand. He is also a recognized master of rallying. He has won the national championship seven times and last year the title of European champion.

Recently, the list of ROC participants was supplemented with another well-known name: American racing driver Travis Pastrana, multiple winner of the X Games. This will be his 10th Race of Champions. But it is still unknown who will become his teammate in the US national team, and the ROC organizers asked the fans this question: who would they like to see in the same team as Travis?

And many mentioned Logan Sargedent, despite his poor performance in Formula 1 and being fired from Williams last summer. Although he had some flashes of speed, the public may therefore be curious about what he can do behind the wheel of other racing vehicles.

Other names include Scott Speed, a former Formula 1 and NASCAR driver, and other stars from the series including Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Joey Logano. The name of Joseph Newgarden, IndyCar driver and two-time Indy 500 winner, was also mentioned.

It is difficult to say with whom it will ultimately be possible to reach an agreement, because, for example, the IndyCar season starts on March 2. just a week before the Race of Champions, and in NASCAR typically on February 2, with an Arizona stage scheduled for March 9. However, NASCAR veterans Gordon and Johnson might agree, especially since both have experience competing in the ROC.

This is what Pastrana himself said about this: “We are very close to confirming my partner’s name for the upcoming Race of Champions, and I would like to think that we can seriously challenge for the US team victory in the Nations Cup, because we were close to this several times.”

Organizers promised that they will name new ROC participants in the coming weeks, and these will be representatives from a variety of racing series: Formula 1, WEC, NASCAR, world rally and the Australian touring car series Supercars.