Tanner Foust is becoming more recognizable in homes across America as the racer-turned-drifter-turned Top Gear America house has had his name splash and face plastered across many different mediums. Yet despite being a homegrown American racer, Foust has spent an awful lot of time drifting and driving in Japanese vehicles. Soon though, Foust will replace the Rising Sun with the Blue Oval.

Yes, that’s right. Jalopnik reports that Ford has swiped Tanner Foust to drive the Ford Fiesta for the World Rallycross Championship, competing against their own Ken Block, another recent defector to Ford. Supposedly, he got the job after Block missed a meeting for Blue Oval Scion, Bill Ford Jr.

Foust and Block are quite the rivals, with the Top Gear host out driving the DC shoe mogul at Block’s own inaugural Gymkhana event (hey at least we know it isn’t rigged.) Foust was also one of the key competitors in the Formula Drift Championship, giving eventual champion (and Ford Mustang driver) Vaughn Gittin Jr. a run for his money. Foust even took home the very first American RallyCross Championship. Now Ford is reportedly signing Foust to a $500,000 deal to drive the all-wheel drive Fiesta in the new RallyCross championship gaining popularity in America.

Jalopnik’s rumor brigade reports that Foust nailed the lucrative job down after Ken Block showed up 90 minutes late for a meeting with Bill Ford Jr…in shorts. In reality though, Block has his plate quite full with the World Rally Championship, Rally America, and other events. Besides, Foust already rocked a Fiesta in last year’s RallyCross championship (stealing the gold from Block) and as one of the faces of Top Gear America, he has a whole lot more pull and marketability then he did a year ago. Speaking of which, where’s that second season we were promised?