Nitro Rallycross

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Nitro Rallycross
Nitro Rallycross logo.png
CategoryRallycross
CountryUnited States
Inaugural season2021
ClassesSupercar
NEXT
Drivers' championTravis Pastrana
Official websitenitrorallycross.com
Motorsport current event.svg Current season

Nitro Rallycross (Nitro RX, abbreviated to NRX) is an American rallycross racing series. Created by rallycross driver Travis Pastrana and the Nitro Circus production in 2019, its inaugural season began in 2021. The championship is sanctioned by the United States Auto Club.

History[]

From 2018 to 2019, rallycross was a sport in the Nitro World Games at Utah Motorsports Campus. In late 2020, it expanded into its own series with plans of running the inaugural season in 2021 and debuting an electric class in 2022.[1]

Although American rallycross leagues like the Global Rallycross Championship and Americas Rallycross Championship had failed, NRX founder Pastrana envisioned the series as an inexpensive discipline that did not need to rely on heavy manufacturer support.[2]

NRX cars raced with internal combustion engines in 2021 while electric vehicles will be introduced in 2022;[3] the electric class will join its ICE counterpart at race weekends but host its own races.[4] The electric vehicles will be built using a battery-powered SUV platform called the FC1-X, which is developed by First Corner – a joint venture between QEV Technologies and Olsbergs MSE, the project received manufacturer support such as Ford, Subaru, and Volkswagen. The FC1-X began testing in February 2021 and will make its racing debut at the 2022 Race of Champions.[3][5]

Tracks[]

NRX tracks are purpose built with mixed surfaces and jumps.[6] Speaking with DirtFish in March 2020, Pastrana stressed the construction of such courses with an emphasis on dirt, high-banked corners, and large jumps, comparing his plans to motocross courses as "every track was unique." As part of the series' development, Pastrana built a test circuit near his house.[2] The series also races on "short course" dirt tracks used in the defunct Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series such as Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Arizona.[7]

Additional races in Canada, Europe, and the Middle East are planned for 2022.[3]

Race format[]

Race weekends feature the main Supercar class and the NEXT developmental division; while the Supercars have one race per weekend, NEXT runs two.[8] A weekend is split into two days, with the first consisting of qualifying while racing takes place on the second.[9]

After single-lap qualifying is conducted, drivers are paired up into a bracket tournament called battles, with the winner of each battle receiving a point in the championship. The winner of the bracket is rewarded with pole position for the next day's races.[9]

The second day features a series of qualifying races to reach the final, with the top two in each race advancing. The first pair of heat races have eight cars and last five laps apiece, and those remaining are placed into two semi-final races. Drivers who fail to qualify for the final via the heats and semi-finals enter a Last Chance Qualifier.[9] The final consists of ten cars and points are allocated in five-point intervals beginning with 50 for the winner.[10]

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th
50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5
Bonuses
Battle winner 1


Champions[]

Year Driver
2018  Timmy Hansen (SWE)
2019  Kevin Hansen (SWE)
2020 Cancelled
2021  Travis Pastrana (USA)

References[]

  1. ^ Vijayenthiran, Viknesh (December 7, 2020). "Travis Pastrana launching an electric rallycross series in 2022". Motor Authority. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Wilde, Dominik (May 12, 2020). "Pastrana's plan for a full Nitro Rallycross championship". DirtFish. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Glendenning, Mark (December 2, 2020). "Nitro Rallycross expands into full championship; adds electric class". Racer. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  4. ^ Wilde, Dominik (October 30, 2020). "Revealed: first details of 2021 Nitro Rallycross series". DirtFish. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  5. ^ "FC1-X Electric Rallycross SUV, to make competition debut at 2022 Race Of Champions". Race of Champions. November 15, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  6. ^ "Nitro Rallycross unveils inaugural calendar; broadcast schedule". Racer. March 11, 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  7. ^ "First Nitro Rallycross series schedule revealed". DirtFish. 2021-03-11. Retrieved 2021-10-28.
  8. ^ Wilde, Dominik (October 1, 2021). "How Nitro RX is tweaking its format for round two". DirtFish. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  9. ^ a b c Wilde, Dominik (September 22, 2012). "All you need to know about Nitro Rallycross's debut season". DirtFish. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  10. ^ "About". Nitro Rallycross. Retrieved October 5, 2021.

External links[]

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