Nitro Rallycross set to race North America

Nitro Rallycross announced the next steps of their global expansion today.

When Travis Pastrana announced in December of 2020, that Nitro Rallycross (NRX) would become a stand alone entity with multiple races and eventual races across the globe, drivers have been lining up to make NRX a featured event on their competition calendars.

The green flag drops this Fall in Utah where Nitro Rallycross begin its first of five events in four months across North America. Each stop will feature vast purpose-built tracks incorporating innovative course designs, mixed surfaces and the biggest jumps in the sport. Each track Pastrana has built so far changes the level of insanity that tracks are built.

What do the Drivers Think?

Two of the most accomplished and popular drivers out there; Ken Block and Tanner Foust who have been a part of NRX since the beginning offered continued support for the growth efforts.

“NRX is the best. and the wildest rallycross track ever built in the history of rallycross,” said Block.

Foust added; “From day one, the track that comes from the mind of Pastrana was the most unique, exciting, fun, amazing rallycross track ever built. The entire course is exactly the kind of crazy that you would expect from Travis. The track we race on are tracks you imagine and play in video games. Thanks to the vision of Travis, these video game dreams come to real life.”

Inaugural NRX Champion Timmy Hansen added; “First of all, to take this idea from a vision to reality was an incredible achievement. When you first start to test the car on the track, it feels like nothing you have ever raced before. Transitioning from massive jumps to banked turns is an incredible feeling. There are so many possibilities created within this track. Most often in rally racing, there is one line and as a driver you have to find a way to optimize that one line to win the race. With this track for the Nitro World Games, it breeds creativity in driving and that is rare and unique. You have to drive by feeling and that is what makes it so incredible.”

This is next level.

“It is so awesome to see the momentum building for Nitro Rallycross. The reaction from teams has been fantastic. We’ve already confirmed more supercar entrants than ever before in an NRX event. Building four all new, unique and crazy tracks for this year to go along with Utah Motorsports Campus is something all of us have been working toward for years. It’s going to be round after round of new challenges and excitement.”

Travis Pastrana via statement

The Race Details

Utah Motorsports Campus, NRX’s home since its 2018 inception, will kick off the 2021 series on September 24^th and 25^th. Back-to-back weekends at Wild West Motorsports Park near Reno, Nevada and ERX Motor Park outside Minneapolis, Minnesota will immediately follow. Then on November 13^th and 14^th, the racing resumes at Phoenix’s Wildhorse Motorsports Park before culminating December 4^th and 5^th at The FIRM (Florida International Rally & Motorsports Park) located between Jacksonville and Gainesville.

As the series expands into more markets across the globe, each will feature purpose-built permanent tracks in keeping with the spectacular size and scope of Nitro Rallycross’ original Utah home, but with a wide variety of locations reflecting each race’s unique environments. Every track will be different, with diverse settings and surfaces ranging from urban areas with paved streets to remote expanses with dirt and ice tracks. Each location will also showcase extraordinary backdrops encompassing deserts, forests, mountains, cityscapes and more.

Developing the Next Champion

According to Thrill One Sports, the parent company for NRX, each stop will also include a separate NRX NEXT competition to provide the next generation of emerging talent an opportunity to hone their skills in this pioneering new motorsport discipline. Drivers from both ranks will also have the opportunity to train on NRX’s cutting-edge courses year-round, ramping up progression further still, since all tracks will be a permanent addition to each facility.

“With Nitro Rallycross, we are looking to redefine what’s possible and to do it as safely as we can,” said Pastrana. “Pushing the envelope on such unique and high-flying courses requires time and practice. Now, having access to these tracks gives teams the chance to test the new jumps, learn more about the different surfaces and find new lines, ultimately giving drivers the confidence to open it up on race day.”   

Pastrana once again is leading the charge to continue to evolve the action sports world for the better. What do you think he will do next?