Pastrana launches Nitro Rallycross into a new stratosphere

GROUNDBREAKING NITRO RALLYCROSS LAUNCHES NEW ERA WITH GLOBAL EXPANSION AND CUTTING-EDGE ELECTRIC SERIES

After the engines had cooled and the drivers had exited their cars in the inaugural Nitro Rallycross (NRX) race two years ago, Travis Pastrana had the biggest smile on his face as he high-fived and hugged everyone who was in his vicinity.

From the high banked turns to the 100 foot gap jump that nobody had jumped until practice 1, Pastrana had changed the game for rallycross racing. And now he takes NRX into a whole new stratosphere.

Due to the nature of NRX not being bound by FIA course guidelines, Pastrana had a blank canvas to create the most insane rally course out there and it resonated with the drivers. The best of the best came to race, and each of them left with an itch to get back to the track to compete for the title.

Announced today, the race that competitors hail as motorsport’s innovative future presents its next evolution: a full standalone championship series! Five races in total with each race on unique purpose-built tracks.

“Since day one, I have truly believed that Nitro Rallycross has the potential to be the most exciting motorsports series on the planet,” said Pastrana in a statement. “When we built the first NRX course in Utah we knew we had something special – from the drivers’ genuine smiles to the astonished fans as cars flew side-by-side over 100-foot jumps. Now, as we get ready for the next chapter of NRX, I’m more convinced than ever that this will bring top drivers from all disciplines to challenge themselves as their teams push the envelope in vehicle development. It’s going to be a hell of a ride and this is only the beginning.”

The racing kicks things off in 2021 ahead of a full 10-stop integrated global championship across North America, Europe and the Middle East in 2022. 

As if that news alone wasn’t big enough, a fundamental addition to the new championship is a revolutionary electric vehicle supercar class which will be introduced in 2022.

“The vision for Nitro Rallycross and the new FC1-X electric vehicle that has been developed is everything you look for as a driver,” says Johan Kristoffersson, newly crowned 2020 world champion. “This series is the perfect platform to showcase the new electric vehicles that are being produced and also provides the best test for us, as drivers to showcase our skills”

“From our very first race in Utah, we knew that Nitro Rallycross was destined to be a disruptive force in motorsports,” says Joe Carr, CEO of Thrill One Sports & Entertainment, parent company of Nitro Circus. “NRX was built for the next generation of fans and consumers – unrivaled tracks, elite electric vehicles, short-form racing and marquee drivers.  We are excited to expand to five races in 2021 and then launch our full electric series globally in 2022.”

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.

This is next level.

“Welcome to rallycross 2.0. Nitro Rallycross and Travis Pastrana have taken rallycross to another level,” said world champion Mattias Ekstrom. “NRX has redefined four-wheel motorsports in every way.”

Fueled by that industry acclaim, Nitro Rallycross will add four unique, purpose-built tracks for its 2021-2022 calendar in addition to its benchmark Utah showing. The lights will go green where it all began – at Utah Motorsports Campus just outside of Salt Lake City, UT next September with more races to follow in Washington state and Nevada in October, Arizona in November and Quebec in January 2022. The ten-race integrated world championship will kick off soon thereafter and will run through the year.

DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS MEANS? A SNOW RACE!!!

All of these competitions 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 environs. 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.

From the beginning, rallycross leaders have been very supportive of the progressive vision behind Nitro Rallycross and were deeply involved in the planning for its growth.

Carr stated, “This is not a new series concept based solely on renderings. Over the past two years, Travis and the Nitro Rallycross team have delivered a proof of concept to rave reviews and there is now demand to take the sport to the next level.” He adds, “Given the disruption and uncertainty around the 2021 rallycross calendar, the industry is looking for stability now more than ever and to align with the best platform to showcase their vehicles, driving abilities and provide the biggest possible audience for their commercial sponsors. Nitro Rallycross is ready to deliver on all fronts.” 

This news, which also includes the official unveiling of a sleek and sophisticated new logo, marks just the first stage of Nitro Rallycross’ strategic expansion. Looking further ahead, the property will accelerate its transformation of four-wheel racing with the debut of a next-generation electric competition – to run in parallel with its internal combustion competition – in 2022.

Nitro Rallycross organizers have worked closely with several top manufacturers such as Ford, Volkswagen and Subaru among numerous other OEM’s to develop the body for a ground-breaking vehicle platform with extraordinary performance abilities. The result of this collaboration is the innovative FC1-X, an all-new vehicle developed in partnership with First Corner, comprised of leading electric mobility company QEV Technologies and long-time rallycross team operator Olsbergs MSE.

The FC1-X is now fully developed and primed to begin testing in February. While based on an electric SUV platform, it is a pure racing machine through and through. The highest performing vehicle ever in the sport, it produces 1,000+ peak HP with all-wheel drive, is capable of three G’s of acceleration and can rocket from zero to 60-mph in under 1.5 seconds.

Andreas Eriksson of First Corner says, “We have been working with many leading OEM’s for over 24 months on the FC1-X. The end product is a testament to the collaborative approach to deliver the very best vehicle in electric motorsports that the OEM’s will be proud of. This vehicle will accelerate almost twice as fast as its nearest competitor and other proposed electric offerings currently on the drawing board.” Eriksson expands on the platform’s anticipated commercial impact, “With the electric SUV category the fastest growing category for auto manufacturers, FC1-X and Nitro Rallycross will provide the perfect platform for OEM’s to highlight their new models rolling off the production line across the globe and generate a global fervour for their new vehicles, which will translate to purchases.”