The Nitrocross 2024-25 season kicked off in spectacular fashion at Richmond Raceway, marking the series' first venture east of the Mississippi River since 2021. Transforming 'America’s Premier Short Track' into a dynamic 1.25-mile racing venue, the event featured a signature gap jump on the start-finish straight and a challenging 60:40 split of dirt and pavement. This unique setup not only revived dirt racing at Richmond for the first time since the late 1960s but also introduced its inaugural multi-surface racing event.
Group E Racing Highlights
Two-time Group E champion Robin Larsson showcased his prowess by dominating the first race day at Richmond. Driving for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing JC, Larsson led from start to finish in the final, adding to his impressive performances as the top qualifier and heat winner earlier in the day. He completed the race just a second ahead of Oliver Eriksson, who secured his first podium since last year's victory at Glen Helen Raceway. Fraser McConnell rounded out the podium, recovering from a slip to fourth early in the race, aided by Andreas Bakkerud's late-race retirement.
Reflecting on his triumph, Larsson said, “It’s been a really good day. I was a little bit worried going into this one. It’s a lot of tarmac and I’m not a big fan of tarmac for my driving skills, but when you get the confidence that you’re faster and you can drive on a completely different level, you get a whole ‘nother calm in your body. I’ve had the perfect day thanks to the team.”
Eriksson acknowledged the competitive nature of the race, stating, “It was too bad. We fought too much in turns two, three, and four here. Robin got some air and from there. When Robin gets some air, it’s hard to do something.”
McConnell, appreciative of his team's support, remarked, “It’s incredible. It’s the first of many that will come, big shout out to Dodge allowing us to represent the Hornet R/D – I think it looked really good out there. Nitro couldn’t be a more perfect fit for the whole brand.”
The second day of racing saw Oliver Eriksson capitalize on Fraser McConnell's first-lap error to claim his first victory of the season in the Group E class. Eriksson, driving for Olsbergs MSE, executed a strategic pass after McConnell's half-spin and maintained his lead despite pressure throughout the six-lap final, securing a win earlier in the season than ever before.
Reflecting on his winning strategy, Eriksson expressed, “I just feel bad for Frazzz through all of this. I was tucked in right behind, that was my plan: not to risk anything. That’s been my approach this season, I wanted to finish races this year.”
McConnell, while disappointed, noted, “Great start, went into Turn 2 in the lead, Turn 3 tried to be nice and neat, and then I just got spun around. It’s tough to swallow.”
Viktor Vranckx made history as Group E's youngest-ever podium finisher at 19, finishing third. “I feel super happy. I’m grateful for the team – this is really a team effort. I’ve been working hard in the off season, but they had a non-stop off-season. They were working on the car since I crashed in Vegas, so their hard work is paying off as well,” he said.