Nitro Rallycross Race Preview: ERX Motor Park

After a thrilling season debut last week at Utah Motorsports Campus, Nitro Rallycross returns to action this weekend at ERX Motor Park. Sure to be the fastest layout of the season, the 0.9-mile track traditionally used for short course off-road racing receives a slight makeover to better suit the 600 horsepower rallycross Supercars and NRX Next machines that make the full five-round national tour. Still, if you’re used to seeing ERX in Championship Off-Road action, don’t expect many surprises; this week’s action is all about being fast through the dirt. Red Bull Hansen’s Timmy Hansen was the fastest driver in single-car qualifying in Utah, and while a mechanical failure saw him lose to Subaru Motorsports USA’s Travis Pastrana in the battle brackets, he recovered for a Sunday heat win and eventual checkered flag in the feature after Pastrana gave up his holeshot lead before the jump due to a stall. Hansen enters the event with a four-point lead over Utah runner-up Steve Arpin, who raced frequently in Minnesota in the early stages of his career. Names like Pastrana, Tanner Foust, and Scott Speed, who have typically dominated the US rally and rallycross standings, all got on the board with final appearances last week, while former X Games gold medalist Liam Doran leads the list of drivers who were shut out of scoring points. The Supercar field also grows by one this week as local hero Andrew Carlson joins the fray, taking over the second Honda Civic fielded by Olsbergs MSE in a one-off appearance. NRX Next will see Casper Jansson and Martin Enlund attempt to break their points tie from two rounds in Utah, while George Megennis will aim to put the points lead into American hands with a second victory. Joining the field for the first time will be up-and-coming off-road racer John Holtger, who ran a full COR season in Pro Lite earlier this year. Of course, ERX is known for truck and UTV racing in the summer, and an invitation-only UTV race will flesh out an already stacked race program. Pastrana, Foust, and Carlson will pull double duty, while action sports icon Brian Deegan and Hansen’s Extreme E teammate and race winner Catie Munnings will also be on the grid. The rest of the field features top short course racers like Kyle Chaney, Scottie Lawrence, Corry Weller, Jason Luburgh, and Mia Chapman. Nitro Rallycross action from ERX Motor Park will stream live on Peacock at 3PM ET/12PM PT on both Saturday and Sunday. Following ERX, the series will take a break of more than a month before resurfacing at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park on November 13-14.

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