This weekend was the second round of the Nitro Rallycross at the Elk River Motorpark circuit (Minneapolis). Subaru Motorsports USA had the intention of preventing the Hansens from winning again… even if it means employing funny strategies!
Nitro Rallycross: Saturday marked by strategy at Subaru.
From free practice, the Subaru drivers were very comfortable on the Minnesota circuit. Thus, Andreas Bakkerud set the best time in Practice 1 and Travis Pastrana did the same in Practice 2. Later, during the duels, Travis Pastrana found himself easily in the semi-final while Andreas Bakkerud, as in Utah, had to give up from the first duel. This time the clash was very close but Arpin was able to get the best of the 2019 vice world champion. Arpin will also go until the semi-final where he will face another Subaru, that of Scott Speed. The Canadian pilot will distinguish himself with a very impressive figure and a very brittle jump landing. Opposite Fraser McConnell was ahead of Kevin Hansen in their duel. However, the commissioners found one of the contacts at issue. The Jamaican then receives a 5-second penalty and loses his duel. Cruel ! This is NitroRX’s first “quack” of this Saturday. The championship which wanted to be “spectacular” penalizes pilots for light contacts. Disappointing. With this official help, Kevin Hansen flew over the debates and easily reached the final, beating Travis Pastrana in his semi-final.
semifinals did not disappoint ????@stevearpin | #GoNitro pic.twitter.com/wYylJbd6vo
— Nitro Rallycross (@NitroRallycross) October 2, 2021
And Finale Kevin Hansen confronts Scott Speed but the rain is coming. With it comes a strange strategy at Subaru. In order to ensure that Pastrana and Speed are in two different Heats on Sunday it is decided that Speed will only take the start. Ubuesque scene where Kevin Hansen is the only one to leave when the lights turn green. The triple GRC / ARX champion finally took the start and left the circuit very quickly. Victory on the green carpet for a Kevin Hansen, however, very fit on the ERX circuit.
Subaru domination on Sunday!
On Sunday, during the first Heat, Travis Pastrana easily won his race and thus qualified for the Final. Kevin Hansen takes second qualifying place. In the other Heat Andreas Bakkerud made a brilliant start and made a superb inside maneuver at the first corner. Having started last, he is now second behind Scott Speed. The two Subaru remain untouchable and qualify for the Final.
In the Semi-Finals, the first race is hotly contested. While Steve Arpin qualifies relatively easily behind Cabot Bigham, Oliver Bennett and Tanner Foust are battling for second qualifying place. Finally, Bigham took advantage of an error by Foust in the last corner to qualify. Unfortunately, the marshals came back to change the results of the race and imposed a 5-second penalty on the driver of the red and black Audi. Finally, his teammate at Dreyer Reinbold Racing gets second place and goes to the final. In the other semi-final everyone seems able to land their winning ticket. But at the finish it was Timmy Hansen who narrowly won ahead of Fraser McConnell. Oliver Eriksson and Robin Larsson come close to qualifying.
On LCQ (Last Change Qualifier), as in Utah, the spectacle is there! Liam Doran is the first to retire following a broken steering after a collision with another competitor. Oliver Bennett is excited and takes control of the race. The Mini pilot attempts a shot with a premature Joker trick. The strategy seems to be paying off but the Mini lacks speed to get ahead of Robin Larsson and fly to the final. In front, Oliver Eriksson wins at the wheel of his Ford Fiesta. Behind, Cabot Bigham rolls over and destroys his Audi S1. Big shock but fortunately no sores for the Canadian.
In the Final, the first corner is hotly contested and the top 5 is a mix of Subaru and 208. Very quickly Travis Pastrana, Kevin Hansen and Scott Speed take the lead while behind Andreas Bakkerud and wrestling with Timmy Hansen. Bakkerud hits the dirt wall that separates the track and rolls his tire. The Norwegian narrowly avoided the accident, took back his Subaru and managed to continue his race. Unfortunately, he won’t be able to do anything to get back on the top quartet and finish the Final in 7th place. Up front, Scott Speed plays a good Joker Tower strategy and takes advantage of his teammate to surround Kevin Hansen and prevent him from passing the Subaru. Hansen is relegated to third place and will not be able to come back to the Subaru. Scott Speed wins the race ahead of Pastrana. Kevin Hansen steps onto the podium as his brother Timmy manages to contain Fraser McConnell and finishes fourth. Robin Larsson is sixth, Tanner Foust eighth ahead of Steve Arpin and Oliver Eriksson.
In the championship Scott Speed goes back to first place tied on points (87) with Timmy Hansen. Kevin Hansen (85) is third in the wheels of the two leaders. Travis Pastrana, fourth, is now 10 units behind the younger Hansen brothers. Fraser McConnel rounds out Speed’s top 5 at 19 points.
Next meeting for the Nitro Rallycross mid-November at the Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park (Phoenix, Arizona). A long break which will allow us to take stock of these first two races.
Article published on October 4, 2021.
Photo credit: DirtFishMedia
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