Nitro Rallycross returns this weekend at Trois-Rivières Quebec. The snow and ice will surely provide an added challenge for the drivers.
Group E Rundown
Robin Larsson will look to maintain his 45-point lead over DRR teammate Andreas Bakkerud this weekend. Fraser McConnell will look to close the 21-point gap between him and Bakkerud. Oliver Eriksson will look to do the same with the 21-point gap between him and McConnell. Travis Pastrana will look to be the fourth driver to cross the 200-point mark. Pastrana will also look to close the 15-point gap between him and Oliver Eriksson in an attempt to put himself back in contention for his second Nitro Rallycross title.
Group E Championship Standings
- R. Larsson 299
- A Bakkerud 254
- F. McConnell 233
- O. Eriksson 212
- T. Pastrana 197
- C. Martell 169
- O. Bennett 159
- K. Meeke 125
- K. Eriksson 101
Rally Class Rundown
Nitro Rallycross will debut a new class this weekend in Quebec, the Rally class. These aren’t your normal Rallycross Supercars such as the Subaru WRX STI Pastrana won with last season. These are your standard issue rally cars like the Subaru WRX STI Brandon Semenuk won the ARA championship with last season.
Unfortunately, Semenuk won’t be at the event this weekend, but there is still a former Rally champion attending this weekend. As 2022 Canadian Rally Championship winner Jerome Mailloux will be at the event this weekend in his championship-winning Subaru WRX. Joining Mailloux will be his Test Racing teammates Joel Mailloux and David Morissette. The Mailloux’s will be driving identical Subaru WRX’s and Morissette will drive an older Impreza. Alex Moreau will also attend the event in a Subaru Impreza. Joining the 4WD Subaru’s will be four 2WD rally cars. As Eric Dufour and Eric Courchesne will drive Volkswagen Golfs. Martin Langlois and Marc Antoine Camirand will drive BMW’s, with Langlois driving a BMW 320i and Camirand driving a BMW 318i.
Conditions
Nitro Rallycross Quebec will bring a new set of challenges for the drivers. As the track will be made of 100% snow and ice. To help with traction the drivers will use studded tires, otherwise, a few drivers would be in the snow banks more than on the track.
Honouring A Legend And Mentor
The rally and Rallycross world was and still is shocked by the sudden passing of Motorsport icon Ken Block. This weekend all Group E teams will have stickers on their cars honouring Block. Block’s longtime friend and rival Travis Pastrana took things one step further. As Pastrana will use a special livery on his FC1-X this weekend. The livery is inspired by Block’s first rally car with Subaru Rally Team USA, the iconic Snow Camo livery.
My name is Joe Moore. I am a writer for Belly Up Hockey, Belly Up Racing, and Belly Up Sports. You can find me on Twitter.
