SALT LAKE CITY — The results are in from day one of Nitro Rallycross’ 2021 series launch in Salt Lake City.
Fans enthusiastically gathered at the birthplace of Nitro Rallycross, Utah Motorsports Campus, and watched live across the globe as the world’s best drivers competed on the first of Nitro RX’s bold tracks for 2021.
Nitro Rallycross has redefined racing with its huge jumps and intense action, and Friday’s Supercar competition did not disappoint. 2019 Nitro RX winner Timmy Hansen (SWE) set the table during Open Qualifying, taking first place to earn the top seed in Nitro RX’s new Battle Bracket round.
In this one-on-one tournament, the Supercar lineup faced off head-to-head with pole position in Day 2’s first qualifying heat on the line. The field narrowed in a hard-fought contest which saw Timmy Hansen’s car get taken out.
Rallycross legend Scott Speed (USA) then emerged to take on motorsports icon Travis Pastrana (USA) in an all-Subaru final, with Speed ultimately taking the win.
For Scott, the victory was about much more than race positioning: A hard landing during Nitro RX’s 2019 event left him with a fractured vertebra and sidelined him for over a year. “I just tried to compartmentalize it and drive well,” Speed explained. “It’s my first race back in competition. It means a lot to come back with the win [and] we’re starting the right direction for the weekend.”
Pastrana said, “As much as I wanted to win, I’m so psyched for Scott. He’s got the best reaction time of anyone in NASCAR, the best reaction time of anyone that Red Bull’s tested, and definitely the best reaction time on the Subaru team. I’ve learned so much from him. It’s great to see him back!” Pastrana added, “The battles are really awesome. New formats like this, that’s another reason why the racing is going to be so exciting in Nitro Rallycross.”