(Los Angeles – Today Nitro Rallycross, a disruptive new force in motorsports, announced its inaugural global season. The expanded Nitro RX series kicks off June 18-19, 2022 at England’s legendary Lydden Hill Race Circuit for the first of ten races staged in six countries, including Sweden, Finland, Canada and Saudi Arabia. Nitro RX will then bridge the calendar year to culminate in March 2023 with a championship event held in the U.S. A full schedule is listed below.
In 2022-23, Nitro RX is taking its groundbreaking tracks, with huge jumps and steep banked turns, to a host of new settings worldwide. Nitro RX will grow beyond its roots in outdoor dirt tracks, with drivers also set to battle on tarmac, inside stadiums, through street circuits and over snow and ice for a diverse range of race environments.
Travis Pastrana, Nitro RX mastermind and 2021 series champion says, “I’m so excited to see Nitro Rallycross expand into a full worldwide series. This is the action-packed, no limits racing that teams, drivers and fans have been looking for, and going global has been our goal from the beginning. We also have the fantastic opportunity to get things started at historic Lydden Hill, an iconic track that is the birthplace of rallycross and home to some of its biggest moments. We are going back to the beginning and making the changes we think are needed to take the sport to the next level.”
The 2022-23 Nitro RX season will also feature an expanded racing lineup led by the competition debut of the FC1-X, the most powerful vehicle in rallycross. Created by First Corner, LLC, in collaboration with QEV Technologies and Nitro RX, the FC1-X delivers the electric equivalent of 1,070 peak horsepower (800 kW) and accelerates from 0-60 in just 1.4 seconds, launching faster off the line than an F1 car.
Andreas Bakkerud, a highly decorated driver who got an early taste of what the new vehicle is capable of in demo sessions at Race of Champions, says, “The FC1-X blew my mind straight out the box, not only from a performance point of view but also with its toughness given the amount of laps we could do on a frozen lake up north in Sweden. The car itself is very promising to drive, loads of power – just like us rallycross drivers like it. It’s going be a blast going head to head with this new car and to see which team can first find that little detail in performance gain for the first few races.”
The FC1-X will flex its muscles in Nitro RX’s new top Group E division. Just as the legendary Group B cars set the rallycross world ablaze in the 1980s, Nitro RX’s new Group E class is set to make another quantum leap. That inspiration, supercharged by Nitro Circus’ limit-pushing DNA, will show the massive performance potential of electric vehicles unleashed by the fastest rallycross cars ever seen.
Pastrana adds, “I can’t wait to get on the starting line in the FC1-X and see what it can do in the heat of competition. With the car’s game-changing power, Group E will more than live up to the legacy of the Group B’s as it sets a new standard for the sport. This is what Nitro Rallycross is all about: getting the best cars in the hands of the best drivers so they can throw down on the best tracks, anywhere in the world.”
The FC1-X will serve as the A SHOC Energy #GoNitro star car, which returns for 2022-23. Last year, two NASCAR Cup Series champions - Kyle Busch and A SHOC Energy athlete Chase Elliott - put in strong performances in the #GoNitro driver’s seat, with Busch nearly making the podium. As fan engagement spiked, more stars from across the racing world took notice and now a growing lineup is eager to participate, including stars from F1, NASCAR, IndyCar, MotoGP and more.
In addition to the competition debuts of the FC1-X and Group E, Nitro RX 2022-23 will feature an expanded offering of high-impact racing. The iconic Supercar class will return, giving fans a double dose of elite rallycross competition while the developmental NRX Next division is back as well, providing a pathway for the next generation of drivers. Each series stop will also include additional special disciplines offering fans even more wide-open action.
On sale information will be announced shortly, and enthusiasts will also be able to watch the action away from the track through a robust slate of broadcast partners. In 2021, Nitro RX was available in over 200 territories on more than 14 platforms, including an exclusive U.S. partnership with NBCU featuring live coverage on Peacock. Look for more details on Nitro RX’s 2022-23 broadcast plans very soon.
Leading Nitro RX’s roster of commercial partners is innovative energy drink brand A SHOC Energy, who earlier this year announced a strategic alliance with Nitro RX’s parent company, Thrill One Sports & Entertainment. Foundational Nitro RX series partner Yokohama Tire is also set to return with more additions to the sponsorship roster to be announced.
Joe Carr, CEO of Thrill One Sports & Entertainment – Nitro RX’s parent company - says, “We’re thrilled to see Nitro Rallycross step onto the world stage and become a global motorsports property. Expanding to six countries, doubling the event calendar and running through the winter months shows the rising demand for this brand of high-adrenaline, fast-paced racing. We have exciting plans with broadcast and commercial partners that we look forward to sharing as anticipation builds for the 2022-23 season.”
2022–23 NITRO RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE*
June 18-19, 2022 // England (Lydden Hill Race Circuit)
July 30-31, 2022 // Sweden
August 27-28, 2022 // Finland
October 1-2, 2022 // Minneapolis, USA
October 29-30, 2022 // Los Angeles, USA
November 12-13, 2022 // Phoenix, USA
December 10-11, 2022 // Saudi Arabia
January 21-22, 2023 // Quebec, Canada
February 4-5, 2023 // Alberta, Canada
March TBA, 2023 // Nitro RX 2022-23 Series Finale // TBA, USA
(*Subject to change)