Americas Rallycross reveals expanded 2019 calendar.

PHOTO CREDIT: Americas Rallycross.

Americas Rallycross (ARX) have today announced an expanded 2019 ARX and ARX2 calendar, including two events in the Midwest at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Gateway Motorsports Park.

“Our new multi-year partners at Mid-Ohio and Gateway Motorsports Park are great additions to our ongoing partnerships with Circuit of The Americas in Austin and the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres in Canada as we expand our presence in North America," said Paul Bellamy, Senior Vice President of IMG Motorsports (promoter).

The season begins at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on June 8-9. The 10-turn, 0.7-mile ARX circuit will be located in the legendary “keyhole” section, with an aim of providing fans with a view of the entire rallycross course.

ARX will then travel to Gateway Motorsports Park in July. The 1.25-mile oval, just outside of St. Louis, Missouri will mark Gateway’s first-ever rallycross event. 

In August, Trois-Rivieres in Canada will host the ARX and ARX2 series alongside the FIA World Rallycross Championship. 

ARX also returns to Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas on September 28 before concluding the season with a second trip to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the Cooper Tires ARX of Mid-Ohio, October 5-6. 


“It’s super important to get these tracks off the ground and to get grassroots rallycross racing off the ground and going,” said Scott Speed, 2018 ARX Supercar Champion. “I think it speaks well for the future of the sport and I feel like the timing is right for this sport to really take off in our country.”

CALENDER CREDIT: ARX Rallycross.

JC Raceteknik acquire two Audi S1 Supercars from EKS.

PHOTO CREDIT: JC Raceteknik

Swedish rallycross team, JC Raceteknik have confirmed the acquisition of two Audi S1 Quattro Supercars from Mattias Ekstrom's EKS team. 

JC Raceteknik have competed in a number of rallycross events to date, including: the FIA ​​European Rallycross Championship, the RX2 International Series, the RallyX Nordic and the Winter RallyX on Ice.

The Swedish team has exclusively confirmed to Slipstream SA that they have purchased two 2017 EKS Audi S1 Quattro supercars, and will announce their 2019 plans in due course. 

But, with the acquisition of the two Audi S1 Quattro's, the team could enter the FIA World Rallycross Championship or even go for glory in the FIA European Rallycross Championship. 

The Audi S1 [EKS World RX] Technical Specification. 

Information: FIA World Rallycross

Ford Performance are assessing a potential World RX return.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Media

Ford Performance global director Mark Rushbrook has revealed that Ford are assessing a potential return to the FIA World Rallycross Championship when the series switches to electric power in 2021. 

Ford competed in the World Rallycross Championship for two seasons with Ken Block's Hoonigan Racing Division team. However, Ford announced its withdrawal from the championship in October 2017. 

Rushbrook spoke to Motorsport Magazine and has indicted that Ford Performance are interested in the full electrification of the World RX championship. 

“We continue to talk to IMG and the FIA and other OEMs to see who is committing to it, and we’ll come to a decision in March,” said Rushbrook.

“We withdrew in 2018 because that programme has served its purpose well for the Focus RS."

The Hoonigan Racing Division (with Ford Performance factory support) claimed three wins, two second place finishes and two third place finishes in the 2016 World RX championship. 
In 2017, the team were only able to secure two second place finishes and two third place finishes. 

“We do continue to study the possibilities for electrified motor sport, and rallycross is one of them.

“It makes sense as a good place to race full electric cars given what the event is: the performance, the duration and the passion or explosiveness of the cars.

“We think that could work really well on a full electric platform for motor sport. There’s a deadline coming up to commit to that.”

The FIA have informed World RX promoters [IMG] that they are required to sign at least three OEMs [Original Equipment Manufacturers] by March 2019, or the series will have to continue to use internal combustion engines. 

Source: Motorsport Magazine 
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/news/nascar/ford-boss-hybrid-nascar-horizon

Hansen Motorsport to compete in 2019 GRC Europe championship

The Hansen Family - Kenneth Hansen (left), Kevin Hansen, Timmy Hansen and Susann Hansen (right).
PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Media.

Global Rallycross Europe have today announced that Hansen Motorsport will compete in the new GRC Europe Series in 2019.

The Hansen Motorsport team will be run by 14-time European Rallycross Champion Kenneth Hansen. 

Kenneth Hansen's sons, Timmy and Kevin Hansen will be driving for the team.

The Swedes have been in the Rallycross discipline since the late 1980's. From 2014 onward, Hansen and Peugeot Sport joined forces to compete in the World Rallycross Championship under the banner: Team Peugeot Hansen. The team won the FIA World Rallycross Teams Championship in 2015.

In 2017, Peugeot Sport announced their intention to compete in the 2018 FIA World Rallycross championship with full factory support, but in October 2018, Peugeot Sport announced their withdrawal from the World RX Championship leaving both Hansen brothers without a seat for the 2019 season. 

Timmy Hansen competed in 350 World RX races and claimed 5 event wins, while his brother Kevin Hansen competed in 163 World RX races. 

“I am very happy and excited about joining GRC Europe in 2019," said Timmy Hansen. "The cars will be fast and the calendar features iconic circuits."

"I can’t wait for the season to begin," he adds. "I want to thank Max (Pucher, Series CEO) for taking the initiative to launch GRC Europe, a high profile championship with a vision to take Rallycross back to its roots. It is exactly, what our sport needs right now.”

Hansen's younger brother Kevin is ready to fight for wins in the 2019 GRC Europe series.

“I am young, I am fast and I am hungry for success," says Kevin Hansen. "I am eager to show my true potential and get back to the Victory Lane.”

It is still unclear which cars Hansen Motorsport will be using in the GRC Europe series.

“One can only be impressed by the passion and commitment with which Max (Pucher) has embraced the big challenge of pushing GRC Europe through to reality," said Kenneth Hansen, Team Principal. 

"Having both Timmy and Kevin compete for the full season feels right and motivating, because Rallycross is where we belong."

"The vibe GRC Europe has approaching its premiere, is the kind of spirit we like. Rallycross is excitement, thrill, and nerves, extreme and never ever boring – these values we have found in GRC Europe. We think that Kevin and Timmy will love racing there!," he concludes.

PHOTO CREDIT: Global Europe Rallycross.