NASCAR GUEST STAR KYLE BUSCH EARNS FOURTH
Championship Battle Moves to Southern California’s Glen Helen Raceway
(Phoenix) Travis Pastrana (USA) scored his first Nitro Rallycross win at the Phoenix stop of the 2021 championship series on Sunday, while NASCAR guest star Kyle Busch put in a strong performance to place fourth.
In the high adrenaline Supercar final on Nitro RX’s most challenging course yet, Pastrana held off Timmy Hansen (SWE), who earned second, as well as Subaru teammate Scott Speed (USA), who placed third. Hansen won the season opener in Utah and Speed took victory at last month’s championship stop in Minnesota. Only six points separate these top three drivers in the standings.
After celebratory donuts in front of the packed grandstands, Pastrana said, “This [win] is number one by far. It’s absolutely amazing… The Hansens are so good; and Scott Speed: if he gets in front, you’re not getting around.”
NASCAR star Kyle Busch (USA) held nothing back piloting the ZipRecruiter #GoNitro car in his rallycross debut. After qualifying 11th and then advancing through the stacked field of elite drivers to secure his place in the final, Busch fought his way from the last row of the grid to finish just off the podium in fourth.
For Pastrana, already a six-time National Stage Rally Champion and a global action sports icon, this victory was particularly sweet. Nitro RX has been his brainchild and passion project, as he sought to create an exciting, high impact and next gen motorsport.
Pastrana reflected afterwards, “It is a dream come true for me to see the crowd here, to see the sport come to fruition. [And] I think it’s only the beginning.”
Supercar Final (Phoenix):
| Finish | Car # | Name | Nation | Team |
| 1 | 199 | Travis Pastrana | USA | Subaru Motorsports USA |
| 2 | 21 | Timmy Hansen | SWE | Red Bull Hansen NRX Team |
| 3 | 41 | Scott Speed | USA | Subaru Motorsports USA |
| 4 | 51 | Kyle Busch | USA | ZipRecruiter #GoNitro |
| 5 | 02 | Cabot Bigham | USA | Dreyer Reinbold Racing |
| 6 | 34 | Tanner Foust | USA | Dreyer Reinbold Racing |
| 7 | 9 | Kevin Hansen | SWE | Red Bull Hansen NRX Team |
| 8 | 00 | Steve Arpin | CAN | GRX Loenbro |
With this weekend’s results, Pastrana trades places with Kevin Hansen (SWE) in the Nitro RX Championship standings, swapping fourth place for second. Kevin’s brother Timmy still sets the pace in first while Speed maintains his hold on third.
Supercar Championship Standings:
| Position | Name | Nation | Team | Salt Lake City | Minneapolis | Phoenix | Total |
| 1 | Timmy Hansen | SWE | Red Bull Hansen NRX Team | 50+1 | 35+1 | 45+2 | 134 |
| 2 | Travis Pastrana | USA | Subaru Motorsports USA | 25+3 | 45+2 | 50+4 | 129 |
| 3 | Scott Speed | USA | Subaru Motorsports USA | 30+4 | 50+3 | 40+1 | 128 |
| 4 | Kevin Hansen | SWE | Red Bull Hansen NRX Team | 40+1 | 40+4 | 20+1 | 106 |
| 5 | Steve Arpin | CAN | GRX Loenbro | 45+2 | 10+2 | 15+3 | 77 |
| 6 | Fraser McConnell | JAM | Olsbergs MSE | 35+2 | 30+1 | 0+1 | 69 |
| 7 | Tanner Foust | USA | Dreyer Reinbold Racing | 15+1 | 15 | 25 | 56 |
| 8 | Kyle Busch | USA | – | – | 35 | 35 | |
| 9 | Cabot Bigham | USA | XCITE Energy Racing | – | – | 30 | 30 |
| 10 | Andreas Bakkerud | NOR | Subaru Motorsports USA | 10 | 20 | – | 30 |
| 11 | Robin Larsson | SWE | Monster Energy RX Cartel | – | 25+1 | 0+1 | 27 |
| 12 | Oliver Eriksson | SWE | XCITE Energy Racing | 20 | 5 | – | 25 |
| 13 | Kevin Eriksson | SWE | Olsbergs MSE | – | – | 0+2 | 2 |
| 14 | Oliver Bennett | GBR | XCITE Energy Racing | 0+1 | – | – | 1 |
| 14 | Liam Doran | GBR | Monster Energy RX Cartel | – | 0+1 | – | 1 |
In the final of the NRX Next developmental class, Sage Karam (USA) swept the weekend doubleheader, taking the checkered flag on both Saturday and Sunday. Today’s win also marked his third straight in the series. George MeGennis (USA) came in second, securing the podium on both days and for the fourth time, overall. Casper Jansson (SWE), who took first and second at Salt Lake City, also returned to the podium, placing third.
NRX Next Final (Round 6):
| Finish | Car # | Name | Nation | Team |
| 1 | 24 | Sage Karam | USA | Dreyer Reinbold Racing |
| 2 | 9 | George Megennis | USA | #YellowSquad |
| 3 | 36 | Casper Jansson | SWE | Enlunds Motorsport |
| 4 | 55 | Lane Vacala | USA | Dreyer Reinbold Racing |
| 5 | 21 | Conner Martell | USA | Dreyer Reinbold Racing |
NRX Next Championship Standings:
| Position | Name | Nation | Team | RC1 | RC2 | RC3 | RC4 | RC5 | RC6 | Total |
| 1 | Casper Jansson | SWE | Enlunds Motorsport | 50 | 40 | 45 | 25 | 20 | 40 | 220 |
| 2 | Lane Vacala | USA | Dreyer Reinbold Racing | 40 | 35 | 35 | 40 | 35 | 35 | 220 |
| 3 | Martin Enlund | SWE | Enlunds Motorsport | 45 | 45 | 50 | 45 | 30 | – | 215 |
| 4 | George Megennis | USA | #YellowSquad | 25 | 50 | 30 | 20 | 45 | 45 | 215 |
| 5 | Sage Karam | USA | Dreyer Reinbold Racing | – | 30 | 20 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 200 |
| 6 | Eric Gordon | USA | Bak 40 Motorsport | 35 | 25 | 25 | 35 | 25 | – | 145 |
| 7 | John Holtger | USA | John Holtger | – | – | 40 | 30 | – | – | 70 |
| 8 | Conner Martell | USA | – | – | – | – | 40 | 30 | 70 | |
| 9 | Simon Olofsson | SWE | Dreyer Reinbold Racing | 30 | 20 | – | – | – | – | 50 |
The battle for the Nitro RX championship resumes next weekend at Southern California’s Glen Helen Raceway November 20 and 21. Since 1985, Glen Helen Raceway has been a premier off -road racing destination and is the home of the AMA 125/250 MX Nationals, the Off-Road Winter Series and the National MX track. Now Nitro RX is set to unveil another formidable new track at the iconic venue.
To experience Nitro RX’s high-flying action in person, tickets can be purchased at https://www.nitrorallycross.com/calendar. Fans can also watch live on Peacock in the U.S. as well as on YouTube worldwide.
2021 NITRO RALLYCROSS SCHEDULE
Sept. 24-25 // Utah Motorsports Campus // Salt Lake City, Utah
Oct. 2-3 // ERX Motor Park // Minneapolis, Minnesota
Nov. 13-14 // Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park // Phoenix, Arizona
Nov. 20-21 // Glen Helen Raceway // Southern California
Dec. 4-5 // The FIRM // North Florida
ABOUT NITRO RALLYCROSS
Launched in 2018 by motorsports icon Travis Pastrana and the innovators of Nitro Circus, Nitro Rallycross has revolutionized motorsport. With innovative purpose-built courses, banked turns inspired by the wide-open action of Supercross and short-form, head-to-head competition, Nitro Rallycross creates high-impact, thrill-packed racing. NRX’s custom-built permanent tracks – featuring the biggest jumps seen in motorsports – create unrivaled racing excitement. The full-throttle competition is now set to go global, as Nitro Rallycross expands into a full standalone championship series. Looking ahead to 2022, NRX will also add an electric Supercar circuit featuring the all-new FC1-X, the most powerful Rallycross vehicle ever built. For more information, visit NitroRallycross.com.
Nitro Rallycross is part of Thrill One Sports & Entertainment. Thrill One is a next-generation content company that lives at the nexus of sports, entertainment and lifestyle, combining the resources of Nitro Circus, Street League Skateboarding, Nitro Rallycross and Thrill One Media. A multi-media platform founded in 2020, Thrill One is dedicated to creating mind-blowing action sports events and original content, fueled by the most daring athletes, talent and brands in thrill-based entertainment. It also boasts one of the largest aggregate social audiences in action sports, with more than 40 million followers across its multiple brand pages and channels. Visit thrillone.com/ for additional information.
