Swedish driver Daniel Thoren has signed with Eklund Motorsport to race a Volkswagen Beetle in RallyX events this year.
Since starting his driving career in 2018, having been a life-long rallycross fan before then becoming an event and driver sponsor, Thoren has raced Volkswagen Polo Supercars with Hedstroms Motorsport, and with his own TIK RX outfit in RallyX and European Rallycross Championship events.
Thoren took time away from the sport until the final round of RallyX last season, following a testing accident that aggravated an old back injury, but having raced in the 2021 finale in Arvika, he has been tempted back to RallyX by his love of driving on some of the best rallycross circuits in the world.
However, over the winter Thoren sold his Polo Supercar. In recent years he had worked alongside Eklund Motorsport with developments to his car, so for 2022 he has further increased his involvement with the Per Eklund-owned team, run by the rallycross legend, to race a Volkswagen Beetle in selected events this season, starting with round one in Holjes next month (May 14-15).
“When I sold my Polo to its new owner, my first thought was ‘now I will get chance to drive the Beetle beast.’ I have been working together with Per and Per-Anders [Eklund] for some years now, and I enjoy every moment. The work they have done on my car is absolutely top notch, and I promise you that the stories that are told around the coffee table are worth every moment spent in their workshop,” said an excited Thoren.
“We will start by racing in the RallyX weekend in Holjes, and then we take it as it comes from there this year. To be honest, last year wasn’t the season I was hoping for. My bad back is nothing new for me, but my three broken discs isn’t something that my doctors laughs at when I tell him that the rallycross season is about to start! But, I will try to behave and do my work outs, and I hope it will be fine this year.”
Thoren has felt comfortable in the Beetle in testing this week, and completed over 40 laps on the first day. “I just love this car! It fits me great,” he said. “On the race weekend at Holjes I hope to give the audience some joy, and I’m hoping to make the final, then anything can happen. I feel no pressure, it’s all about having fun and we are so ready to race!”
Holjes will host the first two 2022 RallyX rounds on May 14-15. You can get tickets to watch the amazing rallycross action here.
All of the RallyX 2022 action will be broadcast live online and for free on RallyX TV YouTube.
