Runner-up in last season’s RallyX championship in the CrossCar Senior category, Thomas Eek Murstad is determined to make every effort to get closer to the Holy Grail this year.
Third in the overall standings in 2022 and second last year behind 2023 champion Sebastian Enholm, Thomas Eek Murstad will naturally be aiming to get one step closer to the final podium of the RallyX championship in 2024.
Second in the history of the championship in terms of podiums (8) behind the Hallberg/Osterberg/Reiersen trio (11 podiums each), Thomas Eek Murstad also shares second place in the CrossCar category in terms of victories with Jimmie Osterberg, thanks to his three wins since his RallyX debut.
However, despite a Speedcar Wonder chassis that he now knows like the back of his hand, the young Norwegian driver feels that there is still plenty of room for improvement.
“We know that we can make further technical progress,” says Thomas.
“In particular, we need to make sure that we’re more reactive during the races. Last year we sometimes had some technical problems that we knew we wouldn’t be able to fix before the next qualifying session. So we knew we were going to have some difficult moments, but that’s something we’re going to try to correct this year”.
“The other problem also concerned our efficiency on the starts. We know that this issue plays a crucial role in rallycross, but I think that the last two races of the 2023 championship have allowed us to find the right adjustments, so it’s more than positive for the coming season”.
“The other thing I’d like to improve is the way I manage doubleheaders. Last year I noticed that I was generally much better on the first day of racing than on the second race of the weekend. Again, it’s one of those little details that I want to improve in 2024.”
Having become a key figure in the CrossCar championship over the past two years, Thomas Eek Murstad has also had the opportunity to try his hand at Supercar in recent seasons, regularly competing in the Norwegian championship finale.
He finished runner-up to Sivert Svardal in 2021. However, Thomas has no immediate plans to end his investment in the CrossCar category.
“For now, CrossCar is the category I want to continue in. Budgets are much more affordable than elsewhere, so I know I can compete in all the championship races with the guarantee of having a competitive car. Rallycross has been a goal of mine since childhood, but I quickly realized that CrossCar was the category where I had just as much fun. Not only does it cost less than a real race car, but it’s also easier to keep the equipment up to date. Knowing that I’m completely responsible for the preparation of my car, CrossCar is currently the most accessible way for me to compete at the highest level”.
“The races I’ve been able to do in Supercar have given me a lot of pleasure. A Supercar is still a Supercar and it’s every driver’s ultimate dream to get behind the wheel of one of these cars one day. In fact, even though I know how lucky I am, I have to admit that I wouldn’t be against the idea of being able to try out a latest-generation Supercar just to see what my true potential might be against the other drivers”.
“However, in order for this idea to become a reality, opportunities will have to present themselves to me. If any offers come my way, I’ll study them very carefully. Last year in Grenland I was lucky enough to be able to drive in both the CrossCar and Supercar categories and the enjoyment I got from both cars was equal. One thing is for sure, the speed with which you can attack each corner in a CrossCar provides sensations at least as exhilarating as those you can experience in a Supercar”.
