RallyX Americas Opens Crandon Debut with Thrilling Qualifying Heats

RallyX Americas Opens Crandon Debut with Thrilling Qualifying Heats

The world’s best rallycross drivers, action sports stars, and off-road crossover racers alike have combined to make the inaugural weekend of RallyX Americas action at Crandon International Raceway a show unlike any other. After two morning practice sessions to give drivers track time and set the grid, here’s what went down during the afternoon as drivers hit the track for their qualifying heats:

Round 2 Heat 1

With such a busy weekend and a shared schedule with Championship Off-Road, the first round of heats for Sunday’s action was contested early on Friday afternoon. Tyler Leach would have the honor of being the first driver to cross the finish line first in a heat session, posting the second fastest time along the way; Lukas Andersson would post the fastest time in the class after taking over the top spot when top qualifier Mitchell deJong suffered mechanical issues.

The first Hypercar heat saw the physical lead change hands multiple times, with deJong and Lia Block spending time out front but Kevin Eriksson eventually settling out into the first across the line and posting the fourth fastest time. After an aborted start to the second heat, Timmy Hansen was forced to pull off the grid with battery issues, and multi-time FC1 champion Robin Larsson would secure the fastest time after the restart when top qualifier Jimmy Henderson pulled off with a broken shock mount.

Round 1 Heat 1

Despite no longer sporting a rear wing, Simon Olofsson would kick off the Supercar heats first across the line, posting the fourth fastest time in the round in the process. Andersson, Patrick Gruszka, and Romet Tsirna would continue to assert themselves as the class of the field, finishing 1-2-3 in the second session and combined standings alike.

The first Hypercar heat saw luck finally break deJong’s way, as he posted the fastest time overall, but both Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky and Brad DeBerti would make the Joker dramatic after clipping the grass, with DeBerti’s rear end getting airborne in the process. The second session saw plenty of drama as well, as both Eriksson brothers did full 360s shortly after the finish line and carried on, while Tommi Hallman checked out on the group and posted the fastest time by nearly four seconds.

Round 1 Heat 2

Supercar heats began with an exciting battle between Banks Hovey and deJong, with deJong first to finish after making up time on Hovey when he finally took his Joker. The carnage carried into the second heat, with Gruszka’s right rear tire and rear bumper shorn off before the Joker Lap and additional mechanical issues for Tsirna giving Andersson a clean route to the top time.

Hansen finally returned to the Hypercar grid in the last heat of the day, but Ahlin-Kottulinsky held point until sliding off track while trying to defend a hard-charging Kevin Eriksson, who had taken the Joker Lap well before the rest of the field and caught up to the pack, for first. While Hallman, Larsson, and Oliver Eriksson would cross the line 1-2-3 in rapid succession after a highly quick and competitive final heat, Kevin’s time was right there with them—good enough to sneak into second in the heat.

Hallman and Larsson will start from the inside of Row 1 in Saturday’s Hypercar semifinals, while Andersson and deJong will have the advantage in the two Hypercar semifinals.