The run is broken. After adding round one of the 2021 season to its standalone wins from 2018 and ‘19, Team Hansen was finally usurped at the top of the Nitro Rallycross podium at ERX Motor Park.
We also saw strong displays from the likes of Andreas Bakkerud, Robin Larsson and Kevin Eriksson after a tricky first round.
You can watch every Nitro RX race live for free on Peacock in the US and YouTube worldwide, and can also catch full race weekend replays on YouTube and highlights on DirtFish.
But what did the goings on in Minnesota last weekend do to our overall season-long rankings of the field?
Here are the Nitro RX power rankings after round two of five:
10. Oliver Bennett
Non-mover
Another weekend where the number next to this guy’s name in the event standings doesn’t tell the overall picture.
Sure, he didn’t make the final, and as a result his placing here might confuse some, but taking both weekends into account, Oliver Bennett has showed strong pace against some much more experienced opposition, and ever improving racecraft from session-to-session.
The results will come, that’s a given, but for now the story of his season is one of unfulfilled potential.
9. Tanner Foust
Down 1
He certainly hasn’t lost it, as a textbook win in the side-by-sides proved, but in the main game the Foust/Audi S1 marriage still isn’t quite delivering the goods.
A broken car after what was set to be a thrilling fight with Kevin Hansen ended his Saturday early, while a couple of mistakes in Sunday’s semifinal was something very un-Foust like.
Still, he made it to the final and kept his nose relatively clean there.
8. Oliver Eriksson
Down 1
Another solid and speedy performance from the Ford Fiesta driver, but another weekend where results didn’t quite go his way.
Forced to qualify for the final via the LCQ, he did at least dominate that race, but the younger Eriksson has the potential to be a title-challenger, he just needs the stars to properly align for him.
7. Andreas Bakkerud
Up 2
While all the Subaru focus was on full-time drivers Scott Speed and Travis Pastrana, Andreas Bakkerud was definitely holding his own in the third WRX STI.
After getting locked into the final with a fine second in his opening heat on Sunday, he made a lightning start in the main event where he was unlucky to clout the wall in the first split section of the track on the opening lap.
It ended any hopes his team had of a podium sweep, but he’s certainly earned the right to continue for the rest of the season.
6. Fraser McConnell
Down 1
Another solid performance from Fraser McConnell who is less of an emerging talent and more of an established star these days.
A heavy-handed pass on Kevin Hansen in the battles on Saturday resulted in a harsh penalty and something of a low point for his weekend, but it didn’t deter him from getting his elbows out with the other Hansen brother, Timmy, on Sunday.
He had a quiet final, coming home fifth, ‘best of the rest’ behind the dominant Subarus and Peugeots.
5. Steve Arpin
Down 2
Steve Arpin once again showed his Hyundai i20’s speed and driveability in Minnesota, right until he ventured off line and tore the front of the car off with a rocky landing. Not that he’s entirely to blame for that – the same jump had caught out plenty of unsuspecting drivers over the weekend.
It didn’t slow him down though as he took a dominant win in his semifinal on Sunday, but a quiet display in the final was a little disappointing after his podium finish in the season opener.
4. Timmy Hansen
Down 3
This ranking might seem a tad harsh, but bear with me.
The 2019 World Rallycross Champion didn’t have a bad weekend in Minnesota, quite the opposite in fact, but his team’s baton was very much carried by younger brother Kevin last weekend.
He set himself a high benchmark with a spectacular fightback to win in Utah, and making it two-out-of two was a must for him this weekend.
Fingers crossed Hansen sees out the season, because he remains at the top of the points standings.
3. Kevin Hansen
Up 3
Moving as much as his brother on our list, but in the opposite direction, Kevin Hansen had a fantastic event in Minnesota.
Utah perhaps wasn’t his best weekend, but at ERX Hansen was well and truly on song. A well-earned qualifying win (regardless of Subaru’s tactical play), he did everything he needed to do all weekend and might’ve been a shoe-in for the win had Subaru not put in as much testing mileage at the same track in pre-season.
2. Scott Speed
Up 2
After a strong start in Utah, Speed’s weekend somewhat tailed off. That certainly didn’t happen at ERX.
OK, there was the qualifying ‘thing’, but was that a tactical masterstroke? Sunday’s results say yes, where he and the Subaru team were unstoppable.
This is Scott Speed from the Volkswagen years in Global Rallycross. He’s back, and everyone should be very, very afraid.
1. Travis Pastrana
Up 1
Again, it wasn’t a win for Pastrana, but for a driver who before 2021 wasn’t quite a top-level rallycross racer, it was another display in just how far he’s come since Scott Speed joined him at Subaru.
Equal to the best in door-to-door battles, and capable of delivering on the lap charts too – he finished the final with the fastest lap set on the final tour – Pastrana is looking like a more complete driver than ever.
It’s only a matter of time before he adds to that sole rallycross win from way back in 2012.
