Fresh from his breakthrough maiden top-level rallycross victory, Fraser McConnell is gearing up to continue his strong start to the RallyX Nordic season at Holjes this weekend.
McConnell sits third in the points after his win and third palace at the season opening double header at Nysum in Denmark earlier this month. Ahead of him is European Rallycross regular Sondre Evjen, and three-time World Champion Johan Kristoffersson, winner of round two.
With Kristoffersson among the drivers also confirmed for rounds three and four this weekend, DirtFish driver McConnell once again has a chance to test himself against the greatest rallycross driver of his generation.
I'm not only trying everything I can to catch him, I'm taking in everything that he's doing, where he's braking, where he's turning in, how he's rotating the car.Fraser McConnell
“It’s invaluable to be following him, to just behind for a couple of laps,” McConnell told DirtFish about his RallyX Nordic battles with Kristoffersson. “I’m not only trying everything I can to catch him, I’m taking in everything that he’s doing, where he’s braking, where he’s turning in, how he’s rotating the car.
“For me, being behind him some laps is an invaluable lesson that, you can’t get anywhere else.
“There’s no doubt that he is [the best rallycross driver in the world]. I mean, full respect to him. Me and him have little bumps there and now, but he told me he liked racing me in. He’s a cool guy, [and I’m] looking forward to being in front of him.”
But it’s not just Kristoffersson that McConnell will be sparring with this weekend. The second event of the RallyX Nordic campaign will take the form of a pseudo World Championship weekend, with a number of that series’ regulars also appearing.
Also competing in the recently rechristened Open 4WD class will be Niclas Gronholm, Krisztian Szabo, and Anton Marklund, as well as Andreas Bakkerud who will be making history as the first driver to compete in RallyX Nordic’s top class in an electric car.
“Lots of people think that this will be a David and Goliath story, and that I don’t stand a chance – but this an opportunity to look into the future and I couldn’t let it pass me by,” said Bakkerud.
“The whole car world is now looking at electrification, and everyone points out that it must come to rallycross. These cars are extremely powerful, and have both strengths and weaknesses compared to petrol-powered cars. For me, this is going to be a great challenge, and an opportunity to measure the potential of an electric car.”
Elsewhere on the bill, World RX’s new RX2e electric support category car will make its race debut in a series of all-star demonstration races featuring Kristoffersson, Timmy and Kevin Hansen, Kevin Eriksson, Andreas Bakkerud, Sebastian Eriksson, and Marcus Gronholm who once again will come out of retirement for a non-competitive outing almost a year on from his legends class appearance at last year’s Magic Weekend.
