Travis Pastrana And Nitro Rallycross Return To Glen Helen Raceway

That’s right, the Nitro Rallycross (Nitro RX) 2022-2023 season is in full swing. Round four is returning to Southern California at the historic Glen Helen Raceway on October 29^th and 30th. This will be the second U.S. stop for the series and promises huge action as the points championship heats up under the So Cal Sun.       

Travis Pastrana And Nitro Rallycross Return To Glen Helen Raceway

What Is Nitro Rallycross (NRX)?

If you missed the past seasons of Nitro RX, here is a crash course into the next evolution of rallycross racing. The NRX Cars are amazing machines driven by super talented and recognizable drivers are the main attractions. On the other side of that is the specifically designed short courses. This unique sport combines asphalt, dirt, and huge air to create an experience like no other. When you add these fast and technical tracks with highly specialized vehicles, some producing the equivalent of 1,000 horsepower, you quickly understand the series motto of, “Cars that fly, Tracks that thrill”.

With the most powerful rallycross cars in the world, on-track racing can go bad quickly.

The Format: Two days Of Intense Action.

All Nitro RX events are split into 2 days of racing. Day one is qualifying, but we aren’t just talking about your normal solo runs for time. Once the seeding order is determined by fast lap runs the “Battle Brackets” begin. In a head-to-head bracket format, the winner moves on with the overall winner taking home the battle bracket hardware and the pole for day 2.

Sunday is race day!  The day starts with heat runs. There are two races with four cars competing in each race. Racers that finish first or second secure their spot in the finals. If they lose, they are not out yet! There is one shot at redemption in the semi-finals. Much like the heats, it’s a multi-car shootout with the top finishers advancing. The last chance to make the final is the LCQ, with a field of eight cars, it’s a sprint to claim one of the last two spots in the finals.

The battle brackets offer multiple heads-up races on qualifying day

The finals bring on a whole new level of insanity. A full field of cars going all out for the championship points and bragging rights. Did we mention that three classes are competing in the series at the Glen Helen event? That’s right, there will be triple the action with SxS’s, NRX Next class, and the big dogs, TYPE E.

1,000 Horsepower EV Monsters

The showcase car for the Nitro RX series is the Type E class car, the FCX-1. These are the fastest most powerful rallycross cars ever. We are talking 0-60 times below a second and a half, and twelve inches of suspension travel on these beasts. The FCX-1 cars represent a series using EV technology not just to go green, but to truly utilize the technology to create the pinnacle of performance.

But don’t write off the other classes either, with the NRX Next Drivers piloting purpose-built 300-plus horsepower rallycross cars the competition is just as intense. For the UTV fans out there, the SxS class brings out a fleet of Can-Ams to the track. If you haven’t seen any SxS racing at Glen Helen, expect to see some huge battles and some struggles to stay on four wheels.

 A Sneak Peek At The Course

Glen Helen Raceway will undergo a few changes to prepare for the event. The key features of the Nitro RX tracks are the jumps. While Glen Helen’s short course offers plenty of air, a gap jump will be added forcing the cars to fly over an entire width of the track section.

The Glen Helen course design promises to deliver spectacular racing

The Joker is another unique feature. This is a bypass area for the gap jump but a much longer route for the drivers. While we haven’t seen all the final details for the raceway prep, we do have a track map available. Additionally, a hard pad was put in last year for the starting grid to create even more dramatic starts and challenging transitions. Overall, the course should make for some insane viewing. In the 2021 previous season, the visit to Glen Helen had cars reaching close to 100 mph in some sections.

Nitro Rallycross Finals – California – Glen Helen Raceway – Highlights

Nitro Rallycross Finals – California – Glen Helen Raceway – Full Broadcast

Travis Pastrana looks to defend his crown

With three races down the hunt for points is well underway. The series last visited Minnesota at ERX Motor Park where Travis Pastrana earned his first win for the season. Overtaking current points leader Robin Larsson on the opening lap of the finals, the famous 199 held on for the win. So far, each venue has produced a different winner, speaking to the competitive nature of the series. Andreas Bakkerud is another driver to watch, taking the Sweden stop in race two of the series as the overall winner.

Will Glen Helen see a fourth and different winner in as many races? You’ll have to tune in on race day to find out, but with huge names from multiple forms of racing on the track, it’s guaranteed to be epic.

Catch all the action from this must-see race!

SXS action at Glen Helen never disappoints

Live and in-person is going to be the best way to experience the action. Tickets are available for each day of racing at the NRX event page. If you would like a chance to meet with the Nitro RX drivers, this event will also be launching a VIP experience for fans. Offering a slew of benefits the VIP experience includes private trackside seating and restrooms, hosted lounge to kick back during breaks between rounds, catered lunch, and so much more. More information is available at the above event page link. 

Live streaming is another way to catch the race with both NBC’s Peacock and DAZN offering coverage live broadcast. If you miss the action live stay tuned to Offroad Extreme and we will be publishing a full race recap and photo gallery after the event. Race highlights will also be available on Nitro RX’s YouTube channel. Also, keep an eye on Nitro RX’s social channels for updates as we get closer to race day.