Nordgard targets rallycross TouringCar title with new Fiesta

Norwegian rallycross TouringCar racer David Nordgard has set his sights on winning the FIA European Rallycross Championship in the category this season.

Nordgaard, who has previously raced a Ford Focus in the series will swap to a brand new Ford Fiesta for the coming season; “Our plan is to do the whole season,” said Nordgaard. “The Focus is sold and the new Fiesta is being built here in Norway. We have done the whole European championship for the last two seasons, so plan is to build on that experience.”

The body shell is currently being finished, before it is taken to Holland to have the drivetrain fitted; “We need to finish the shell, then take it to Zomer engines in Holland so they can fit everything else. Hopefully it will be ready quite soon, then we can do some testing. It’s important that we can do some testing before the season begins in Portugal, we have a lot to learn.”

With the experience built up in recent years at European level and the introduction of a new car, Nordgard has a clear objective for 2014; “Of course our goal for this year is to be on the top, to win the championship, and I think that is really possible with the new car. I’m really looking forward to the race at Lydden Hill, it’s a circuit I love, coming down the hill into the right hander is the best part of any track. Last year we had a really good event there, I was fastest in the heats, then won my semi-final and was on pole for the final, but the gearbox broke which obviously was so disappointing.”

The young Norwegian is full of praise for the new era of RallycrossRX, and thinks the rise in profile of the Supercar category and the introduction of the World championship will aid those in other classes; “A lot has changed recently, things are so professional now with the promotion and the television. I think finding sponsor will be easier now that we are racing at world championship events because it will be a lot easier to show how great the sport is.”

While Nordgard has clearly had the pace to run at the front in recent seasons, his Ford Focus, originally built by Belgian Jos Sterkens was one of the older cars on the grid. With brand new up-to-date machinery underneath him, 2014 could be the season where Nordgard’s ambition is realised.

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