Seven days, May 30

All eyes were on Hungary as the FIA European Rallycross Championship moved into its third event. Notable for the fact that it did not snow (the first time this year for RallycrossRX) the event was unusually arduous on a track that punished mistakes hard and on which the loose surface was more abrasive than ever before. At the end of the weekend four first time winners visited the top step of the podium, Timmy Hansen putting a last lap pass on Timur Timerzyanov to claim his first rallycross victory in a scintillating race that, like the rest of the event had close action and drama until the last. Hansen Motortsport also got Alex Hvaal to the final, but a puncture cut his run short, Hedstroms Motorsport also getting both of its cars into the final, Knut Ove Borseth fourth ahead of Peter Hedstrom, the ever present Davy Jeanney making his way to third in another superb performance and a strong recovery from the engine failure in practice that cost him 15 points before a race had been run.

Super1600 was also brim full of great racing and got a new winner in the shape of Reinis Nittis who became the latest Set Promotion driver to bag a victory. TouringCar also had a new winner, Daniel Lundh claiming the win after getting ahead early in the race and then driving away from the pack. Each of the three championships has now had a different winner at each of the first three events.

JRX made it first appearance since gaining International Series status. Four cars and drivers arrived for the first event, Finnish kart racer Pasi Pukema parachuted into a car at the last moment when its original driver was withdrawn because of licence problems. Magda Andersson was the star of the show, qualified on pole and led the final until sliding wide and then going off after contact with newboy William Nilsson. Once ahead, Nilsson stayed cool and calm to take the win.

While the European championship held centre stage, there was little in the way of national action, the only series of note to be in operation, the Norwegian championship which moved to Vikedal where Orjan Lutsi took honours in the Supernational category, beating Tommy Rustad’s similar Volvo S40. Round one winner Stian Haugan (Citroen Xsara) was restricted to third place. Steinar Stokke (Mazda RX7) won the two-litre category and Trond Marthinsen returned to the top of Super1600 with his Citroen Saxo. The Junior category was dominated by girls, Lisa Marie Sandmo (Honda Civic) taking the win ahead of Lian Maria Holt (Peugeot 206).

As the European championship moves into the Nordic countries for its next three events, the Supercar entry lists are swelling with a number of wildcard entries, among the most interesting of which is Tommy Rustad. Once dubbed the ‘Crown Prince’ of rallycross, Rustadhad a sparkling career as a junior in rallycross before switching tack and venturing into a highly successful circuit race career. With that phase of his life winding down, Rustad has returned to his roots in 2013 and is enjoying racing a Supernational Volvo in the Norwegian national championship. Rustad has a European victory to his name, and came close to winning events again in more recent rallycross stints as part of Isachsen Motorsport and then again when he entered one-off events at his ‘home’ track of Momarken. He is now set to return to the European championship in Norway and Sweden at the wheel of Nyborg Motorsport Service’s Volvo C30, the car previously run for Ludvig Hunsbedt.

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