RallycrossRX Sweden: Day One

A scorching hot summers day greeted the sixth round of RallycrossRX, and it was French driver Davy Jeanney who came out on top, winning both of his races and setting second and third times respectively.

Showing well in Sweden the most energetic person in the paddock; Andreas Bakkerud continuing his recent form and giving the ‘baby blue’ fans lots to shout about, winning both of his races on the track and sitting in second position overnight, ahead of countryman Petter Solberg who dominated the first heat and was fast in the second, only to pick up a technical problem halfway through the race. Alexander Hvaal has had a good day and is fourth. If there were a prize for jumping highest and longest on Holjes famous jump then he would win it hands down. Timmy Hansen sits just behind his team mate, the pair having a close fight at the end of the second heat.

Having his best first day of the season, Henning Solberg kept his Saab on the circuit all day and lies in sixth, leading a trio of Norwegian’s. Daniel Holten is seventh with Mats Lysen eight, although he did get beaten by his older Clio in heat one, driven this weekend by Henning Nyberg, who spun out of heat two.

Former rally star Patrick Sandell is tenth, a puncture in heat two slowing his charge, while Tommy Rustad is tenth. A number of spins in heat one destroyed his time, 29^th overall, but fastest in heat two went some way to making up for lost time.  DTM star Mattais Ekstrom was fourth fastest in heat one, but suffered a puncture in heat two causing a trip through a gravel trap, fifteen fastest reflecting his position of fifteen overall, just ahead of countryman and fellow RallycrossRX debutant Johan Kristoffersson who had an eventful second heat, shoved into the gravel on the outside of turn one on the first lap.

Reigning champion Timur Timerzyanov retired from heat one with broken steering, while Anton Marklund suffered broken suspension in heat two, compounding a smaller problem in heat one to leave the Swede in 32^nd overnight. Which such a strong field in Sweden he has it all to do to climb up the table and get into the semi-finals. It’s a similar situation for British driver Liam Doran who had a more torrid than Marklund, engine failure putting him out of the first heat and unable to start the second. The team have a set about changing the engine overnight but Doran has his work cut out to make the semi-finals, currently in 35^th position.

Reigning champion Timur Timerzyanov spun out of heat one with broken steering and was beating in heat two by another Swedish rally star Pontus Tidemand, who also had a DNF in heat one with broken steering on his VW. British driver Andy Scott was 20^th in heat one and 26^th in heat two after picking up a puncture caused by rubbing bodywork. Stig-Olav Walfridson had a good run to sixth in heat one, but failed to start heat two.

Super1600 is again headed by Renis Nitiss, who leads Ulrik Linnemann, who infact beat Nitiss in a head to head race in heat two. Hard tried Eric Faren is third ahead of Kevin Eriksson and German WTCC driver Rene Munnich.

Czech driver Roman Castoral leads the TouringCar category, fastest in the second heat. In a surprising run for the foreigners, Derek Tohill is second overall at an event usually dominated by local drivers. Top Swede is round two winner Daniel Lundh sits in third. Championship contender Robin Larsson picked up a puncture in heat one and finished fifth after the first days proceedings.

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