Multiple Supercar winners around the world in busy rallycross fortnight

In a busy fortnight for rallycross around the world, five-time champion Julian Godfrey (Ford Fiesta) won his first event in almost a year by claiming the third round of the MSA British Rallycross Championship at Pembrey, ahead of Oliver Bennett (Ford Fiesta), who’s second podium in a row elevated the rallycross newcomer into the series lead. Nathan Heathcote (Citroen DS3) finished third, despite retiring from Q1 with steering damage and missing Q2 with a broken alternator. James Grint (Mitsubishi Mirage) was fourth on the debut for the new Spencer Sport run car, Andy Grant (Ford Focus) was fifth and Mad Mark (Citroen Xsara) finished sixth. Warren Scott (Citroen DS3) started the final despite a significant engine bay fire in Q1, but pulled off on lap one.

Paige Bellerby (Lotus Exige) won the Supernational final from Tristan Ovenden (Renault Clio), while Tom Llewellin (Suzuki Swift) also won again in the Junior category. Paige’s sister, Drew Bellerby, won the BMW Mini category, the class racing together with the Super1600 division where Paul Coney (Vauxhall Corsa) was victorious. Simon Ovenden (Suzuki Swift) won the Swift Sport final, Chrissy Palmer claimed the win in the RX150 final and Roger Thomas (MG Metro 6R4) won the Retro Rallycross final.

Patrick Guillerme (Peugeot 208) claimed a first victory in his ex-Team Peugeot-Hansen Peugeot 208 Supercar at Chateauroux in the French Rallycross Championship, ahead of Albatec Racing’s Philippe Maloigne (Peugeot 208) and Guy Moreton (Volkswagen Scirocco), while Florent Beduneau (Peugeot 208) and Alexander Theuil (Citroen DS3) were fourth and fifth. Fabien Pailler (Peugeot 208) continues to lead the championship, four points up on Beduneau. Samual Peu (Citroen Saxo) won the Super1600 final yet again having returned to the sport. Maximilien Eveno (Citroen C2) was second with Julien Hardonniere (Renault Twingo) completing the podium. In Division Three, Xavier Briffaud (Mini Cooper) won from Marc Moriza (Peugeot 208) and championship leader Christophe Saunois (Toyota Corolla). In Division Four for front-wheel drive cars, Stephane Hameau (Peugeot 306) won. Twingo R1 Cup championship leader claimed victory in the single-make category, from Dider Morel and Martial Malet.

The Global Rallycross Championship made it’s first visit to Canada, where Canadian driver Steve Arpin (Ford Fiesta) claimed victory at home for the Loenbro Motorsports team on the opening day, ahead of former champion Tanner Foust (Volkswagen Beetle) and Mitchell DeJong (Honda Civic). Chris Atkinson (Subaru Impreza), Austin Dyne (Ford Fiesta) and Sebastien Eriksson (Honda Civic) completed the top six. In the sixth round of the championship the following day, Foust won from Volkswagen Andretti Autosport team mate Scott Speed (Volkswagen Beetle) and De Jong. Sebastien Eriksson was fourth from namesake and team mate Oliver Eriksson (Honda Civic) in fifth and Dyne sixth. Cyril Raymond continued his domination of the GRC Lites category to win on both days. Colin Braun was second one day one from Conner Martell, while Travis PeCoy was second on day two, ahead of Alex Keyes.

Ari Perkiomaki (Ford Fiesta) won the second round of the Finnish Rallycross Championship at Honkajoki, winning the Supercar final ahead of Toni Lukander (Mitsubishi Evo) and Kari Irri. Former European Championship podium finisher Joni-Pekka Rajala (Toyota MR2) won the Supernational category from Olli Lavikaninen and Juha-Pekka Mattila, as Toni Kuhanen won the Autocross final from Rajala and Tero Tukiainen.

The second ever round of the RX Academy also took place at Honkajoki. Debutant Jarri Huttunen won from Sami-Matti Trogren and Jesse Kallio, who claimed the series lead. British RX Supercar racer Nathan Heathcote made his RX Academy debut at the event in a single-make Renault Clio Cup RX but just missed out on qualifying for the final.

Thomas Bryntesson (Ford Fiesta) claimed his first Supercar victory by winning the third round of RallyX Nordic series at Solvolla. The JC Raceteknik driver finished ahead of Lukas Walfridsson (Renault Clio) and Robin Larsson (Audi A1), while Henning Solberg (Volkswagen Beetle) beat Hedstroms Motorsport pair Peter Hedstrom (Volkswagen Polo) and Alexander Hvaal (Volkswagen Polo) into fourth. Bryntesson took the championship lead, while points-rival Oliver Solberg (Citroen DS3) retired in the semi-finals with a broken driveshaft. In the Supercar Lites category, it was another JC Raceteknik driver who won, Henrik Krogstad claiming victory ahead of Simon Olofsson and William Nilsson, who moved into the points lead – Solvalla’s top three positions reversed in the championship table.

The Belgian and German Championship’s shared the bill for a round at the Estering, where European Championship racer Andreas Steffen (Ford Fiesta) won, the German heading home Belgian Jos Jansen (Ford Focus) and Dutchman Will Teulings (Volvo S40). The Supernational classes were all divided. In the Belgian Supernational -2000cc, Euro RX TouringCar racer Steve Volders won while Kristof Bex (Volvo S40) won the over 2000cc division. Loris Cencetti Jr drove for the Autodis team in the SRX-Cup and Czech driver Jozef Susta won the Super1600 final in a Blue Engineering-built Skoda Citigo. In the German Championship’s Supernational final, it was Ole Bech (Peugeot 306) who won, with Frank Lehmann second in a Volvo 242.

Christoph Holzner (Mitsubushi Evo) claimed victory in the Austrian Rallycross Championship at Greinbach, by virtue of being the only Supercar to finish the six-lap final. Gerald Eder (Skoda Fabia) was classified second, two laps down, with Tristan Ekker (Volkswagen Polo) in third having retired on the second lap. Alois Holler (Ford Focus), Franz Spitaler (Mitsubishi Evo) and Max Pucher (Ford Fiesta) all failed to complete a lap. Erwin Frieszl (Peugeot 208) won the Super1600 final, Karl Schadenhofer (Volkswagen Golf) claimed the SuperTouringCar+ final and Czech driver Roman Castoral (Open Astra) yet again won the SuperTouringCar- final. Daniel Karlovits (Honda Civic) won the SuperTouringCars -1600cc final.

Audi Sport and the EKS team confirmed that PG Andersson will deputise for the Mattias Ekstrom in the Swedish round of the World Rallycross Championship at Holjes this weekend, Ekstrom instead having to race in the clashing round of the DTM at the Norisring. As a one-off, Reinis Nitiss will switch from his individual entry in World RX to scoring points for EKS alongside Toomas Heikkinen, Andresson, racing Ekstrom’s Audi S1, will be the individual entry instead.