Rain puts Rallycross France leaders in a spin. Portugal, Norway, Austria, Hungary, more.

22 June / Hell RX officially unveiled its new race control building and re-elected Jan Olav Haarsaker as the chairman of its board. The new race control is a multi-purposed building that will be used by track owner NAF, NAF Stjordal, NMK Hell Motorsport and other users of the venue. A new cafe has also been added in the paddock area.

26 June / Fuglau welcomed the Austrian and Hungarian championships for a busy day which also drew a number of Czech racers across the border. Tamas Karai (Audi S1) was unbeaten in Supercar, the Hungarian fastest in all three qualifiers, before adding semi-final and final wins. Hungarian championsdhip rival Mate Benyo (Ford Focus) was second qualifier and won SF2 but went out in the first lap of the final which Karai won comfortably. Czech racer Ales Fucik (VW Polo) took second place but was worked hard by teammate Marek Joura (Mitsubishi Mirage). Jan Ratajsky (Skoda Fabia) won in Super1600 while the STC classes again provided large part of the entry. Tibor Vamosi (BMW E36) was best of the 2000+ runners and Ferenc Ficza (Peugeot 208) took a notable victory over Roman Castoral (Opel Astra) in the -2000 final. The -1600 final was won by Radek Dvorak (Skoda Fabia). Among the national classes on duty, Austria’s National 1600 was won by Martin Gradwohl (Citroen Saxo) while the visiting Hungarian series brought its Astra Cup, won by Daniel Patrik Panyik, Hankook Cup won by Kristof Csuti, Junior Cup won by Gere Adam Kelo, Mk 14 won by Csanad Szabo and MX5 Cup in which Benjamin Lorant was the winner.

26 June / The ‘open’ cars in the Dutch Rallycross Championship got an event of their own at the Eurocircuit. Cross Car, Superbuggy, RST and 2CV were on the bill with Jari van Hoof (Peters) beating Ronnie Grauwels (Speedcar Wonder) to win the Cross Car final. Bjorn Versluys (Trackline) was best in Superbuggy and Kim Ermens (Peters) wss the Cross Car-mounted winner of the combined Junior Cross car and RST class that drew just three starters.

26 June / The third round of the Norwegian Rallycross Championship took place at the Finnskogbanen. The up to three-litre ‘Klass 4’ Supernationals were top of the bill and Jonas Dalseth Jacobsen (VW Polo) was again top of the shop. Beaten only in Q1, Jacosen was top qualified and waltzed off with the A final, beating Herbjorn Haug (Mercedes) and Simen Engsvik (VW). Emil Sivesind (Audi) was fastest in Q1 but retired in Q2 and did not drive again. Sander Engsvik (BMW), Kenneth Hansen (Volvo) and Andreas Aarhug (Audi) duelled for the Klass 3/2400 honours, Aarhug the top qualifier but Engsvik eventually ahead in the final. Trond Simen Larsen (Mazda) won the Class 2 final from pole and Espen Isaksaetre (Peugeot) warmed up for Euro RX at Holjes by winning Class 1/Super1600 ahead of Sandrine Rafoss (Citroen) and Per Magne Egebo Svardal. Bjorn Egil Dalen (VW Beetle) won the Historic final. An 11-car field assembled for the class and Ole Johan Saether (Beetle) was second with class pace setter Arnfinn Bergseng (Ford Escort MkI) third here. Johannes Rafoss (Honda) won the Junior final ahead of Torjus Svenneby (Honda) and Jens Hvaal (Honda).

26 June / Rallycross France had rain at Chateauroux. Rain that helped turn the event on its head. Making the most of the opportunity presented by the weather, Florent Beduneau (Peugeot 208) clambered up from 14th after qualifying to win the event. Each of the four qualifiers was won by a different driver, Fabien Pailler (208). Arthur Le Boudouil (Citroen DS3). Julien Febreau (208) and Jonathan Pailler 208) each setting a fastest time. Febreau, Fabien Pailler and Samuel Peu all starred in the final, but in the end it was 2017 French Championship runner-up Beduneau who emerged to take his greatest victory over a classy field of 26 Supercars on a day in which points leader Romauld Delaunay did not make it out of the qualifiers. Damien Meunier led after Febreau spun and took a notable second place in his VW Polo, Beduneau having taken the lead when Meunier took his Joker Lap with a couple of laps still to run. Third place finisher Peu now leads the championship.

Super1600 was also closely fought, Anthony Paillardon (Audi A1) narrowly topped the qualifying order ahead of Jimmy Terpereau (Citroen C2) and each of the pair won their semi-final. Paillardon then proved to be best in the final. Terpereau remains in the lead of the championship but Paillardon’s second win in succession moves him closer in second place. Romain Barre (208) achieved his first podium finish in Super1600. Elsewhere Amelie Moliexe won the Coupe Feminines, Mathieu Fretin was best of the Junior field, Anthony Pelfrene (Renault Clio IV) topped the Division Three order and Yann Le Lay (Peugeot 207) won Division Four.

26 June / Joaquim Oliveir (Peugeot 208) had little trouble on his way to victory in round three of the Portuguese Rallycross Championship at Lousada. A highlight of RX Portugal year, the event played to a full house and Oliveira won comfortably from Oscar Ortfeldt and Bruno Goncalves. Joaquim Machado (Peugeot 208) won the first S1600 heat but thereafter the class belonged to Mario Barbosa (Citroen Saxo) who topped the qualifying order and ran away with the final. Machado was second ahead of Jose Arthur Teixeira (Renault Twingo). Kartcross provided its usual close action with Jorge Gonzaga (LBS) evenutally topping the qualifgying order before going on to win the final ahead of Pedro Rosario (Semog Bravo) and Sergio Castro (ASK Evo). Guilherme Matos (Semog Bravo) won the Junior Kartcross final, Duarte Camelo (Peugeot 108) was best of the four Junior racers in badly behaved class that had three red flags. Leandro Macedo (Citroen Saxo) was the clear winner in the National 1.6 final while Bruno Campos (Peugeot 306) won the National 2WD final. The event included a class for trucks, this won by Eduardo Rodrigues (MAN).

Tibor Rabocsi / We are sorry to note the recent sudden death of Tibor Rabocsi (74) who died suddenly on 26 June. Well known and popular particularly in Hungarian motor sport, he was the founder of the Rabocsi Ring at Mariapocs, a regular host of events in the Hungarian rallycross championship, we offer our sympathy to his family and friends.

This weekend / It’s the first weekend in July and it’s Holjes. For the first time since 2019 the ‘Magic Weekend’ is back in its traditional place on the calendar and with gates open to all fans. RX2e and the FIA European Rallycross Championships for RX1 and RX3 are on the bill. In Estonia Rallikross Eesti moves to Piiroja for round four but everyone else is looking north to Holjes this weekend.

pics: Rallycross France, NBF, NRV, KNA Solor, RX Portugal