Dodge Hornet R/T FC1-X Opens Nitrocross Group E Season with a Win

The Dodge brand recently announced its involvement with the Nitrocross Group E series with the specially prepared Hornet R/T FC1-X all-electric race cars.  At the recent season opener in Richmond, Virginia, reigning back-to-back champion Robin Larsson gave Dodge its first win in the growing all-electric rally racing series. He followed that Round 1 win up with a fourth place finish in the Round 2 race, putting him in the third position in the early championship race.

“It’s always special going into a new season. Of course, everyone is seeking the championship at the opening race, and we have a strong team with DRR. Having won the last two years brings a lot of confidence to myself and the team. For me, it’s a cool feeling being with Dodge. It’s the first time I have been with an auto manufacturer. I’m very proud to have Dodge on board and I couldn’t ask for a better start to the season,” said Larsson (shown above in the Monster Energy car).

“My starts were good today and our pace on track has been excellent. It was a heck of a day with a ‘clean sweep’ of the events. The track was slippery on the gravel sections, and I didn’t want to make any mistakes. To be honest, I was little nervous coming into this race, and I want to play it safe in certain sections. But I had a perfect day thanks to the team and it’s great to put Dodge in the winner’s circle.”

And he did just that – starting on the pole position of the Round 1 race on September 7^th and never looking back, cruising to victory in the first race of the season.

Larsson was joined by three other Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (DRR) teammates in their own Dodge Hornet R/T FC1-X race cars – Fraser McConnell, Andreas Bakkerud and Lia Block. McConnell would finish on the podium in both races – third in Round 1 and second in Round 2 – putting him in the second spot in the championship race. McConnell started on the pole of the Round 2 final, but he got sideways due to contact early on the first lap, allowing Oliver Eriksson to take the lead and the win.

“It was a tough finish in the Sunday race,” said McConnell, who is also a former Rallycross Lites champion. “I feel if I didn’t get hit on the first lap that I would have won the race. I felt that the positions (first and second) should have been swapped. But, if that is the decision, such is life, and I will move on to the next event. The opening weekend is always a tough one, but we are so pleased to have Dodge with the DRR team and we look forward to the next weekend in Utah next month.”

Group E rookie Lia Block (daughther of the late rally racing legend Ken Block) finished sixth in both races and starts the championship run in the seventh spot. Her car is shown jumping another car, below.

“To be honest, I was just trying to get my feet underneath everything with these high-horsepower cars,” said Block, a former rallycross (O2WD) class champion. “These other guys have a couple of seasons on me already with these racecars and it has been hard. I have been learning so much with the Dodge Hornet, and my teammates have been a great help, giving me all of the tricks and tips. It has been a big change from driving formula cars in Europe where they don’t want you to slide the car to here in Nitrocross where you need to slide the racecar to be fast. It was a fun weekend and I’m anxious for the next race.”

Things didn’t go so well for Bakkerud, who finished seventh on Saturday and eighth on Sunday, exiting before the end of the first lap of the Round 2 final due to an early crash. However, due to points earned in the races ahead of the finals, Bakkerud is currently fifth in points.

The Dodge Hornet R/T FC1-X race car is built on a tubular chassis with a carbon fiber chassis tub, adjustable front and rear double wishbone R53 suspension that allows for a full foot of wheel travel and – most importantly – Magelec Propulsion axial flux motors that provide 1,070 horsepower. These cars move out from a stop to 60 miles per hour in just 1.4 seconds while handling all sorts of rough terrain and jumps than span more than 200 feet.