Kevin Eriksson, Andreas Bakkerud, and Fraser McConnell hold the advantage after the first part of the Nitrocross season opener at Mid America Outdoors in Oklahoma.
A new format for the 2023-24 season sees the fastest driver from each timed practice group go into a “Top Qualifier” session – a single lap contest – and the next three going into another qualifying group, and so on.
Qualifying decides lineups for “Battle Heats” with the winners of those heats advancing to the “Battle Final.” Those drivers also bypass the preliminary round the following day. The remainder of the field race through preliminary heats, heats, and Last Chance Qualifiers to determine the spots in the eight-car final.
Friday, the first day of the two-day event, featured a condensed schedule after storms forced a delay in the action. Travis Pastrana was the top qualifier in mixed conditions, setting a time of 1m26.365s, 0.333s ahead of Fraser McConnell, with Robin Larsson failing to complete his lap in the TQ group.
Andreas Bakkerud topped the second group with the fastest lap of the session – 1m26.038s – but wasn’t in the top group so didn’t claim session honors. He bested Kris Meeke and Kevin Eriksson. Oliver Eriksson was fastest in Q3 ahead of IndyCar racer Conor Daly and Benito Guerra, while a puncture for Conor Martell meant that Oliver Bennett was the only driver to set a time in Q3.
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In the first of the three battle heats, Kevin Eriksson made a strong start, sweeping round the outside of the opening high banked turn, reminiscent of his viral “round the outside” move at Estering in the World Rallycross championship in 2016. He then took the joker – a shortcut that needs to be taken once per race – on the first of three laps, with the reigning champion staying out in clear air, only jokering on the final lap in an ultimately unsuccessful bid to get by.
McConnell won the second after leading in convincing fashion early on, although a charging Meeke closed the gap by race end, but couldn’t find a way past as dust levels rose as the track continued to dry after the morning’s rain.
Oliver Eriksson looked like he would emulate his older brother in the third Battle Heat, taking an early lead round the outside of the first turn, but as Pastrana looked up the inside, Bakkerud snuck through the middle to take a lead he wouldn’t relinquish. Punctures for the remaining three runners, which also included Bennett, ensured an easy win for Bakkerud.
While originally scheduled for Friday evening, the Battle Final moved to Saturday morning. Once again, Kevin Eriksson swept round the outside of the track’s signature banked turn to lead early, but McConnell was chasing.
An early joker for Eriksson gave him a cushion out in front, while McConnell had to contend with a hounding Bakkerud. After jokering on the second lap, McConnell was right on Eriksson’s tail, and it was a similar story a lap later when Bakkerud jokered and emerged just ahead of the Jamaican. The duo exchanged positions for the next three turns, with Bakkerud prevailing, only for a 3s penalty for avoidable contact reversing the positions once more. The squabble over second helped Kevin Eriksson cement his Battle Final victory, crossing the finish line with a left rear puncture.
Saturday’s action leads to an eight-car, six-lap final, the victor of which will be declared the round winner.