Nitrocross has announced that the remaining three events of its 2024-25 season will not go ahead after the series was put on an indefinite “pause.”
RACER sources have indicated a recent management change at the parent company, Thrill One, has led to the series’ internal workings being re-evaluated in order to ensure its viability in the long run.
The series, in its fourth as a full-multi-event championship after initially debuting as a part of the Nitro World Games action sports competition in 2018, has already taken in doubleheader stops at Richmond Raceway and Utah Motorsports Campus in September and October respectively. It was set to continue at Firebird Motorsports Park in Phoenix, Ariz., in November before going to Miami Marine Stadium in January and the Las Vegas Strip at the start of March.
In a statement provided to RACER by Nitrocross, the series suggested that plans were already in the works to secure the long-term future of the property, which was pioneered by action sports legend Travis Pastrana.
“We believe deeply in the potential of Nitrocross to lead motorsports into the next generation and are proud of the legacy it has already established,” the statement read. “However, we have determined that a new vision is required for the brand’s long-term future and have made the difficult decision to pause the current 2024-25 season, which includes the upcoming race weekends scheduled for Phoenix, Miami, and Las Vegas.
“Any further news on the 2024-2025 season will be communicated at the appropriate time. Our commitment to delivering a groundbreaking, innovative motorsports experience remains unwavering and we look forward to sharing new updates about the brand and the sport soon.”
At the time of the season’s stoppage, Dreyer & Reinbold JC’s Robin Larsson – champion of the last two seasons in the top-level Group E class – leads the points standings after winning the opening race of the season and taking back-to-back second places in Utah.
Olsbergs MSE’s Oliver Eriksson, winner of the second race of the season, lies second, with Andreas Bakkerud, also of DRR JC – who won both Finals in Utah, ending a winless streak stretching back to the 2022-23 season – in third.
The NEXT EVO category, which introduced the new sustainably-fueled FC2 car this season, is headed by Mitchell De Jong, ahead of Tommi Hallman, with the pair splitting the four round wins in the category so far. The series also includes divisions for Can-Am Side-by-Sides and Class 11 Volkswagen Beetles, originally seen in the SCORE off-road series.
As well as a solid cast of European and American off-road talent, the series has also attracted star names in the form of NASCAR Cup Series champions Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott, 2009 Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button, five-time World Rally winner Kris Meeke, six-time World Rallycross champion Johan Kristoffersson, Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric, double DTM champion and World RX race winner Timo Scheider, IndyCar veteran Conor Daly, and three-time NASCAR Truck Series champion Matt Crafton.
The current season also welcomed high-profile backers in the form of Monster Energy, Busch Light and Dodge.