Johan Kristoffersson (VW Polo Mk5) became the 2021 RallyX Nordic series winner today (August 15) after he drove to victory in the final round at Arvika (Westombanan) in Sweden. He won the Supercar category from Fraser McConnell (Ford Fiesta Mk8) and Anton Marklund (VW Polo Mk5).
The final event of the 2021 RallyX Nordic series took place together with the finals in the Swedish Rallycross Championship and was spread out over three days. Q1 took place on Friday, Q2 and Q3 on Saturday while on Sunday the event was concluded with Q4, the semi-finals and the finals.
Johan Kristoffersson was fastest on Friday during Q1 ahead of Kevin Eriksson (Honda Civic) and Philip Gehrman (Audi S1). On Saturday during Q2 racing occurred on a drying track resulting in a fastest time for Enzo Ide (Audi S1) ahead of Anton Marklund and Fraser McConnell while Kristoffersson was only eleventh. However, later on Saturday Kristoffersson signed one more time for the fastest time in Q3 that he won from Ide and Sondre Evjen (Audi S1). Q4 on Sunday went eventually to Marklund with Kristoffersson second fastest, top qualifier and securing himself the win in the 2021 Rally Nordic series in Supercar. Second to fifth in the intermediate standings were for respectively Marklund, Ide, McConnell and Evjen.
Kristoffersson won the first semi-final after having lead it from lights to flag. Ide and Evjen were battling it out for second place behind Kristoffersson won in the end by the Belgian ahead of the Norwegian. The second semi-final had an with incidents filled opening lap. By the end of the first lap Kevin Eriksson was leading it from Marklund and McConnell. With Marklund and Eriksson passing through the joker lap section early in the semi-final it was McConnell, passing through the joker lap section in the final lap, who won the second semi-final.
In the final Kristoffersson had the better start and was beating McConnell in turn one. Behind the leaders Marklund passed Ide and made it from the last row on the grid to third place in the race. Positions didn’t change for the main part of the final. McConnell, Marklund and Kevin Eriksson who was in fourth passed through the joker lap at the end of the penultimate lap. This gave Ide the possibility to climb to fourth place. Kristoffersson was way ahead and in a comfortable position to pass through the joker lap section in the final lap and win the last round of the 2O21 RallyX Nordic series. With his second place finish McConnell secured himself second place in the final standings with just one point difference on Sondre Evjen who finished sixth in today’s final.
In addition to his 2021 RallyX Nordic title Johan Kristoffersson also earned the title of winner of the 2021 Swedish Rallycross Championship for Supercar.
“It’s always nice to pick up another trophy”, Kristoffersson commented. “I have won the Swedish Championship once before, here in Arvika last year at my home track, and it is good to keep that winning streak going.
“I love this sport, and it is down to Volkswagen Sweden and Bauhaus that we are actually here. The competition throughout the year has been very tough. Niclas Grönholm has been competing in a few races this year and the other guys have also put up a proper fight.
“It’s always very important to be in a competitive mode, and we have had to squeeze everything out of our car as no two races are the same.”
In Supercar Lites Casper Jansson (Supercar Lites) was the top qualifier and after winning his semi-final he also won the final from pole. During the final he was challenged by Tommi Hallman (Supercar Lites) for the lead when going into the penultimate lap and when going into the final lap. Jansson resisted the pressure from Hallman and won. Hallman and Nils Andersson (Supercar Lites) completed the Supercar Lites podium. The 2021 series win in Supercar Lites went to Finland with Tommi Hallman.
“This feels really good”, Hallman said. “I’m a bit disappointed with the second place today but it’s been a really good season for me and we haven’t really had any big issues all year.
“I haven’t had a second place before this season, so I have taken one and completed the set now.”
Today’s third place finisher Nils Andersson is the 2021 Swedish Rallycross Champion in Supercar Lites.
The Open 2WD category saw the largest list of entries this season. Simon Tiger (BMW E30 Coupé), who won five of the six previous round, got beaten in the intermediate classification by Emil Öhman (Volvo S40 Mk1). Öhman and Tiger both won their semi-finals and were lined up on the front row for the final. There also Öhman had the better start and lead it from Tiger into the opening lap. With Tiger passing through the joker lap section by the end of lap four and Öhman the lap after, it gave Tiger the possibility to challenge Öhman for the lead in turn one during the final lap. Eventually Tiger was successful in passing Öhman and therefore ended the series with a sixth win out of seven events. Emil Öhman came in second and Michael Janson (BMW E30 Coupé) made it in third. Simon Tiger was of course the 2021 series winner in Open 2WD.
Results
Supercar (Open 4WD) – Final: 1. Johan Kristoffersson (S), VW Polo Mk5; 2. Fraser McConnell (JAM), Ford Fiesta Mk8; 3. Anton Marklund (S), VW Polo Mk5; 4. Enzo Ide (B), Audi S1; 5. Kevin Eriksson (S), Honda Civic Coupé Mk10; 6. Sondre Evjen (N), Audi S1.
Supercar Lites – Final: 1. Casper Jansson (S), Supercar Lites; 2. Tommi Hallman (FIN), Supercar Lites; 3. Nils Andersson (S), Supercar Lites; 4. Linus Östlund (S), Supercar Lites; 5. Martin Enlund (S), Supercar Lites; 6. George Megennis (USA), Supercar Lites – DSQ.
Open 2WD – Final: 1. Simon Tiger (S), BMW E30 Coupé; 2. Emil Öhman (S), Volvo S40 Mk1; 3. Michael Janson (S), BMW E30 Coupé; 4. Urban Bergström (S), Volvo V40 Mk1; 5. Thomas Öhman (S), BMW E82 – DNF; 6. Linus Westman (S), BMW E82 – DNF.
Final standings
Supercar (7/7): 1. Johan Kristoffersson (S), 167; 2. Fraser McConnell (JAM), 126; 3. Sondre Evjen (N), 125; 4. Niclas Grönholm (FIN), 110; 5. Enzo Ide (B), 98; etc.
Supercar Lites (7/7): 1. Tommi Hallman (FIN), 165; 2. Nils Andersson (S), 129; 3. Linus Östlund (S), 114; 4. Martin Enlund (S), 114; 5. Simon Olofsson (S), 108; etc.
Open 2WD (7/7): 1. Simon Tiger (S), 160; 2. Mathias Jansson (S), 115; 3. Marcus Norman (S), 76; 4; Morten Bertelsen (DK), 71; 5. Lars Englund (S), 66; etc.