Coming off his recent NASCAR Series Cup Playoffs run and string of USAC Midget races, Chase Elliott will race in the finale of Nitro Rallycross’ 2021 series December 4 and 5 at The FIRM in North Florida. Elliott is confirmed to drive the ZipRecruiter-sponsored #GoNitro car in Nitro RX’s Supercar class. With his addition to the Florida driver lineup, Elliott’s beverage partner, A SHOC Energy,is also sponsoring his Nitro Rallycross debut in the final round.
Elliott is the latest NASCAR star to tackle Nitro RX’s challenging courses, following Kyle Busch’s strong performance at Nitro RX’s Phoenix stop earlier this month.
Elliott said, “I’m really looking forward to racing in Nitro RX at the season finale in Florida. I enjoy the challenge of trying out other forms of racing and have recently taken up dirt racing, so getting in a rallycross car is really appealing. Nitro RX is thrilling to watch and from what Travis Pastrana and some of the other drivers have told me, it is just as thrilling to be behind the wheel. I can’t wait.”
Travis Pastrana said, “It’s absolutely awesome for our sport to see NASCAR Cup champions like Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch compete in Nitro Rallycross. Kyle had so much fun and a very impressive fourth place finish at Nitro Rallycross in Phoenix. Chase is bar none one of the greatest driving talents in motorsport, and having an elite driver of his caliber opens Nitro RX to a new audience. Chase joining us for the Florida finale is a great way to close out the 2021 series.”
While Elliott has a full trophy case from numerous series across the racing world, including stock car series championships in the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series, Nitro RX, however, will be new territory.
Nitro RX’s turbocharged 600 hp vehicles are different beasts than the NASCAR Cup Series vehicles Elliott usually pilots. Nitro RX Supercars are also all-wheel drive and accelerate faster off the starting line than an F1 car, hitting 60 mph in just 1.9 seconds at 1.5 G. Putting that power to all four wheels is necessary to navigate Nitro RX’s revolutionary multi-surface tracks, which feature 100-ft plus jumps, banked turns and steep berms.
Elliott will face off against an elite field of multi-disciplinary racers. In addition to motorsports icon and Nitro RX mastermind Travis Pastrana, Florida competitors include Tanner Foust – the only driver in the world with victories in X Games, Global Rallycross, WRX, ARX and the European Rallycross Championship – as well as Scott Speed, a three-time X Games gold medalist, three-time Global Rallycross champion, plus an F1 and NASCAR veteran – and more.
Following back-to-back series wins, Pastrana currently holds the lead in the Nitro RX Championship standings. With the 2021 series title on the line going into the Florida finale, he looks forward to the added challenge of squaring off against Elliott.
Pastrana said, “The track is being built right now so Chase will have as much time on it as anyone coming into this race. And with so much tarmac in Florida I wouldn’t be surprised to see Chase end up on the podium, but I would be very impressed. I look forward to seeing how his skills transfer over to all-wheel drive Supercars and can’t wait to go door to door with one of the youngest NASCAR Cup champion of all time.”
In addition to Kyle Busch, the people’s rallycross champion – two-time European Rallycross winner Andreas Bakkerud – has also piloted the ZipRecruiter #GoNitro car. ZipRecruiter is the latest addition to Nitro RX’s growing sponsor roster, joining foundational series partners Red Bull, Yokohama, Subaru Motorsports USA and O’Reilly Auto Parts.
— Nitro Rallycross —