Dodge Hornet R/T FC1-X Race Car Debuts in Nitrocross Series Richmond Event

Photo credit: Dodge

Dodge made a fantastic debut at Richmond Raceway in the popular and exciting 2024–25 Nitrocross season. On September 7, 2024, at the first round of the series, Dodge Hornet R/T FC1–X race car was driven to victory by two-time and current Nitrocross Group E champion Robin Larsson in a dominant performance. The ten-round 2024–25 U.S. national series features cars with 1,000+ horsepower Dodge Hornet R/T FC1-Xs that compete on both paved and dirt courses. The drivers of these cars are teenagers Lia Block, Fraser McConnell, Andreas Bakkerud, and Larsson. 

With Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (DRR), the reigning Group E team champions, the Dodge brand presented its four-car lineup. During Saturday’s opening round of competition, Swedish driver Larsson, 32, gave a phenomenal driving display. He made a flawless sweep of the difficult and swift 3/4-mile Richmond Raceway oval by winning his heat race, semifinal, and final. Larsson was using a JC Dodge R/T FC1-X powered by DRR Monster Energy.

“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 a 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.”

Larsson started the final in pole position and as soon as he entered the dirt portion of the course, he moved his Dodge Hornet R/T FC1-X machine to the head of the race. Then, leading the entire field to the finish line, he outran Bakkerud, Oliver Eriksson, McConnell, Conner Martell, Viktor Vranckx, Block, and seasoned Tanner Foust. At the first race, of course, everyone is fighting for the championship, and DRR has a strong lineup. Our two-year winning streak has given the squad and me a lot of confidence. I think it’s fantastic to be with Dodge. I’ve never held a position with an automaker before. Dodge is a great addition to the team, and we’re off to the best start of the year.

Larsson’s DRR Dodge teammates Block, Bakkerud, and McConnell also qualified for Saturday’s main race. Following his mount’s flat tire, McConnell finished third, Block sixth, and Bakkerud seventh. On Sunday, McConnell led the race during the second round of the competition. However, on the opening lap, a hit from behind caused his car to spin significantly at turn three. Fraser finished just behind Oliver Eriksson despite a strong effort. Andreas had to withdraw from the Sunday final after Bakkerud’s car was hit on the opening lap. Larsson came in fourth, followed by Block in sixth.

“It was a tough finish in the Sunday race,” said McConnell, 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.”

“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.”

Block relished working with the seasoned DRR team and competing in her maiden Nitrocross doubleheader event in the Dodge Hornet R/T FC1-X race car. Dennis Reinbold, owner of the DRR team, was thrilled with Dodge’s debut in the new racing category at the Richmond Nitrocross weekend. The next Nitrocross doubleheader weekend for Round 3 and 4 is set on Oct. 5-6 with the “Busch Light Race to the Mountains” at the Utah Motorsports Campus near Salt Lake City, Utah.

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