McConnell reigns supreme in first-ever Group E win at Nitro Rallycross fourth round at Glen Helen

By October 31, 2022

Jamaica’s Fraser McConnell claimed his first-ever Group E win on Sunday at the fourth leg of the 2022 Nitro Rallycross championship at Glen Helen Raceway in Los Angeles.

Dubbed the Flying Jamaican, McConnell began the weekend on a high note on Saturday when he took the top qualifier spot winning his heat before getting the better of Oliver Bennett, Kevin Eriksson and Oliver Eriksson in the head-to-heads.

After winning on Saturday, he remained focused fully aware that the job was not yet done.

“Successful day 1, head down and ready for tomorrow,” he posted on Instagram after his successful run on Saturday.

He delivered on Sunday to emerge victorious in 4:54.667, 0.737 ahead of Robin Larsson and 1.892 clear of third-place finisher Andreas Bakkerud. Oliver Bennett was 2.582 behind in fourth.

It wasn’t easy, however, as he had to fight off Larsson to hold the early lead in the exciting final and benefitted from when Larsson and Bakkerud came together on the final lap.

Leighton Levy

Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.

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    Jamaica’s Motorsport Athlete of the Year, Fraser McConnell, secured the second spot on the podium for the 2023/24 Nitrocross season, while Robin Larsson clinched his second consecutive title.

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    During the 2023/24 season, the Jamaican driver demonstrated remarkable skill and determination by securing a decisive victory in Oklahoma on June 16, marking an impressive start.

    Mechanical issues hindered his performance, possibly preventing him from reaching the podium in rounds two and three in Utah in August. However, McConnell bounced back strongly in rounds five and six in Phoenix, Arizona, finishing first and second on November 10 and 11.

    McConnell is gearing up for another thrilling season of sprint racing in 2024/25 as Dreyer & Reinbold Racing confirms the extension of his contract for another year,

    "We are thrilled to announce Fraser McConnell's continued partnership with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing for the upcoming NitroCross season," said team owner, Dennis Reinbold. "Fraser's exceptional talent and dedication to excellence embody the spirit of our team, and we are confident that together, we will achieve even greater heights in the 2024-25 season."

    McConnell also looks forward to a third season with the team, “I’m happy to continue this opportunity with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. The team has felt like family over the last two years and it’s a huge honour to continue with the best team in the paddock."

    On his 2023/24 results, he added,

    “It is so incredible to finish on the podium once again, last year third, this year second, next year I’m coming for that trophy!”

    “We definitely have what it takes to win the championship. We finished strong here in Las Vegas and next season will be no different.” he added.

    The fourth season of Nitrocross gets underway on September 7 & 8 with Rounds one & two slated for a new venue, Richmond Raceway, in Virginia.

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    In an impressive performance at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, Fraser McConnell secured victory in Round 9 of 10, the first of two final races, keeping himself in contention for the Nitrocross series 2023/4 title. McConnell dominated the penultimate round on Friday night.

    Taking an early lead in the six-lap final, McConnell faced a challenge when Oliver Eriksson overtook him in the heavy braking zone. That lead was short-lived as McConnell tagged him just after the joker merge two turns later to regain the lead.

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    "Happy for the team, happy for Laia and everybody back in Jamaica. This is a big, big win. Stepping into this team was such a huge step for me. So many other people could have had the opportunity, but I was chosen by Carlos and the team to be here. They saw something in me, they believed in me, and this gave me so much confidence to dig as deep as I could."

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