Americas Rallycross has announced a heavily-revised calendar for its sophomore season in 2019, with the schedule growing from four rounds to six and its partnership with World Rallycross reduced. ARX was created by World Rallycross promoter IMG for 2018 as a successor of sorts to the American-based Global Rallycross Championship which had folded early that year. ARX’s inaugural calendar last year had four events, three of which partnered with WRX rounds. This year the ARX calendar grows by two. Only one round in total, the Canadian event at Trois-Rivieres in August, supports WRX.
The calendar, which begins in June and concludes in October, is extensively revised. Last year’s “away day” round at Silverstone in the UK which opened the season is dropped, while a double-header round at Gateway Motorsports Park and a two visits to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course–one opening the season and the other closing it–are added. Gateway’s visit will be the venue’s first ever rallycross event as well as the first ever ARX double-header. While the 0.7-mile rallycross track at Mid-Ohio will be situated in the circuit’s famous “keyhole” section, which ARX promises will provide fans with an “iconic view of the entire course”. And last year’s two visits to Austin have been reduced to just one for 2019, with only the late September visit to the Circuit of the Americas retained. That early Autumn Austin stop-off had been penciled in initially as a WRX round for this year but that then was postponed until 2021. The single-make ARX2 category will have double-header support rounds at all ARX events except at Austin in September where it will have a single round.
Reigning ARX champion and ex-F1 driver Scott Speed was highly positive about the announced schedule. “It’s the growth of rallycross in America; these are permanent tracks that are going in and developing,” he said. “It’s super important to get these tracks off the ground and to get grassroots rallycross racing off the ground and going. I think it speaks well for the future of the sport and I feel like the timing is right for this sport to really take off in our country.” His fellow ARX driver Steve Aprin shared his excitement. “This season promises to be our best yet,” he said. “We’ve got an awesome calendar, we’re going to have an amazing car, and an incredible group of partners that we’re excited to announce in the coming weeks. I’m also looking forward to sharing the garage with an awesome driver that we’re hoping to reveal soon.”
Images courtesy of Americas Rallycross, Volkswagen and Subaru
