Nitrocross to host season finale near F1 paddock in Las Vegas

Nitrocross has confirmed that its 2023-24 season finale will take place under the lights in Las Vegas on March 1-2 at a new, purpose-built facility.

  
The doubleheader event will be held at a venue built on Koval Lane, near Formula 1’s new paddock building, and will be on a track designed by series pioneer and 2021 champion Travis Pastrana. While the mixed-surface track layout is yet to be revealed, the presence of a 130-foot gap jump has been confirmed, along with Nitrocross’ customary “big jumps, banked corners, and steep berms.”

“With Nitrocross, we are developing an all-new motorsport, one that drives innovation, elevates performance and is wall-to-wall entertainment from start to finish,” said Nitrocross general manager Chip Pankow. “We’re here to show fans the incredible performance from our 1,000+ hp electric cars on a track that is unlike anything they’ve seen before.

“Las Vegas is all about having a great time and is the perfect venue for our 2023-24 season finale.”

Rallycross-like motorsport has a long history in Las Vegas, with it hosting the now-defunct Global Rallycross series’ season finale from 2012 to 2015. Las Vegas Motor Speedway also hosted a round of the 2012 season. Tanner Foust and the late Ken Block share two wins apiece in the city, Block getting his first-ever rallycross victory there in 2013, while Joni Wiman secured his only top-level U.S. round victory there in 2015, a year after securing the season title in a four-way showdown at the same venue.

For Nitrocross, though, it will be a long-awaited first visit, although the wider business has strong ties to the city. Last year, Nitrocross’ parent company, Thrill One Sports & Entertainment, was acquired by an investment group led by Las Vegas-based Fiume Capital, while in 2018 Pastrana recreated three of Evel Knievel’s most famous jumps in front of more than 25,000 people, as well as a live TV audience in what was the most-watched cable special of that year.

“This season has been the start of something truly amazing as we take Nitrocross to the next level, and I’m so excited to put an exclamation mark on it in Las Vegas,” said Pastrana. “After feeling the incredible energy from all the fans who lined The Strip as we honored Evel Knievel, there is no better place to send it.

“While without a doubt it’s a global entertainment capital, this city is also passionate about motorsports, hosting huge races by F1, NASCAR, the Mint 400, and more. As we grow Nitrocross with amazing partners like the Fertitta brothers at Fiume and Dana White, I look forward to what we can build here.”

Before that, the Nitrocross season will resume at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park with a double-header event on November 10-11. Olsbergs MSE driver Kevin Eriksson currently leads the standings as the only driver to finish on the podium in all three rounds so far. He heads defending champion Robin Larsson, who won the most recent round at the Utah Motorsports Campus.

For more information: www.racer.com