Travis Pastrana and Conner Martell Join Group E Field in Nitrocross - Speedway Digest

The all-new track promises to be transformational. Purpose-built to Pastrana’s design from a virtually blank canvas over the span of three months, it has grown into a behemoth, featuring all of his craziest ideas rolled into one.

Beginning with a descending start on tarmac, the course has over 150-feet of overall elevation change. Pastrana explained, “This track has such amazing natural elevation [already] that we decided to work more with the existing terrain and make it fun and unique with elements we couldn’t build anywhere else.”

Following that initial drop, the surface switches to dirt in the form of a massive banked hairpin turn – the biggest berm in rallycross – which is designed to accommodate optional lines for the drivers. Pastrana said, “Our goal is to make multiple lines in almost every corner so different driving styles will shine through.”

“The elevation makes these turns different from anything we’ve ever ran,” off-road pro Terry Madden (USA) said. “One of the corners has a table top on the inside and it’s banked on the outside. There’s multiple lines everywhere, so you can pass anywhere.”

Tight snaking corners follow, leading to an over-under Joker lap split. Overall, this massive rollercoaster takes Pastrana’s game-changing concept for motorsports to new heights. Expert track builder Nate Wessel said, “This is going to blow people’s minds. There has never been anything designed or built like this on the planet for these types of cars.”

Pastrana recalled, “After my first test in the Group E car, I couldn’t stop smiling…. We’re going to make this track so it’s equally as fast inside as outside. If you’re a quick driver it doesn’t matter if you start first or last, you’re going to be able to get from last to first.”

But, for Pastrana, MidAmerica Outdoors and Nitocross, this is just the beginning. “This is the first purpose-built track, but it’s nowhere near complete. We’re just getting started. Every year it will evolve,” he said. “The goal is to be able to run most of the track forward and backward. We will concrete some turns and pave others. There will be an option to run a dirt section that we can change from year-to-year and run everything from Lemons cars to Supermoto to off-road trucks. MidAmerica in Oklahoma looks to be the best track on the Nitrocross circuit this year and it will only get better from here!”

He added: “The thing I’m looking forward to most is seeing the look on everyone’s face when they see the track in person for the first time.”

Nitrocross 2023-24 kicks off at Visions Off-Road 2023, coming to MidAmerica Outdoors in Jay, Oklahoma on June 16-17.

Elite Driver Roster:

At MAO Oklahoma, Pastrana will go up against a stacked field of world-class drivers, including his Vermont SportsCar teammate Conner Martell (USA), along with DRR driver, and recent Extreme E winner, Fraser McConnell (JAM) with many more competitors to be announced soon.

Electrifying Performance:

Group E drivers will strap into the all-electric FC1-X, a revolutionary monster capable of producing the equivalent of 1,070 peak horsepower (800 kW). It accelerates from 0-60 mph in just 1.4 seconds – faster off the line than an F1 car – subjecting drivers to more than two G’s.

Festival of Motorsport:

Thrill-loving racing fans have even more high adrenaline excitement to look forward to. Beyond the electrifying action of Group E, the younger generation of drivers will step up to the big stage in NEXT, Nitrocross’ developmental class. Look out for the return of rough-and-ready Side-By-Sides and Baja Bugs as well.

In addition to Nitrocross, the thrill-loving daredevils of Nitro Circus will close-out Visions Off-Road with an explosive action sports show on Friday, June 17^th. Moto enthusiasts can also check out the Nitro Circus Mid America Mayhem Pit Bike Championship on Friday, June 17^th.

Visions will also showcase the biggest off-road racing in motorport, including the new MAO Racing Truck Championship plus Ultra4 USA, an exciting all-terrain race series, and the MAO Racing short course.

Fan Experience:

With its unique open paddock layout, Nitrocross will once again offer fans an engaging atmosphere where they can get an up-close look at their favorite drivers, cars and teams.

On top of all that, fans can also enjoy live music and entertainment each day at Visions Off-Road 2023, which will provide all kinds of fun and adventure for the whole family. Stay for the full week: full RV hookup camping passes are now sold out but passes for resort side dry-camping are still available.

How To Watch:

Be there live! Tickets for the Nitrocross 2023-24 season kickoff at Visions Off-Road 2023 are available now at visionsoffroad.com.

For fans unable to get out to the track, Rumble, the leading platform for live-streaming action sports, will stream the pulse-pounding Nitrocross action — all live and all free for fans around the globe.

Championship Stakes:

Nitrocross 2023-24 will encompass 10 rounds, spanning nine months set in six locations. Following Visions Off-Road 2023, subsequent announced stops will range from the desert Southwest to the frigid Canadian Rockies.

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Adam Sinclair

NHRA, IHRA, Motocross and other forms of motorsports Staff writer
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.