Nitrocross

Mitchell deJong wins in racing return at Nitrocross Richmond

3 Mins read
Credit: Thrill One

During the early 2010s, Mitchell deJong was one of the rising stars in rallycross with race wins and titles in a plethora of Lites series ranging from Global Rallycross to the FIA World Rallycross Championship. However, his career ended up on hold by 2018, though he stayed virtually fresh as a sim racer.

Seven years after his last real-life racing action, deJong found himself behind the wheel of a NEXT EVO during last weekend’s Nitrocross season opener at Richmond Raceway. Despite the long absence, he did not have to shake off any rust as he held off reigning Nitrocross NEXT champion Tommi Hallman to win the first race. While Hallman returned the favour the next day, deJong still wrapped up the slate by finishing second.

deJong was called into action by Bak40 Motorsports on relatively short notice. Even then, he was the fastest driver in NEXT qualifying before winning his heat race and semi-final on Saturday. He set the pace early in the final and kept Hallman at bay for the win.

“A lot of unknowns coming into this weekend but everything just seemed to fall into place,” he said following the Saturday win. “I’m getting more and more comfortable with the car and all the races leading up to the semi-final and final went pretty much perfect and on-point.”

The successful weekend adds to an impressive portfolio for the 26-year-old, who won the 2014 GRC Lites title and an X Games gold medal that year. He has also triumphed in the FIA World and European Rallycross Championship’s Lites divisions as well as RallyX on Ice, winning the latter’s 2017 crown before committing to sim racing full time. On the esports side, deJong has competed in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing and Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup.

Hallman was not the only 2023/24 champion to start the season on a strong note as Group E’s Robin Larsson ushered in Dodge’s Nitrocross era by winning on Saturday. Last year’s runner-up Fraser McConnell hoped to sweep the weekend for the marque on Sunday but spun on the first lap and was passed by Oliver Eriksson.

Larsson’s win marked the first victory for Dodge at Richmond since Kasey Kahne won the 2005 NASCAR Cup Series spring race there. Richmond marked a bit of a throwback to using stock car ovals for rallycross, one that deJong was familiar with as GRC frequently made such stops. He won both NASCAR track dates at Charlotte and Daytona during his 2014 GRC Lites campaign.

“I’ve never even been a spectator in a NASCAR track, and now we’re racing there,” Hallman quipped after his Sunday win. “It’s so different to what I’m used to.

“In Europe, it’s not the same. This is so much more adrenaline filled. Big jumps and a really difficult track, especially this one, so it’s great.”

Final race results

Round #1

Group E

FinishNumberDriverTeamLapsMargin
14Robin LarssonDreyer & Reinbold Racing6Leader
216Oliver ErikssonOMSE6+ 1.068
335Fraser McConnellDreyer & Reinbold Racing6+ 1.962
431Viktor VranckxVMV Racing6+ 8.498
521Conner MartellVermont SportsCar6+ 8.382
657Lia BlockDreyer & Reinbold Racing6+ 9.108
713Andreas BakkerudDreyer & Reinbold Racing5+ 1 lap
834Tanner FoustOMSE1+ 5 laps
DNS23Kevin ErikssonOMSE0DNS

NEXT EVO

FinishNumberDriverTeamLapsMargin
124Mitchell deJongBak40 Motorsports6Leader
287Tommi HallmanSET Loenbro6+ 2.432
355Lane VacalaBak40 Motorsports6+ 7.661
411Ellis SpieziaTeam Faren6+ 9.373
521Kainan BakerBak40 Motorsports6+ 15.527
617Patrick GruszkaGreen APU6+ 15.949
79Michael LeachSET Loenbro6+ 16.352
836Casper JanssonOMSE4+ 2 laps

SxS

FinishNumberDriverLapsMargin
127Cash Lecroy6Leader
217Kory Willis6+ .601
3199Travis Pastrana6+ 1.872
4138Nate Wessel6+ 6.806
528Gray Leadbetter6+ 16.642
693Jacob Geisendorff6+ 34.906
721Kainan Baker6+ 55.551
831Jacob Rosales3+ 3 laps

Baja Bugs

FinishNumberDriverLapsMargin
11107Donny Donovan6Leader
21153Kyle Zirkus6+ .605
31157Blake Wilkey6+ 1.441
41105Nick Isenhouer6+ 3.558
51184Josh Felix6+ 14.291
61122Scotty Lasater6+ 36.082
71141Jim York6+ 47.984
8430Lucy Block6+ 50.119
91142Geg Shapiro6+ 53.395
101103Tim Sletten5+ 1 lap
111143Avery Remmereid4+ 2 laps
121101Will Harris3+ 3 laps

Round #2

Group E

FinishNumberDriverTeamLapsMargin
116Oliver ErikssonOMSE6Leader
235Fraser McConnellDreyer & Reinbold Racing6+ .759
331Viktor VranckxVMV Racing6+ 3.366
44Robin LarssonDreyer & Reinbold Racing6+ 4.800
534Tanner FoustOMSE6+ 5.343
657Lia BlockDreyer & Reinbold Racing6+ 6.528
721Conner MartellVermont SportsCar1+ 5 laps
813Andreas BakkerudDreyer & Reinbold Racing0+ 6 laps

NEXT EVO

FinishNumberDriverTeamLapsMargin
187Tommi HallmanSET Loenbro6Leader
224Mitchell deJongBak40 Motorsports6+ 2.554
336Casper JanssonOMSE6+ 3.475
49Michael LeachSET Loenbro6+ 8.032
511Ellis SpieziaTeam Faren6+ 9.139
621Kainan BakerBak40 Motorsports6+ 10.715
717Patrick GruszkaGreen APU6+ 11.997
855Lane VacalaBak40 Motorsports6+ 40.311

SxS

FinishNumberDriverLapsMargin
121Kainan Baker6Leader
2199Travis Pastrana6+ 5.551
317Kory Willis6+ 6.213
4143Tyler Remmereid6+ 7.222
5138Nate Wessel6+ 8.768
631Jacob Rosales6+ 32.637
728Gray Leadbetter6+ 35.720
8169Banks Hovey6+ 45.075

Baja Bugs

FinishNumberDriverLapsMargin
11157Blake Wilkey6Leader
21141Jim York6+ 7.916
31153Kyle Zirkus6+ 8.246
41103Tim Sletten6+ 21.214
51122Scotty Lasater6+ 21.902
61142Geg Shapiro6+ 25.625
71105Chris Isenhouer6+ 35.926
81143Avery Remmereid6+ 38.693
91107Donny Donovan6+ 42.788
10430Lucy Block5+ 58.532
111184Josh Felix3+ 3 laps
121101Will Harris2+ 4 laps
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Justin is not an off-road racer, but he writes about it for The Checkered Flag.
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