VW Polo Mk5 SuperCar campaigner Johan Kristoffersson won his second RallyX round in a row when the all-new Swedish Rallycross Championship visited the Strängnäs Motorstadion. UPDATE: Due to the use of two unmarked tyres in the Final Johan Kristoffersson lost his win and was declared sixth overall. 

On Thursday prior to the WorldRX event of Finland Round 3 of the Swedish Rallycross Championship was held at the Strängnäs Motorstadion where about 5,000 spectators witnessed Johan Kristoffersson claiming his second back-to-back victory of the inaugural RallyX series. The son of ex-Rallycrosser with Audi Tommy Kristoffersson fully controlled the Final, winning the last race of the day with a big advantage from Ford Fiesta Mk7 ST driver Sebastian Eriksson. Prior to the event Ford-OMSE team member Eriksson was on top of the series’ point standings, but after Strängnäs he and Volkswagen Dealer Team KMS man Kristoffersson are sharing the championship lead, having 48 points each. Audi A1 campaigner Robin Larsson is currently in third place with 33 points.

The Strängnäs SuperCar podium with runner-up Sebastian Eriksson, winner Johan Kristoffersson and third Linus Westman. © VW/ERC24

Kristoffersson was maybe not as dominant as in Round 2 at his hometown of Arvika, but he won two of the three qualifying heats and was almost unchallenged in his Semi-Final as well as in the all decisive Final. “I got a good start in the Final. It got crowded in the first corner and pretty messy behind me. I saw that the others had a coming together, which meant for me that I got the chance to produce a gap,” said Kristoffersson and continued: “When I took the Joker Lap I was told that I still had a good gap and then the rest of the Final was less dramatic. We’ve changed a lot on the car during the day and that was the key to success. With the speed we had at the beginning of the event I’m not sure that we had succeeded.”

Norwegian Ole Christian Veiby drove his all-new VW Polo Mk5 SuperCar to 4th place. © VW/ERC24

His teammate Norwegian Ole Christian Veiby also looked quite strong in his brand-new VW Polo Mk5 SuperCar that was ready in time to replace the VW Scirocco he raced in the first two RallyX rounds. Veiby drove twice a third fastest time in qualification and in his Semi-Final he made it to another third place behind Kristoffersson and his fellow-countryman Daniel Holten. “I missed the start completely, but this time it was not my own fault. I actually don’t know what happened. The new car runs great, I feel comfortable in it and made good speed. Too bad that the start of the Final became such a scrapping. Had it been lesser tussle I could have made it to second place I think,” said the Norwegian who celebrated his 18th birthday on June 17.

Ole Christian Veiby (left) and teammate Johan Kristoffersson sharing their race impressions. © VW/ERC24

At the end of the day both Semi-Final winners Johan Kristoffersson and Robin Larsson (Audi A1) shared the first row of the six-lap Final starting grid, the VW driver was on pole position. Behind them the Ford men Daniel Holten (Fiesta Mk7) and Sebastian Eriksson (Fiesta Mk7 ST) were found in the second row. The third and last row was for Ole Christian Veiby and Linus Westman (Škoda Fabia Mk2) to complete the six-car field. Kristoffersson won the start outright while Westman also produced a marvellous launch to shoot himself from the third row into second place. In the process Kristoffersson’s lead was never in danger, but Holten was soon ahead of Westman. After the sort-out action of the first corner Larsson faced a broken passenger door standing wide open soon. The Clerk of the Course quickly decided to take the Audi campaigner out of the event for the unsafe state of his A1. Holten lost his second place to Westman again and was in the process passed by Eriksson too. However, when the Škoda driver had done his Joker Lap it was Eriksson who made it to runner-up, Westman finishing in third place.

The podium of the RallyX Lites winners with (from left) Kevin Hansen (2nd), Patrik Flodin (1st) and Kevin Eriksson (3rd). © SBF/ERC24

The RallyX Lites category was dominated by Rally ace Patrik Flodin, the 2006 Swedish and 2009 Russian Rally Champion eventually claimed a never challenged victory in the six-lap Final. When the lights turned green the 29-year-old shot straight into the lead, from then on building up a healthy advantage over his competitors. When the leading duo Flodin and Kevin Eriksson played their Joker in the ultimate lap it was Kevin Hansen who was able to squeeze himself between the front runners and used the last couple of metres to make second place his. The younger of the two sons of 14-times ERC winner Kenneth Hansen is now leading the Swedish Lites series with 48 points, followed by his friend Kevin Eriksson (40 points) and Linus Leise (31 points) in third place.

UPDATE OF FRIDAY AFTERNOON: “During the RallyX and SM round in Strängnäs on June 26 2014 has a following report from the technical scrutineers stated that car no #14, Johan Kristoffersson, used two unmarked tyres during the Final. The team has even been acknowledged and that they thereby have violated applicable tyre regulations of the RallyX and SM series. Due to the by the team in this way gained unfair advantage the STCC organisation has decided today to adjust the result of the contest in Strängnäs, which means that Johan Kristoffersson moved down to the sixth and last place of the Final.”

• Round 3, Swedish Rallycross Championship/RallyX, Strängnäs Motorstadion, Strängnäs (S), 26.06.2014
• UPDATED FINAL RESULTS SUPERCARS:
• 1. Sebastian Eriksson (S) Ford Fiesta Mk7 ST
• 2. Linus Westman (S) Škoda Fabia Mk2
• 3. Ole Christian Veiby (N) VW Polo Mk5
• 4. Daniel Holten (N) Ford Fiesta Mk7 – DNF
• 5. Robin Larsson (S) Audi A1 – DNF
• 6. Johan Kristoffersson (S) VW Polo Mk5 – Disq.
• FINAL RESULTS RALLYX LITES:
• 1. Patrik Flodin (S) “Ford Fiesta Mk7”
• 2. Kevin Hansen (S) “Peugeot 208”
• 3. Kevin Eriksson (S) “Ford Fiesta Mk7”
• 4. Linus Leise (S) “Ford Fiesta Mk7”
• 5. Richard Göransson (S) “Ford Fiesta Mk7”
• 6. Alexander Westlund (S) “Ford Fiesta Mk7”

Top photo: Johan Kristoffersson powered his VW Polo Mk5 SuperCar to the second 2014 RallyX victory. © VW/ERC24