Norwegian Andreas Bakkerud has been invited by his team OMSE to drive one of their SuperCar Lites vehicles in the Global RallyCross series Finale in Las Vegas the coming Wednesday.

“I love to race and when my team OlsbergsMSE offered me the opportunity to run a SuperCar Lites car within the Global RallyCross final round in Las Vegas the decision was easy. It gives us a challenge prior to the FIA World Rallycross Championship Finale in Argentina, to be held three weeks later, where our aim is to fight for the podiums in both the team and driver championships,” stated Bakkerud with a big grin.

The one-make 300+bhp strong Rallycross Lites vehicles are popular in both, the WRX and GRC series. © JKR/ERC24

The Norwegian is going to race in the SuperCar Lites category, which is also in the US the class below the SuperCars. The one-make Lites vehicles have been run for the first time in the WorldRX series this season. The concept was developed by Bakkerud’s Swedish team OlsbergsMSE, and the cars have many of the same features as the regular SuperCars. They are four-wheel driven and have similar brake and suspension systems, while they are built on a very special tubular frame and a bit smaller in size. However, the biggest difference is that the engine has a horsepower output of just 320bhp. In WorldRX ‘BabyBlue’ has almost 600 wild horses at disposal, but is certain that this nevertheless offers both fun and a challenge.

After winning the WorldRX round of Turkey Bakkerud wants additional practice for the WRX Finale in Argentina. © JKR/ERC24

“In this class all cars are equal, and with less power there is absolutely no room for making mistakes if you want to be in front. I’ve been around the Lites during all this season and was the spotter for Nelson Piquet Jr. in the GRC Lites events at Barbados and during the X Games of Austin in Texas. I also tested the car during last year’s GRC race in Las Vegas and enjoyed that experience a lot. I am very grateful that team manager Andréas Eriksson and the OMSE squad gave me the opportunity to enter a true competition in this class. I have motorsport in my blood and never say no to any opportunity to race. I think this Lites race will offer me some more experience to become a better Rallycross driver,” claimed the 2011 and 2012 Super1600 FIA European Rallycross Champion.

Currently in 5th place of the WorldRX standings Bakkerud has set his focus on a place on the 2014 WRX podium. © JKR/ERC24

The 23-year-old is almost a veteran at the Las Vegas starting grid on November 5. “I think the SuperCar Lites concept is the future for all new talents that want to develop themselves to become a World Champion in the main class SuperCars one day. Lites will produce the necessary recruitment that we need to make Rallycross a major motorsport worldwide.

However, Andreas Bakkerud is still focused on the major goal for this season and the WorldRX Finale, to be held at San Luis in Argentina on November 28 and 29. His team OlsbergsMSE is just four points behind the current leaders of the team championship [Marklund Motorsport], and Bakkerud himself lays only nine points behind the current third of the driver championship, his Latvian team-mate Reinis Nitišs. “To keep up the good feeling after my victory in the last round at Istanbul Park in Turkey is very important. A good result in the WorldRX Finale in Argentina is the goal, and also why I want to practice my skills in this Las Vegas meeting,” concluded the man from the Norwegian harbour town of Bergen.

Top photo: “Las Vegas watch out, ‘BabyBlue’ is coming!” Andreas Bakkerud is ready for to dice in Sin City. © JKR/ERC24