JC Raceteknik invests in the future by launching Junior Team
Experienced rallycross team JC Raceteknik will expand for 2017 and has launched the JC Raceteknik Junior Team to develop future talent alongside existing campaigns in domestic and international rallycross competitions.
Run by 26-year old team principal, Joel Christoffersson, JC Raceteknik won the RallyX Nordic Supercar Lites Championship and finished second in the FIA World Rallycross Championship supporting RX Lites category in 2016.
The Junior Team will run in crosskart events next season. Christoffersson has become increasingly aware that a difficulty exists for drivers to climb from crosskart into the next stage of their motor sport careers, and that it takes graduating drivers time to adapt into rallycross.
The Junior Team will give opportunities to drivers to learn about car setup at dedicated test sessions, receive support on events and be given assistance in working with sponsors and the media. Junior Team drivers will also attend the team’s Supercar Lites test sessions, and be given support in moving up to rallycross should they wish to, when they are ready.
Swedish youngsters Isaac Reiersen (13) and Alex Gustafsson (10) will both run under the JC Raceteknik Junior Team banner in 2017.
Reisersen began racing a crosskart six years ago, and won the 125cc category in the Swedish Championship this season. He previously claimed the title in the 85cc class. In 2017, Reisersen will defend his title in the Swedish series, and may also compete in the North European Zone (NEZ) championship.
Gustafsson has raced in the 85cc category of the Swedish Championship for the last two years. He has competed for four years, since he was given a crosskart for Christmas aged six. He started practicing immediately, and as soon as the racing season started he made his debut in the mini category. Although the JC Raceteknik Junior Team is newly established, Gustafsson has previously received support from the team.
Joel Christoffersson, Team Principal :
“I've been working a lot with young people in rallycross and I want to help more young talents to develop. The Junior Team is a natural step forward for us. The goal is that they will achieve as much as possible, but, both guys are very young so we certainly won’t be putting any pressure on them.
The main focus in crosskart should be about having fun, we just want to give them a great opportunity to develop. Isaac and Alex will come to our rallycross tests and races to get tips from our drivers. The Junior Team is about a long-term plan, so we will start teaching them about rallycross now so any step they choose to make, into a Lites car for instance, will be as smooth as possible.
Isaac is an awesome talent, so it will be fun to work with him and Alex has raced in the 85cc class for two years and developed very quickly, so we’re looking forward to helping him progress too.”
Isaac Reiersen (SWE) :
“Motorsport has been in my life for as long as I can remember and to compete in the JC Raceteknik Junior Team will be really fun. It will be a good opportunity for me to develop and to have driving training with experienced drivers will mean a lot. I do some other sports as well, like football, but crosskart is definitely the most fun. The short term goal is to defend the Championship title next year, but my dream is to compete at a professional level in the future and be able to live in motorsport. One of my hopes is also to start racing a Supercar Lites in about three years.”
Alex Gustafsson (SWE) :
“The best thing about crosskart is that it is fast and you can do a lot of sliding – and of course all the friends you make. Obviously it’s good to have fun, but because I love to race I am also very serious on the track. Joel has helped me in crosskart ever since I started, so it feels great to be in the JC Raceteknik Junior Team. I want to get faster on the track and develop; I hope that Thomas Bryntesson can give me some tips on how to race and think. When I get older, I also want to drive rallycross, or perhaps rally.”
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Photo: Christian Gustavsson
