JC Raceteknik Juniorteam joins new class Xtreme Junior category
This year, a new Crosskart class is being launched in Sweden: Xtreme Junior. The class will run alongside RallyX Nordic and JC Raceteknik Juniorteam will enter with 13-year old Alex Gustafsson. Meanwhile, teammate Isak Reiersen will aim to challenge for the title in the Xtreme category.
Varmland-based team JC Raceteknik is the reigning FIA European Rallycross and RallyX Nordic Supercar Champions. The team has been running its young driver initiative, JC Raceteknik Juniorteam, for four years with the goal of helping upcoming, promising drivers move forward in their careers. The team not only focuses on driving on track and the events themselves, but also works hard to prepare rising stars in everything from media training to sportsmanship. This year, the team's drivers will contest full seasons in RallyX Nordic, run over eight rounds in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway.
Despite his age, Gustafsson already has experience in his locker. Last year, he sampled the new Xtreme Junior class and was second overall in the Finnish Championship, FinRX. This year, with Xtreme Junior run in Sweden for the first time, Gustafsson is ready to start and is looking forward to the challenge.
16-year old Reiersen has competed in Crosskart events since 2010 and has among other credits, Swedish and Junior titles. He made his Xtreme class debut in 2019 and collected third overall in RallyX Nordic, despite numerous technical issues at the start of the campaign. He has eyes on fighting for the championship title this year.
Joel Christoffersson, Team Principal:
“JC Raceteknik Juniorteam is first and foremost facing a new venture in connection with the launch of Xtreme Junior in Sweden and RallyX Nordic. We are looking forward to being there right from the start. Alex developed a lot in 2019 when he raced in Xtreme Junior in Finland. There he finished second, so the hope is that we will be able to fight for an overall medal in RallyX Nordic.
Isak will do another season in RallyX Nordic and the Xtreme class. Last year he came third, despite technical problems with the Crosskart. There we know what we have to do and the goal is to win the championship. There is no need to talk about the speed, what we have to work on is to get the Crosskart 100% reliable.
We are in the fourth season of the Juniorteam now and Crosskart is now on the map as part of the big picture alongside rallycross. Of course, this is something that benefits both the sport and the drivers. The purpose of the Juniorteam is to help young drivers, both on and off track, so that they are ready to take the next steps forward. At the same time they can support each other and develop together. This is a structure we really believe in, and the goal is to expand the team with even more juniors in 2021.”
Alex Gustafsson, JC Raceteknik Juniorteam:
“It will be really fun to get to race in Xtreme Junior in RallyX Nordic. It has long been a dream for me and it will be a new step forward in my motor sport career. I’m really looking forward to it, and to driving on both old and new tracks to me in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway.
Running the same championships as Isak and JC Raceteknik will be a great advantage. Isak and I usually help each other and analyse the races together. He is really good and always had the support of a team mate. It means a lot to have him, JC Raceteknik and all of the people that support me in different ways. I also want to give RallyX Nordic praise for taking Xtreme Junior into the championship, it is worth so much for all of us juniors.”
Isak Reiersen, JC Raceteknik Juniorteam:
“I’m pumped for the season and hopefully I can get revenge from what happened last year. Then I came third and this year I go for the win. I had the speed already last season, so now it is just to understand what we need to do to have the last small pieces fall into place. In 2019 we got started with a brand new Crosskart, so we knew that there was a risk that there could be some technical issues. But, we have gathered of all the knowledge from last year and are working hard to be as well prepared as possible.
Of course it’s great fun to be able to run on the same tracks as Alex again. Having a teammate in a similar class is something that will benefit us both. We will be able to share data and analyse the tracks together. There are still some pieces of the puzzle left to solve."
