Race Preview: St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund iRX of Norway

Nearly two dozen of the world’s top race drivers, from rallycross stars like Travis Pastrana and Scott Speed to crossover racers like Alexander Rossi, James Hinchcliffe, and Ron Capps, will kick off the Subaru iRX All-Star Invitational presented by Yokohama on Friday evening with the debut of racing from Hell Lankebanen in Norway. The St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund iRX of Norway kicks off the six-race championship as drivers race to claim a share of $10,000 to be donated to charity in their name. The race will stream live at 6PM ET/3PM PT on iRacing’s Facebook, Twitch, and YouTube channels, as well as the Nitro Circus Facebook and YouTube and other competitor Facebook pages.

While Hell has one of the most entertaining names on the iRacing service, the track is a slice of heaven for off-road enthusiasts. Beset by rolling Norwegian hills, the track features drastic elevation changes, off-camber corners, and a slight jump across the finish line. A longtime host of national, international, and World Championship events in Norway, only the sport’s top drivers have managed to claim victory at one of the most fun and challenging courses in the world.

Those past winners include Norway’s own Andreas Bakkerud, who claimed victory at the track in 2016 and joins Pastrana and Speed on the list of rallycross stars. They’ll also be joined by up-and-coming real-world talents like Cabot Bigham, Travis PeCoy, and Conner Martell. Real-world rallycross has also produced the first two iRX World Champions in Mitchell deJong and Sami-Matti Trogen, and both drivers will be on the grid for the first race looking to show their fellow pros how it’s done.

But just as so often happens in the real world, many top racers will cross over from their normal disciplines to take on rallycross. Rossi and Hinchcliffe are joined by fellow NTT IndyCar Series drivers Conor Daly and Colton Herta on the invite list, while Parker Kligerman, Ryan Truex, and Garrett Smithley will represent NASCAR. Swindell SpeedLab owner Kevin Swindell joins the field coming off of a World of Outlaws Sprint Car Invitational victory from Knoxville Raceway two days ago on FS1, while monster truck driver Tyler Menninga and three-time Mint 400 winner Justin Lofton bring their truck experience to hot hatches.

If that all wasn’t enough, the Nitro Circus Star Car will take the concept of guest drivers to the next level. An all-star cast of top Nitro Circus athletes and Pastrana’s closest friends will take the wheel of their own Subaru on a revolving basis, starting with Trevor Piranha in tonight’s event.

The St. Christopher Truckers Development and Relief Fund (SCF) will serve as the title partner for the first two rounds of the Subaru iRX All-Star Invitational presented by Yokohama. The SCF is a 501(c)(3), truck driver charity that helps over-the-road/regional semi-truck drivers and their families when an illness or injury, occurring within the last year, has caused them to be out of work. The SCF is also working to provide programs that will benefit professional drivers and the trucking industry. To donate to the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund, visit www.truckersfund.org/yokohama.

In addition to their share of the season-long charity prize pool, the top qualifier for each Subaru iRX All-Star Invitational presented by Yokohama event will receive the Yokohama Pole Position Award. This custom skateboard was handcrafted in the US by Bear Walker. He makes custom and limited edition boards with carved out grip for better traction. Visit him at bearwalker.com or @bearwalkerofficial on IG.

Be sure to tune in for the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund iRX of Norway at 6PM ET/3PM PT on iRacing social media channels. For more information on iRacing and for special offers, visit www.iRacing.com.

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