Double podium for JC Raceteknik at Höljes with Krogstad and Bryntesson

Varmland-based rallycross team JC Raceteknik scored a double podium finish at its home round of the FIA European Rallycross Championship and RX2 International Series at Holjes in Sweden (July 1), the biggest event of the season for the squad.
 
The team entered the semi-finals with seven of its nine drivers at the event as Henrik Krogstad and Thomas Bryntesson claimed RX2 and Euro RX Supercar podiums.
 
In the annual party at Holjes for the Swedish round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship it was a weekend of records, with 51,600 spectators lining the Varmland forest circuit, and a record-breaking 29 Supercar Lites cars in the RX2 field.
 
With the most drivers of any team in the event, JC Raceteknik fielded a pair of Ford Fiesta Supercars in Euro RX and no less than seven drivers in the single-make RX2 category.
 
Home driver Bryntesson finished third in the Euro RX Supercar final, but after a penalty for the winner, he climbed to second. Krogstad initially had a difficult event in RX2, but with an adapted setup on his car he made the semi-finals and found the speed to qualify for the final. He made the best start in the main race and finished second, to move up to third in the championship.
 
For former FIA European Rallycross TouringCar Champion Ben-Philip Gundersen, the event was one of mixed results but he made it to the final and finished fifth, climbing to fourth place in the championship. Swede William Nilsson had a good start to the weekend and was fastest in Q3 to make the semi-finals and was on course to progress to the final before a puncture dropped him out of contention. Norwegian driver Sondre Evjen entered the event second in the points but rolled his car on Friday evening, which ultimately meant he didn’t qualify for the semi-finals and dropped to sixth in the points. In Supercar Ola Froshaug qualified for the semi-finals but finished sixth with technical issues and didn’t make the final.
 
Jimmie Walfridson, Marcus Hoglund and Jonathan Walfridson usually race in RallyX Nordic for the team but made an international appearance at Holjes. For Jimmie Walfridson, it was his 25th anniversary of being at the Holjes event, but his first year behind the wheel. He achieved an impressive seventh place overall. Hoglund also had a solid event with several top times in qualifying and made it to the semi-finals to be ninth. Jonathan Walfridsson received a costly disqualification in Q3 and finished outside the semi-final positions (top 12).
 
Find full results and championship standings here.
 
The fifth round of the RX2 International Series will held at Trois-Rivieres in Canada (August 4-5) while Euro RX will return for Loheac in France (September 1 – 2).
 
Joel Christoffersson, Team Principal:
 
"This has been a good weekend for us with two second place finishes in the finals. The team has had some tough years here at Holjes before, so it feels great to finish the weekend in this way. We have had good speed with both Supercars, which both got to the semi-finals. In RX2, to have five of our seven cars in the semis was really good. I never stop being surprised by Holjes and how many people go there. Over 51,000 in the crowds this weekend – that’s amazing.”
 
Supercar: Thomas Bryntesson (NOR) :
"I've had a lot of issues so far in the European Championship this year, so I'm very pleased with this result. I started well in Free Practice and then had good results through qualifying, the semi and final to finish second. It feels really good to once again show that I can be at the top in international competition and I will continue to give it my all. It’s extra cool to be on the podium in front of so many fans, friends and people all from my home in Tocksfors. I really appreciate the support and all the effort the mechanics and team go to, to make everything work. Today we paid them back for that. "
 
RX2: Henrik Krogstad (NOR) :
"Racing in front of this crowd and to finish second at Holjes has been absolutely awesome. The weekend started extremely badly. I struggled to find the pace and the right setup for this track and was in the eighth place at the end of Saturday. Before the semi-finals we changed the whole setup of the car and then it was really fast. Now I'm third in the championship and there are three races left, so everything can happen.”
 
RX2: Ben-Philip Gundersen (NOR) :
“I was in third for a while in the final and I would have preferred to have been on the podium, but I ended up fifth and I’m happy with that. The event has been up and down for me, I set good times but also got into traffic which meant worse starting positions. It has been a very equal field and a record entry. I took a lot of points from this weekend and climbed from sixth to fourth overall, I’m pleased with that.”