Maiden podium for Walfridson as Evjen claims third overall in RallyX on Ice
Jimmie Walfridson scored his first Supercar Lites podium finish with JC Raceteknik in the final round of RallyX on Ice at Gol, Norway, as Sondre Evjen claimed third overall in the standings (March 3).
Local star Evjen got his home event off to the best start in Q1 by winning his race, before team mate and compatriot Ben-Philip Gundersen won in Q2. Having been hampered by technical issues in Q2, Walfridson fought back with a race victory in Q3 as Evjen notched up his second qualifying win of the event to be second overall at the Intermediate Classification, ahead of the semi-finals.
However, Walfridson was the sole JC Raceteknik driver to progress through the knock-out semi-finals to make it into the final, in which he kept a clear head, set consistent times and capitalised when other drivers made mistakes, to score his first rallycross podium, in third.
20-year old Evjen had entered the final round in the fight for the overall RallyX on Ice title, but his chances ended in the semi-finals, the Norwegian just missing out on a place in the final. Gundersen battled hard in his semi-final encounter and also just missed out on the final race of the day, despite the former European Rallycross TouringCar Champion again displaying solid pace.
Swedish rally convert Pelle Wilen suffered significant damage to his Lites car in Q3 after contact with a snow bank, and ended his event with retirement in the semi-finals with broken steering. Jonathan Walfridsson lost out on a chance of progressing in the overall standings at the fourth and final round, the Swede didn’t make it into the semi-finals after a difficult time in the qualifying races.
In only his fourth-ever race start in a car, 14-year-old Isak Reiersen again challenged far more experienced rivals in the RX Academy on Ice series for identical Renault Clio RS RXs. The JC Raceteknik JuniorTeam driver only just missed out on the final and finished sixth in the overall points.
Joel Christoffersson, Team Principal:
“We’re very happy with the whole winter season. We’ve had very good speed and been on the podium at every event with different drivers. We’ve shown again today that we had very good speed and it was great for Jimmie that he had a very good event here, it was nice to see him make the final and the podium, it was good fun. He struggled a lot in the three first races but we had a very good test this week and he found the right rhythm from the start here. Sondre also did a very good job, he has good consistency and confidence and I’m looking forward to him showing what he can do in the summer season now.”
Jimmie Walfridson (SWE):
“This feels so good. It was good for my self-confidence that I set a good time already in practice. The team made a great setup and I continued with the same concept for the rest of the event. I have done good times in testing but not in the events before. It’s a bit of a shame that just as the season is over I’m getting into it, but now I’m looking forward to the summer season with JC Raceteknik. I have learnt a lot about the car, so the challenge now will be changing the style to gravel and asphalt.”
Sondre Evjen (NOR):
"Looking at the final result and third overall in RallyX on Ice, I’m pleased. That’s a good foundation for the year, and even though I did not get the result I wanted, I had good heats and there are good points to take away. I made a really bad start in the semi-final, which made it difficult to pass the drivers in front. If only I had made the start, I could have been fighting for the RallyX on Ice title, so of course it feels bad right now. I have mixed feelings, but if someone asks me tomorrow, I’ll be very happy. It has been a good season for me overall with JC Raceteknik and I had four fun events.”
Isak Reiersen (SWE), RX Academy:
"I have to be pleased with the event. I had good heats and the starts were working well today. Of course I’m a bit disappointed not to make it into the final, but the competition was hard. This winter season in RX Academy has given me a lot of experience, I have stepped into rallycross and it’s been a lot of fun. Thanks to all my sponsors, JC Raceteknik and everyone around who supported me in different ways - that means so much."
Gol Supercar Lites Result:
1 Oliver Eriksson (SWE)
2 Conner Martell (USA)
3 Jimmie Walfridson (SWE)
4 Kevin Eriksson (SWE)
5 Cole Keatts (USA)
6 Alexander Westlund (SWE)
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7 Sondre Evjen (NOR)
8 Ben-Philip Gundersen (NOR)
18 Pelle Willen (SWE)
20 Johnathan Walfridsson (SWE)
RallyX on Ice Standings:
1 Oliver Eriksson (SWE) 139
2 Kevin Eriksson (SWE) 123
3 Sondre Evjen (NOR) 117
4 Alexander Westlund (SWE) 108
5 Ben Philip Gundersen (NOR) 93
6 Vasily Gryazin (LAT) 86
7 Conner Martell (USA) 85
8 Pelle Wilen (SWE) 75
9 Robin Larsson (SWE) 73
10 Jonathan Walfridsson (SWE) 64
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15 Jimmie Walfridson (SWE) 45
