RallyX: Series Millville event summary

Toomas Heikkinen Celebrates His First U.S. Rallycross Win

Millville, NJ (November 7th, 2010) -- Toomas Heikkinen wins the fourth and final Round of the 2010 RallyCar U.S. Rallycross Championship in the Per Eklund Motorsport-supported 2010 SAAB 93 ASS. The 19-year-old Finnish prodigy had an impressive showing in his U.S. debut after placing 2nd overall on Saturday and winning Sunday's AWD A Main final outright with a time of 3 minutes 15.5 seconds.

Following the young Finn was Ford Fiesta driver Tanner Foust, the only American to stand on the All-Wheel-Drive podiums this weekend. Foust, who dominated the first two Rounds of the new U.S. Series, turned in a time of 3 minutes 17.2 seconds on the A Main and was amongst the fastest in Heats 1 and 2. Citroen driver Liam Doran overcame mechanical issues he faced on Saturday's event to place the fastest Qualifying and Heat times on Sunday, eventually taking 3rd place with a time of 3 minutes 19.2 seconds in the A Main.

This weekend's double-header was a successful finale to RallyCar's inaugural wheel-to-wheel season, boasting record entries and spectator attendance. Hosted at the New Jersey Motorsports Park, the Rallycross was an international affair with five top overseas competitors challenging America's best. The AWD A-Final saw four Americans up against three proven European drivers and was preceded by an intensely fought B Main race. In the B Main, Rhys Millen took the lead from the start, but eventually lost his advantage after he took the Joker lap. Subaru Rally Team USA's Travis Pastrana battled FIA European Rallycross Champion Sverre Isachsen before Isachsen had a violent crash into a tirewall, making way for Pastrana to advance to the final. In addition to Sverre's retirement, both Andrew Comrie-Picard and Andi Mancin DNF'd as well.

In Two-Wheel-Drive competition, Matthew Johnson drove his Ford Fairmont to the top of the podium in the A Main, placing a time of 3 minutes 53.1 seconds. Despite Johnson's car being disadvantaged in the dirt sections of the NJMP course, he placed second in 2WD on Saturday to cement a strong finish to his debut Rallycross season. Volkswagen GTI driver Josh Wimpey took 2nd place in the 2WD A Main, securing his place in U.S. Rallycross history as the very first 2WD Class Champion. Wimpey chased Johnson in the final to finish with a time of 3 minutes 54.2 seconds.

Mazda Speed 3 driver Wyatt Knox made his return to U.S. Rallycross since his podium finish at the first NJMP event, placing 3rd overall with a time of 3 minutes 59.3 seconds. Drivers Jordan Guitar and Satruday's 2WD winner John Tancredi finished the event in 4th and 5th places respectively. John Hall DNF'd in the 2WD final after breaking the front suspension in his Nissan 240SX.

-source: rallycar