In the course of the early 2010s, Mitchell deJong was one of many rising stars in rallycross with race wins and titles in a plethora of Lites sequence starting from World Rallycross to the FIA World Rallycross Championship. Nonetheless, his profession ended up on maintain by 2018, although he stayed nearly contemporary as a sim racer.
Seven years after his final real-life racing motion, deJong discovered himself behind the wheel of a NEXT EVO throughout final weekend’s Nitrocross season opener at Richmond Raceway. Regardless of the lengthy absence, he didn’t should shake off any rust as he held off reigning Nitrocross NEXT champion Tommi Hallman to win the primary race. Whereas Hallman returned the favour the subsequent day, deJong nonetheless wrapped up the slate by ending second.
deJong was referred to as into motion by Bak40 Motorsports on comparatively brief discover. Even then, he was the quickest driver in NEXT qualifying earlier than profitable his warmth race and semi-final on Saturday. He set the tempo early within the remaining and saved Hallman at bay for the win.
“Lots of unknowns coming into this weekend however every part simply appeared to fall into place,” he stated following the Saturday win. “I’m getting increasingly more comfy with the automobile and all of the races main as much as the semi-final and remaining went just about excellent and on-point.”
The profitable weekend provides to a powerful portfolio for the 26-year-old, who received the 2014 GRC Lites title and an X Video games gold medal that yr. He has additionally triumphed within the FIA World and European Rallycross Championship’s Lites divisions in addition to RallyX on Ice, profitable the latter’s 2017 crown earlier than committing to sim racing full time. On the esports facet, deJong has competed within the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing and Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup.
Hallman was not the one 2023/24 champion to begin the season on a powerful be aware as Group E’s Robin Larsson ushered in Dodge’s Nitrocross period by profitable on Saturday. Final yr’s runner-up Fraser McConnell hoped to comb the weekend for the marque on Sunday however spun on the primary lap and was handed by Oliver Eriksson.
Larsson’s win marked the primary victory for Dodge at Richmond since Kasey Kahne received the 2005 NASCAR Cup Sequence spring race there. Richmond marked a little bit of a throwback to utilizing inventory automobile ovals for rallycross, one which deJong was accustomed to as GRC continuously made such stops. He received each NASCAR monitor dates at Charlotte and Daytona throughout his 2014 GRC Lites marketing campaign.
“I’ve by no means even been a spectator in a NASCAR monitor, and now we’re racing there,” Hallman quipped after his Sunday win. “It’s so completely different to what I’m used to.
“In Europe, it’s not the identical. That is a lot extra adrenaline crammed. Massive jumps and a extremely tough monitor, particularly this one, so it’s nice.”
