It’s going to be the same… but different.
Nitrocross returns to familiar territory this weekend as it heads to the place where it all started: The Utah Motorsports Campus.
The first-ever Nitrocross event took place at UMC back in 2018, and has been something of a crown jewel event ever since. After a break for 2022, the facility returns to the schedule for our third full season, and for the first time, UMC will not just host a double-header event, but night racing too.
“Nitro Circus and Nitrocross both kicked off in Utah,” said Travis Pastrana. “This is our home and we are very excited to be back with a game plan to make it even better than ever before.”
So what is that game plan? The tracks at UMC have always been hugely popular among drivers and fans, but that hasn’t stopped Pastrana and the track crew from working on improvements. The biggest difference is perhaps the new paved sections. Previously a dirt-heavy track, it’s now 65% paved.
“The track at UMC was so much fun to drive, but the dirt on site was tough to work with and the viewing for the fans wasn’t always ideal,” Pastrana explained. “This year, we’ve made improvements to all of the above and we will keep learning and improving from there.
“The changes we made were in an effort to manage the dust and keep the car damage down while keeping the fan and driver excitement up.”
But it’s not just about surface changes, there’s been layout tweaks, too. There are now three big banked ‘Talladega’ turns, one of which takes a popular overtaking spot from years past and elevates it – literally.
“While the slick, flat, hairpin turn did provide entertainment, and was a good place to pass, we added a new section with a big bermed corner to try and keep the speed to the maximum and the carnage to the minimum,” said Pastrana.
So the drivers will no doubt be satisfied, but the fans haven’t been left out of the equation.
‘We changed the layout to put more of the racing in front of the crowd,” Pastrana pointed out. “In years past, the jumps were difficult to see from some of the stands and the racing wasn’t close enough to the fans. That is all changing this year.”
Nitrocross’ return to Utah can be watched live and free globally on Rumble this weekend, while tickets to see the action in-person are still available HERE.