Honda Civic Takes Home First Global RallyCross Win

Sebastian Eriksson wins Global Rallycross by just 0.071 second!

After a year of scrapping with established Global RallyCross programs, Honda Red Bull OMSE pulled off their first GRC win at the second 2017 round in Louisville, Kentucky. Sebastian Eriksson used his wet-weather driving prowess to nose-out GRC veteran Steve Arpin for the win in a photo finish. The margin of victory proved to be just 0.071 second, but a win is a win however small the gap across the line.

Eriksson’s 600-horsepower, all-wheel drive Civic chased Arpin and Foust for the first half of the 10-lap final. He snuck through to the lead and led the final five laps. Arpin pressured Eriksson, but the 24-year-old driver held his ground and managed to get the power down in the final corner. Less than one second covered the entire top four of Eriksson, Arpin, Scott Speed, and Foust. The Swedish rallycross driver captured his second career GRC win from there, which was also the first since joining the Honda Red Bull OMSE squad at the program’s outset in 2016. He finished second in the 2015 championship and he now resides near the top of the standings again after this win.

Sebastian Eriksson’s teammates, Michell DeJong and Oliver Eriksson, also made the eight-car final. They finished in 5th and 7th places, respectively. Sebestian’s win wasn’t the only photo finish; DeJong squeezed past Austin Dyne by just 0.001 for his second Top 5 finish of the year.

Like all Global RallyCross cars, the Honda Red Bull OSME Civics pack around 600 horsepower and all-wheel drive. The bespoke turbocharged 2.0-liter engines propel the Civics to 60 miles per hour in less than two seconds. Ford (4) and Volkswagen (2) have won all six GRC drivers’ championships since the series’ inaugural 2011 season.

The good team result vaults the Honda team into a tie in the manufacturers’ championship. After opening rounds in Memphis and Louisville, Global RallyCross now heads to Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park for a doubleheader on June 3 and 4 in Thompson, Connecticut.