Nitrocross to race in Richmond as NASCAR, Thrill One deepen ties

The Nitrocross rallycross racing series is set to make its debut at the NASCAR-owned Richmond Raceway next season. The series, founded by Travis Pastrana and currently known as Nitro Rallycross, is in talks with car companies to become the series’ first automotive partners. Owned by Thrill One Sports & Entertainment, Nitrocross races electric rallycars on a variety of surfaces, including dirt, pavement, and ice. The 2023/2024 schedule is currently underway in Arizona, with Rounds No. 4 and 5 taking place as part of a 10-round campaign. Plans for the 2024/2025 schedule are in the works, and Richmond has been revealed as one of the upcoming stops.

This new collaboration between NASCAR and Thrill One signifies a growing partnership. With investors such as Dana White and the Fertitta brothers, Thrill One is making strides in the racing world. Hosting the season-opening rounds Nos. 1 and 2 next year, Richmond will provide Nitrocross with a new East Coast race and offer NASCAR another use for its facilities. The intention is to deepen the brand loyalty of Nitrocross’ younger fanbase while giving fans a chance to experience a race in the region.

Chip Pankow, Nitrocross GM, expressed the significance of having both partners fully committed to the deal. This reflects Nitrocross’ approach to structuring their partnerships. The ’24/25 schedule includes stops in Salt Lake City, Phoenix, L.A., Calgary, and Las Vegas. Nitrocross’ media rights are licensed to the streaming platform Rumble, which is also involved with White’s Power Slap League. Nitrocross has become the leading rallycross series in the U.S. since the discontinuation of Red Bull Global Rallycross in 2018, a series that Pankow co-founded.

Pankow visited Richmond months ago to explore the potential partnership and was pleasantly surprised at how quickly things fell into place. He praised the track’s infrastructure and hospitality spaces, expressing excitement about kicking off the season at Richmond. Following Fiume Capital and Juggernaut Capital Partners’ acquisition of Thrill One from The Raine Group and Causeway Media Partners for $300M last year, the collaboration between Thrill One and NASCAR is becoming increasingly evident.