McConnell tastes victory in Phoenix Nitrocross leg

JAMAICA NITROCROSS sensation Fraser McConnell came away with a victory and a second-place finish in rounds four and five of the Nitrocross series in Phoenix, Arizona, at the weekend.

McConnell started the season emphatically with a dominating win in round one in Oklahoma. With mechanical issues keeping him off the podium in rounds two and three in Utah in August, he was determined to put on a better display in Phoenix.

In Phoenix, despite encountering more car failure in the first races, he managed to win the Last Chance Qualifier and secure a second-row starting position in the final.

The round-four final on Friday was a nail-biting affair, with the top-five cars closely competing to the finish.

Last year’s champion, Robin Larsson, led the race but suffered a punctured tyre, which saw a rush of competitors bunch up. Travis Pastrana overtook through a gap in the middle to finish first with McConnell crossing the line second.

However, McConnell moved up one spot to first place after Pastrana suffered a penalty.

“Not the way I’d choose to win, but a win is a win. I’ll accept the rules of the game, and I welcome the points earned from this victory, which is as close to the maximum points as possible,” said McConnell.

On Saturday, the fifth round of the Nitrocross series started well for McConnell, the Jamaican winning his heat to make it as a top qualifier.

During the final, Fraser drove an intelligent race, staying out of the Joker Lap until the fifth lap, giving him the clean air he needed to chase those at the front of the pack. He eventually finished second, again behind Larsson.

McConnell is fourth in the championship battle, just two points behind Andreas Bakkerud and 12 points ahead of Travis Pastrana in the 10-event series.

Rounds six and seven of the Nitrocross series will take place at the Glen Helen Raceway in California on December 9 and 10.