Olsbergs MSE, Honda Return to the Pacific Northwest

Olsbergs MSE, Honda Return to the Pacific Northwest
• In 2016, Honda Claimed its First Double-Podium Result at Evergreen Speedway
• Sebastian Eriksson Looks to Defend 2016 Podium Performance in Seattle
• Manufacturers’ Championship Still in Sight For Honda; Nine-Point Gap.

Evergreen Speedway Rallycross Course
• Lap Length: .735 Miles
• Turns: 7
• Pavement: 64.3%
• Dirt: 35.7%
• Joker Lap: Longcut after Turn 5; extends circuit to .788 miles

SEATTLE, W.A. (September 7, 2017) – Olsbergs MSE (OMSE) and Honda return to the Pacific Northwest this weekend for the final doubleheader event of the 2017 Red Bull Global Rallycross Series season. Drivers Sebastian Eriksson, Oliver Eriksson and Mitchell deJong will look to capitalize on the team’s successes at the .735-mile course in 2016.

Evergreen Speedway will once again be the host site of Red Bull GRC Seattle. Last year, Honda drivers Joni Wiman and Sebastian Eriksson finished second and third, respectively, holding off competitors from Volkswagen and Subaru to record the team’s first-ever double-podium result. With a similarly designed course and the doubleheader event format, Eriksson expects another strong weekend for the team and manufacturer.

“Coming off our second-place finish in Atlantic City gives us good momentum coming into Seattle,” said the 24-year-old Swedish veteran. “Last year, we took advantage of the slick and muddy conditions, and we really proved that the Honda GRC Civic could handle the roughest elements of rallycross. I think this weekend will be about getting off to a strong start on Friday, which would set us up for a somewhat clean and consistent weekend; one strong enough to show our true pace in the Final.”

The last time Red Bull GRC visited a modified oval circuit, at Indianapolis Raceway Park in July, it was 18-year-old rookie Oliver Eriksson recording a fourth-place finish and pacing the Honda Racing trio. While Evergreen Speedway is a more technical layout than Indianapolis, Eriksson hopes to rekindle his Round 7 success.

“Last year [at Evergreen], I finished second in GRC Lites, and I felt comfortable around the track. It has a good mix of technical dirt corners and high-speed corners,” said Eriksson. “I can’t wait to get out there on Friday afternoon, and experience it behind the wheel of the [Honda] Civic, though. There is nothing like driving this car to the limit, especially around a high-speed track like this.”

Rookie 19-year-old standout Mitchell deJong currently leads all rookies in points and has become one of the most consistent drivers in Red Bull GRC, boasting an average per event finish of 4.7, to go with three podium finishes.

“To me, one of the single most important aspects of Red Bull GRC is staying consistent and not getting caught up in accidents or misfortunes,” said deJong. “The entire team has worked hard this season and except for the Indianapolis event, we’ve had a strong season. Seattle is a circuit where Oliver and Sebastian have prior experience and success, so I think we have a fighting chance!”

The penultimate weekend of the 2017 season kicks off on Friday. Coverage of the final doubleheader of the year can be seen on Saturday, September 9 and Sunday, September 10 at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC.