Langley joins RX150 Rallycross Championship with LOCO Energy Drink
20-year old Langley will race a single-make RX150 buggy, run by Team RX Racing. “I’ve spent the last two years preparing for a chance to get into rallycross. To debut in a national championship, at the birthplace of rallycross is obviously a dream come true, especially in such a competitive class as the RX150s,” said Langley, who tested a buggy for the first time at the RX150 test facility near London recently. “The test went well. I felt comfortable in the buggy, they’re little pocket rockets! They go off the line like nothing else, the handling is really good and it’s unbelievable how late into the corners you can brake. It felt like I picked up the speed well – obviously there’s room to improve still and I hope to build on that at Lydden Hill.”
Langley has previous experience of both karting and rally machinery, and is hoping to expand on his rallycross programme following his Lydden Hill debut next week. “With support from LOCO Energy Drink I hope to do more events in the future. We’ll see how Lydden goes, but we have plans for next year. Right now it’s just about me being as physically and mentally prepared as I can be for Lydden. I’m just trying to take on board all the advice I am given to build for the future – I can’t wait to get going.”
The RX150 newcomer will continue the preparations for his debut by driving at the Ford RS Owners Club day at Donnington Park this weekend, where Team RX Racing will be present with a number of buggies and Ollie O’Donovan’s FIA European Rallycross Championship specification Ford Fiesta Supercar.
RX150 Rallycross Championship promoter O’Donovan is delighted to have Langley and LOCO Energy Drink involved in the unique RX150 championship. “Kirk visited the test track recently and really impressed me with his driving. He’s a sweet little driver, and I think with more time in a buggy he can challenge at the front in RX150s,” said O’Donovan. “To have a capable new driver join the championship is brilliant, and to have an exciting growing brand such as LOCO Energy Drink involved is also fantastic. The RX150 racing at recent rounds of the British Rallycross Championship has been extremely competitive and I’m looking forward to seeing Kirk go up against some of the best drivers in the class at Lydden.”
RX150 Rallycross Championship standings (after round 5/8):
1 Chrissy Palmer 128
2 Stephen Jones 92
3 Jake Harris 92
4 Kevin Feeney 60
5 Mitchell Flaherty 57
6 Ben Llewellin 54
7 Adam Sargent 46
8 David Llewellin 44
RX150 Rallycross Championship calendar 2016
Round 1 – Croft – March 6
Round 2 – Lydden Hill – March 27-28
Round 3 – Pembrey – May 1
Round 4 – Pembrey – May 2
Round 5 – Maasmechelen (B) – July 16-17
Round 6 – Lydden – August 29
Round 7 – Pembrey – September 25
Round 8 – Croft – October 22
MSA British Rallycross Grand Prix – Croft – October 23
Strong RX150 Rallycross Championship line-up for Lydden Hill
The sixth round of the RX150 Rallycross Championship takes place this weekend at Lydden Hill in Kent, running as a support category to the MSA British Rallycross Championship.
Reigning champion and dominant force so far in the 2016 season, Chrissy Palmer, leads the list of nine RX150 drivers heading into the event, but will face a wide range of competition on Bank Holiday Monday.
Father and son pairing Larry and Adam Sargent return as part of their selected programme of events in 2016, while driver Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky will make her second start of the year driving the ODYSSEY Battery supported celebrity buggy. Ahlin-Kottulinsky made her RX150 debut at the Belgian round of the series last time out and almost finished on the podium, but for a small mistake in the final.
Stephen Jones and Jake Harris will continue their battle for second place in the championship standings, which is set to run right until the final round, while series regulars Kevin Feeney and Mitchell Flaherty will also be in action at one of the most popular domestic rallycross events on the UK calendar.
Making his rallycross debut, Liverpool’s Kirk Langley will take the wheel of a LOCO Energy Drink buggy for the first time in competition, having tested the RX150 at the Team RX Racing test track near London, and at Donington Park recently. Langley has aspirations of contesting further RX150 Rallycross Championship events, and will be hoping to learn on his maiden appearance this weekend.
“We’ve got a really diverse range of competitors on the grid this weekend, which will make the racing very interesting. Chrissy has obviously done a great job so far this season, but other performances should be recognised too,” said RX150 Rallycross Championship promoter Ollie O’Donovan
“Stephen and Jake are neck-and-neck for second in the championship, that alone is going to a fight worth watching. It’s great to have Mikaela join us again, she impressed me in Belgium and she fitted in very well to the championship both on and off track. Kirk is new to the series but he has done well on the tests we have run for him, I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do this weekend. It’s also great to have Larry and Adam back with us again, and of course Mitchell and Kevin. I know Kevin well and he’s always good to watch, he’s the only driver I’ve ever raced against that can be on two parts of the track at the same time!”
Racing at Lydden Hill takes place on Bank Holiday Monday [August 29]. Head to the British Rallycross Championship website for full details on the event, and keep an eye on the Team RX Racing Social Media channels page for updates.
