Olsbergs MSE Rallycross Team Recognizes Partner K&N in Custom Carbon Fiber Intake

Feb 16, 2017

2016 was the first season with Honda for Oldsberg MSE, who had been running Fords

An Olsbergs MSE Honda kicking up dirt during the 2016 Global Rallycross season

If you’re looking for another motorsport that you can compare to Rallycross, why not take NHRA Pro Stock? In both cases the car bodies need to remain stock appearing and by rules there’s very little allowed in terms of driver’s aides, unlike some forms of motorsports. It puts the outcome squarely on the shoulders of the drivers and in both cases it makes for a great show.

The easiest way to imagine a Rallycross course - if you’ve never seen one - is to think of a Supercross circuit, now make it a little wider, with a few less jumps (that still launch the cars for 70 feet) and more space between them. Now turn 10 race cars loose and the barely-controlled mayhem that results is Rallycross.

"Rallycross is quite a pure sport. It’s put a lot of emphasis in the last 15 years on driver performance," said Ian Davies, team manager for the K&N-supported Olsbergs MSE Red Bull Honda team. "We don’t have electric aids, we have to have a mechanical gear lever, there are no semi-automatic gearboxes in our industry. We’ve kept things real," he explained to Red Bull Motorsports.

Wiman is a former Rallycross champion, both in Europe and the United States

Joni Wiman sliding his Honda Civic Coupe at the 2016 Phoenix Global Rallycross event

What the cars do have are engines tuned to produce around 600 horsepower for a 2.0L turbocharged four cylinder engine, with maximum kept in check via a 45 mm intake restrictor. The cars all carry a launch control that’s effective for just two seconds at the start. Olsbergs MSE is utilizing a sophisticated all-wheel drive system from Sadev that Davies is not willing to talk about. Combined it provides the ability to reach 60 mph within a rear wing of a Formula 1 car. That’s less time than it takes to say “zero to sixty” even if you talk really fast.

2016 was the first year for Olsbergs MSE running the new Honda Civic Coupe (having run Fords in the past), so there was a learning curve involved. Their top finishing driver was Joni (pronounced Yoni) Wiman, a rallycross driver from Finland. While Wiman was Global Rallycross Champion for OMSE in a Ford in 2013, in 2016 he finished sixth overall. Drivers for 2017 have not yet been announced.

A quick look at their record and you’ll understand why Honda secured OSME’s services. The team has earned a sizeable haul of 19 Summer X Games medals, including podium sweeps at Los Angeles in 2011 and Brazil in 2013, and its drivers are podium regulars in World and European Rallycross competition.

Oldsberg MSE has been partners with K&N Filters for a number of years and relies on its products

Olsbergs MSE formed a custom intake with K&N logo to house the conical filter and Precharger

2017 will be the second season that OMSE Red Bull will compete with Hondas in the Global Rallycross. Preparation for the coming season is well-underway. The cars are being completely stripped down and according to Davies there are upgrades in every area. The team utilizes the resources of its home base in Sweden as well as its shop in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area. Being based in North Carolina during the season avoids having to ship cars and parts back and forth between their home base for what is an entirely American series.

Part of the having preparation includes a new custom fabricated carbon fiber air box for the Honda. It’s an upgrade to the 2016 design but we can’t say anything more. Besides all we can do is look at the beautifully embossed K&N Filters logo on the air box. Their motivation for fabricating this amazing piece? “We have used K&N Filters for several years now and have a great belief in their product and are proud to give them something back by demonstrating our commitment to them,” Davies said.

The 2017 Red Bull Global Rallycross event schedule is as follows:

Round 1: Memphis, TN (April 29)

Round 2: Louisville, KY (May 21)

Round 3: Thompson, CT (June 3)*

Round 4: Thompson, CT (June 4)*

Round 5: Canada (June 17)*

Round 6: Canada (June 18)*

Round 7: Indianapolis, IN (July 9)

Round 8: Atlantic City, NJ (August 12)*

Round 9: Atlantic City, NJ (August 13)*

Round 10: Seattle, WA (September 9)*

Round 11: Seattle, WA (September 10)*