Capito, Laheta join Nitrocross executive team

Former McLaren Racing CEO and Williams F1 team principal Jost Capito has joined Nitrocross as a senior advisor, the championship confirmed today.

Capito, who also led Volkswagen through its domination of the World Rally Championship in the mid 2010s, has already attended races this season, and will be charged with helping the series implement its sporting vision as it continues to expand following the investment from a consortium that includes UFC boss Dana White into the series’ parent company Thrill One back in 2022.

“My strong belief in Rallycross and its future, now featuring powerful and exciting EVs, motivates me to contribute to Nitrocross,” said Capito. “After speaking with Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana White, I am confident our collective vision is to not only push the boundaries of motorsports but also inspire a new era of competition and innovation.”

Capto arrives at the same time as former NASCAR executive Mike Laheta who will join as head of partnerships. In his 10-year tenure at NASCAR, Laheta played an integral role in bringing Craftsman back as the Truck series' title sponsor and also led revenue generation for the inaugural NASCAR Chicago Street Race Weekend.

He will be in charge of expanding series partnerships among brands among the Millenial and Gen-Z demographics, expanding on the work already done by the series which saw it generate more total growth on social media than Extreme E, World Rallycross, and Formula E combined.

“Nitrocross is perfect for how younger audiences want to consume sports,” said Laheta. “It’s rare that a property seems so poised to meet the interests of avid race fans while simultaneously appealing to new audiences. I’m really excited for what that means for Nitrocross, our fans, and partners.”

Capito and Laheta’s signings come after Chip Pankow moved into the role of general manager of the series, a position he will fill solely having previously co-led the series with Brett Clarke, who now serves as chief revenue officer. Pankow, a veteran of Audi, BMW, DaimlerChrysler, as well as IndyCar and F1, was the man behind rallycross' debut in the U.S. in 2010 and will work closely alongside series pioneer Travis Pastrana to continue to growth of the championship.

“Nitrocross isn't just rewriting the rules of motorsport – we're shredding them,” said Pankow. “We're in a relentless pursuit of cutting-edge ways to connect with and attract new fans. It all starts with content, storytelling and distribution.

“Our strategy has made us the fastest growing motorsports property on social media. We look forward to continuing this momentum and helping our teams, drivers and partners to connect with this new generation of sports fans.”

The 2023-24 Nitrocross season will continue this weekend in Calgary, where it will host its only snow and ice race of the campaign.