Elias Adestam turned and won in Hollywood-grade final drama as the Nacka son secured a historic first NXT Gen Cup title – the world’s first electrified junior racing championship – in the decider at Mantorp Park.

Adestam entered this weekend’s final races as second in the table, 16 points behind leader Linus Granfors, but managed to turn the situation around and finally drive home the first title victory of his racing career amid great drama. – Absolutely, absolutely unbelievable, Elias Adestam exclaims with tears in his eyes. This is my first racing title and I have waited many years for this day. Finally it sat. This is so big for me. I cannot describe what this means.

The road to the gold, which also makes him the official Swedish JSM champion in track racing, went via two extremely refined final heats. In the first, Adestam fought a fierce battle for the victory with Granfors and Enzo Hallman – a battle that reached its definitive climax when Adestam and Granfors hooked together at high speed on what the tight trio then perceived as the last lap. It later turned out that the race management had in fact failed to flag off the drivers on the correct lap, and that the incident therefore de facto took place after the finish line. The result was thus determined at the actual finish, when Adestam was in the lead and was consequently declared the winner. The reverse grid rules meant that victory in Race 1 rendered Adestam eighth on the grid in the outright decider Race 2. Adestam was there whipped to work his way up to at least fifth place to trump Granfors in the title fight – and when the checkered flag dropped he could he breathes out: P4.Thus the historic first NXT Gen Cup title lands, with a margin of three points, in Nacka after a weekend that Adestam will soon forget.

– The last race today was a real push, continues Elias Adestam. I got a puncture on my front tires in the collision with Linus in Race 1, so I had to run on new ones in Race 2, and they didn’t work at all. I really had to wring out every millisecond of performance to make it to the top five, but managed it by the slimmest of margins – and I couldn’t be happier.

Adestam’s season in the NXT Gen Cup has generated five wins and seven podiums in 12 races run – in both cases the most of any driver in the field. Adestam has also taken two pole positions (the most tangents) on his way to the gold.

– There have been so many emotions, so many ups and downs throughout the season, concludes Elias Adestam. Standing here as champions in the last row is so big. I really want to thank my family who have always believed in me. Thanks also to Linus (Granfors) for a tough match. We have really spurred each other on and developed from it. Of course also a big thank you to NXT Gen Cup. It has been great to be a part of this historic inaugural season. Now let’s celebrate!

For his title victory in the NXT Gen Cup, Elias Adestam is rewarded, in addition to the honor, with a test drive in a 550-horse electric STCC car. In addition, he gets the registration fee for the 2024 STCC championship, worth around SEK 500,000, paid.

Results

NXT Gen Cup
Sub-competition 6 – Mantorp Park

Race 1 (download results)
1: Elias Adestam (SWE), 9 laps
2: Linus Granfors (SWE), +0.279s
3: Enzo Hallman (SWE), +0.525s
4: Ellis Spiezia (USA), +2,212p
5: Victor Nielsen (DEN), +3.154s

Race 2 (download results)
1: Mikkel Njor (DEN), 9 laps
2: Ellis Spiezia (USA), +0.434s
3: Alex Kristiansson (SWE), +1.281s
4: Elias Adestam (SWE), +1,423s
5: Victor Nielsen (DEN), +1.759s

Championship TableNXT Gen Cup
After 6/6 partial competitions1: Elias Adestam (SWE), 243 p.
2: Linus Granfors (SWE), 240 p.
3: Ellis Spiezia (USA), 229 p.
4: Enzo Hallman (SWE), 193 p.
5: Jonathan Engström (SWE), 167 p. Complete table