At the LightGrey rally team’s thanksgiving dinner and the end of the season, young rally talents were recognised, new cooperation agreements were signed and the 2026 FenixBet crosscard rally sprint season was introduced, which promises to be the most exciting in the history of the series. Estonian rallying’s rising star, crosskard-raised WRC2 debutant Joosep Ralf Nõgene, found a new sponsor, while world champion Ott Tänaku was the subject of a mischievous intrigue in the evening.
FenixBet Crosskart Rally Sprint’s leader, three-time Estonian crosskart champion Eero Nõgene emphasized at the season-ending event that the popularity of the sport is growing in Estonia and crosskart is becoming a breeding ground for rally drivers.
“We are certainly keen to develop this sport further, as crosskart is for everyone – from young people looking to take their first steps on the road to motorsport, to experienced rally drivers. And most importantly, the crosskart is the closest and most affordable alternative to a rally car with which to start a rally career in the first place,” said Nõgene.
Going from crosscountry to car racing as the most efficient development for the rider
The best example of this career curve is the LightGrey team’s front-runner, Joosep Ralf Nõgene, who made his debut in the World Rally Championship in a Rally2 car and started his rallying career behind the wheel of a crosscard. Joosep Ralf Nõgene will now be supported by FenixBet, the title sponsor of the crosscard rally sprint.
“The success of Joosep Ralfi confirms that moving into motor racing through crosscountry is a very logical and effective way to develop. We are supporting his rally journey with the aim of showing how far he can go out of crosscard,” commented Priit Pajumaa, manager of sports betting portal FenixBet.
With the backing of a new sponsor, Nõgene will be competing in the new year mainly in the Finnish championship series, where the competition is fierce but, according to Pajumaa, necessary for a young rider to get further up the development curve.
FenixBet will continue to be the title sponsor of the Estonian Cross Kart Rally Sprint Championship and will continue to personally support Martin Järveoja, who will compete in the series.
Ott Tänak at the wheel of a crosscard in the new… and Hiiumaa?
At the closing event, the preliminary schedule for the new FenixBet cross kart rally sprint season, which will consist of seven stages, was presented. The season will start in February in Southern Estonia, and the organisers are hoping for winter weather so that the first stage can be held on lake ice. The second stage is planned for April, and will be held at the Bikernieki circuit in Riga, which was tried and tested last season and received good feedback.
As the crosscard fan base is growing, the first surprise of the season will be the third stage, which is expected to take place in early May at Tallinn Song Festival Grounds in front of a large audience. Stages in West-Viru County and Tartu County will follow in June and July, while August will see the traditional city format race at the Paide rally. The second surprise of the season will be the final stage in Hiiumaa.
The young rally talents of the LightGrey team were recognized at the final event by the absolute tops of the rally world Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja and after the presentation of the FenixBet cross kart rally sprint schedule the most intriguing question of the new season was left hanging in the air: will Ott Tänak, who has taken a break from rallying, come and compete in some stages himself to help Martin Järveoja in his quest for the Estonian championship title, and could the famous islander do it in Hiiumaa, for example? As usual, Ott Tänak neither confirmed nor denied the speculation that had been thrown around during the interviews.
The Estonian Cross Kart Rally Sprint Championships started in 2023 under the auspices of the LightGrey Team, before that there was no opportunity to compete in their own class and the machines competed in the Estonian Rallycross Championship Series, which was joined in 2017.
Sprint racing is a rally discipline where a new machine is put on the track every minute. 2025. Lucas Orav became Estonian cross kart rally sprint champion in 2010, Martin Järveoja won silver and Oskar Männimetsa took bronze.
Photos by Alari Jüriöö