Nitrocross and XITE Energy have announced Oliver Bennett will miss round 4&5 in Phoenix next week.
Why Will Bennett Miss?
Oliver Bennett hasn’t been medically cleared to compete. Bennett suffered a back injury that is believed to be unrelated to Nitrocross. With the injury likely happening between the end of round three and now. This is an understandable reason to miss an event. Even if Bennett was medically cleared there’s no guarantee he would’ve competed next weekend. As the nature of Nitrocross tracks could have caused Bennett to become injured again. Nitrocross does ensure drivers are as safe as possible, using as much safety equipment as possible. However, this doesn’t prevent injuries from happening 100% of the time. It’s unfortunate to see Bennett miss the event but health and safety come first and foremost. Hopefully, Bennett will be recovered and ready for round 6&7 in California in December.
What This Means For XITE Energy
As of the time of this article being released (November 3rd), XITE Energy has no confirmed drivers for Nitrocross Phoenix. With just 7 days until the event starts, there isn’t much time for XITE to find a replacement unless they have one lined up. Kris Meeke will once again be absent from the event it’s not what XITE was hoping for. With such short notice, there’s no guarantee that XITE will be able to find anybody in time and they may just end up missing Phoenix altogether. This would be a huge hit for the team. Not only in the team’s championship but also in gaining experience. Sure the XITE drivers have been off the pace so far this season and last season. However, any seat time in an event is valuable for a driver. As the only way you improve is by driving the car.