Johan Kristoffersson of Volkswaggen secured his second consecutive World Rallycross Championship title by winning for the ninth time this season at the first ever American round of the series at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX.

Petter Solberg had dominated the weekend and started on pole position for the final after beating Kristoffersson in the first semifinal. He led the final from Audi driver Andreas Bakkerud on lap one, as Kristoffersson forced his way inside Audi driver Mattias Ekstrom in the first corner joker.

Solberg immediately responded by taking his joker on the second tour, returning to the main circuit into the turn three left hander just ahead of his colleague’s Polo.

Bakkerud assumed the lead when Solberg jokered and saved his extra route until lap four. The Norwegian rejoined the standard lap behind Kristoffersson but had a nose inside teammate Ekstrom’s Audi S1. The Swede ran wide and Bakkerud slipped up the inside to take third.

With two laps to run, the Volkswagen duo ran one-two at the head of the field and Solberg appeared set to claim his first victory in 16 months, but the triple FIA world champion out-braked himself into turn three on the penultimate tour and ran wide on to the loose gravel.

Kristoffersson passed Solberg on left-hand side over the circuit’s jump to take a lead he would hold to the finish, despite his rear bumper hanging off.