Mertz Racing Technologies

Mertz Racing Technologies is an American racing team, currently racing under an Austrian license. They are the 2012B, 2013C, 2014B, 2016A and 2017A Constructors Champions, and the 2012A, 2012C, 2013A, 2013B, 2014A and 2015A runners up. Currently, Josh Mertz and Subaru have a deal to brand MRT as Subaru MRT.

2012A
Josh Mertz, the MRT team owner, purchased a Citroën Xsara from the Citroën World Rally Team in preparation for the NASA RallyCross Challenge. He started the season well with a heat win and a second place in Croft. In Island Rally, he ended up spinning in his heat and barely missed the podium, an accident with Elliot Porterfield in Turn One ruined his chances at victory. Later on in the lap, a collision with Brandon Lambert broke the steering arm on the car, and without factory support for his Citroën, the car was unusable. He was later offered a works team with Subaru, which he held until the end of 2012B. In Negus, now with works support from Subaru, it gave Mertz the resources to run two cars. Newcomer Cody Erdmann finished P2 on debut for the team, testing the new Subaru Impreza WRX STi prototype car. In Riverside, MRT had found themselves with enough works support to run five cars - Mertz, Erdmann, Adam Simons (who left rivals Revolution Racing), Adam Sweet, and Dako. Riverside didn't go as planned. Mertz slid off while battling with Dylan Livengood for the heat win, in a cruel twist of fate Simons went on to win the heat. In the LCQ, Mertz was once again pushed off the track by Livengood, and later crashed into Adam Sweet, ending both of their races. In the final, Adam Simons and Dako destroyed two of the works Subaru Imprezas in spectacular fashion, with Dako barrel rolling down the track. The only hope was Cody Erdmann, but a late spin made him lose the lead to John Quinn. The team downsized to one car for Mertz in Canada, and pouring all the resources into the #81 paid off - he comfortably dominated the event. MRT later expanded to a full programme for Cody Erdmann, making him a permanent fixture to the team. In Valkenswaard, Mertz was able to get to P3, while Erdmann had to get reacclimatized with the older model Subaru, and finished P10.

2012B
With a full programme set for MRT for Mertz and Erdmann, Subaru notified Mertz of two works cars still available. MRT hired Simons to drive one of the cars for the new MRT Junior Team, because due to the regulations only 2 cars were allowed per team. The fourth car was left for any interested parties. Mertz started the season with a bang, proving the works support helped by winning the Round of Croft for the first time. Erdmann, who was switched back to the newer Subaru, had trouble in the final. Simons had trouble all season getting acclimatized to the car, only finishing P2 in Los Angeles. The Subarus never faltered all season, by Mertz getting four wins, Erdmann one, and recruit Dylan Smith one. Mertz, MRT and Subaru comfortably won the titles - but not after Adam Simons refused to follow team orders and let Josh Mertz by in the LCQ at the south proving grounds. They made contact on the final lap for the final transfer spot, and Simons was disqualified. In rage, Simons immediately went to his hauler, ripped the MRT overalls off, and left the circuit, never to drive for MRT again.

2012C
After the controversy of the South Proving Grounds, Adam Simons left the now rebadged Citroën Junior Team. Mertz brought in new recruit Dylan Smith, while himself and Cody Erdmann inherited the numbers of one and two due to the 2012B triumph. Mertz defended his title in style at Croft with a heat win and a convincing victory, proving his title was no fluke. Cody Erdmann then announced his indefinite hiatus from the sport, and Dylan Smith was promoted to the second senior car, and the Junior team was parked. Cody returned to the sport at Charlotte and proved that he needed a break by winning the second race for Citroën. In the North Proving Grounds, the Citroën team quickly were snapped back to reality when Josh Mertz spun out of the lead. Cody Erdmann also spun in the first corner a lap later. At the South Proving Grounds, everything was back to normal until Andrew Fessler contacted Mertz and sent the #1 into a terrifying tumble on the dirt, right hand double apex corner. Surprisingly, Junior Driver Xander Clements was able to sneak a victory in for the manufacturer, tightening their grip on that championship. At Negus, the Citroën senior team had their worst final ever, with Cody crashing into the tire barrier on the first lap. A few moments later, Mertz crashed with Dylan Livengood and was forced to park the car. Again, Xander Clements went on to win the race. In turn, despite the fact the Drivers' and Works Constructors' titles were out of reach, Citroën mechanics still celebrated (albeit a muted celebration) the Manufacturers' Championship.

2013A
Amidst the defeat for the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships, the Citroën teams looked to bounce back and take the titles. However, personal troubles with both drivers prevented them from completing all 3 rounds, and along with the controversy with Xander Clements, it left the team in hot water. Third and Fourth for Mertz, while Erdmann faired a bit better, with a second and a first place finish.

2013B
2013B was a disappointing season for the team. A distant second in the Constructors' Championship, the season was hampered by Mertz having issues in every race, and the team withdrawing from the sixth round in Bent Twig. The only successful moment was the win in Canada for Erdmann, but it was overshadowed by the loss of the 1-2 finish due to Mertz's penalty.

2013C
Citroën reinstated their factory teams for 2013C, looking towards the title. The results were there, however relations between the French organization and Josh Mertz faltered after the fourth round of the championship in Charlotte. Frustrated, Mertz resigned the team to Subaru. A third place for Erdmann in Talladega was the start. However, the confirmation that the Subaru contract was a good idea was the two consecutive 1-2 finishes, in Negus and Riverside. MRT tightened their grip on the Works' Constructors Championship, along with clinching the Semi-Works Championship in Negus. The luck ran out for the team in Bent Twig, as Mertz and Erdmann came together while battling mid pack and had to settle for fifth and sixth. Mertz reclaimed his authority on the St. Eustache circuit with a win, but not after a half spin and contact with his teammate Erdmann. The teams second Constructors' Championship was sealed with a second place finish for Mertz at Irwindale, while a late penalty reversal call cost Cody Erdmann a chance at the Drivers' Title.

2014A
Mertz and Erdmann will inherit cars 1 and 2 for the 2014A season, for the first time since 2012C. After a few tough races, the team thought they broke through with their first victory of the season at St. Eustache - but Josh Mertz was penalized and put to third for contact with Brandon Lambert. Afterwards, Mertz was suspended for the race in Long Island, due to a verbal altercation in race control with official Dylan Livengood. However, The Team kept the 21 points for the win, as did Subaru in the manufacturers championship. Mertz and Livengood were once again involved in an altercation in Talladega, which Mertz was temporarily suspended for the following race in Negus after intentionally wrecking Livengood. After Mertz admitted to intentionally wrecking Car #51, the suspension was lifted, but Mertz still withdrew from Negus. The following week in Riverside, Car #1 returned - however, an engine failure in the opening minutes of practice forced another withdrawal, and after that, Car #1 did not appear for the rest of the season. Meanwhile, while his teammate was having issues, new recruit Tristan Hagenstein recorded five consecutive podiums, which reset the previous record of two.

2014B
Having to cede the numbers 1 and 2 to Revolution Racing once again, Mertz and Erdmann began again in the ever familiar #81 and #82 Subarus. Tristan Hagenstein, coming off of a personal best season, resigned with the team, and drove the #83 Subaru. In Croft, Mertz was fastest in the first ever seeding round by three tenths of a second, and won his heat and the race. Erdmann and Hagenstein transferred to the final with a second in the heat and LCQ, respectively, and subsequently encountered issues in the final. Mertz's win broke the 13 race winless streak for the team, the longest ever. The season resulted in MRT scoring seven victories, three for Mertz, in Croft, Negus, and Irwindale, with Erdmann having four, Island Rally, Munich, St. Eustache, and Riverside. The pair finished one-two three times, with Erdmann also leading Junior driver Hagenstein home in Germany. As a result, MRT locked up their third Constructors' championship a race early in Riverside, with Mertz edging Erdmann for the drivers' title by two points.

2015A
Cody Erdmann made headlines before Irwindale, announcing his departure from the only home he has had in NASA RallyCross, before a potential retirement after 2015A. As a result, Tristan Hagenstein moves into the second MRT Subaru, with MRT Junior suspending operations. The team inherits numbers 1 and 2 for a third season. Mertz won and finished second in the first three races of the season, and while he missed the final in the Proving Grounds, two second place finishes sealed his fourth Drivers' Championship and second in a row. Erdmann returned for Negus and for Las Vegas, where the German appeared on the podium in 3rd in the latter.

2015B
Despite the shock switch of Mertz teaming with Livengood at Aftershock, MRT will still see the tenth season of competition. Steve Rada and Tim Johnston have been drafted in by Mertz to fill the seats. Both newcomers struggled to adapt to the Subaru Impreza, and Tristan Hagenstein finished on the podium in 3 of the 4 events.

2016A
After the long break, Rada and Johnston were dropped by MRT. Returning to the squad was Josh Mertz, after a half season at Aftershock, and Cody Erdmann, after a sabbatical from the sport.

MRT
(key) (Races in bold indicate winner of their heat; Races in italics indicate the driver transferred through via the LCQ)

† Season In Progress ‡ Points total includes points scored for other teams. 1 Car #1 received full points for first in all Championships except for Drivers.

MRT Junior
(key) (Races in bold indicate winner of their heat; Races in italics indicate the driver transferred through via the LCQ)

† Season In Progress ‡ Points total includes points scored for other teams.