Mertz Racing Technologies

Red Bull Subaru MRT
Founded	7 July 2012
Base	Lowell, IN
Principal	Josh Mertz
Founder(s)	Josh Mertz
Current Series	NASA RallyCross Challenge NASA SuperTrucks
Former Drivers	Adam Simons Adam Sweet Austin Hakes Cody Erdmann Dako Steve Rada Tim Johnston Tristan Hagenstein
Current Drivers	1. Josh Mertz 2. Philip Kraus
Current Tyres	B Bridgestone
Website	MRTrx.com
Debut	2012A British RX GP
Latest Entry	2019A Atlanta RX GP
Races Entered	145
Race Victories	66
Driver Titles	10 (2012B, 2013C, 2014B, 2015A, 2016A, 2017A, 2017C, 2018A, 2018B, 2018C)
Team Titles	10 (2012B, 2013C, 2014B, 2016A, 2017A, 2017B, 2017C, 2018A, 2018B, 2018C)
Folded	N/A

Mertz Racing Technologies is an American racing team, currently racing under an Austrian license. They are the 2012B, 2013C, 2014B, 2016A and 2017A, 2017B, 2017C, 2018A, 2018B, and 2018C 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.

History

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.

Subaru MRT Junior
250px
Nationality	22px Austrian
Current Drivers
Past Drivers	Austin Hakes Cody Erdmann Dylan Smith Jacob Krause Sean Whitehill Tristan Hagenstein Xander Clements
Championships	1 (Private Team 2014B)
Wins	1
Podiums	6
First Race	2012B Round of Croft
First Win	2012B Round of the North Proving Grounds
Last Win	2012B Round of the North Proving Grounds
Last Race	2015A Round of Negus
NASA RallyCross Team

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.

Complete NASA RallyCross Challenge Career

MRT

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

Year	Chassis	No.	Driver	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	WDC	Points	WCC	Points
2012A	Subaru Impreza	08	Adam Simons				RVR 9	CAN 9						10th‡	34‡	-	-
		48	Adam Sweet				RVR 16							28th	1	-	-
	Citroën Xsara	81	Josh Mertz	GBR 2	ISR 4									2nd	86	2nd	129
	Subaru Impreza					NEG 3	RVR 15	CAN 1	NED 3
		85	Dako				RVR 10	CAN 10						16th	14	-	-
		524	Cody Erdmann			NEG 2	RVR 2		NED 10					9th	40	2nd	129
2012B	Subaru Impreza	81	Josh Mertz	GBR 1	NED 3	CHA 9	CAN 1	NEG 1	LA 5	PVGN 5	PVGS 1			1st	131	1st	231
		524	Cody Erdmann	GBR 7	NEG 6	CHA 1	CAN 4	NEG 8	LA 3	PVGN 8	PVGS 6			4th	100
2012C	Citroën Xsara	1	Josh Mertz	GBR 1	NED 3	GER 4	CHA 6	CAN 1	PVGN 4	PVGS 7	NEG 10			2nd	112	2nd	203
		2	Cody Erdmann	GBR 5			CHA 1	CAN 2	PVGN 6	PVGS 12	NEG 9			7th	75
			Dylan Smith		NED 4	GER 13								8th‡	69‡
2013A	Citroën Xsara	81	Josh Mertz	GBR 3	NED 4	GER DNS								4th	35	2nd	73
		524	Cody Erdmann	GBR DNS	NED 1	GER 2								2nd	38
2013B	Citroën Xsara	81	Josh Mertz	GBR 2										4th	66	2nd	109
	Citroën C4 WRC				NED 2	CHA 7	CAN 8	NEG 8	BTW WD
	Citroën Xsara	82	Cody Erdmann	GBR DNS										11th	36
	Citroën C4 WRC				NED 4		CAN 1	NEG DNS	BTW WD
			Austin Hakes			CHA 10								14th‡	27‡
2013C	Citroën C4 RX	81	Josh Mertz	GBR 3	NED 5	ISR 2	CHA 6							1st	160	1st	301
	Subaru Impreza WRX STi							TAL 7	NEG 1	RVR 2	BTW 5	CAN 1	IRW 2
	Citroën C4 RX	82	Cody Erdmann	GBR 4	NED 3	ISR 3	CHA 7							3rd	141
	Subaru Impreza WRX STi							TAL 3	NEG 2	RVR 1	BTW 6	CAN 5	IRW 7
2014A	Subaru Impreza WRX STi	1	Josh Mertz	GBR 5	NED 10	ESP 5	CAN 3	ISR SUS	TAL 8		RVR DNS			8th	68	2nd	260
		2	Cody Erdmann		NED 2			ISR 7		NEG 2	RVR 6	IRW1 DNS	IRW2 DNS	7th	74
			Tristan Hagenstein	GBR 3		ESP 14	CAN 5		TAL 3					3rd‡	132‡
		3	Luke Fleming					ISR 4						10th‡	64‡
			Tristan Hagenstein							NEG 3	RVR 2	IRW1 3	IRW2 3	3rd‡	132‡
2014B	Subaru Impreza WRX STi	81	Josh Mertz	GBR 1	NED 2	ISR 4	GER 5	CAN 2	TAL 3	NEG 1	BTW 2	RVR 2	IRW 1	1st	173	1st	344
		82	Cody Erdmann	GBR 4	NED 6	ISR 1	GER 1	CAN 1	TAL 2	NEG 3	BTW 4	RVR 1	IRW 2	2nd	171
2015A	Subaru Impreza WRX STi	1	Josh Mertz	GBR 1	NED 2	ISR 1	CAN 4	PVGS 9	NEG 2	LV 2				1st	117	1st	218
		2	Tristan Hagenstein	GBR 7	NED 5	ISR 3	CAN 6	PVGS 4	NEG 4					6th	62
			Cody Erdmann							LV 3				9th‡	47‡
2015B	Subaru Impreza WRX STi	27	Tristan Hagenstein	GBR 3B	NED DNS	ISR 3B	TAL 3A							4th	55	4th	75
		38	Tim Johnston	GBR 7	NED 8									12th	19
		199	Steve Rada	GBR 12	NED 9	ISR DNS								11th	21
2016A	Subaru Impreza WRX STi	81	Josh Mertz	NED 51	GER 6LCQ	ESP 72	CAN 11	NEG 12	PVGN 3A	ASP 11	BTW 1B	RVR 31	LV 8A	2nd	273	1st	595
		82	Cody Erdmann	NED 1A	GER 21	ESP 11	CAN 4LCQ	NEG 21	PVGN 11	ASP 43	BTW 51	RVR 2A	LV 1	1st	298
		83	Tristan Hagenstein	NED 4B	GER 52	ESP 4B	CAN 5A	NEG 5A	PVGN 5LCQ	ASP 4A	BTW 6A	RVR 1	LV 4	4th	254
2017A	Subaru Impreza WRX STi	1	Cody Erdmann	NED 51	GER 2A	ESP 4LCQ	WAT 1A	ISR 2LCQ	CAN 21	PVGS 32	NEG 1A	JPN 2	BTW 42	1st	289	1st	583
		2	Josh Mertz	NED 1A	GER 4LCQ	ESP 1A	WAT 8	ISR 6B	CAN 1A	PVGS 21	NEG 32	JPN 52	BTW 1A	2nd	277
		3	Tristan Hagenstein	NED 3B	GER 6B	ESP 51	WAT 5B	ISR 4A	CAN DNS	PVGS 4	NEG 4	JPN 10	BTW 3B	6th	230
2017B	Subaru Impreza WRX STi	51	Dylan Livengood	GBR 5LCQN1	NED 4LCQ	CAN 4	MIL 5B	IND 4B	AUS 6	NEG 52	PVGN 4LCQ	SEA 5LCQ	BTW 5LCQ	4th	127	1st	583
		81	Josh Mertz	GBR 11	NED 3A	CAN 61	MIL 31	IND 3LCQ	AUS 11	PVGN 2A	NEG 2A	SEA 22N6	BTW 61	3rd	173
2017C	Subaru Impreza WRX STi	1	Philip Kraus	NED 2A	CAN 21	MIL 11	PVGS 11	NEG 2A	PVGN 32	IRW 22	SEA 22	BTW 32	GBR 2A	2nd	189	1st	386
		2	Josh Mertz	NED 31	CAN 1B	MIL 32	PVGS 3A	NEG 11	PVGN 11	IRW 3A	SEA 11	BTW 2	GBR 11	1st	192
2018A	Subaru Impreza WRX STi	1	Josh Mertz	GBR 21	NED 3A	CAN 11	MIL 4LCQ	NEG 2A	ASP 1A	PVGN 22	DAY 1B	SEA 42	BTW 1H1-1	2nd	186	1st	382
		2	Philip Kraus	GBR 12	NED 2	CAN 2A	MIL 32	NEG 11	ASP 2B	PVGN 11	DAY 31	SEA 11	BTW 2H2-1	1st	192
2018B	Subaru Impreza WRX STi	1	Philip Kraus	DAY1 42	PHX 11	SNM 4LCQ	DAY2 11	NHMS 11	LRP 22	SMP 2	IND 9	TEX 11	IOW 3	2nd	139	1st	343
		2	Josh Mertz	DAY1 73	PHX 5	SNM 11	DAY2 2LCQ	NHMS 11	LRP 5	SMP 11	IND 22	TEX 4	IOW 43	1st	160
2018C	Subaru Impreza WRX STi	1	Josh Mertz	SNM 3H4-2	PHX 5H3-1	TEX 2H2-1	DAY 7H1-2	ATL1 7H2-2	ATL2 4	LRP 3H2-2	SMP 6H1-2	IND 5LCQ	IOW 4H3-2	2nd	138	1st	325
		2	Philip Kraus	SNM 7H3-2	PHX 3LCQ	TEX 1H1-1	DAY 3H1-1	ATL1 2H2-1	ATL2 1H2-1	LRP 1H1-1	SMP 1H1-1	IND 2H1-1	IOW 2H1-1	1st	188
2019A	Subaru Impreza WRX STi	1	Philip Kraus	SNM 3H1-1	PHX 1H1-1	DAY 1H2-1	ATL 7							1st	71	1st	125
		2	Josh Mertz	SNM 5	PHX 7H2-1	DAY 6	ATL 2H2-1							4th	53
Year	Chassis	No.	Driver	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	WDC	Points	WCC	Points

† 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)

Year	Chassis	No.	Driver	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	WDC	Points	WCC	Points
2012B	Subaru Impreza	6	Dylan Smith				CAN 3	NEG 7	LA 10	'PVGN 1	PVGS 4			6th‡	93‡	3rd	118
		08	Adam Simons	GBR 10	NED 8	CHA 8	CAN 10	NEG 10	LA 2	PVGN 9	PVGS 7			8th	75
2012C	Citroën Xsara	6	Dylan Smith	GBR 3			CHA 10	CAN 10	PVGN 8	PVGS 7	NEG 16			8th‡	69‡	3rd	105
		36	Xander Clements					CAN 4		PVGS EX	NEG EX			6th‡	80‡
2013A	Citroën Xsara	6	Dylan Smith	GBR 9	NED 10									12th	15	EX	0 (31)
		36	Xander Clements	GBR EX	NED EX									EX	0
2013B	Citroën C4 WRC	21	Austin Hakes				CAN 9		BTW WD					14th‡	27‡	7th	19
			Cody Erdmann			CHA DNS								11th‡	36‡
		95	Sean Whitehill			CHA 14	CAN 13	NEG 13	BTW WD					18th	11
2013C	Citroën C4 RX	83	Jacob Krause	GBR 7	NED DSQ	ISR 18	CHA 10							11th†	29†	4th	143
	Subaru Impreza WRX STi							TAL PO	NEG DSQ
			Dylan Smith							RVR 6	BTW 7	CAN 6	IRW 4	11th‡	57‡
	Citroën C4 RX	84	Luke Fleming	GBR 5	NED 6	ISR 11	CHA 12							8th	68
	Subaru Impreza WRX STi							TAL 5	NEG 10	RVR 11	BTW 9
2014A	Subaru Impreza WRX STi	83	Luke Fleming	GBR 2	NED 4	ESP 8	CAN 6							10th‡	64‡	5th	103
		84	Adam Simons	GBR 8		ESP 6								16th‡	28‡
			Tristan Hagenstein		NED 5			ISR 6						3rd‡	132‡
Year	Chassis	No.	Driver	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	WDC	Points	PC	Points
2014B	Subaru Impreza WRX STi	83	Tristan Hagenstein	GBR 6	NED 4	ISR PO	GER 2	CAN 4	TAL 10	NEG 6	BTW 8	RVR 4	IRW 6	6th	113	1st	163
Year	Chassis	No.	Driver	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	WDC	Points	WCC	Points

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