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San Luis World Rallycross: Petter Solberg leads after day one

World Rallycross champion Petter Solberg heads the order after day one of the 2014 season finale at San Luis in Argentina

Fastest in the first heat, Solberg was beaten in his second heat race by Latvian Reinis Nitiss, but second fastest time was enough to put the Norwegian on top of the overnight standings.

"It's been a very good day. The car is fast here and it's working very well," said Solberg.

"Pole position is very slippy, I lost a lot of time there in the second race, but things are going very good.

"This is my best position of the year after two heats."

Nitiss was fourth fastest in heat one before his defeat of Solberg in heat two, putting him second overall, ahead of Marklund Motorsport Volkswagen driver Toomas Heikkinen.

Andreas Bakkerud is fourth. He took his joker lap early in the second heat race and made enough time up on the lead cars to pass Solberg when he too took his joker, only to run too deep into the next corner and lose the place again.

Peugeot pair Timmy Hansen and Timur Timerzyanov lie fifth and sixth overnight, ahead of the day's star performer - Swede Kevin Eriksson.

Eriksson (pictured below) makes his Supercar debut in Argentina as a prize for winning the RX Lites division this year.

Despite having only one full test under his belt before San Luis, Eriksson set the second fastest time in free practice.

In heat one he pushed Heikkinen hard before making a mistake and sliding off, although he didn't loose too much time.

He was again fast in heat two and ran second to Timerzyanov early on, before taking his joker.

When Timerzyanov took his joker on the final lap, Eriksson passed the Russian, but like team-mate Bakkerud, ran wide into the next left hander, allowing Timerzyanov back through to win the race. Eriksson finished second.

World Rally Championship podium finisher Manfred Stohl is ninth overall at the end of day one on his guest appearance in the second PSRX Citroen DS3, ahead of British driver Andy Scott, who won his second heat race.

Fellow Brit Liam Doran makes his return to the sport in Argentina and is 11th overall.

He was slowed for the first heat with a misfire but set the seventh fastest time in heat two to lift himself into a semi-final position ahead of day two.

Doran's team-mate Henning Solberg failed to start the second heat, and ends day one 17th and last.

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