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2013 was effectively a tale of two seasons for Dave Mirra. Splitting his time between two different organizations, jumping from Subaru PUMA Rallycross to Prodrive, the end of the year saw a bit of rejuvenation behind the wheel for the 24-time X Games medalist.

The season appeared to start with the same sort of struggles as were frequently present in 2012. Various incidents and misfortunes, from a wheel that refused to stay on in New Hampshire to a spin in Munich, left Mirra at the back of the pack in series points.

It wasn’t until Atlanta that something finally clicked; an incredibly fast car helped him win the last chance qualifier and earn a fourth place finish. Unfortunately, the chemistry building would be cut short at Subaru, but Mirra would carry that momentum to Prodrive to replace Liam Doran in the X Games Munich-winning MINI.

With minimal time to prepare for his new ride, Mirra shot to the top of the speed charts in his new car in Charlotte. He qualified second and likely would have won his heat race if not for an errant penalty call. Then, in the last chance qualifier, contact with Tanner Foust and Stephan Verdier sent Mirra’s car off course, and his day was done.

Las Vegas represented an even greater heartbreak. After turning an incredibly fast lap that topped the first practice session, his motor let go, ending his race weekend and season early.

It was clear from the moment Mirra arrived in Charlotte that a change of scenery had rejuvenated his outlook on race weekends. Though, unfortunately, most of the ups in his up-and-down season came in timed sessions toward the end of the season, his working relationship with the Prodrive squad and comfort level with the MINI mean that the pairing could be a force in 2014. It’s hard to imagine otherwise.

Photo credit: Matthew Kalish (1, 3); Alison Padron (2)