NASCAR Meets Global RallyCross at Irwindale



Olsbergs OSE Team Crew Chief, Andreas Eriksson gingerly hands over the key of the 2011 BestBuy Ford Fiesta to Nascar driver AJ Allmendinger for a few hot laps around  Irwindale Speedway. Although Almendinger was not allow to take the jump in the car, he very quickly adapted to the angry little Fiesta and put in a few very respectable laps. Photo Neil McDaid /RallyWorldNews.com .

March 25, 2011, Irwindale, CA. Drivers and their crews  started to arrive Thursday for round one of the 2011 Global RallyCross  Championship. NASCAR’s  AJ Allmendinger from the Best Buy /Ford racing team also stopped by to check out and drive one of Ford’s 2011 RallyCross Fiesta’s.



Nascar driver, AJ Allmendinger [left] gets a few pointers from World Rally legend Marcus Gronholm, “you must also turn right a lot, and be happy with the handbrake” great advice indeed for rallycross. Marcus will pilot the 2011 Best Buy Fiesta this weekend at Irwindale. Photo Neil McDaid /RallyWorldNews.com



Competition will get underway today Friday, with some rain forecasted in the area, we expect it will make for some very interesting action. The rain over this past week has also made things very challenging for the course construction, the build team worked late into the night Thursday adding the final touches to the course layout.

The course itself is rather tight in places, comprised of 60% Tar and 40%dirt the layout should keep cars fairly tight together and maybe to close in places.



Joseph Burke adds some final decals to his Mitsubishi Evo 8; this will be Burke’s first time to tackle to XGAMES style gap jump which is part of the course layout at Irwindale. “Hopefully we get it right first time and have no drama” said Burke. Photo Neil McDaid /RallyWorldNews.com

 For tickets and info - Go to http://www.global-rallycross.com/

10:00 a.m.    Gates open to public. Expo open.

10:00 a.m - 10:25 a.m.! ! 2WD Full Course Practice

10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.! ! AWD Full Course Practice
11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.!! Super Rally Qualifying

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.! ! Track Break

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.! ! 2WD Eliminations

2:10 p.m. - 3:10 p.m.! ! AWD Eliminations

3:30 p.m. - 4:10 p.m.! ! 2WD Quarter-Finals
4:20 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.! ! AWD Quarter-Finals
5:15 p.m. - 5:40 p.m.! ! 2WD Semi-Final

5:45 p.m. - 6:05 p.m.! ! AWD Semi-Final

6:20 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.! ! 2WD Finals

6:35 p.m. - 6:45 p.m.! ! AWD Finals

6:50 p.m. - 7:15 p.m.! ! 2WD/AWD Podium celebration