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North America’s Oldest Automotive Hillclimb Returns to the Mt. Washington Auto Road -AUGUST 2021

April 21, 2021, Pinkham Notch, NH — Officials with the Sports Car Club of New Hampshire, organizers of the 2021 Mt. Washington Hillclimb, originally rescheduled last year for July 9-11, 2021, announced today that the event will take place instead on August 13-15, 2021 at the Mt. Washington Auto Road in Pinkham Notch, Gorham, NH. 

It was also announced that Subaru of America will return as the event's Title Sponsor and that Yokohama Tire will join the event for the first time as the Hillclimb’s Presenting Sponsor. “The Sports Car Club of New Hampshire is proud to welcome back Subaru of America as Title Sponsor of the 2021 Mt. Washington Hillclimb for the third consecutive event. 

We’d also like to welcome Yokohama Tire to Mt. Washington for the first time as the event’s Presenting Sponsor. Both Subaru and Yokohama Tire have a long history of success in motorsports across the globe," stated Rob Widdick, President of the Sports Car Club of New Hampshire. "In addition, the Sports Car Club of New Hampshire would like to thank the Mt. Washington Auto Road for once again hosting this world-renowned Hillclimb as well as the hundreds of volunteers who are crucial to the success of the event. 

Lastly, with the pandemic nearly behind us, we'd like to thank everyone, including the many competitors, for their patience and understanding as we've navigated this unprecedented situation to reschedule this historic Hillclimb." First run in 1904, the Climb to the Clouds took place as part of the famous Glidden Tour several months prior to the first-ever Vanderbuilt Cup on Long Island, New York that was first run in the Fall of 1904. The initial Mt. Washington Hillclimb was also seven years before the first-ever 500-mile race at the Brickyard in Indianapolis, Indiana which took place in 1911 and twelve years prior to the inaugural Pikes Peak Hillclimb in Colorado which first took place in 1916. The 7.6 mile “Climb to the Clouds” is without question one of the ultimate proving grounds for both drivers and automobiles anywhere in the world. 

The serpentine tarmac and gravel road is lined with trees, rocks and dramatic drop-offs as it winds its way to the 6,288 foot summit of the Northeast’s tallest peak — Mt. Washington. “Subaru is once again thrilled to support the Mt. Washington Hillclimb in 2021,” said William Stokes, Motorsports Manager for Subaru of America. “The Mt. Washington Auto Road provides a challenge unlike any other, and the Sports Car Club of New Hampshire has done a great job in putting on the event. Subaru has been able to set new records every time the event has been run since 2011, so we’re looking forward to more fireworks in 2021!” 

 Set for Friday through Sunday, August 13-15, 2021, the Subaru Mt. Washington Hillclimb presented by Yokohama Tire will serve as a multi-day motorsports festival filled with a variety of activities for all ages including the Yokohama Tire Fan Zone which will host antique vehicle displays, a variety of food and memorabilia vendors and an autograph session on Saturday. The 3-day weekend will be topped off with the return of the historic Subaru Mt. Washington Hillclimb presented by Yokohama Tire event which takes place Sunday, August 15, 2021 on the 7.6 mile Mt. Washington Auto Road. “It’s great to see the legendary 'Climb to the Clouds' return,” said Fardad Niknam, Yokohama Tire’s senior director of product planning & product marketing. 

“We’re thrilled to be the Presenting Sponsor of the 2021 Subaru Mt. Washington Hillclimb presented by Yokohama Tire and be involved with such a historic race. We look forward to working with the Mt. Washington Auto Road and the Sports Car Club of New Hampshire, as well as Subaru of America on this highly competitive, fan-favorite race. It will be a perfect venue to show the strength and versatility of our ADVAN tires.” Race organizers from the Sports Car Club of New Hampshire are expecting a full 80-car competition field this year with some of the most talented competitors from across North America. 

They’ll be driving an array of equally impressive hillclimb, time attack, road race and rally cars — all competing for “King of the Hill” honors in one of the most exciting events in all of motorsports. “Since 1904 we’ve had a long history of car racing on Mt. Washington. When the first ‘Climb to the Clouds’ was held, we took our place in racing history and became a proving ground for man and machine,” stated Tobey Reichert, General Manager of the Mt. Washington Auto Road. 

“We’ve continued with this great tradition off and on over the years and are thrilled to once again be getting ready for the Subaru Mt Washington Hillclimb presented by Yokohama Tire in August 2021. We know that technology is changing year after year. Over the past several races we have seen an amazing skill-set behind these amazing machines. This summer we fully anticipate even more excitement and records to be broken.” Additional information regarding media requests, volunteering, spectating and lodging for the 2021 Subaru Mt. Washington Hillclimb presented by Yokohama Tire scheduled for August 13-15, 2021 can be found on the event’s official web site: mt-washington.com/climb-to-the-clouds.

Ken Block Attempts an 8th Win at The Rally in The 100 Acre Wood

Rhys Millen And Emma Gilmour To Compete In 2014 Global RallyCross Series

Rhys Millen And Emma Gilmour To Compete In 2014 Global RallyCross Series

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Mar. 24, 2014 – Hyundai and Rhys Millen Racing (RMR) are again joining forces to create a groundbreaking new team for the 2014 Global Rallycross Championship (GRC) series. For 2014, Hyundai and RMR continue their assault on dirt- and tarmac-based circuits throughout North America with highly-tuned Veloster Turbo rallycross cars. The new two-car team will feature Pikes Peak champion and veteran racer Rhys Millen, with New Zealand rally champion Emma Gilmour behind the wheel of the second Veloster racecar.

“We can’t wait for the 2014 Global Rallycross season to get started with our new team and freshly-tuned Veloster Turbo racers,” said Steve Shannon, vice president of marketing, Hyundai Motor America. “Global Rallycross is the perfect racing series for the compact, fun-to-drive Veloster, and the RMR Velosters are sure to be pushed to the limit every race this season with rally veterans like Rhys and Emma at the helm. We’re proud to team up with two drivers known for their precision and consistency, and we are especially excited to give Emma the opportunity to be the first female driver in Global Rallycross.”
HYUNDAI/RMR VELOSTER TURBO
Hyundai Veloster Turbo employs a unique third-door design and an efficient, direct-injected, lightweight aluminum powertrain. The Turbo model boasts a hefty 63 horsepower advantage over the normally-aspirated model, generating an impressive 201 horsepower from only 1.6 liters of displacement. The fully race-prepared RMR Veloster Rallycross turbo engine generates more than 600 peak horsepower from its four-cylinder turbocharged and intercooled powerplant, for explosive acceleration out of corners.

2014 RMR Veloster Turbo Rallycross Enhancements

• Upsized turbocharger, wastegate control, ECU tuning, and Wiggins turbo clamps
• XTRAC® center differential, handbrake hydraulic coupler and handbrake lever
• Reiger Racing® internal bumpstop struts with roller bearings and roll control
• New Veloster Turbo rallycross front and rear fascia with new rear wing design

RHYS MILLEN
“The Global Rallycross series holds even more promise for the Hyundai/RMR team in the 2014 season, with great opportunities to leverage valuable racing and technical experience earned by the team in recent years,” said Millen. “The RMR Veloster is perfect for GRC by giving enthusiasts a glimpse of affordable, fun-to-drive production cars exploited to their full race potential in an action-packed rallycross series. Even more, I’m especially proud to have Emma as a teammate; with many top rally drivers hailing from New Zealand, her consistent top performance is sure to impress at every stage of the series.”

World Champion driver Rhys Millen set an overall world record at the 2012 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, earning “King of the Mountain” status in the RMR Genesis Coupe. In the 2012 Global Rallycross Championship Series, the Hyundai/RMR team finished second in manufacturer’s points and third in driver’s points. Millen’s driving credentials further include extensive movie and advertising stunts, 2008 Formula Drift World Champion, 2005 USA Drifting Champion, seven Pikes Peak world records and the 2008 New Year's Eve Las Vegas truck flip at Red Bull: New Year. No Limits. Behind Millen’s success in the driver’s seat is an experienced team of engineers and expert fabricators in race preparation and tuning.

NEW RMR DRIVER: EMMA GILMOUR
“I couldn’t be more honored to join the Hyundai/RMR Global Rallycross team for the 2014 season,” said Emma Gilmour, New Zealand rally veteran. “Rhys is known worldwide for his precise and consistent rally skills, and my years of successful rally experience are a perfect fit for the RMR team effort. It’s a true privilege to be the first female driver in the GRC series, and I’m confident my performance will open up more opportunities for a number of great female rally drivers in the future.”

Emma Gilmour: Recent Racing Results 2012

• 2^nd Overall, New Zealand Rally Championship
• 2^nd Overall, Group N Rally New Zealand

2011

• 2^nd Overall, New Zealand Rally Championship

2010

• 2^nd Overall, New Zealand Rally Championship
• 2^nd Overall, PWRC Rally New Zealand
• 2^nd Overall, Asia-Pacific Rally Championship, Whangarei

GLOBAL RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP SERIESThe 2014 Global RallyCross Championship season features 10 race events, including the ESPN Summer X-Games^®. The X-Games were one of the first public venues introducing the concept of rallycross to U.S. racing enthusiasts. The GRC circuit at each venue features a series of tight turns and a large jump where the cars become airborne, with most of the circuit visible to GRC fans for the duration of the heat. The 2014 GRC season will kick-off at the Caribbean island of Barbados at the BBC Top Gear^® Festival, Saturday, May 17, where fans are invited to get up-close with both drivers and technicians in the GRC paddock area. RMR fans will be able to view both RMR rallycross and production versions of the Veloster.
2014 GLOBAL RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

• May 17-18: Barbados, Top Gear^® Festival
• June 7: Austin, X-Games^®, ESPN
• June 21-22: Washington, DC
• July 19-20: New York, NY
• July 25-26: Charlotte, NC
• August 2-3: Detroit, MI (Riverfront)
• August 22-23: Daytona, FL
• September 19-20: San Pedro, CA
• September 26-27: Seattle, WA (DirtFish)
• November 5: Las Vegas, NV (SEMA)

    
Source; RMR

Ken Block "The Fastest, The Biggest Wreck That I've Ever Had In My Career"

February 17th, 2014 Park City, UT: 2013 was a hugely successful race season for Hoonigan Racing Division’s Ken Block, a driver who happened to have the most diverse and interesting racing schedule of last year.
Now, in preparation for the start of his 2014 race season, Block has released a video that shows and explains how he ended up 2nd overall in the Rally America Championship, after his chase at the title came to an abrupt, and brutal, end back in October at the final event, the Lake Superior Performance Rally.

Due to two simple letters (“in”) missing in his pace notes on one of the final stages of the event, Block and Gelsomino ended up cart wheeling down one of the final stages of the season, end over end, before coming to a stop against a tree.

The missing “in” allowed Block to go slightly wide around a very safe looking corner where his rear wheel went into the weeds and got caught up on a small clump of dirt, sending the Ford Fiesta HFHV into the air. While the crash was violent, the pair were fortunate to walk away from the championship-ending incident with minimal injury.

“This video is a tough one for me to watch,” said Block. “On the one hand, I’m proud of the fact that even after going through such a brutal crash, my first instinct was to try and get the car started again and press on. On the other, I’m still bummed that we were so close to winning the championship and that we lost it in such a spectacular fashion.

At the end of the day though, I’m grateful that the car did the job it was supposed to do and that I get to continue racing.” Block and Gelsomino’s run at the Rally America championship will have to wait another year however.

While the duo will be making their first competitive appearance of 2014 together at Rally in the 100 Acre Wood in Salem, Missouri—an event they’ve won six times previously—they’re unable to contest the entire season due to schedule conflicts with other race events. For details on Block’s race schedule for 2014, as well as seeing the debut of his all-new livery, stay tuned, as he’ll be dropping both on February 17th.

Source ; Hoonigan Racing

Antoine L'Estage Brings WRC Mitsubishi To Rally America - TESTING VIDEO FROM CZECH REPUBLIC

 

 

Montréal (Québec), April 2, 2013.-

Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard step up their game for the remaining rounds of the 2013 Rally America Championship. After a successful test in the WRC Mitsubishi in the Czech Republic, L’Estage has made the commitment to bring the WRC prepared Mitsubishi stateside.

Although slightly outdated compared with today’s WRC cars, this 2005 spec Evo will still be a formidable competitor on the North American stages.  L’Estage still lacks the funds of a fully supported manufacture team, but as long as the current budget  lasts this car should put L’Estage on par with Block and Higgins.  Let’s hope that Antoine can get some solid testing in prior to the Oregon Trails Rally as it will take some mastering to extract the full potential of this car.

Below is the Press release from the team:

Reigning North American and Canadian Rally Champions, driver Antoine L’Estage (of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec) and his co-driver Nathalie Richard (of Halifax, Nova Scotia) will contest the remaining events of the Rally America series at the wheel of a WRC Mitsubishi Lancer.  In this, the premier American rally championship, it will be the first time a Canadian competes in a modern day World Rally Car that has already contested the World Rally Championship and it is also the first time the British MML Sports team will bring their WRC car to compete in North America. 



L'Estage will add his new 2013 livery on the WRC Mitsubishi, Rockstar Energy will be the dominant sponsor.

  

After having contested the first two rounds of the 2013 season, including a victory at Michigan’s SnoDrift Rally in their Mitsubishi Evo X, Antoine L'Estage and Nathalie Richard will finish off the remaining five Rally America rounds with the WRC Lancer.  "This is big news!  To take part in rallies at the wheel of a car that has been in the World Rally Championship is fantastic and I’m really looking forward to more great battles with Ken Block and David Higgins" explains Antoine, who clarifies : "our hard work has come to fruition in the form of an agreement with MML Sports of the UK, with whom we already tested the car last November in the Czech Republic.  All of our sponsors play a big role in this as well and we are thrilled to have our partners on board"

The MML Sports Mitsubishi has been in service in the hands of several very capable drivers since Mitsubishi's departure from the WRC. Picture Neil McDaid / Donegal 2006

 

The first event that the L’Estage/Richard duo will take part in with the WRC Mitsubishi Lancer will be on the first weekend of May for the Oregon Trail Rally, round 3 of the Rally America series.  An important test session will precede the rally, enabling Antoine to familiarize himself with the car. "Up until now, I’ve only done a few kilometers with this car, without really pushing it to its maximum capabilities.  We’re in the hunt for this year’s RA title so it’s essential to get more comfortable with the vehicle before the start of Oregon Trail" confides Antoine, who, with Nathalie, sits in second place on the championship leaderboard.  The team will also continue the fight to make 2013 its sixth Canadian Rally Championship title, which will be contested in the Rockstar Energy Drink Lancer Evo X as originally planned at the beginning of the season. More details concerning L’Estage’s debut in the WRC car will follow

 

Ken Block Releases His Driving Schedule For 2013, Along with a First Look at Hoonigan Racings New Livery.

 

 

January 23^rd, 2013, Park City, Utah — Kicking off 2013 with a brand new race team and global headquarters, Hoonigan Racing Division’s Ken Block is off to a big start this year. So, to better inform everyone about what he's going to be up to this season and what events he'll be partaking in, Hoonigan Racing Division decided it'd be best to let fans hear it directly from the man himself, the Chief Hoon, Ken Block. Below, Block goes into detail on everything from how he came up with his all-new team look to what he hopes to accomplish in 2013.

The Hoonigan Racing Division 2013 Livery: “I’m stoked on how this livery and overall team aesthetic has turned out this year. With the name change to Hoonigan Racing Division, we wanted to take the look in a slightly different direction, one that has been inspired by my love of 80s and early 90s skateboarding graphics, as well as Miami Vice-era offshore powerboats and a dash of hair metal and old school hip hop mixed in for good measure. Much like we did in our years as MWRT, we’re continuing to try and lead and innovate in the motorsports marketing arena with this livery.” 

2013 overall: “Once again, I’m trying to fit in as much driving as possible for 2013. Unlike most drivers who only compete in one series, I’m very fortunate to be able to race in so many different disciplines. Between competing in X Games, GRC, Rally America, Gymkhana GRID and WRC, It’s going to be an awesome year. I can’t wait to get it started.”

Global X Games: “X Games has always been one of my favorite events of the season, so I’m hyped that this year it is going global with four international stops. Now Los Angeles isn’t my only chance at taking the gold, there will also be Brazil, Spain and Germany. I think the worldwide fans are really going to enjoy the opportunity to go see what X Games is all about up close and personal.”

Global RallyCross: “Last year was my rookie season in GRC. I learned a lot and had some amazing qualifying times. I even managed to dominate the final event of the season until my car caught fire! So, with a season’s worth of experience now under my belt, and a car that has now had a year of rallycross development, I’m feeling really confident about entering the 2013 GRC season and going after the title. I think I’ve got the experience and the car to get it done this year.”

Rally America Championship: “I’m pleased to say that I’ll be campaigning the full Rally America Championship this year. In 2012 I made it out to two events and won both, as well as winning a Canadian rally. I’m confident that my team has built a highly capable car and that the experiences that myself and my co-driver, Alex Gelsomino, have gained doing WRC events the past few seasons really help us when it comes to making our pace notes for the races. My goal for the year is to win the championship, plain and simple.”

WRC: “For me it’s great to continue racing in the World Rally Championship. Last year I competed in three events and in two of them I finished within the top ten and scored points [the third event would have ended with a top 10 finish also, but ended in a mechanical DNF on the final day]. I really enjoy being able to stay somewhat competitive in WRC, despite only competing part-time and not being able to log any testing in the car prior to the actual events. Hopefully I’ll be running a similar amount of WRC events in 2013.”

Gymkhana GRID: “Monster Energy came in last year and got behind my Gymkhana GRID series in a big way. They ran a five-event European series and all of the fans and participants that came out really enjoyed the racing format. In fact, the feedback was so strong that they’re looking to expand it even further this year, so I’m looking forward to going back over and competing in GRID once again. We’re also going to try and investigate the possibility of bringing GRID back to America in 2013 as well.”

Octane Academy 2: “Ford had great success with Octane Academy last year. So much so that the second season has been picked up by NBC Sports for 2013. We’re changing up the format a bit and focusing a lot more on actual driving challenges, getting the contestants more seat time and really showcasing just what the cars can do with the proper training behind the wheel. It’s going to be a lot of fun to make, I can’t wait to get started.”

Gymkhana: “I’m working on a very special Gymkhana project with DC for 2013. I can’t comment too much on it at this point, but we’re taking a very different approach to it for this year. That’s all I’m going to say right now!”

 

DRONES OVER WRC MONTE CARLO

The legendary Rally Monte Carlo took place a few days ago. It is known for its unpredictable weather conditions but FS AVIATION managed to fly with their octocopter in rain and snow to deliver the different some great images.

by FS AVIATION


Drone-Work at the Rallye Monte Carlo 2013 -- MAKING OF-- from FS Aviation on Vimeo.

WRC ACADEMY 2012: ELFYN EVANS TAKES HEAD OF THE CLASS HONORS IN FINLAND

As one of the most eagerly awaited rounds on the FIA WRC Academy calendar, every driver dreams of lifting the trophy at rallying’s spiritual home in Finland. But as the 2012 Neste Oil Rally Finland came to a close in Jyväskylä this evening, there could be only one winner.

In another dominant performance, Elfyn Evans added the ‘Gravel Grand Prix’ to his tally of victories – with seven stage wins – and assumed control at the head of the WRC Academy standings. Rounding off the top-three, Pontus Tidemand claimed second withBrendan Reeves third.

Day 1 saw the crews travel south for three stages around the picturesque harbour city of Lahti where a real battle emerged between Evans, Tidemand and Alastair Fisher -each claiming a provisional stage win on the opening tests.

Unfortunately, the three-way battle was cut short after Tidemand was awarded a 10 second time penalty for jumping the start on SS2, demoting the Swede to sixth place and awarding the stage victory to an ever improving Jose Suárez on the Spaniard’s least preferred surface.

Elsewhere, there was misfortune for Ashley Haigh-Smith 5km into SS1 when the South African incurred damage to the gear lever of his Ford Fiesta R2. Despite forfeiting more than 12 minutes to the leaders, the 19-year-old put his ‘bush mechanics’ training to good use to get his Fiesta back to service where the M-Sport team were able to return the car to full working order.

More heartache followed for Sweden’s Fredrik Åhlin whose birthday celebrations were cut short with an accident on SS3. Carrying too much speed into a tight left-hander, the 22-year old rolled his Fiesta R2. Both crew members avoided serious injury in the spectacular incident, but too much damage to the rollcage put an untimely end to the youngster’s charge.

Day 2, and as the competition moved closer to the rally base in Jyväskylä, the dominanceEvans showcased at the Acropolis Rally shone through once more with six out of a possible nine stage wins. What is more, with Fisher forced to Rally 2 after a puncture caused electrical damage to the wiring for the fly by wire throttle of his Fiesta, Evans extended his lead to more than a minute over his nearest rivals.

Despite Evans’ control of the event, the battle for the final podium positions was one of the closest and most thrilling in WRC Academy history with four drivers separated by just 12.3 seconds heading into the final five tests.

Recovering well from his earlier penalty and having been suffering from flu earlier in the rally, Tidemand secured a stage victory on SS6 – and was rarely out of the top three on individual stage times – to hold the runner-up spot going into the final day. Claiming the final two stage wins over Lankamaa 2 [SS11] and the second pass of the Killeri Super Special [SS12], Reeves was just a further 8.3 seconds adrift in third. Just 3.9 seconds behind the Australian, Van der Marel continued his strong performance on what had been a good event for the KNAF supported driver with Suárez’s ever improving technique on gravel bringing the youngster into contention for his first WRC Academy podium a mere 0.3 seconds behind in fifth.

Day 3 saw the crews embark on what is arguably the most challenging day of competitive driving the WRC Academy crews have ever faced in their rallying careers – featuring some of Finland’s classic tests with wide roads, fast jumps and the infamously demanding Ouninpohja stage.

Rising to the challenge, a composed drive from Evans saw the 23-year-old maintain his lead whilst a clean-sweep of fastest stage times from Tidemand - including glory on the legendary Ouninpohja stage – saw the Swede consolidate his second place. But it was not enough to topple Evans whose faultless drive saw the Welshman claim his second successive win in as many events to assume the lead of the championship.

Elsewhere, the battle for the final podium position played host to some thrilling driving –Reeves, Van der Marel and Suárez separated by just 1.8 seconds at the end of SS13. The battle was so intense, that SS14, SS15 and SS16 each saw the final podium place occupied by a different driver – Reeves on SS14, Van der Marel on SS15 and back to Reeves at the end of SS16.

The final podium position was settled on the classic Ouninpohja stage when Van der Marel went off the road 3km into the final test, thus handing third place to Reeves.Suárez decided to settle for fourth when he encountered Van der Marel’s stricken Fiesta, but with a strong improvement on gravel the 21-year-old will be well placed ahead of the upcoming asphalt events.

A solid drive from Scotland’s John MacCrone saw the youngster secure a strong fifth place with Chris Duplessis enjoying the stages and bringing his Fiesta home in sixth. Portugal’s João Silva secured seventh, with a recovering Haigh-Smith and Fisherclaiming the final points in eighth and ninth respectively.

1st Elfyn Evans said:

“I am very happy to take the victory and make it to the finish on such a prestigious rally, it is such a good feeling. We held it together throughout the event and got the reward. We take away vital points towards the championship, especially after our pace yesterday, and I am very pleased to take seven stage wins.

“We had to look after the car today so I did not push for more points. But it was a great haul of points over the event and our championship attack is back on track, brilliant!”

2nd Pontus Tidemand said:

“I am really happy with second place and six stage wins throughout the rally. I was not feeling well on Day 1 and struggled to find a good rhythm, but my pace and consistency has improved over the past two days. I am very happy to take away so many points towards the championship and I will take away some confidence in my pace from this event.”

3rd Brendan Reeves said:

“We are very happy to be on the podium at the finish. It has been a great battle right from the start, so it was a real shame that Timo [Van der Marel] went out like that, but we managed to keep Jose [Suarez] at bay and kept pushing on.

“Our outright time was really good it the last stage [SS17], which was a great way to finish. We have consistently improved over the course of the event and have gained some great experience. We will go away very happy and confident ahead of the change to Tarmac in Germany.”

4th Jose Suárez said:

“I am happy with our progress over the event and with fourth position. It is an incredible feeling to get to the finish of such a famous event. I have learnt a lot over the event and found a good pace. We have collected good points towards the championship, which I am also very happy about. I go to the next round on Tarmac with a big smile on my face.”

5th John MacCrone said:

“We said before the start of the rally that we would be happy with a top five finish and we take away fifth place. We were in the mix pretty much all of today, apart from two stages. I do not really understand where we lost the time, maybe our pace notes where a little cautious.

“We always knew this would be a difficult event, and are delighted that we can take away strong points towards the championship. It was all about learning and gaining experience on this event and we certainly did that. The stages where exceptionally fast, but great fun. We will come back here next year and hopefully be able to challenge for a podium finish. This result was a great confidence boost ahead of Germany in a few weeks time.”

6th Christopher Duplessis said:

“This event has been so much fun and it is great to be here at the end of such a challenging event, especially after the hard work which went into making sure we could compete here! There were some stages where we pushed hard and had some good times, but we need some practice to match the pace of the front runners, it is an honour to race against them.

“Unfortunately this is my last event in the [FIA] WRC Academy as I am out of budget. I have had an absolute blast and for sure I have learnt a lot and gained invaluable experience. I have loved every minute of it, what better way to finish than on Rally Finland!”

7th João Silva said:

“This has been a really tough event, but I guess without any kind of experience on a surface with the characteristics of Rally Finland, we managed to pass through all of the stages without any major problems, which is a great achievement for us. OK the pace in the last stage [SS17] was not so great for us, but we just wanted to take our car to the finish safely.

“I have learnt the most from of all rallies to date from this event and we take away some great experience and driving confidence. I have really enjoyed the stages and leave here happy. Hopefully we will be in Germany to make good use of what we have learnt here.”

8th Ashley Haigh-Smith said:

“This has been a really challenging event for us, which I have learnt a lot from. It really has been a character building rally. We have suffered some issues over the rally, but have really enjoyed the stages and I am happy to still be here at the finish.

“The stages were fantastic today, although a little rough on the second pass, but we expected this when we started. Otherwise, we found a good rhythm this morning and were going well, but unfortunately we had a gearbox issue on the second pass which resulted in us loosing time to the others.

“Craig deserves a lot of praise on this event, I am so glad he was sat next to me, he has helped me to get the car to the finish that is for sure.

“We have a lot of work to do in preparation for Germany in just over two weeks time, but I will use the experience from here to build confidence.”

9th Alastair Fisher said:

”I have mixed feelings at the end of this rally. We started very well lying second going into Day 2, with a very strong pace and rhythm shown on Day 1 leaving us just 5 seconds behind the lead. Then we got a puncture and decided to continue, but unfortunately encountered issues with the throttle and had to retire from the rest of the day two stages.

“Today we returned under Super Rally regulations and found it a little difficult to push on the limit, but we are here at the end and I really enjoyed the stages. They certainly live up to their reputation!

“I am obviously disappointed to finish at the back of the field on this event after such a competitive start, but we will take away some good experience from the event in preparation for Germany, where we will be looking for maximum points towards the championship.”

Source: M-SPORT

WRC FINLAND 2012: KEN BLOCK FORCED TO RETIRE AFTER HARD LANDING

August 4th, 2012, Jyväskylä, Finland – Monster World Rally Team driver Ken Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino were having a fantastic rookie Rally Finland until SS14 on day three of racing. A landing after a jump 4km in on the stage broke their control arm bracket, which resulted in a loss of steering. This forced Block into a wild skid to the edge of the road, where he then pulled off course and immediately retired, knocking him out of the remainder of the rally.

“It’s definitely frustrating,” said Block. “I was having a really great rally up until SS14. I’d stayed consistent and clean through days one and two and we’d managed to work ourselves up 7 positions yesterday from 17th to 10th overall. To have been in points-scoring position here in Finland my first time ever is an incredible feeling, I was definitely exceeding my personal expectations for my performance at the event. It’s a shame that I got knocked out by a mechanical failure—especially before I got to take a run on Ouninpohja! Hopefully I’ll be able to come back in the future and race Rally Finland again.”

Prior to the mechanical failure on SS14 of Rally Finland, Block and Gelsomino had logged two solid days of racing at what is regarded by most as the WRC’s toughest event on the calendar. Prior to their retirement on Saturday’s second stage, the pair were sitting in 10th overall, which, had they maintained the position, would have marked their third consecutive WRC rally this season with points being scored. Unfortunately, the mechanical failure brought their streak to an end.

“I’m extremely proud of how Ken drove here in Finland,” said team manager Derek Dauncey. “Finland is such a tough event, even for the top drivers who have done the event for years and years. For him to come out and put down pace that was quick enough to work himself into the top ten while still keeping the car clean and on the road really shows just how much natural talent he has behind the wheel. I’m confident that if he hadn’t suffered the mechanical failure, he would have maintained his position and scored points here.”

Source: MWRT

RALLY AMERICA ANNOUNCES NEW OWNERSHIP AND 2012 RALLY SCHEDULE

Golden Valley, MN, September 22, 2011 – Rally America, Inc., the premier sanctioning and Rally promotion organization in the United States, announced today the seamless transition of ownership to Vermont business professional, Bill Fogg. Fogg has twenty-five years of entrepreneurial success in distribution, manufacturing, software development, telecommunications and marketing. Fogg is also a founding partner in a business development company that invests in a number of technology start-up businesses.
Managing Director, J. B. Niday, will continue in his long-standing role along with Mike Hurst, Rally America’s Competition Director, Paul Giblin, Rally America’s Director of Business Development, and Ananda Siverts, the organization’s Marketing Director. The Rally America staff, new and old, is also quick to acknowledge the founder of Rally America, Doug Havir, for his many contributions to the development of the Rally America National Championship Series.
“First, I want to express my appreciation to Doug Havir for establishing and building Rally America,” said J.B. Niday, “Bill Fogg and his team bring great, new talents and resources to Rally America, as well as fresh ideas and perspectives.”
Fogg has been working with Rally America personnel as well as professionals from other companies to assist in planning for the expansion of Rally America’s reach into homes around the globe. “I want to expose as many people as possible to Rally and turn them into rabid fans,” said Fogg, “Rally America is in a unique position to put Rally and Rallycross in front of the mainstream public.” Fogg believes that Rally America’s future success will be built on the vision and depth of its management team and a history of producing safe and exciting Rally events.
As part of that vision, social networking, live streaming, and online video channel development will be enhanced or launched during the 2012 season. “I have spoken with top performers in the sport, team owners, sponsors and manufacturers, and they all agree that now is the time to bring Rally and Rallycross to the masses,” Fogg said.
Fogg first attended a rally three years ago with his sons Jon and Tom when long-time friend and Rally driver Chris Putzier suggested they give it a try. “We had no idea what to expect at the New England Forest Rally in 2009 but we had a great time, it was a wonderful family experience with the boys and an exciting introduction to the sport of Rally,” said Fogg. “I’m thrilled with the opportunity to put my years of business experience and entrepreneurial spirit to work for Rally America.”

The 2012 Rally America National Championship Series schedule has been created in partnership with local Rally event organizers. In the upcoming season, Rally America will make the series more accessible and build more excitement for fans, sponsors, drivers, and teams.

For 2012, the six Rally events will stretch from coast to coast and are scheduled to run through September. Rally America organizers have moved the Seattle, Washington-based Olympus Rally to September from April and have pushed back the Portland, Oregon-based Oregon Trail Rally by a few weeks to allow more time between it and the Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally in Wellsboro, PA in early June. This new National Championship schedule for 2012 accomplishes two goals. First, it extends the Rally season into the fall, and secondly, it eliminates the compacting of half the Championship into less than two months. Rally America is in the process of evaluating the addition of a seventh National Championship Series event in 2013.




Sno*Drift Atlanta, MI January 27 - 28
Rally in the 100 Acre Wood Salem, MO February 24 – 25
Oregon Trail Rally Portland OR May 4 - 6
STPR , Wellsboro PA June 1 - 2
New England Forest Rally Newry, ME July 13-14
Olympus Rally Seattle, WA September 22 – 23

WRC - Preview Rallye Deutschland

BLOCK HITS ARGENTINA FOR THE FIRST TIME, FINISHES AND PULLS OFF HIS BEST STAGE PLACEMENT TO DATE.

May 30, 2011, Cordoba, Argentina – Monster World Rally Team driver Ken Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino headed to South America for their first visit to WRC Argentina and came away with their best-ever WRC stage finish this past weekend. Over the course of the rally, Block and Gelsomino attacked the notoriously difficult stage roads of the Argentinean country side at a promising pace, showing consistent top 10 stage finishes, until a broken driveshaft stunted their effort. Still the two pressed on, and upped the pace, eventually laying down speed on WRC Argentina’s SS17 that placed them 5th fastest, the team’s best-ever stage finish in a WRC rally.

“I’ve loved being down here for WRC Argentina. If it wasn’t for suffering yet another mechanical issue on Saturday, I would have been on pace to score my first points of the season. So, missing out on that sucks. It wasn’t all bad though, on Sunday I took 5th on-stage for SS17, which is a personal best for me in the WRC. I’m definitely stoked about that. Plus the fans are absolutely wild and the stages have been incredible.”

Following a win in the heads up format of Thursday’s opening SuperSpecial SS1, Block and Gelsomino headed out on Friday in good shape and with the intention to run a conservative, steady pace. Block’s overall goal for the rally was simply to keep it clean, have fun and cross the finish line. By the end of Leg 1 on Friday, that goal was being realized as Block found himself sitting in 9th place overnight. Saturday however, would be less kind. After Friday’s reserved pace, Block decided to step things up as he gained back his in-car confidence following an eight-week hiatus from racing. Unfortunately, on the second stage of the day, SS9, Block suffered a broken driveshaft, which eventually forced a retirement on SS11.

However, Sunday morning brought a fresh chance to restart for Block under SuperRally rules. Unfortunately, on the first stage of the day, a slight off, which caused a tire puncture, cost the two 16 minutes. Despite this though, Block went on to lay down his best WRC stage finish to date on the next stage, placing 5th, while being about 3 seconds off of stage winner, and fellow Ford teammate, Jari-Matti Latvala.

“To have Ken driving at this level after being out of the car for eight weeks and pull off a personal best for a stage finish on these roads is massive,” said team manager Derek Dauncey. “He showed great poise on some very difficult stages and demonstrated great future potential for next year here in Argentina.”

The next WRC stop for MWRT will be ADAC Rally Deutschland, August 18-21. Until then, follow the team at monsterworldrallyteam.com, facebook.com/KenBlockRacing and facebook.com/MonsterWorldRallyTeam.

STPR ORGANIZERS PROMISE MORE ACTION FOR RALLY FANS IN 2011



Dave Mirra, will be looking to get back on track after his wreck at Olympus. Photo Neil McDaid

 The 35th annual running of the Waste Management Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally® (STPR®), presented by Citizens and Northern Bank returns to Wellsboro, PA with a refreshed event format and plenty of spectator opportunities.

As the oldest, continuously-running motorsports event in Pennsylvania, the 2011 STPR event, which is round five of the Rally America Championship Series, will take place June 3 and 4, 2011. The rally, promoted by the Finger Lakes STPR Motorsports LLC committee, is pleased to announce that the racing stages at the Tioga County Fairgrounds is now being combined with both a Friday and Saturday appearance of the cars on “the Green” in the center of Wellsboro, PA.

STPR® Chair Meridith Croucher says, “This has become a very popular family event, especially with the Fairground stages, where kids can get up close to the rally cars, meet the drivers, enjoy some refreshments, and then watch the cars battle on a closed course for competitive times and a chance to win the event.” Croucher said, “but some local residents and merchants have missed the second appearance of the cars on the Green on Saturday.”
“We have brought that back by instituting a Parc Expose – an open exhibition of the cars – on the Green at noon on Friday for the traditional viewing and ceremonial send-off into the Waste Management territory for the timed racing stages, plus a revival of the Saturday morning send-off from the Green as well,” said Croucher.

The Fairgrounds stages cost five dollars for admission each day, with event tickets on sale in advance at the Wellsboro Chamber of Commerce (info at 570-724-1926).
One of the other changes made several years ago – the transition of STPR to an alcohol-free event – has helped enhance the family enjoyment of the rally for everyone, and made the administration of the event, both in town and in the woods, easier.
More than 40 race cars, the infusion of thousands of dollars to local area businesses rivaling a national convention, and Rally America championship points chase all highlight the arrival of STPR to the state forests near the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, again announcing the coming of spring in Tioga County.

With Waste Management, plus Citizens and Northern Bank and the Wellsboro Chamber of Commerce sponsorship of the event helping to defray overhead expenses, the STPR Committee is able to offer the rally to the area at little or no cost to the community. Besides the 400 volunteers who work the rally – many of whom come in from out of town and use local services - another estimated 10,000 people come to the Wellsboro area either as spectators or workers for the various teams and their sponsors.
After last year’s sold-out STPR VIP Super Pass, the Committee is continuing its expanded spectator option to include separate Friday and Saturday programs for those who might not be able to do both days.
Starting Friday afternoon with the Waste Management stages, where you will be escorted to a private viewing area, to Saturday afternoon, when a bus will take you to a secluded, private area to watch the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon stages, you can get a view of the action previous reserved only for the working media. Food and drinks will be served, and VIP Super Pass holders will receive special rally mementos. Bring your camera for even better photos than before.

Plus, there will be VIP seating for the stages both Friday and Saturday nights at the Tioga County Fairgrounds. Bus transportation will be provided to and from the Fairgrounds to all points. All this for only $50.00 per person per day – kids are not free, as the number of VIP Super Passes are limited. Pick them up today at the Wellsboro Chamber of Commerce and Tioga Publishing Company, or call 570-724-1926 for additional information.

The Waste Management Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally®, presented by Citizens & Northern Bank, is a National Rally, approximately 300 miles long with approximately 128 miles of competitive stages. The Sherwood Forest Rally is a Regional Rally (for competitors who are not running for national Rally America Championship points), coefficient 2 that includes Stages One through Six and is approximately 48 miles. The Finger Lakes Rally is a Regional Rally, coefficient 3 that includes Stages Seven through Ten and is approximately 80 miles – both Regional rallies are run in conjunction with the full national event.
On Friday, June 3, the 22th annual Relay for Life street rally will take place in conjunction with the STPR event. This year’s event will benefit the Tioga Country chapter of the American Cancer Society, and is opened to the general public.
A time-speed-distance rally designed for any legal vehicle, within the legal speed limit, on high quality paved and unpaved roads in Tioga County. This event will not use the forest roads of the Performance Rally. The instructions will have a mileage to each turn, and are intended to be easy to follow. There are no tricks or traps involved in following the course. Awards in four classes: Novice (less than six (6) rallies by anyone in the car); Stock (stock odometer & single memory calculator); Limited (any equipment which cannot accumulate time and distance simultaneously, including non-programmable calculator, relocated odometer, - SCCA class "L" equipment; and Equipped (anything goes). Door Prizes, too. No limit to the number of people in each car. Limited to the first 50 paid entries.
Registration for the charity rally is from 11:00 a.m – 1:00 p.m., with a class for newcomers to time-speed-distance road rallying at 12:30 p.m. – all at the Tioga County Fairgrounds. There is a mandatory drivers meeting at 1:00 p.m., and the three-hour event starts at 1:31 p.m. the fee for paid, pre-registered competitors is $35/car before May 25, and $40/car after that. More information can be found at http://www.stpr.org/.

WRC Portugal 2011 -VIDEO-Ken Block has Massive Wreck on Shakedown Stage.

Faro, Portugal, March 23rd: Ken Block and his co-driver Alex Gelsomino were taken to hospital for checks after this massive roll during WRC Rally of Portugal shakedown stage.
Ken rolled the Monster World Rally Team WRC Fiesta just over a mile into the stage.
A spokesman from the Monster team said: "Both Ken and Alex have been taken to hospital in Faro for precautionary checks. All I know is that they rolled, but they're okay. We won't know the situation with the car until it is recovered back to service."

DiRT 3 - Kris Meeke Tries Kenya Sprint Rally Video (HD)

WRC Mini driver, Kris Meeke gets a test drive on the upcoming DIRT3 Video game.



WWW.CODEMASTERS.COM

FIA WRC Academy: Class of 2011 completes Induction Programme



Ireland's Craig Breen will be part of the WRC Academy class for 2011. Photo: Craigbreen.com



The FIA WRC Academy, rallying’s premier training programme for young drivers, completed a three-day Induction Programme for its competitors atM-Sport in Cumbria. Thirty-four drivers and co-drivers from 14 countries participated in the event, ahead of round one, Vodafone Rally de Portugal which takes place from 24-28 March 2011.

The sessions offered the drivers a chance to familiarise themselves with the Ford Fiesta R2 rally car and Pirelli tyres with which they’ll contest six rounds of the 2011 FIA World Rally Championship, as well as offering classroom tutorials on topics including professionalism, goal setting, media, nutrition and fitness. 

Explaining the importance of both on and off-stage preparation to a rally driver’s career, WRC Academy Principal Marc de Jong said, “The WRC Academy is a world class competition, mixed with education and training for drivers up to 24 years of age. In rallying, experience is very important and these guys are at a really early stage of their career.

Many are graduating from national championships and these are their first steps at WRC level. We want to help them prepare for the WRC Academy season and give them a good foundation to build their talent. That’s why this Induction Programme isn’t just about driving, but included many other aspects as well.”

Robert Reid, 2001 World Rally Champion co-driver and director of ESP, delivered a talk on the importance of planning and goal setting: “Some of the WRC Academy drivers might have felt a bit like they were back at school for the day, but the smartest drivers who take all the advice on board and work with it will soon see the benefits.”

By the end of the day session, the atmosphere was buzzing with anticipation among the excited WRC Academy ‘Class of 2011’. At only 17 years old, Miko-Ove Niinemae can’t believe he’s already found himself on the first rung of the WRC ladder, even proclaiming the Fiesta, “The best R2 car I’ve driven. I think my favourite thing is the handling. It’s steady on the road, not nervous.” Other drivers focused on the benefit of the theory sessions with Dutchman Timo van der Marel chipping in: “I learned how important it was to identify weaknesses and make a plan to turn them into strengths.”

But perhaps the clearest message came through when fellow Aussies and Pirelli Star Drivers Brendan Reeves and Molly Taylor were asked to say the first thing that came into their heads when they heard the phrase ‘WRC Academy’ and chimed in uncanny unison “great opportunity”. The first round of the WRC Academy gets underway at Vodafone Rally de Portugal on Thursday 24 March 2011.

“Mind the Gap” Global RallyCross, the New Path to XGAMES 17 + World Rally Champion Marcus Gronholm Confirmed for Round 1



"Mind the gap" all rounds of the 2011 GRC will feature an XGAMES style 70ft gap jump. Photo Neil McDaid /RallyWorldNews.



Irwindale CA. European style RallyCross is back in the United States and organizers are already promising to bring us to new heights in this highly charged form of Motorsport in 2011. After a very successful series of RallyCross events run by RallyCar in the fall of 2010, at New Jersey Motorsports Park [NJMP] we are now only weeks away from the opening event of the 2011 U.S. RallyCross season.

The new season also brings a new championship series to the mix. The first three RallyCross events this year will be run under the Global RallyCross Championship [GRC] banner. Under this new organization, drivers will now be competing door to door for their place at the XGAMES 17 in Los Angeles whereas in prior years, drivers would qualify for the XGAMES through the Rally America stage rally championship. Three additional rounds will be run by RallyCar for the U.S. RallyCross Championship after the XGAMES.  These rounds will be run in conjunction the Torc Off Road Racing Series where the organizers have already disclosed a very attractive cash purse.

It’s important to note that drivers who compete in the GRC events will also be eligible to score points towards the 2011 U.S. RallyCross Championship.



Tanner Foust is back for 2011 in his RockStar Energy Ford Fiesta; Foust is expected to be the one to beat. Photo Neil McDaid / RallyWorldNews.com











 Round number one of the GRC, “The Revolution,” will be held at Irwindale Speedway in California in less than two weeks time. Because of the late confirmation of the series, many teams are left scrambling to get ready. We may not see a full field in Irwindale, but it may be a case of quality over quantity. 

The course layout at Irwindale will feature 60 percent tarmac and 40 percent dirt.  All GRC events will feature an XGAMES style 70-foot gap jump.

Round two, “Twin Peaks,” heads northwest to Seattle, Washington. The location has all the components for a Ken Block Gymkhana video, set in a rural industrial complex with a course layout of 50 percent dirt and 50 percent tarmac. Drivers will drive through structures and various tarmac sections before taking on the 70-foot gap jump.  

Round 3, “Last Chance,” is just that, a last chance to get into the XGames.  Teams will head to Pike’s Peak International Raceway in Colorado. The course layout is expected to be similar to Irwindale. This GRC RallyCross event will also serve as an opening event in a week of speed leading up to the famed Pikes Peak Hill Climb.

While the AWD cars will be racing for a place at the XGAMES, GRC organizers will offer cash prizes for drivers competing in the 2WD Class. The top scoring 2WD driver after the first three rounds will also get an invite to compete at XGAMES 17, but they will have to do so in an AWD if they chose to attend.

There is no question that the USA is primed and ready to embrace RallyCross.  2011 will be a building year for the series and hopefully we will see more drivers jumping in as the rounds progress.  The sport really needs to build on its grassroots drivers and not solely depend on star drivers to make this work. The confirmation that all rounds of the GRC will be televised by ESPN is a great boost to the growth of the sport and will aid drivers in their search for sponsors.



Joesph Burke and Arkadiusz Gruszka having
a big moment at round one of the
U.S. Rallycross Championship 2010.
Photo Neil McDaid /rallyworldnews.com

Round 1

Entries are slowly trickling in for round one of the GRC.  After an impressive showing at NJMP in 2010 Tanner Foust will be back in his RockStar Energy backed Ford Fiesta. Tanner is definitely a hot favorite for the overall victory.

Also for round one, it looks like we will see WRC Champion Marcus Gronholm make an appearance.  Marcus will pilot one of the OlsbergsMSE 2011 Fiestas. It will be interesting to see if the fans in the stands at Irwindale appreciate the greatness of Gronholm.  He seemed to wonder among the crowd at Pikes Peak Hill Climb sometimes unnoticed when he competed there two years ago.

Rhys Millen, an experienced rally driver who has been successfully competing in the Formula Drift series in recent years, is now making his transition over to RallyCross. Millen jumped in for the final two rounds at NJMP in 2010 to get a feel for the discipline.  He arrived in style in a WRC Hyundai Accent. Over the winter the team at Rhys Millen Racing [RCR] has been hard at work developing two all new 2012 Hyundai Veloster for RallyCross.  The car was recently unveiled to the public at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show. 

Rhys will be joined in Irwindale by his new teammate Macus Dodd in the second Veloster.  Dodd, who is a five-time British National Rally Champion, brings a wealth of knowledge to the RCR/Hyundai team.

We also expect to see Subaru Rally Team driver Dave Mirra in the lineup.  At this time we have no indication of a second car from Subaru, but it is early yet.  Another Pro-drifter in transition to RallyCross, Stephan Verdier who got an invitation drive at XGAMES 16, will take to line at round one in his Subaru.

2010 Rally America Rookie of the Year Joseph Burke will be looking to jump his way into the XGAMES 17. Burke will most likely compete in a Mitsubishi Evo 8. Burke did compete in RallyCross in 2010, and was an instant fan favorite.  Other drivers who we fully expect to see at round one are Andrew Comrie-Picard, Pat Morro and Arkadiusz Gruszka.

Due to schedule conflicts for round number one it’s highly unlikely that we will see any of the European RallyCross drivers that we had at NJMP in the fall of 2010, but we expect to see some trickle in for rounds 2 and 3. Organizers have also made mention of several new manufactures showing more than a passing interest in the Global RallyCross Championship.

2WD charge to the cash, all 2WD drivers will be racing for a cash price at all rounds of the 2011 U.S. Rallycross Championship. Photo Neil McDaid /RallyWorldNews.com

With the exception of the XGAMES we have yet to see Ken Block get into the RallyCross mix.  With his 2011 WRC schedule it’s going to be difficult for him to make any of the opening rounds. Ken has expressed interest in RallyCross but still has a strong desire to compete in at least one round of the Rally America Championship in 2011. As a past medal winner Ken is already confirmed to compete at XGAMES 17.

It’s no secret that many European RallyCross and rally drivers harbor a great desire to compete at the XGAMES, so we fully expect some world class drivers to enter a round or two of the 2011 GRC.

Stay tuned for more info as it becomes available. For ticket info and more info visit www.rally-america.com and www.global-rallycross.com

Words and images by Neil McDaid /RallyWorldNews.com