Erika Detota Takes To The Tarmac At Rally New York USA

Erika, putting on a show for the fans at the 2010 New England Forest Rally: Photo Neil McDaid /RallyWorldNews.com

March 21, 2011 Fresh from her latest top 10 finish in January’s Drift divisional rally, reigning 2wd USRC Champion, Erika Detota takes her talents to the twisty, tarmac roads of Delaware County, New York. 

The driver, in her second year of competition, has competed previously at this event and is ready to face the unique challenges of the paved road surface.  “Most of my experience is on gravel and dirt roads,” said Detota. “Here in the U.S. we don’t have many opportunities to race tarmac rallies. I’ll need to change my car set up and driving techniques to adjust to the different surface” Rally New York USA is the first event of the year in both the New York Rally Championship and the United States Rally Championship where Erika began her racing. “I got my start in the New York series as a driver but also a worker and spectator. The events here will always be special to me” says Detota.

For this event Erika will have the unique opportunity to have her friend and mentor Travis Hanson co-driving. He is the current Rally America overall points leader, which is a historic place for a driver of a Super Production car, which he campaigns in the national series. “Travis has been a huge help to me since I started in the sport, I’m really looking forward to working with him this weekend” said Erika about her surprising navigator.

 

Erika would like to thank everyone at Broken Motorsports (www.brokenmotorsports.com), The Keep a Breast Foundation (http://www.keep-a-breast.org/) and Big Boulder Park (http://www.bigboulderpark.com/) and Rally Armor (http://rallyarmor.com/) for their continued assistance and support.

Photo © Neil McDaid /RallyWorldNews.com

A World Premiere for Quebec Motorsport, Mirabel’s ICAR Complex to Host the 24 Hours on Ice in 2012!

Mirabel (Québec), March 18, 2011.- Less than a month ago, the creation of Chamonix’s 24 Hours on Ice “Revival” was announced and now, the organizers of this motorsporting event are pleased to inform competitors, media, and spectators that on March 11^th, a five-year deal was signed with Mirabel’s ICAR Complex to host its first 24 Hours on Ice on February 24^th, 25^th, and 26^th, 2012. This exciting event, restricted to vehicles from the 1970s and 80s, will take place at the ICAR complex, situated on the site of the Montreal’s Mirabel International Airport (Québec, Canada).

Based on Chamonix’s 24 Hours, a European sporting concept that was very popular from the 1970s to the early 2000s attracting international (including Formula 1) champions, this event will be the only one of its kind in the world. The 24 Hours on Ice will reunite some of the best World Rally Championship cars to have competed between 1973 and 1981, as well as the vehicles that contested the victory in Chamonix during those same years.

As for the line-up, internationally re-known drivers will be at the wheel of at least forty cars including the Ford Escort MK2, Porsche 911, Talbot Lotus, BMW 2002, Lancia Stratos, Fiat 131 Abarth, Alpine-Renault and many others.

American, Canadian, and Quebec drivers will not be left out of this event as several places will be available on teams that have already announced their desire to contest the race in some of the most beautiful historic cars available. In addition, the 2011 champions from the NASCAR Canadian Tire series and Canadian Rally Championship will be offered a seat in this thrilling event.

Support races, in addition to special on-site activities, will complete the weekend’s 24 Hours on Ice itinerary.

A course specifically designed for the 24 Hours

The ICAR complex (www.circuiticar.com), situated in Mirabel, is a multifunctional site offering high quality infrastructure to facilitate motorsporting events. It is comprised of a road course approved by ASN Canada FIA, a karting track, a drag strip, a drift track, an autocross track, and a skid pad. With the addition of the ice course for next winter, ICAR will be the first location in the world to offer such a wide variety of events, ranging from NASCAR (the Grand Prix de Mirabel held next June 4^th and 5^th will host the NASCAR Canadian Tire series; the first Quebec event of the season) to the internationally anticipated ice racing.

« The course for the 24 Hours on Ice will resemble that of the infamous track in Chamonix, but will boast a wider lane in order to allow the competitors to enjoy themselves to the fullest while offering the public a fantastic show at all times » mentions Marc Arseneau, the president of ICAR.

« The biggest names from rally, endurance, and open wheel competition once took part in Chamonix’s 24 Hours at the foot of the Mont-Blanc. Many of them will be present at ICAR next winter for the inaugural edition of the 24 Hours on Ice for the "2012 Chamonix Revival" » indicates Franz Hummel, event promoter.

Schedule details, as well as the initial list of registered drivers, will be announced in the fall. Tickets will also be for sale at that time. More information can currently be found at www.circuiticar.com (schedule of events) and www.24heures-sur-glace.com for periodic bulletins and event news.

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For information :

Circuit ICAR (event organizer)

Ph.: (514) 955-ICAR (4227)

Email : info@circuiticar.com

United States Rally Championship Announces 2011 Regs with New Competitor Incentives and The 2011 Rally New York USA

The United States Rally Championship announces the presentation of their 2011 Championship Regulations. The regulations for this season include new incentives for competitors to make the Championship more accessible, inclusive, and affordable. This is the seventh season for the USRC and it continues to innovate and bring new ideas to rally competition.

The USRC has always appreciated the time and investment required for teams to compete for a national championship. Sadly, many championship point formulas favor teams that can invest a huge amount of both time and capital. That is why the USRC has designed a structure and events that allow more teams the opportunity to compete at a national level. This season, competitors are allowed to count one out of Division event towards their championship points total. This way a team that misses an event in their local Division due to a schedule conflict or suffers from a poor finish can attempt to better their position by attending events outside their home Division.

In a bold move to encourage more head-to-head competition while holding down the costs to teams, the USRC is providing some added incentives. This season, teams competing outside their home division will be given a free entry to any out of Division event they enter. These incentives also include the final round of the Championship that is being held in the Atlantic Division at the International Rally New York in October.

The 2011 United States Rally Championship is comprised of five events with three rallies in the Pacific Division and two in the Atlantic Division. Rally New York USA, on March 25 and 26, offers competitors their first chance to score valuable USRC championship points. This all-tarmac event will challenge competitors on 100 stage miles of paved surfaces.  The event is headquartered in Walton and Monticello, New York.

The Championship then heads out West for Rally Idaho, June 18-19 followed by the Gorman Ridge Rally on August 26-27 in California. The last event for the Pacific Division is the Prescott Rally in Arizona on September 30–October 1 before moving back east for the final round at International Rally New York on October 22-23.

Additional event information is available at www.USRallyChampionship.com

Contact:         Donna Hocker, Series Administrator, United States Rally Championship

Office 760-375-3289, Direct Cell 909-908-2429, Donna@RallyUSA.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.

Michael Jernberg brings the Wicked Skoda Fabia to USA for the 2011 Global RallyCross Championship

Irwindale CA, Top Swedish RallyCross driver Michael Jernberg has just been added to the entry list for the opening round of the 2011 Global RallyCross Championship. Michael will drive his 2000 cc Trollspeed design, four cylinder, 16 valves, 550 bhp, Skoda Fabia in U.S. Competition.

Michael will not compete in Europe in 2011 and will only focus on the GRC rounds and ultimately compete at XGAMES 17. Jernberg decided after the 2010 season that after many years competed in Europe he is tired of EM and SM. Michael looks forward to “Fun with a new country, new drivers and it is also a fun challenge for me”.
Skoda is not sold in the U.S, so the brand will not sponsor Jernberg in the GRC rounds in the USA, but will continue to work with the driver in Markets where Skoda is sold.

Driver Bio:
Michael Jernberg is one of Sweden and Europe's
top-winning Rallycross drivers.
2009 – Second place in European Championship
2009 – Best driver in RallyCross Norden.
Four times Swedish champion
(2008, 2001, 1998, 1995)
Winner of Shell Helix Cup (1997),
Twice 3rd place in European Championship
(2008 &1992)
Three times – 2nd place in EM (2009, 2005, 2004).

Photo: Tim Wittington / http://www.britishrallycross.com/