Well, for some of you that went to XGames or watched XGames on TV, had a sample (a huge one) of what Rally Cross is all about. It’s huge in Europe and other parts of the globe but it seems that the US has had only bits of it. I’m glad that Rally America has seen that an arena style venue is where its at especially the “instant gratification” US population. Enough jibber-jabber from me, read on!
America’s first Rallycross to make history
Top racers set to attend August’s New Jersey race
GOLDEN VALLEY, MN (August 11, 2010) – In a game-changer for American motorsport, RallyCar is set to bring the excitement of door-to-door rallycross racing to the New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP) on August 28-29th, 2010.
The event is the first in a series of three rallycross events to take place at NJMP this year, and will be broadcast on ESPN2. The events will provide an exciting preview of a full, national season set for 2011. The sport debuted in America to huge raves at the 2010 X Games in Los Angeles, where it was carried live on ESPN.
Rallycross is a blend of circuit racing, off-road racing and rally competition. The sport promises intense crowd-pleasing action in a fan-friendly track environment. Five drivers line up to start at once, piloting high-horsepower compact cars through race traffic over a challenging short course that features jumps, unbanked turns, hills and transitions between pavement and gravel.
Each car must also take a “Joker” lap at some point during their heat. A Joker Lap is a small detour – often over a jump – that adds a level of unpredictability to the heat’s outcome by changing a driver’s strategy in an instant.
Rallycross at NJMP will be the ultimate display of driving talent with a slew of high profile personalities scheduled to attend:
• Subaru Rally Team’s Travis Pastrana and Dave Mirra are scheduled to arrive with newly built rallycross cars. Both are perennial X Games megastars having just competed at X Games 16.
• Newly crowned X Games 16 gold medal winner Tanner Foust is also starting his first Rallycross event in New Jersey. Foust has been gaining valuable seat time as the first American to compete in the European Rallycross Series and looks to use his experience against his U.S. rivals.
• Monster World Rally Team’s Ken Block is expected to arrive in his 2010 Ford Fiesta. Block built a name for himself as the co-founder of DC Shoes before entering rally racing. He popularized himself even further with a series of “Gymkhana” videos that has garnered over 22 million views!
• Pro drifters Rhys Millen and Stephan Verdier both had a rally competition background before moving into the judged sport of drifting and both will no doubt be favorites in competition against the clock.
• Another pro drifter, Sam Hübinette, will again team up with teammate Andrew “ACP” Comrie-Picard. Both competed at X Games 16 and each earned a bronze medal in their respective races.
Although a new racing format in America, the sport draws capacity crowds and a diverse and loyal fan base in Europe. Fans get close to the action with trackside viewing of aggressive door-to-door action and the sliding and jumping that makes rally car events unique among motorsport.
There will be two classes of cars in this initial year of Rallycross competition. The faster, all-wheel-drive cars will resemble those used in current, Open class rally competition. The other category will be two-wheel-drive and include various body styles from manufacturers such as Dodge and Honda boasting 450+ horsepower, highly modified engines and rally-style suspension.
More information, including competition format, can be found at http://rally-america.com/rallycross.php.
Rallycross tickets are on sale at www.NJMP.com.
About RallyCar, Inc.
RallyCar, Inc. (formerly known as Rally America) is based in Golden Valley, Minn., and sanctions the premier performance rally series in the United States, the Rally America National Championship Series. Additionally, through a partnership with ESPN, qualifying RallyCar drivers are invited to compete in ESPN’s Summer X Games, the annual leading action-sports event that’s broadcast live on ESPN. New for 2010, RallyCar is sanctioning the three Rallycross events at NJMP (August 27-29, October 1-3, and November 5). A new 2011 Rallycross Championship will see a full series of events in the eastern and western regions of the United States. For more information, visit http://www.rally-america.com.
RallyCar is proudly supported by Subaru of America, Inc., BFGoodrich Tires, the Team O’Neil Rally School, Able Planet, Hawk Performance Brakes, Rally-Tire.com, RaceWatches.com, Exedy Racing Clutches, RECARO, Mazda and the Danza del Sol Winery.
About New Jersey Motorsports Park
Sitting on more than 500 acres in Millville, N.J., New Jersey Motorsports Park is nestled snugly in a beautifully forested region surrounded by scenic rivers and nearby Delaware Bay. Directly adjacent to Millville Municipal Airport, NJMP is conveniently located close to Philadelphia, the Jersey Shore, New York and Baltimore, offering diverse and dynamic motorsports attractions.
The 2010 spectator schedule includes return visits by the AMA Superbike Championship, Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX, SCCA Pro Racing with the return of the Trans-Am series, and the Ferrari Challenge, plus RallyCar’s three inaugural Rallycross events.
Subie Life: For the Love of Subaru 