Where would we be without the efforts of heroic drivers? You know, like the Bandit or them Duke boys? Thanks to these guys—and a hefty sprinkling of Hollywood magic—a generation of Americans grew up on a steady diet of opposite-lock slides across a variety of surfaces. These sights and sounds were imprinted on our psyches as indelibly as rock ’n’ roll or Tang.
Considering this smoking-tire baptism, the skid-ridden sport of stage rally seems like a natural draw for the “Dukes of Hazzard” generation. As with most motorsport activities, rally action is at its peak when the cars are scrambling at or beyond their limits of traction. However, this corner of the hobby never achieved the immense popularity it did in Europe. In fact, up until a few years ago, American rally relied on a small but rabid following of fans.
While not out of reach, a stage rally effort is a serious commitment in both time and resources—even at the novice level. How can a rally fan with more passion than money get involved? For many enthusiasts, the answer is rallycross.
Slide It Sideways
Rallycross is a hybrid motorsport that combines the dirty thrills of stage rally with the logistics, affordability and basic format of autocross. Think of it as autocross on a slippery surface—dirt, gravel, snow or loose asphalt—and you’re on the right track.
Rallycross venues contain fewer environmental hazards, such as fences and light poles, than those used for autocross. That means rallycross courses can be longer—figure a norm of up to two minutes. This combination of low risk and big fun has attracted a variety of participants, from seasoned rally veterans to couch potatoes who have never done any performance driving.
Unlike autocross, rallycross events are scored cumulatively, like stage rallies. At a given event, all of a rallycrosser’s runs count toward his total, final time. In other words, if a driver spins out or gets a time penalty for hitting a cone, the mistake can’t be wiped out with one clean, blazing-fast run.
Course conditions can also change dramatically during the day. A course that seems wide-open and fast in the morning might feel slow and technical by the afternoon as a result of to ruts forming in the corners.
Drivers Welcome
We’ve found that rallycross events are typically very low-key and friendly to beginners. In fact, Howard Duncan, the SCCA’s vice president of competition programs development, says, “My wife and I have been running various types of events for well over 30 years. Our SCCA RallyCross experiences over the last few years has reinvigorated our passion for motorsports through its mixture of positive attitudes, laid-back administration, simple rules, and the pure fun of driving.”
Sponsors are also catching on to the sport. DC Shoes was on hand at the SCCA RallyCross National Championships in 2008 bearing much-appreciated contingency prizes and giveaways for the drivers. As participation in this hybrid subgenre increases, corporate attention and support should follow, just as it did with drifting and other more extreme motorsports.
Whether the sport can support this rapid growth while retaining its just-for-fun attitude remains to be seen, but the SCCA’s RallyCross program has strong leadership and a bright future. The SCCA’s unparalleled network of volunteers makes the organization and promotion of rallycrossing much easier. Plus, a national sanctioning body can provide the credibility needed to convince land owners to allow strangers to drive as fast as they can across their property.
We’ve also seen some great independent rallycross clubs pop up across the country, and most of these groups pretty much follow the SCCA’s rules. “A good, safe, close competition for little financial investment is what people want,” says Tampa Rally’s Jeff Lloyd. “We are here to deliver. Our events are often won by a fraction of a second over 10-plus minutes of driving, so the close competition is there.”
Easy to Understand
When it comes to car classification, most forms of motorsport—including road racing and autocross—can get downright complicated. Rallycross, on the other hand, features some pretty liberal rules in this area. The SCCA uses three major preparation levels—Stock, Prepared and Modified—that are only divided by driveline configuration: front-, rear- and all-wheel drive. Technically, the Modified category only features two classes, Modified Two Wheel Drive and Modified All Wheel Drive.
As a result, hundreds of car models and possible setups are funneled into eight simple groups rather than dozens. Typical fields include just about everything, from rally-bred Subarus and Mitsubishis to dirt-cheap Neons and nearly new BMWs.
Improved safety equipment is always a good idea no matter what the venue, but rallycross can be a bit riskier than autocross. Regular rallycrossers would be well advised to consider rollover protection and skidplates in addition to the mandatory helmet. Rallycross rules also insist that drivers have their windows up unless the car is equipped with arm restraints.
Looking Forward
Unlike some other forms of motorsport, rally has been on the upswing thanks to more events and new sites. Will we eventually see a thousand entrants at the RallyCross Nationals? Is the next Colin McRae already sliding around cones at your local event? Only time will tell.
But for those currently looking for some low-buck, budget-friendly thrills, rallycross is definitely worth a try.
