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  • Nitroracer

    May 26, 2009 9:24 p.m. Nitroracer Dork

    So I was checking on up-coming autocross events in the area and now the rally cross bug is biting me. I was looking at events in the Washington DC region and they have rally cross runs at summit point through out the summer, and from what I've read the average street car (or any subaru) should be able to hit the dirt. I have a stock svt focus and honestly I don't know if its low stance would be best suited for a rally, especially with a two hour trip there and back. Has anyone here rally crossed an svt foci? My other option is to steal my sisters base model tercel, while being an automatic it is certainly lighter and more tossable. It has a good set of all seasons on it but I also have some snow tires that would mount up, would the snows help any in the dirt?

    I wanna do this!

  • wherethefmi

    May 26, 2009 9:39 p.m. wherethefmi HalfDork

    Then go do it. It's tons of fun and you'll be surprised at the types of cars that show up at an event. I would check to see if you can view the entrants at previous events. Another consideration what type of dirt is it, if it's like the dirt from where I'm from (DC area) it's probably hard packed mud that won't have too many ruts.

  • May 26, 2009 9:48 p.m. TIGMOTORSPORTS New Reader

    I'd like to rally cross a RWD full size car-like a 77-90 Impala or Caprice, or P71 Crown Vic

  • NickF40

    May 26, 2009 10:24 p.m. NickF40 Reader

    SECOND that

    yeah!!!!

  • amg_rx7

    May 26, 2009 11:00 p.m. amg_rx7 Reader

    Didn't you read the latest issue with the Rallycross Focus?

  • maroon92

    May 26, 2009 11:11 p.m. maroon92 UltraDork

    I rallycrossed a Crown Vic for a season...it is a blast.

    anyway, the snows would work great, they are stock class legal, so run the Focus in Stock Front.

    most regions will at least attempt to run a rallycross on a flat and forgiving surface. as long as it doesn't rut too bad, the Focus should be fine.

  • valiant171

    May 27, 2009 12:22 a.m. valiant171 New Reader

    Sure take the Foci,

    If you have any aftermarket junk on it (body wise) that may have to go.

    But I raced against one years back and he did take the abs fuse out, i dont know if this is applicable or recommended but that's what he did.

  • BobOfTheFuture

    May 27, 2009 4:52 a.m. BobOfTheFuture Reader

    If a focus isnt tall enough, what is? (stock car wise)

  • Armitage

    May 27, 2009 8:40 a.m. Armitage Reader

    If you have any doubts, you can always come on up for a day and get a preview of what the course is like with some ride-alongs. Or throw on the snow tires and sign up - we always do a drive-through before competition so you can evaluate the course and see how hard you want to push the car. We run a water truck on the dry days in order to keep the dust down (they don't like huge dust clouds drifting over Turn 10 when there's racing going on), but that generates a fair bit of mud and some ruts.

    DC Rally's Yahoo Group: http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/wdcprorally/messages

    DC Rally's Web Site: http://wdcr-scca.org/RallyCross/tabid/88/Default.aspx

  • Tom Heath

    May 27, 2009 8:45 a.m. Tom Heath Production Editor

    I'm with them. Do it!

    I've been in a couple situations where I had to change my driving line to avoid ruts, it's not a huge deal. Keep your "I want to be fastest" ambitions in check, and you should be fine.

  • jikelly

    May 27, 2009 11:18 a.m. jikelly New Reader

    That looks like more fun than I can afford.

  • maroon92

    May 27, 2009 11:38 a.m. maroon92 UltraDork

    30ish dollars is more than you can afford?

  • maroon92

    May 27, 2009 11:38 a.m. maroon92 UltraDork

    oh, and the rally focus in this months GRM was for STAGE RALLY...slightly more hard core.

  • ae86andkp61

    May 28, 2009 11:57 p.m. ae86andkp61 Reader

    Agreed that most street cars should be OK on most courses, but you may want to preview an event (or ask around) for your region to get the local specifics.

    I figure that it is far, far better to run the event (and have fun doing so) and just pick a safe line in a rutted turn or two than it would be to miss the event altogether for fear of driving my street car into a rut or hole.

  • ReverendDexter

    May 29, 2009 12:08 a.m. ReverendDexter HalfDork

    Utter disregard for your tires can get you a few tenths on an autocross course, utter disregard for your car can get you a few seconds on a rallycross course.

    I used to do it in my AE86 SR5, it's ten times as much fun as autocross.

 

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