2014 Rallycross National Championship in 5-ish days. Roll call!

Actually, that brings up a good point based on observations from last year.

Here in New England region, safety stewards walk the course throughout the day and we often make major changes to the course between runs. Everyone in class has to run through before changes are made. Is this typical of other regions?

I was very surprised last year at Nats when we had so much downtime for the tractor/rake to rebuild the same rutted corners in the course for the entire heat. Why not get everyone in class their run and then move course to avoid the rut? Would also remove some of the two-wheeling risk...I know I saw the bottom of a Golf last year.

^^ that's how we do it in WDCR. We make changes constantly, and if there are big ruts we tend to just reroute the course rather than try to constantly repair them in a lost cause....

crxmike wrote: First hand reports from site (from June/July event)...surface is very hard and doesn't ever really rut up or get too muddy. I'm not too worried about a mudfest like last year...that was brutal in the 400 treadwear Mustang with 300hp.

I still have vivid image in my mind of the SF Fiesta driver coming in from a run with the rear tires not turning because of all of the mud packed in the wheel wells... and then he just got all GRRRR and grabbed a handful of fender liner in both hands and YYYYYANK!

Knurled wrote:

crxmike wrote: First hand reports from site (from June/July event)...surface is very hard and doesn't ever really rut up or get too muddy. I'm not too worried about a mudfest like last year...that was brutal in the 400 treadwear Mustang with 300hp.

I still have vivid image in my mind of the SF Fiesta driver coming in from a run with the rear tires not turning because of all of the mud packed in the wheel wells... and then he just got all GRRRR and grabbed a handful of fender liner in both hands and YYYYYANK!

He handed me the key and a bag of quarters at the end of the day and had me go wash it. He was pretty disgusted with the whole ordeal. It took something like $15 in change to get it mostly clean. He's not coming this year.

I felt for that guy too... He had one of the newer nicer cars there.

Having us grid on the asphalt was the dumbest idea ever.

But oh well that was TRP and this is a new venue and a new host.

I sure would like to go, but Prescott Rally is this weekend and I'm co-drivin'. Maybe it's also because I'm not ready for another giant road trip either..

wae wrote: I've got the new LSD in the new trans and the new trans in the car,

I read this and keep thinking "My mind is on my axe and my axe is on my side"

I'll have the (probably broken down) black 1gn turbo Neon bringing up the rear in MF.

MF seems to be the fastest yet most fragile of the classes. So if you break, break on Sunday and you'll probably still place well.

Although... ZB's Golf did do all of its runs last year, running on like two cylinders.

mazdeuce wrote:

Knurled wrote:

crxmike wrote: First hand reports from site (from June/July event)...surface is very hard and doesn't ever really rut up or get too muddy. I'm not too worried about a mudfest like last year...that was brutal in the 400 treadwear Mustang with 300hp.

I still have vivid image in my mind of the SF Fiesta driver coming in from a run with the rear tires not turning because of all of the mud packed in the wheel wells... and then he just got all GRRRR and grabbed a handful of fender liner in both hands and YYYYYANK!

He handed me the key and a bag of quarters at the end of the day and had me go wash it. He was pretty disgusted with the whole ordeal. It took something like $15 in change to get it mostly clean. He's not coming this year.

Yeah, Pete did that to me in Ohio

Quarters are "the precious juice" for rallycrossers

I bought up my local O'Reilly's entire stock of 2 stroke oil.

sadly, our venue being gravel doesn't get the car muddy. Plus there are apparently no self-service washes within 50 miles of my house. So the quarters are in a jar in the garage, and my kids used them when the ice cream truck comes by...

Packing up today and leaving after I get Mrs. Deuce and the deucelings dinner tonight.
Remember to pack your rubber boots!

Just got here. Site is locked but looks wet and muddy.

Thanks for the heads up Evan. My super magic mud tires are on a truck headed north. I won't get to drive on them, but you guys in MR should see if they make a difference.

RXNC: where all the obscure rally-ish tires converge once a year.

Seriously, if there are 70+ cars for the 110ish drivers there will be 140+ sets of tires minimum.

And tomorrow looks to have a high temp of 52...not very conducive to drying it out.

Good to know site is definitely locked, guess we'll head straight to hotel.

My co driver is on his way to pick me up. I have the tires for us on wheels that we're pretty sure will fit the car. My good tires are in the back of a friends truck headed north already. He's carrying them for another friend who will get them swapped in Nebraska. I've also packed my alignment stuff so we can make sure his newly assembled car is sort of close geometry wise. Another friend (I think I'm up to 4?) Is bringing his tire groover so we can open tires up to suit the potentially muddy conditions.
This is just the Texas group. Help and friendliness from all over the country is converging. So damn excited.

Site is open. get ready for a mud bog.

In reply to EvanB:

Oh fun....

I think I'll go to hotel pool and get to site in the morning. Gretna Super8,next to outlets.

Most of the Texas group is at Americas Best Value Inn. Stop by and say howdy or y'all or something.

We're at the state park down the road.

Brought car and trailer to site, watched as guy mowing bogged the tractor into the course muck. Indiana competitors got stuck in adjacent field.

I hope the winds blow and sun shines tomorrow.

Jerry and I are parked at a Staybridge Suite down the road a ways. See has tomorrow!

Google says we should roll in about when the site opens. If we don't sleep.

Well that was a brutal windy day.