Currently watching the 1988 British Rallycross Grand Prix on YouTube.
I know that Redbull tried with pro level, but it seems to me that amateur club level could make use of old cheap rally cars or ex Showroom Stick or IT cars. Danger is way lower than rallying but possibly slightly higher than road racing. Running cost should be way lower than rallying.
so has anyone tried to launch club level 'real' rallycross here and if so what happened? If not why not?
And...
Is Autotesting just a British thing, or does it happen all through Europe?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3U7NktNj1o
You can accomplish an event like this with a substantially smaller venue than autocross.
I would love to have a real rallycross here. I imagine one issue is finding a site for a track layout like the European tracks. It might be possible to do something close enough with an oval track.
insurance.
Paul (BRAIDusa) had a quasi one car on course thing happening near Flint that was FUN AS ALL HELL but it died due to lack of participation. Two cars started 180 degrees apart and the person who first stopped in their own start box (desperation, overdriving, late braking, locked wheels, tire smoke) won their round. There was qualifying and eliminations and the courses ran on dirt and tarmac.
When I do a search on MotorsportReg for rallycross within 300mi of me, I get regular hits for something called "ARX" held at Mid-Ohio, but spectator sports bore me, and I would not participate because if someone were to hit my car I might pummel them until they stopped breathing, so that sort of thing is not for me. Besides, it looks a lot more like drifting in that it is more about showing off for sponsorship dollars and being a gangsta rap self-promoter advertising prostitute than it is about having fun behind the wheel. Berk that, I'ma do SCCA RallyCross and keep my dignity.
My guess is it's just a cultural difference. Those are essentially WRC cars, which is a popular sport in Europe so it seems like there are more amateur events to move up the ladder through. Here in the US, we have oval racing. While we can debate about which one is more entertaining, from a grassroots participation POV, it's just the way it is.
In reply to Ian F (Forum Supporter) :
Nope. Most club level is FWD hatchback. There are millions of suitable sport compact cars that would be perfect donors.
MrChaos said:insurance.
Serious Q. Do you think it would be harder to insure than road racing or rally?
Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:My guess is it's just a cultural difference. Those are essentially WRC cars, which is a popular sport in Europe so it seems like there are more amateur events to move up the ladder through. Here in the US, we have oval racing. While we can debate about which one is more entertaining, from a grassroots participation POV, it's just the way it is.
The typical top level euro rallycross car is far removed from WRC. Much larger turbo restrictor allows almost double the power and 50% more torque, the bodyshell rules are much more lax, etc. And it isn't trying ot keep the car alive over a few hundred km's with minimal servicing, it's balls to the wall for 5-6 laps.
In reply to Woody :
Shared this with my wife and daughter.
Words I thought I would never say:
My ES Miata is too big and cumbersome.
I remember Top Gear did a club level rally cross event where they all bought cheap cars. Season 18 episode 7 from 2012. I used to have it saved but I lost that hard drive a few years ago. It's available on Amazon to rent if people are interested. I'm sure I could find it on YouTube too if I looked.
That Top Gear episode is one where they genuinely appeared to be having fun.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:Two cars started 180 degrees apart and the person who first stopped in their own start box (desperation, overdriving, late braking, locked wheels, tire smoke) won their round. There was qualifying and eliminations and the courses ran on dirt and tarmac.
I recally seeing a few videos of this posted here. I like that concept. Seems like a nice step up from typical rallyx.
Although there are *so few* rallyx competitiors in the US, it doesn't bode well for higher levels of competition.
Red Bull Global Rallycross was a good series but they had some issues and fell dead in the water. There was ARX (Americas Rallycross) which tried to stick it out but folded after the 2019 season. I just end up watching the highlights from the FIA world rally cross when they post them on YouTube.
A few years ago AMEC (Adirondack Motor Enthusiast Club.Inc.) held a couple of euro style events.
It was a place for the ice racers to change tires, no studs, and run.
It was a low key event, just for fun. Even had one with a Le Mans style start.
With the slow change of ice racing going street legal, the desire and cars has waned.
There is still talk of doing another. It most likely will be a time trial thing .
Pre GRC, the first 3 events at NJMP and first 1 in Washington state, had a 2wd club division. And it was great. As you noted, and I've preached for years, it's the perfect spot for uncompetitive IT class cars to come play.
The issue is cost and logistics beyond insurance. You have to rent the track, layout and prep the nonpaved portion, clean the track afterwards, all to have maybe a 40 car field to start if you're lucky and market the hell out of it. How many cars does your average HPDE field, with much less overhead in track prep and cleanup.
To make it work, it'd likely have to be done in conjunction as part of a 2 day event with a rallysprint being held on Saturday near the track facility with Sunday being the euro-rallycross. Shared volunteer pool, differentiation to potential sponsors, an outlet for spectators at the euro rallycross to watch the cars that were in the woods the day prior. The opportunity for smart teams to have their video from the prior day rolling for people to enjoy, etc.
its also w2w racing with almost guaranteed contact unlike stuff like lemons.
I think everyone here who would do amateur rallycross is already circle track racing. On the other hand, if someone comes up with a series based on legends cars that also turns right, I am in.
In Europe, what does a weekend of amateur rallycross cost including consumables and damage to the car? Do I only see videos of cars getting wrecked because that is the only part that makes it to youtube or is contact that common?
I'd love to see it. I was hopeful that "bro-lite" racing would make its way to FL - which is basically a spec ford ranger series on short course off road tracks. But the series seems to have gone quiet.
In reply to Lof8 - Andy :
that could have been an issue with those rangers starting to hold their value well.
In reply to MrChaos :
They can be had for pennies around Florida, but I suppose it makes sense in other areas, where small pickups may getting thin on the ground.
In reply to MrChaos :
Some of that this the 4-5 lap format, longer heats would prevent the 1st corner dive-bombing, as would better course design. The issue with running a 10-12 lap heat, requiring 2-3 jokers, is that the racing becomes less competitive, to the point that you'll see vehicles get lapped. Maybe that can actually be a format. Race until the first car goes a lap down, after which it's a race to the checkered flag, if you haven't taken a joker in the previous 4 laps, you must take a joker prior to being able to take the checkered.
Lof8 - Andy said:In reply to MrChaos :
They can be had for pennies around Florida, but I suppose it makes sense in other areas, where small pickups may getting thin on the ground.
When I heard about them in 2016, the guy who was telling me about them said they were a great class because you could pick up four cylinder/5sp Rangers for like $200-500. I started to cry inside.
captdownshift (Forum Supporter) said:In reply to MrChaos :
Some of that this the 4-5 lap format, longer heats would prevent the 1st corner dive-bombing, as would better course design. The issue with running a 10-12 lap heat, requiring 2-3 jokers, is that the racing becomes less competitive, to the point that you'll see vehicles get lapped. Maybe that can actually be a format. Race until the first car goes a lap down, after which it's a race to the checkered flag, if you haven't taken a joker in the previous 4 laps, you must take a joker prior to being able to take the checkered.
Take a joker is a new expression for me. I assume that is someone that's been lapped by the leader?
In reply to Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) :
Joker is a lap layout, normally longer or with a design aspect added, that's normally required to be taken once per a heat race (normally 4-5 lap heat) per a euro-rallycross heat.
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