Pro-Rally Fans: Coverage from 100 Acre Wood, Missouri

[rh77]

It's that time of year again! Some people like football, NASCAR, or Hockey. I LOVE Rally Racing. To our benefit, the Rally America Championship (formerly SCCA Pro-Rally Series) rolls through Missouri along with Regional action. I get the honor of taking part in the operation of the Rally as a Medical/Comm volunteer. So it was time to rent the 4-wheel drive, load it up with medical supplies, get the HAM radio figured out, and head to Salem, MO.

Rally-America, 100-AW Website.

Such names as Driver/Co-Drivers: Ken Block/ Alex Gelsomino (Subaru 43), Travis Pastrana/ Christian Edstrom (Subaru 199), and teams from around the world converge on the middle of nowhere for Rally excitement.

My job was to stand-by at the start for medical dispatch via Amateur radio (I didn't have the radio license last year, and it came in very handy this year). Not an exciting place to watch, but I did get some decent pix on the first day. The second day brought a heavy, cold rain, 40 mph winds, downed trees, and some tricky conditions. Day 1 didn't have any accidents, to my knowledge ? only mech. failures. The second day was littered with cars off-stage. Luckily this year, all drivers/co-drivers were OK. No med-dispatch required. But, the medic gets to run the course one-minute after the last rally car enters the stage ? it still a closed stage, so speeds are at the discretion of the driver (Funnily enough, I catch-up to the slower cars on the stages ? thank goodness for stability control!) All cars off-course are previously noted by exact stage mileage and a slower pace is taken at those areas to stop and check on teams. Then it's WOT to the finish, wait for the stage to clear, and usually return to assist the local Jeep Club in towing or extracting wrecked or mechanically-failed vehicles.

This year I had a Jeep Liberty -- great 4WD, handling and stability control, VERY poor driving position. More on that later.

Here's last year's coverage at GasSavers.

OK, now for the Pix!

Here are some of my fav's from the R-A website:










Some of my own:

First the green Jeep ? lived in there for a couple of days


The Subarus generally dominate ? no exception this year:
Pastrana: #2 Overall:


Ken Block #1 Overall:


Evos are near-and-dear to my heart, having owned an Evo-8:

#3 Overall: Canadian Driver Comrie-Picard and American Co-Driver Goldfarb in their Evo-9RS:


Team Burke and Fries:


Amy BeberVanzo?s Evo:


Hey Saturn Fans! With the exception of the suspension, roll-cage, and exhaust, this was a completely stock SL2 with the DOHC 1.9L (bumpers replaced):


Some Friends? Double-Zero Stage Start Vehicle: ?87 Audi 4000 Quattro from St. Louis:


Integra GS-R 4-Door (Cleaned-Up in G-Class):


Gotta respect the Commanche:


Canadian Swift Team from Ontario:


Yeah, the ?77 Corolla?s got a HEMI:


Honda R&D America?s entry. Note the Manufacturer plate from Ohio. Secret Honda stuff under there???


This the Father-Son Hanson team, both are OK, but the car before:


...and unfortunately after





It turns out they stuffed it. Coming around a left corner, the car became unsettled in the muddy conditions before attempting a right-hander, struck a stump, rolled and end-over-ended before coming to rest. (It was raining, so sorry for the grainy quality).

Last stage Saturday night -- I had to stand-by for medical precautions until the car was strategically loaded onto the trailer via winches, high-jacks and the good old block-and-tackle. As you can see they ripped out the driveshaft and bent the wheel into a near ?Pac-Man? shape. I attest the roll-cage and Hans neck safety equipment for having both occupants walk away without injury. It?s sad to see such passion poured into a vehicle and have it shattered just miles from the finish. But, that?s the nature of the sport.

Yes, again this year, I missed the after-party. I had to stick around for the Sube' extraction, and got back into town after Midnight so the party was all but done with. But after 2, 18-hour days and 1000 miles on the rental car later, I must say that I loved every second of it. I?m thinking of traveling to other Rallies to volunteer: there are some in the UP of Michigan and Northern Minnesota that caught my eye. I?m hooked!

Look for coverage on ESPN-2 on May 11th, 5:30 p.m. EST.

Find an event near you and be a spectator or volunteer. You won't be disappointed!

RH77 / KC?WPM
100 Acre Wood National Rally / Trespassers Wil- Regional Rally Medical 2006
100 Acre Wood National Rally / Trespassers Wil- Regional Rally Medical/Comm 2007 (Shakedown Stage, Stages SS1, SS5, SS6, and SS15).

[repete86]

Lucky.... In December I was working on a movie that we were shooting in the middle of the woods. I and one other person were the only two people staying on set, and the dirt roads were private. The gate was always locked after we wrapped, and only we had the key. Basically, every night was rallycross night as we would set up a route through the woods with cones. It was really fun. Strangely enough, the other crew member who was doing it with me has an old Chevy pickup with some massive gas-guzzling motor. He got stuck on the course one night, yet my little Honda beater made it through fine.

One day I would like to live out in the middle of the woods with alot of dirt roads and my own project car. Maybe I'll compete one day, but for now it's just fun not having to worry about the rules and safety regulations, though I may start paying closer attention to safety on my next car since I've had some close calls. After sliding sideways into the woods, one was coming over a drop that I miscalculated (the car was off the ground, and dropped nose first into a field), driving on public dirt roads with traffic around a fast corner, and coming really close to ending up in a lake, safety starts to get a bit important. Luckily, no injuries yet.

[skewbe]

that's sweet rh77. I was just griping about nascar this and that (nothing good) and "where are the rally races?" Go fast, turn left, for HOURS is LAME!!!

[UfoTofU]

I never knew it but here in Maine they have a Forest Rally every year. I went to my first last year and I am HOOKED!

I should post up some of my pics from the last one that I went to if you wouldn't mind.

[rh77]

Originally Posted by Repete86

Lucky.... In December I was working on a movie that we were shooting in the middle of the woods. I and one other person were the only two people staying on set, and the dirt roads were private. The gate was always locked after we wrapped, and only we had the key. Basically, every night was rallycross night as we would set up a route through the woods with cones. It was really fun. Strangely enough, the other crew member who was doing it with me has an old Chevy pickup with some massive gas-guzzling motor. He got stuck on the course one night, yet my little Honda beater made it through fine.

One day I would like to live out in the middle of the woods with alot of dirt roads and my own project car. Maybe I'll compete one day, but for now it's just fun not having to worry about the rules and safety regulations, though I may start paying closer attention to safety on my next car since I've had some close calls. After sliding sideways into the woods, one was coming over a drop that I miscalculated (the car was off the ground, and dropped nose first into a field), driving on public dirt roads with traffic around a fast corner, and coming really close to ending up in a lake, safety starts to get a bit important. Luckily, no injuries yet.

The toughest part is that we had to secure the stage on public roads -- the last thing we needed (and had on stage starts) were locals on ATVs or people trying to drive onto stage from side roads. The Marshal volunteers and Sheriff's Departments really helped there.

I used to have "spirited drives" in high-school and college after my folks moved to a farm in rural Ohio. When I found out that this is actually a sanctioned, world-wide racing style, I was completely into it.

Having a closed track must have been a blast! I've always considered competing, but it's so expensive to keep a car maintained and just to enter. I may get a beater car and start in Rally-Cross to see what happens.

Originally Posted by skewbe

that's sweet rh77. I was just griping about nascar this and that (nothing good) and "where are the rally races?" Go fast, turn left, for HOURS is LAME!!!

Yeah, NASCAR bores the living daylights out of me as a motorsport. I'm hoping more people find out about Rally so the sport gets more recognition. Each year, it seems to be getting more Media coverage, and with it on ESPN-2 this year, that's a good sign.

Originally Posted by UfoTofU

I never knew it but here in Maine they have a Forest Rally every year. I went to my first last year and I am HOOKED!

I should post up some of my pics from the last one that I went to if you wouldn't mind.

Definitely! Post-up some pics. It seems like it's really popular in New England, the Northern States, and Canada. WRC on the Speed Channel a few years ago exposed me to the concept, and I've been a huge fan ever since (they've since pulled the coverage, and went with more of a NASCAR-theme -- in the essence of racing diplomacy, I won't get into my feelings on that )

RH77

[repete86]

Yeah, having our own personal forest was amazing. If you ever get the chance to drive on a gated area, I highly recommend it.

I remember in high school my friends and I would set up unofficial rally competitions. In our area we have alot of construction going on right now, and alot of the construction is for gated communities, so we would go to these unfinished developments and use their unfinished roads as our course. Almost got busted by the cops once for this though.... Economy cars are great for rally, even stock. For some reason, the car that was the easiest to control of the many cars I drove on makeshift courses was a Hyundai Elantra station wagon. Something about the weight distribution on that car made it great in the dirt. The worst car I drove is a Suzuki Esteem. The suspension is too soft, and the car would never oversteer no matter what I did.

The Accord actually isn't too bad, it's just too underpowered and overweight. It could also use a stick instead of the slushbox that it has. I think that it has alot of potential if I strip it and stick a 5 speed into it. I'm kind of looking into a mid 80's hatchback for my project car though. Something like a Volkswagen Golf would be great. I remember a few years ago someone was kicking some major *** in an old Dodge Omni in the SCAA prorally. I've thought about the potential of this car because they're reliable and can be found for under $500, but performance parts would be a ***** to find and would have to be primarily custom built for the car.

[Hockey4mnhs]

my friend has a sti i always make him drive but yeah there really fast went 158 once down the interstate once

[rh77]

Originally Posted by repete86

I'm kind of looking into a mid 80's hatchback for my project car though. Something like a Volkswagen Golf would be great. I remember a few years ago someone was kicking some major *** in an old Dodge Omni in the SCAA prorally. I've thought about the potential of this car because they're reliable and can be found for under $500, but performance parts would be a ***** to find and would have to be primarily custom built for the car.

If it's the Dodge Omni GLH turbo, that car will haul arse! Engine parts might be abundant since it's a Chrysler 2.2L with a turbo (lots of those 2.2's went in econo-hatches and sedans in throughout the 80's). The turbo might be hard to find unless you go aftermarket stock replacement. The GLH (Goes Like Hell) was made in '84 and '85 and the 500-count GLHS models (Goes Like Hell S'More) were made in '86 and '87 by Mr. Shelby.

I saw a lot of old Jettas and Rabbits on the stages. I'd love to adapt a diesel engine to run on SVO if it produced enough power. Last year, they had a late-model Golf TDi running 100% Bio-D that averaged 35 mpg racing! My only potential project car is the '98 'Teg once it gives it up. It would take a lot of work to put a Type-R or GS-R engine in there with a manual swap, etc. It might be easier to start from scratch.

I know what you mean by unfinished subdivisions:



I miss the Evo, but not the FE (18 mpg Premium). I traded it on a TL -- more "In-Law Friendly" .

Hockey4: Yeah the STi and Evos both with have a high top speed. I had it up to a stupidly high 130's back in the day -- but it had plenty more to go. I backed it off (not recommended). Another reason why I sold it. 158! Daauumm.

RH77

[repete86]

f it's the Dodge Omni GLH turbo, that car will haul arse! Engine parts might be abundant since it's a Chrysler 2.2L with a turbo (lots of those 2.2's went in econo-hatches and sedans in throughout the 80's). The turbo might be hard to find unless you go aftermarket stock replacement. The GLH (Goes Like Hell) was made in '84 and '85 and the 500-count GLHS models (Goes Like Hell S'More) were made in '86 and '87 by Mr. Shelby.

Yep, that's the one. The GLH and GLHS Omni's are hard to find though. I first started casually looking about three years ago and still haven't found one.

[rh77]

Rally Fans...It's been a while, but the 100-Acre Wood Rally is on TV!

If you get ESPN2, tune in at 5 pm EST/4-Central on July 3 for Rally Coverage.

Later this year, the rest of the Rally-America Professional Rally series airs on the channel in segments...

Enjoy! (Warning: it rained a LOT that weekend -- muddy content).

RH77