Archives for February 2016

Sebastien Loeb to Compete in FIA World Rallycross

February 29, 2016 by ponycargirl 1 Comment

News just broke that Sebastien Loeb has joined Team Peugeot Hansen to compete in the 2016 FIA World Rallycross season. He joins Timmy Hansen in driving a 550-horsepower 208 WRX Supercar for the full season.

The 42-year old Frenchman has won the World Rally Championship a record nine times, has twice driven in the the 24 Hours of LeMans, and in 2016 drove in his first Dakar Rally, winning four stages and finishing ninth.

“I’m very excited by this opportunity to participate in the full Rallycross Championship for the first time. Over the years I have been fortunate to participate in some truly amazing racing, but rallycross – with the sheer power and the competitiveness of the PEUGEOT 208 WRX, plus the intense nature of the competition – will be something very special. The car and the strategy for this type of racing is completely new to me, so I have a lot to learn, but I hope I can be competitive pretty soon,” said Loeb.

With Loeb signing on to the series, it should prove to be a very competitive year with seasoned rallycross drivers Ken Block, Petter Solberg, and a deep field of experienced European competitors. FIA World RX will come to Trois Rivieres August 5-7 2016.

Sebastien Loeb poeses for a portrait during Rallycross on Ice 2016 Sweden in Are, Sweden on 16 February 2016

WMWR 2016 Kicks Off SCCA RallySprint Series

February 26, 2016 by ponycargirl Leave a Comment

Alternating between blizzards and spring-like temperatures, it’s certainly been an interesting winter in the U.S.’s Northeast. For 2016, the winter rally in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania was run by the Sports Car Club of America in its inaugural RallySprint event. SCCA brought the RallySprint name back in 2015, renaming the annual event to the Waste Management Winter RallySprint. The “rally light” format runs events on private property with no public transits, reducing costs and liabilities to organizers and competitors while providing an important step between autocross and full stage rallies. It’s a great test run for driving teams and their crews as well volunteers, providing a taste of what it really takes to compete in championship stage rallies. Waste Management also hosts the first two stages of the summertime STPR full stage rally.

Overnight temperatures were below freezing. The 18 starting teams made their way from Parc Expose in the Wellsboro center to a still-frozen but thawing Waste Management property. As the first stage began, dispatches over the radio indicated that cars were quickly falling victim to the icy and muddy course. Alan Edwards and Daniel Baker slid off course into a ditch, then were extracted in a damaged but still driveable 2003 Dodge Neon.

“The first stage was very slippery as most of the road was still frozen from the overnight temperature, and four cars slid off the course. We wanted to make sure out day didn’t end after only a few miles, so we were cautious. But then, as the road began to thaw, not only did it become muddy and wet, but the rocks started to come to the surface as the gravel started to get chewed up from the cars. We ended up with four flat tires and a broken wheel before the end of the event, but we just kept going and our Subaru ran great,” said Jon Kramer after his overall win with co-driver Jason Smith, #777 1993 Subaru Impreza.

As each of five stages were run, the temperatures went up into April weather and the course went from icy mud to thick mud and puddles. No gorgeous shots of snow-spewing cars at this winter rally. Three stages were run in one direction over the same 13-mile gravel road. In mid-afternoon after the third stage the muddy cars headed to service, then back out for the last two stages in the other direction.

Because of the beautiful weather the spectator area was full, the crowd watching the competitors head up a straight-away over a fan-pleasing jump.The final stage saw the sun set and the remaining ten cars finishing as the moon rose. The Dodge Neon was the last car out driving the course – and at a normal speed – but finishing the final stage is no small feat. Hardcore.

Full results with gallery following:

Racer Jackie Returns to GRC Lites, Formula D Back in Irwindale

February 9, 2016 by ponycargirl Leave a Comment

Just another Manic Monday for fans of Red Bull Global Rallycross. After hints of a return on social media, AF Racing and Jackie Heinricher announced today that she will be joining the team to race in GRC Lites this season. Heinricher started driving in Lites last year with Rhys Millen Racing, competing in the first four events – Ft. Lauderdale, the Daytona double-header, and MCAS New River, then sat out the rest of the season. Having her return for the 2016 season means that the roster of women competing in Lites will potentially be the largest yet, as Collete Davis is also returning, Brian Deegan’s daughter Hailie has said she will compete, and we can hope that Sandra Hultgren – who raced in GRC Lites for the first time at the 2015 Las Vegas Championship – will return.

Why is it this a great thing? To have a growing field of women competing in GRC’s Lites development/feeder series means that very soon, these talented women will be experienced enough earn a spot and advance to Supercars – and Supercars will be less of a sausage party, more representative of the human population. Rolling your eyes? Well, think about it from a financial perspective: more women competing = more women interested and excited about the sport = coming and spending their $$ too. In a larger sport where some series are losing butts on seats and losing them fast, a growing, expanding audience is one of any series’ big goals.

Racer Jackie coming on board with Alejandro Fernandez was only the first part of AF Racing’s announcement. The team has added two more Lites cars with rookie drivers Travis Pecoy and Christian Brooks for 2016.

OTHER RACING NEWS:

17-year old Austin Cindric, who had eight GRC Lites podiums in 2015 – four of them wins – was in Australia racing his second Bathurst 12 Hour. He was the youngest to race in the endurance event in 2015. Driving the #63 Erebus Mercedes, he suffered a punctured tire in the last quarter, stuffing the Merc into the wall.
Despite imminent development, Formula D will, in fact, have one last hurrah at Irwindale in 2016. The Final Fight is set for for October 7 – 8, 2016.
2015 Formula D Champion Frederic Aasbo has stated he will be back in full force in 2016 as Scion is rolled back into Toyota. No other specifics yet.
Due to unseasonal warm weather, FIA World Rally Championship has been forced to postpone Rally Sweden recce to Wednesday and Thursday. The route has also been shortened from 331.31km to 241.48 in hopes of freezing weather returning for the winter rally. The Shakedown and Thursday night Special Stage have been cancelled, and the rally is down to 13 stages from 21. Organizers hope that the temperature goes back below freezing for a snowy rally, not a muddy rally.

Dave Mirra, 1974 – 2016

February 4, 2016 by ponycargirl Leave a Comment

We’re sad to report that Dave Mirra has been found dead by apparent suicide. While 41 year old was a BMX and X Games star, he may be more familiar to TGB readers from his years in rally. His first rally with Subaru was the 2008 Sno*Drift Rally with Alan Ockwell co-driving, finishing 18th overall and 12th in class. He went on to earn his first Open Class win at the Sno*Drift in 2011 (and second overall) with Marshall Clarke co-driving.

Mirra also competed in rallycross beginning in 2008, taking the bronze medal in his first event – the X Games. He continued to compete in Global Rallycross through the 2013 season, leaving Subaru for a MINI in his final year.

Our thoughts are with his family at this time.

Archives for February 2016

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