Open Paddock RallyCast Ep. 32 – Ian and Mike Catch Up

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadAs is usual for this busy time of year, we’re playing a bit of catch-up!  So no special guests this week as Ian and Mike cram in news from the WRC including Kris Meeke’s sudden departure from Citroen, recaps from the Oregon Trail Rally and Olympus, and ARA being on a major network TV show.   As always, let us know what you think of the show in the comments, give us a rating on iTunes, and a follow on Facebook, Instagram, etc.  Thanks…

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American Rally Association Expands to 6 Rounds with Canadian Winter Opener

In today’s press release from the American Rally Association, they have announced their full 2017 championship schedule along with a new 6th round to begin the season with a winter event in Canada.   Full press release: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SIX EVENTS INCLUDING A ROUND IN CANADA FILL OUT 2017 ARA SEASON American Rally Association Formally Announces Events in 2017 National Championship Series   Plymouth, New Hampshire (October 16, 2016) – The American Rally Association announced today that they will collaborate with the Canadian Rally Association for Round 1 of…

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Op-Ed: American Rally Championships Expected to be a 5 to 4 Split for 2017

After yesterday’s announcement that the Oregon Trail Rally will switch to the newly formed American Rally Association, there was a quick response from the organizers of the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood that they would remain under the existing Rally America sanctioning. We would like to announce that Rally in the 100 Acre Wood will be March 17-18, 2017 and will be Round 2 of the Rally America Championship. The 100AW group is starting its planning now and hopes the sanction has little bearing on who can come to…

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2016 Olympus Rally Review

As we get ready for this weekend’s Waste Management Susquahannock Trail Performance Rally, let’s review what took place a couple of weeks ago at the Olympus Rally.   Whereas the Oregon Trail Rally was more about the drivers and battles going down to the final stage, the 2016 Olympus Rally was the complete opposite where the battle was against attrition and simply finishing was a challenge in and of itself. The Olympus Rally consisted of 125 competitive miles over 12 challenging twisty stages in the forests near Shelton, Washington.  Most notable was the Wildcat Pass…

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Olympus Rally 2016 Preview

The much famed Olympus Rally kicks off this weekend outside of Shelton, Washington.  Regional and National competitors will take to the same classic forest roads once used in the WRC during the much lauded Group B era.  In fact this year marks the 30th anniversary since the end of that most exciting and yet dangerous time in rally history.  It was in fact here at the Olympus Rally in November 1986 when the last of the beastly Lancia Delta S4s, Audi Quattro’s, and Peugeot 205 T16s took to the forests…

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2015 Olympus Rally Preview

The Olympus Rally which takes place this weekend is thankfully back on the Rally America National Championship.  National competitors were last here in the fall of 2012, when unfortunately the long dry summer meant that the risk of fire in the Green Diamond managed forests was a big concern.  They ran the stages then only in the morning and late in the evening, bypassing the hottest part of the day.  The event moved back to a spring schedule to remove those risks which caused some schedule conflicts at first, but now…

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Episode 269 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadFor Tuesday May 12th, 2015.  We kick the show off with a preview of the Olympus Rally with special guest Clerk of the Course Ron Barker.  Ron has been part of the Olympus Rally since it’s inception, including the days when the event was part of the WRC Group B era. We also have volunteer and enthusiastic rally fan Derek Johnson on the show to help with the preview.  Derek is probably best known for being featured in the hit rally documentary “Easier Said Than…

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