Author: Mike Shaw

Preview: Sno*Drift Rally

Mike Shaw

Rally America is about to kick things off tomorrow with their opening round, the Sno*Drift Rally based in Atlanta, Michigan.  Last year we saw ice covered snow, where slow controlled driving was the winner of the day.  However this year there is a large snow storm that just passed through and firm packed snow will be the order of the day.  This is good, because at Sno*Drift, they aren’t allowed to use studs.  They are limited to studless winter tires at best.   In anticipation of the season opener, the…

Read More

Review: Rally Monte-Carlo 2013

Mike Shaw

In recent past the Monte-Carlo rally has been a tarmac rally with patches of ice and slick spots. This year however it was completely different as massive snow storms came through and blanketed the stages. It looked more like Rally Sweden than the Monte-Carlo we have all been accustomed to.   At the end of the very first stage Sebastian Ogier gave Volkswagen their first stage win in the debut of the Polo R WRC. It wasn’t by much, but a significant achievement nonetheless. Loeb was just 3.7 seconds behind.…

Read More

Preview: Rally Monte Carlo 2013

Mike Shaw

Rally fever has been steadily growing across the globe as we get ready for one of the most historic rallies in history. Two weeks ago we got a taste of the European Rally Championship at the Austrian held Jänner Rally which ended in an epic charge by Jan Kopecký to win by just half a second. This time it will be the top level WRC class on the icy roads of southern France pushing to the limit. Who will win? Will Loeb once again out pace everyone? Or will Ogier…

Read More

Jänner Rally 2013 – Kicking off the European Rally Championship

Mike Shaw

The first major rally event of 2013 has already come and gone, and with it kicked off what is promising to be an epic year for what I feel is the top of the motorsports pyramid.  Why do I think rally is the creme de la creme?  Just let me describe how this event played out and you just might agree. This weekend’s 2013 Jänner Rallye was won by half a second. That’s right, two days of racing in over 18 stages with 248 Kilometers of changing conditions and it…

Read More

RALLY AMERICA, USAC TEAM FOR 2013 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Mike Shaw

Williston, VT (December 21, 2012) — Rally America, Inc. and USAC will partner in 2013 to present the Rally America National Championship, a seven- event series spanning the country between January and October.The one-year agreement announced today expands USAC’s diverse calendar of motorsports entities which has included various sanctioning partnerships.Since its inception in 2004 Rally America has been considered the premiere rally sanctioning body in the United States. For the 2013 season Rally America members will hold both a Rally America license and a USAC membership receiving many new benefits…

Read More

Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team from Trio to Quartet

Mike Shaw

This weekend the newly created Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team announced the rest of their driver lineup for 2013.  As we already knew, Mads Østberg was picked as the number one driver, and Nasser Al-Attiyah will of course be on board but only attend some of the championship rounds while also competing in the Middle East Rally Championship.  The surprise announcement was a decision to draft both Evgeny Novikov and Thierry Neuville to attend all 13 rounds of the 2013 World Rally Championship under the Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team banner.…

Read More

Rally – Petter Solberg Speaks About WRC Exit

Mike Shaw

2003 World Rally Champion Petter Solberg’s announcement of his exit from the WRC has had the rallying community in a frenzy this week.  His legions of fans and supporters have been all over Facebook and Twitter trying to figure out what he is going to do in 2013 and wondering if he will ever return to the WRC. To assure his fans that he will still be doing some form of racing next year, Petter posted on his Facebook page the following statement: Hello everyone. First off, I want to…

Read More

Ford M-Sport Says Farewell To Petter Solberg

Mike Shaw

As fellow Norwegian Mads Østberg prepares for his first year in a works seat, Petter Solberg and co-driver Chris Patterson bid the top level of rally farewell….at least for now.  Whatever you call Solberg’s absence he insists that you don’t call it a retirement.  Interestingly in a phone call with Jari-Matti Latvala a week ago Petter mentioned that if the WRC didn’t work out for 2013 that he might go the route of Rallycross.  If that is the case then the question ends up being, does Petter do the European Rallycross Championship?…

Read More