Category: North American Rally

News from the various stage rally organizations throughout North America.

Bryan Bouffier and the Mitsubishi RS – The Threat to Subaru is Real!

Mike Shaw

In our previous post about WRC driver Bryan Bouffier and his experienced co-driver Xavier Panseri coming to the Oregon Trail Rally, I must admit I wasn’t sure if the car would really be ready to challenge at the top yet.  Those concerns vanished when I witnessed first hand the awesomeness of a world class rally driver in capable machinery from the right seat during the Press Stage at Portland International Raceway.   As the team began to setup I saw the car roll out from the back of the big…

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French Ace Bryan Bouffier to Compete at Oregon Trail Rally

Mike Shaw

We all know Subaru Rally Team USA has been a dominant force in Rally America for a long time.  However a late entrant to the Oregon Trail Rally may mix things up a bit.  Many Rally America fans will recognize Polish native Art Gruszka’s big Green APU truck in the service park and his Mitsubishi RS he debuted last year.  The unusual little car looks a lot like the current WRC or R5 spec machines, but is a private development project.  Unfortunately Art had a series of mechanical DNFs last…

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Road & Track Editor Jason Harper to Drive at Oregon Trail Rally

Matt Kalish

Road & Track should be changing its name to Road & Rally next weekend when Contributing Editor Jason Harper hits the stages of the Oregon Trail Rally. Harper, an automotive journalist with over twenty years experience, will be filling the shoes of 2015 Super Production Champion Lauchlin O’Sullivan in Dufur. A tall order for someone with a limited rally background, but don’t think that Harper is going it alone. Scott Putnam will be in his usual seat, guiding Harper throughout the weekend. Harper has a long history in the automobile…

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The Quick Recap – Rally in the 100 Acre Wood

Matt Kalish

A close battle at the front, massive accidents, and wide-spread attrition made the 2016 Rally in the 100 Acre Wood one to remember. It feels like someone snuck “Do a Barrel Roll (Press Z or R twice)” into the Jemba notes this year. A Red Cross came out twice this weekend, delaying stages, and even more drivers had offs, rolls, and skids. Thankfully, nobody was seriously injured in any of these instances. A side effect of the delays, stages traditionally run in the dark that we feared gone, thanks to…

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Welcome Back Gravel – Rally in the 100 Acre Wood Preview

Matt Kalish

The extended wait is finally over. After nearly two months the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood is finally here and it’s looking to be a fantastic event. Rally regulars, off-road specialists, and tarmac professionals will be competing against each other on the Missouri stage roads this weekend. In total, nearly 70 entries are slated to do their best Christopher Robin impressions, a great turnout for the second Rally America national event of the year. Why such a long time between rallies this year? After two of the last three runnings of the…

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New Liveries Abound for Rally in the 100 Acre Wood

Mike Shaw

Although it is the 2nd round of the 2016 Rally America Championship, the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood has become the stage for many new team liveries.   We at Open Paddock have been raving about the All Fours Rally Team livery they showed up with at Sno*Drift designed by RallyDesign. It is quite striking, but here’s a look at what else you’ll see from the competition at the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood this weekend. Nick Roberts changes up his “Planel” design for a new design that hasn’t…

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The View From the Right Seat by Niall Burns – Part 2

Mike Shaw

Rally Co Driving Since my last article for Open Paddock I received a question via email asking, “Niall what’s it feel like in the car travelling down those forest roads flat out?”   Well let me try and answer that one.   Rally Co Drivers are sometimes the unsung heros in the car, the following is a statement I read before from Ian Harden, “the driver is only a show case for awesome navigating talent”, I remind myself of this statement sometimes at the end of events where I have…

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All Fours Rally Team – Marathon Rallying Across The Continent

Mike Shaw

One of the stories you probably haven’t heard from Sno*Drift was about a Pacific Northwest entrant Agatino (Tino) Fortunato of All Fours Rally Team.  You may recall when we discussed on our podcast the 2016 Subaru Contingency Program.  The program centers around the Super Production Class and encourages competitors to purchase and race the newer Subaru WRX and WRX STI platforms.  It offers a combination of discounts for entry fees, a start bonus, as well as cash rewards for podium finishes.  All Fours Rally Team are the first to take full…

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Rally America – The View From the Right Seat and Across the Pond by Niall Burns

Mike Shaw

Irish rally co-driver extraordinaire and friend of the show Niall Burns wanted to give us Americans some insight into how he sees rallying in the USA as both a co-driver and as a rally fan.   The View From the Right Seat and Across the Pond by Niall Burns As it is Super-Bowl weekend, I feel it is only fitting to start this article with a field sport image. You have built the best stadium in the world and you have got the top players in the sport ready to do…

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Former Subaru Rally Team USA Driver Dave Mirra Dies at 41

Mike Shaw

We are sorry to report that multiple X-Games gold medalist and frankly BMX God, Dave Mirra has passed away due to an apparent suicide in Greenville, North Carolina.  Dave made the transition from pedal power to Subaru Rally Team USA and competed in both Rally America and the earlier years of Red Bull Global Rallycross.  Mirra was known as one of the most approachable guys in professional motorsports.  As many have probably already said, he seemed like “your average Joe” and was very easy to talk to.  I remember spectating at Oregon…

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