Tag: Ford

GRC – Overseas Recap

Mike Shaw

The Global Rallycross Championship returned to the United States this weekend.  Before I get into the drama of New Hampshire, here’s a quick recap of what happened overseas. First of all, I have been quite critical of the GRC organizers and their track designs, at least until now.  The first event was at X-Games Brazil, and the track consisted of 90% clay dirt and a single concrete slab used as the start / finish.  In Brazil the dust was a huge issue, so to combat that they added water to…

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Rally America’s Verena Mei Surprises With New Co-Driver for STPR

Mike Shaw

As the days to STPR (Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally) rapidly approach, rally driver Verena Mei suddenly learned that her regular co-driver Leanne Junnila would not be available for the event. Leanne has been working hard at school and won a scholarship which gave her a rare opportunity to present at an International Design conference. As it would happen this conference that is only held once a year is the same weekend as the next round of the Rally America Championship. That didn’t leave Verena much time to get acquainted with someone…

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Global Rallycross Championship Round 2 – Epic Fail!

Mike Shaw

Well this quickly became the GRC event that wasn’t.  After spending a bit of time this morning writing up a somewhat lengthy intro for the GRC X-Games Barcelona event, I sat down in front of the TV to watch the action unfold.  What greeted me wasn’t roaring 600HP rally cars, but instead a rain delay. Excuse me?  Did they really just say that?  Rally cars were sidelined because of rain?  Okay, even a rally stage can be cancelled because rain can be so heavy that emergency crews wouldn’t be as…

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2013 Oregon Trail Rally – Day 3

Mike Shaw

I’m finally getting around to finishing this up. Taking the time off for a rally means having to make it up when you get back.  Still very much worth it though! Day 3 of the Oregon Trail Rally is all about speed. Those teams that survived to make it to the final day of the rally would be treated to the open rolling hills east of the Mt. Hood forest. Here the roads are smooth, fast, and flowing with hardly a tree in sight. Drivers should be able to hit…

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2013 Oregon Trail Rally – Day 2

Mike Shaw

Day 2 of the Oregon Trail Rally is where the real test of vehicle strength and driver endurance would occur.  Just outside of the picturesque town of Hood River, the forest roads here are some of the most technical and the most dangerous on the Rally America calendar.  The surface is rough with large stones that can be pulled out.  A wrong pacenote here can be a very dangerous thing with giant trees and large drop offs around every corner. Ken Block was eager to gain back the time lost…

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2013 Oregon Trail Rally – Day 1

Mike Shaw

Wow, what an event! It is hard to even know where to start with all that went on this weekend. Once again the Oregon Trail Rally featured drama, danger, and hard fought victories.   The weekend activities actually started Thursday morning with a fan appreciation show at Pioneer Courthouse Square in downtown Portland. This show and tell of the cars and drivers in the heart of the city draws in spectators that might not know that the Oregon Trail Rally is in town and entices them to come out to…

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Vodafone Rally de Portugal – Preview

Mike Shaw

Beginning tomorrow is WRC event number two without Sebastien Loeb, however his legacy seems to live on with the success of the other French Sebastien. That of course would be VW Motorsports driver Sebastien Ogier, who has dominated the season so far. Of course Ogier hates being compared to Loeb but it is hard not to at least compare the results. It seems that the only thing that can slow down Ogier is illness. Ogier apparently caught a virus while down in Mexico (some bad tequila?), and missed out on the…

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WRC – Rallying’s Young Chargers Line Up in Ford’s Fiesta R2 Car

Shaun

DUNTON, England, April 8, 2013 – Ford’s Fiesta R2 rally car will provide the platform for the world’s best young drivers to showcase their skills when the 2013 FIA Junior WRC Championship begins at Rally de Portugal this week. Ten young hot-shots from eight different countries will compete in identical Fiesta R2 cars on gravel roads in southern Portugal’s Algarve region. It is the first of six rounds in the Junior WRC series, which supports the FIA World Rally Championship. It provides the first step on the ladder for potential…

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Rally – VW Ready for Mexico Altitude

Shaun

The World Rally Championship visits Mexico this weekend with many teams taking part in recce today. Mexico proves a tricky challenge not only for the drivers, but the engineers as well. For those who are new to the WRC, Rally Mexico pushes the teams to altitudes they do not experience anywhere else on the schedule. This has a major impact on the engine and how it performs. The official WRC page put up a great story here that detail how Volkswagen prepared for the tricky altitude conditions. “On the one…

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Review – 100 Acre Wood Rally 2013

Mike Shaw

Once again the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood had plenty of action. As everyone descended into Salem, Missouri (or at least attempted to), it wasn’t the teams or the drivers that everyone was talking about, instead it was the weather. On Thursday as everyone went out to do their Recce to adjust their pace notes on the stages, a freak winter storm brought a combination of freezing rain, sleet, and snow. In some places, the icy mix was deeper than the snow in the previous Sno*Drift event in Michigan.…

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