After a few years spent drag racing and bombing around Ohio Buckeye backroads in the late 1960s it took a benefit gimmick rally in San Angelo, Texas to launch my life-long rallysport affliction. After tiring of quarter-mile long straight runs on tarmac and dodging harmless rubber cones in a parking lot, the prospect of doing a speed competition on an open unpaved road with a teammate to help you go fast was impossible to pass up! Your cockpit compatriot in performance rally wasn’t a simple navigator, oh no! He/she was…
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Mad Mike’s Musings – Speed Meets the Snowbank
Welcome to our new series “Mad Mike’s Musings” by Mike Halley. For those of you that have been involved in North American rallying for a long while, you’ll recognize the name. Mike has been involved in rallying in one form or another since 1972 and can still be found at events today. With all those years of experience, Mike has many stories to tell and opinions to share. This Installment: Speed Meets the Snowbank With Sno*Drift soon to launch the 2020 season of the ARA National Championship it seems…
Read MoreRallyCast Episode 71 – Mitch Meadows of Mele Design Firm
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadIn this first episode of the new decade we chat with a newcomer to the rally scene, Mitch Meadows. He and his company Mele Design Firm have suddenly popped up everywhere with connections to DirtFish Rally School, O.D.D. Racing, and many other rally teams big and small. We talk with Mitch about taking a childhood fantasy to reality, as he now co-drives for Karen Jankowski, as well as using his company and brand to help promote rallying across the continent. You can…
Read MoreRallyCast Ep. 62 – Christopher Bowes of Bowes Media Discusses Subaru’s Launch Control on Amazon Prime
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubaru just announced that Launch Control is now available on Amazon Prime Video. In this episode we bring back Christopher Bowes of Bowes Media, the producers of the highly successful Subaru Motorsports USA video series and discuss being on the new platform and what we can expect in Season 7.
Read MoreRallyCast Episode 53 – The 100 Acre Wood Rally Review and an Open Paddock Reunion
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWell, we recorded this about 2 week ago and I’m just now getting around to posting it. Apologies for the delay as life kind of got in the way. Anyway, in this episode we had a bit of an Open Paddock reunion where I’m joined by 2 former hosts from the previous version of OpenPaddock, Doug Patterson and John Olsakovsky. Doug is a well known motorsports photographer among his many other exploits, and John “The Race Fan” Olsakovsky has been to many an IndyCar…
Read MoreRallyCast Episode 51 with Keanna Erickson-Chang
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadA bit of a late post as we recorded this back on Tuesday. Anyway, last week we welcomed one of the few women drivers in rallying, Keanna Erickson-Chang to the RallyCast! We talked about how she got hooked on rallying, her work with the Formula 1 in Schools program, women in racing, and her exciting international schedule for 2019! The best way to follow Keanna is here on Instagram
Read MoreRallyCast Episode 43 with Antoine L’Estage
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadAlmost can’t believe we are posting this! This week we had the opportunity to chat with on of North America’s legends, none other than 10 times Canadian Rally Champion Antoine L’Estage! We discussed what it’s like being considered a rally legend and how he was shocked by the late decision by Subaru Canada to pull their factory team. We also got details on how his latest adventures working gravel crew in the WRC came about, his experience driving a Proto Fiesta in Latvia, and what…
Read MoreRallyCast Episode 38 with HammerSport Racing
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWe talked so much we had to split this weeks recording into two shows, so in this episode we welcome George Hammerbeck, Lewis May, and John Schultz of Hammersport Racing who competed in the New England Forest Rally in an unusual choice for a Limited 4WD entry. They chose to use a twin-turbo BMW e90 X-Drive! We chat with them about the build, their NEFR experience, how a Florida team gets interested in rallying, and what their plans are for the future. Next episode…
Read MoreOpen Paddock RallyCast Ep. 33 – Review of the 2018 Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally with William Petrow
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadThis week Ian and Mike reconnect with William Petrow of Broken Motorsports who subbed as the “Voice of ARA” at STPR this past weekend. We review all the excitement from the Waste Management jump to the exclusion drama at the finish from one of the most challenging rallies on the American Rally Association Championship Series calendar. We finish up with Petrow sneaking in something about “Bleeding Tarmac” …damn it Petrow! You can follow William Petrow, Broken Motorsports, Bleeding Tarmac, and Rally Updates USA…
Read MoreIn The Paddock – Episode 7 with “Savage” Dave Wallingford
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Podcast: Play in new window | Download In this episode we have with us Dave Wallingford. Dave or “Savage Dave” as he has come to be known, has been competing in 2WD all around the country as well as above and below the US border the last couple of years. Next year he is upping his game with the an M-Sport built Fiesta R5. We ask Dave about the new car, his plans for 2018, and where the nickname “Savage” Dave came from. You can follow Dave Wallingford and his…
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