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Rally America, based in Golden Valley, Minnesota, is an auto racing organization that sanctions performance stage rallying events in the United States.
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History
Rally America was founded in 2002 by CPD Rally Team owner Doug Havir, who provided scoring and reporting services to the Sports Car Club of America's ProRally Championship. The two companies worked in tandem until the end of the 2004 season, when the SCCA withdrew its involvement in U.S. stage rallying. The SCCA then made the decision to sell all commercial and sanctioning rights to Rally America.
In 2005, the inaugural Rally America National Championship was run, incorporating most of the events previously sanctioned by the SCCA.[1]
Rallies associated with Rally America
| Race | Years involved with Rally America |
|---|---|
| Colorado Cog | 2005-2009 |
| Lake Superior Rally | 2005-2009 |
| Maine Forest Rally | 2005-2006 |
| New England Forest Rally | 2007-2010 |
| Ojibwe Forests Rally | 2005-2009 |
| Olympus Rally | 2007-2010 |
| Oregon Trail Rally | 2005-2010 |
| Pikes Peak Int'l Hill Climb | 2005 |
| Rally in the 100 Acre Wood | 2006-2010 |
| Sno*Drift | 2005-2010 |
| Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally | 2005-2010 |
| Wild West Rally | 2006 |
Previous Champions
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2009 | Travis Pastrana |
| 2008 | Travis Pastrana |
| 2007 | Travis Pastrana |
| 2006 | Travis Pastrana |
| 2005 | Pat Richard |
2010 Rally America Championship Event Schedule
The last three rallies of the 2009 season were removed to allow more cars to compete for the full season.
| Dates | Rally | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 29-30 January | Sno*Drift | |
| 26-27 February | Rally in the 100 Acre Wood | |
| 24-25 April | Olympus Rally | |
| 14-16 May | Oregon Trail Rally | |
| 4-5 June | Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally | |
| 16-17 July | New England Forest Rally |
Points
The points are awarded based on final position. As well as achieving a point for starting the race and one point for finishing the race. Thus, finishing a race will automatically earn you three points. One for starting, one for finishing, and one for coming in 10th+ place.
| Place | Points |
|---|---|
| 1 | 20 |
| 2 | 15 |
| 3 | 12 |
| 4 | 10 |
| 5 | 8 |
| 6 | 6 |
| 7 | 4 |
| 8 | 3 |
| 9 | 2 |
| 10+ | 1 |
Manufacturers
Rally America does not maintain manufacturer scoring or provide recognition for vehicle successes. Most cars are selected by their drivers or teams with the vast majority being entered without any special involvement by their manufacturers. Subaru is the exception to this providing special services to Subaru drivers, as well as being a sponsor of the series.
Subaru
Subaru has been an integral part of Rally America from its inception. At the time Rally America was begun, Subaru's Impreza, and in particular the WRX STi versions of the vehicle, had already become the most numerous competitive rally car in North America. Subaru became a sponsor of the series and many prizes and other incentives were provided by the company both for rally in general, and Subaru driving teams in particular. A fully stocked parts truck was dispatched to all national events, offering Subaru teams unique access to parts and expertise on scene. There are also discounts on parts for teams using Subaru Rally Team USA parts. [2]
Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi has been Subaru's primary competitor in North America, with its Evo series of cars. In the hands of competitive drivers, the Evo did prove a challenge to the larger quantity of WRXs, often edging into top three finishes.
Ford
Ford made a unique appearance in American rallying at the 2009 X Games. Driven by Tanner Foust, Kenny Brack and Brian Deegan, three open-class Fiestas were dominant (two of the three claimed podium positions) throughout the weekend. Brack, the eventual winner, praised the car, while Foust has said he would like to see a factory-backed Ford team competing regularly in Rally America.[3]
Volkswagen
Volkswagen has had a long history in rallying both worldwide and in North America. The cars are robust, popular and competitive in the hands of a variety of drivers. While not often found contending for top overall spots they can be very good cars for those contesting the two-wheel-drive championships and for beginners. The Jetta, Golf and Beetle have all had many appearances and much success in Rally America events.
Groups
In 2009, Rally America narrowed down the number of championships. The regional rallies have many categories split into two events, such as 2 Wheel Drive being split into a separate championship for Group 2 and Group 5, as well as the addition of an Open Light.
Open
The engine must be based on a production engine. Displacement is limited to 5.1L with multipliers used for rotary, turbo charging, etc. The body must be recognizable as the original car. There is a minimum weight also enforced dependent on the engine.
Super Production
Chassis and body must have matching VIN numbers. Engine displacement cannot be more than 2.6L with multipliers, and a limiter is placed on any forced induction system. A minimum weight is also enforced. Many other parts can be replaced, as long as they are an option from the manufacture.
2 Wheel Drive
References
- ^ http://www.rally-america.com/aboutus.php
- ^ http://rally.subaru.com/contingency.html
- ^ Exclusive Interview: Tanner Foust - TheRallyBlog.com - http://www.therallyblog.com/2009/exclusive-interview-tanner-foust/
External links
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
