Rally people?

[Whizbang]

anyone going to follow Sno Drift this weekend? Ill be doing the digital method since im out of the country. 70 entires!! That is a lot! Idaho I can at best see 30.

[Rally Pat]

Yeah, Patrick and I were supposed to go, but I will be doing the digital method too. Best way is to follow @Rally_America on Twitter, then turn on Mobile Updates for that account so that you get texted the stage times. 2012 is going to be a great season, so many Fiestas in 2WD, on top of that, a few CRC guys are going to do the entire season.

[Whizbang]

CRC guys? not sure what CRC is.

 

I cant get texts. Im deployed. So I have kick it old school.

 

There are a lot of new drivers as well. I will be curious as to the attrition rate.

[Patrick]

Canadian Rally Championship.

 

I need to look at the drivers list, I heard 70?!

[Whizbang]

yea they raised the maximum entry to accommodate. I have a few predictions, Ill be curious to see how they pan out.

[Rally Pat]

Not to mention that L'Estage has a new car this year...

[Patrick]

yea they raised the maximum entry to accommodate. I have a few predictions, Ill be curious to see how they pan out.

 

lettuce hear. Not too much rally talk on here.

 

Finally reviewed the entry list, weird cars being entered. Tons of Fiestas.

[Whizbang]

Ill expand on this tomorrow, its late here, and it will take a bit to type.

[Rally Pat]

I predict that a Fiesta wins 2WD.

 

I predict a Subaru wins Open Light.

 

I predict an AWD Turbo car wins Open.

 

Hows that for some predictions.

[Whizbang]

L'Estage was in a Evo X before, thats nothing really new.

 

Comrie-Packard has been getting faster with the Toyota. While its "factroy backed" there is a lot of development than needs to be carried out. Its really not too far off something any of us would run if we were building an xD rally car. Jeremy Wimpey is an excellent co-driver, one of the better in the nation.

 

That said, he will finish in the top 3 for 2wd, but with people like Eric Burmiester in his Protege, Dillion Van Way in the Fiesta and Chris Greenhouse, the several time 2wd champion, he as some stiff competition for first.

 

The Open class, per usual, is flooded with Subarus, some Evos and the random "antiqued" open class cars like DSMs, a VR-4, a 323 GTX, etc. The top names are pretty evident by the starting order.

 

There are a few new drivers as well. Verionca Mei and Amanda Skelly are new drivers. They have experience in rallycross, but they "hype" they are generating concerns me that they wont drive within their skill levels.

 

Which leads me to my next point. Out of the 70 entered, I am willing to say that about 15 to 20 wont finished, due to mechanical failures or offs. This heavily depends on the weather. LOTS of snow would mean that the overall spends will be lower, and while perhaps slippery, higher speeds are harder to correct. So we shall see.

 

open light is flooded with....subarus! Go figure. That class basically just exists so people can rally their beloved cars.

[Rally Pat]

L'Estage was in a Evo X before, thats nothing really new.

Incorrect. This is a completely different Evo X, with all sorts of new goodies including an R4 spec suspension. Libra Racing hasn't released many details on it, but with Antoine breaking the gearbox at the last CRC event, and everyone else in CRC and RA getting sequentials, I am willing to bet he has one now as well.

 

Comrie-Packard has been getting faster with the Toyota. While its "factroy backed" there is a lot of development than needs to be carried out. Its really not too far off something any of us would run if we were building an xD rally car.

This is also incorrect. The Rally xD team's car has a bolt on Greddy street car Turbo kit, as the entire team consists of west coast dudebreaux tuners. The team, with the exception of ACP himself, is basically making it up as they go along. He may get a Top 3 finish, but hes not going to touch the R2 Fiestas, of which there are several this season.

 

That said, he will finish in the top 3 for 2wd, but with people like Eric Burmiester in his Protege, Dillion Van Way in the Fiesta and Chris Greenhouse, the several time 2wd champion, he as some stiff competition for first.

DVW is the only person with maybe a chance you listed. Again, the R2 Fiestas are damn near unstoppable. Duplessis would have to crash for him not to win. DVW has a power advantage, as his car is basically a turbocharged R2, but he isn't as good of a driver as Duplessis. At New England last year, Duplessis was in FIFTH OVERALL. The next 2WD car was ACP, and there was a massive, massive gap between the two cars. He was even spanking most of the Open class cars.

 

The Open class, per usual, is flooded with Subarus, some Evos and the random "antiqued" open class cars like DSMs, a VR-4, a 323 GTX, etc. The top names are pretty evident by the starting order.

Not much to say here, it is what it is, with the exception of Crazy Leo Urlichich committing to a full RA season in addition to a full CRC season.

 

There are a few new drivers as well. Verionca Mei and Amanda Skelly are new drivers. They have experience in rallycross, but they "hype" they are generating concerns me that they wont drive within their skill levels.

It's Verena Mei, and shes not a new driver. The model/former drifter/former time attack driver made the jump to RA more than a year and a half ago. Shes been working at Team O'Neil as an instructor as well as learning and developing her cars. Last year she had an MS1 Spec Fiesta. This year she will have an R2. Last season, she navigated for Wyatt Knox at Sno Drift, and ran NEFR in her MS1. She wasn't doing too bad until she rolled it.

 

 

Which leads me to my next point. Out of the 70 entered, I am willing to say that about 15 to 20 wont finished, due to mechanical failures or offs. This heavily depends on the weather. LOTS of snow would mean that the overall spends will be lower, and while perhaps slippery, higher speeds are harder to correct. So we shall see.

Somewhat agree here. They always say that Sno Drift is about finishing, and with RA and CRC regulations banning studded tires, any rally we have that has snow has to be a "slow and steady" race.

[Whizbang]

Incorrect. This is a completely different Evo X, with all sorts of new goodies including an R4 spec suspension. Libra Racing hasn't released many details on it, but with Antoine breaking the gearbox at the last CRC event, and everyone else in CRC and RA getting sequentials, I am willing to bet he has one now as well.

 

But its still an Evo X. Yea the newer transmission is nice, I am more curious on the differentials, gear ratios and more experience in the chassis. Fast gear changes are nice, but without knowing the specifics, it could be a fancy use of several grand. They didnt run Sno Drift last year, but they did have first for 2010. Granted, by only a minute, so I still them being top level. However, I dont follow the CARS much less the Big White rally, so not sure how he was doing in 2011.

 

This is also incorrect. The Rally xD team's car has a bolt on Greddy street car Turbo kit, as the entire team consists of west coast dudebreaux tuners. The team, with the exception of ACP himself, is basically making it up as they go along. He may get a Top 3 finish, but hes not going to touch the R2 Fiestas, of which there are several this season.

 

Im aware its a touch backwater, but Scion had corporate influence into the project. Perhaps nothing fancy like the developed R2 but money is still money. I believe Sparco was involved and its basically a team with ACP driving. Which is different than ACP owning the car and fronting the bill. Perhaps I could have said my first statement better.

 

 

DVW is the only person with maybe a chance you listed. Again, the R2 Fiestas are damn near unstoppable. Duplessis would have to crash for him not to win. DVW has a power advantage, as his car is basically a turbocharged R2, but he isn't as good of a driver as Duplessis. At New England last year, Duplessis was in FIFTH OVERALL. The next 2WD car was ACP, and there was a massive, massive gap between the two cars. He was even spanking most of the Open class cars.

 

Yea, but if you look each event, ACP has been all over the place in the car. DNF for 2011 Sno Drift, 4th for 2WD at Olympus, etc. He got better toward the end of 2011. Greenhouse has an older car, but is still an experienced driver. I forgot about Duplessis honestly, so yea i would say first to be going to either Dillion Van Way or Duplessis. The rest is a scattershot.

 

 

Not much to say here, it is what it is, with the exception of Crazy Leo Urlichich committing to a full RA season in addition to a full CRC season.

 

Pretty much. Open class privateers come and go though. I need to start following CRC some.

 

 

It's Verena Mei, and shes not a new driver. The model/former drifter/former time attack driver made the jump to RA more than a year and a half ago. Shes been working at Team O'Neil as an instructor as well as learning and developing her cars. Last year she had an MS1 Spec Fiesta. This year she will have an R2. Last season, she navigated for Wyatt Knox at Sno Drift, and ran NEFR in her MS1. She wasn't doing too bad until she rolled it.

 

I know she did well at her previous adventures. Im implying that she is new to rallying. While she may have experience in time attack and drifting, obviously plenty, this is the first time i can find her competing. NEFR had no listing for her that i could find. Perhaps it was another event? I know she was doing quite a bit at Team O'Neil as far as recieving instruction, so we shall see since there are no stats to base anything on.

 

 

Somewhat agree here. They always say that Sno Drift is about finishing, and with RA and CRC regulations banning studded tires, any rally we have that has snow has to be a "slow and steady" race.

 

I know Big White allows studs but must conform to WCRC. Never understood RAs hate of studded tires, or even at least DOT approved ones.

[Rally Pat]

But its still an Evo X. Yea the newer transmission is nice, I am more curious on the differentials, gear ratios and more experience in the chassis. Fast gear changes are nice, but without knowing the specifics, it could be a fancy use of several grand. They didnt run Sno Drift last year, but they did have first for 2010. Granted, by only a minute, so I still them being top level. However, I dont follow the CARS much less the Big White rally, so not sure how he was doing in 2011.

They DID run Sno Drift last year, but DNF'ed when they went off of the road and punctured the radiator and couldn't make it back to service.

 

 

Im aware its a touch backwater, but Scion had corporate influence into the project. Perhaps nothing fancy like the developed R2 but money is still money. I believe Sparco was involved and its basically a team with ACP driving. Which is different than ACP owning the car and fronting the bill. Perhaps I could have said my first statement better.

The car was originally developed for Chris Duplessis, who drive it at a couple of events in 2010, which leads me to the next point...

 

 

Yea, but if you look each event, ACP has been all over the place in the car. DNF for 2011 Sno Drift, 4th for 2WD at Olympus, etc. He got better toward the end of 2011. Greenhouse has an older car, but is still an experienced driver. I forgot about Duplessis honestly, so yea i would say first to be going to either Dillion Van Way or Duplessis. The rest is a scattershot.

ACP can't DNF for a race he wasn't driving in. At SnoDrift 2011, Chris Duplessis was still the driver for the Rally xD team. ACP was at Sno Drift, but doing stage commentary in the spectator areas with Tim O'Neil. See attached video from where we were standing last year. While I agree that Greenhouse is a great driver, and a local boy at that, I think its time for an upgrade as 2WD in Rally America is becoming less about being fast in an old FWD car, and more about technology like Open Class.

 

 

Pretty much. Open class privateers come and go though. I need to start following CRC some.

http://flatovercrest.com/category/video-magazine/crctv/

 

 

I know she did well at her previous adventures. Im implying that she is new to rallying. While she may have experience in time attack and drifting, obviously plenty, this is the first time i can find her competing. NEFR had no listing for her that i could find. Perhaps it was another event? I know she was doing quite a bit at Team O'Neil as far as recieving instruction, so we shall see since there are no stats to base anything on.

*sigh*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwqHJKUyc1o

 

 

I know Big White allows studs but must conform to WCRC. Never understood RAs hate of studded tires, or even at least DOT approved ones.

It has to do with each event's local forestry commissions if I remember correctly. They don't want them tearing up the roads, and then having to pay to repair them later.

[Whizbang]

They DID run Sno Drift last year, but DNF'ed when they went off of the road and punctured the radiator and couldn't make it back to service.

 

I saw Antoine and thought Andrew. My mistake.

 

 

ACP can't DNF for a race he wasn't driving in. At SnoDrift 2011, Chris Duplessis was still the driver for the Rally xD team. ACP was at Sno Drift, but doing stage commentary in the spectator areas with Tim O'Neil. See attached video from where we were standing last year. While I agree that Greenhouse is a great driver, and a local boy at that, I think its time for an upgrade as 2WD in Rally America is becoming less about being fast in an old FWD car, and more about technology like Open Class.

 

See above. Explains the confusion. My point was that its not a privateer entry but an actual team.

 

regarding 2wd, its nice to see the "open" rules at least be used in some fashion. I'm not sure how this new B Spec thing will tie in, but it might help open the doors for more chassis options in the states, despite its production class roots.

 

*sigh*

 

Ah, she rolled the early on the second day and was out. I do recall reading a press release saying she was going to do something last year, then didn't hear anything there after. I figured she just didn't make the event last year. I wasn't able to follow things close. Just a check and see the finishers.

 

 

It has to do with each event's local forestry commissions if I remember correctly. They don't want them tearing up the roads, and then having to pay to repair them later.

 

That would make sense. Idaho we have to repair them either way, figured that was a more common demand.

[Whizbang]

So end of day 1 for Sno Drift, I was able to just follow the result updates!

 

Chris Duplessis has had a strong hold on first for 2wd and finished SS12 with a four minute lead.

 

Van Way has worked his way up to the number two spot after lagging behind in beginning. But Van Way, ACP Greenhouse and Eric are all within seconds of each other!

 

Higgins has had a strong lead on first for National Open!

 

Still an amazing 27 entires for the national. Rather expensive for a few im sure.

 

Only a few DNFs, including the Skelleys on stage 4. Didnt say what happened.

[Rally Pat]

Just as I predicted, 2WD was the class everyone was watching and Chris Duplessis dominated. Van Way fell back to third. ACP ended up in second. I assure you, it was ACP's Canadian-ness that got him up there, not the car. SnoDrift is an event that has basically no representation of how the rest of the season will be. As far as watching drivers, that all starts at 100AW. Chris says he plans to put the R2 on a NATIONAL podium, and says its within reach. If anyone can do it, its him.

[Whizbang]

There is no doubt Chris has 2wd pinned down.

 

Wish the internet here could handle the live feed. The few videos that popped up showed some shiny roads.

[Rally Pat]

LIKE A BOSS

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7154/6790501917_b6c594c83b_b.jpg