Drivers such as two-time World Rally Champion, Marcus Gronholm, and Americans Tanner Foust and Rhys Millen battle it out, driving big horsepower Ford Fiestas, Mitsubishi Lancers, Subaru Imprezas and Hyundais.
Needless to say, the action is spectacular. I recently watched a review of the final round of the series on television, and big crashes and massive jumps are all part and parcel of the Global Rallycross series.
Held on a track that combines gravel and tarmac, drivers start four at a time and jostle their way around the course over a set amount of laps. The fastest drivers progress through the qualifying rounds, before the finals at the end of the day.
Rallycross had a successful (albeit short) history in Australia, with Peter Brock, Allan Moffat and many of motorsport’s leading drivers competing in a televised series back in the 1970s. It was huge then, and there’s no reason why it couldn’t be now.
A major drawcard of rallycross is that it pits drivers against each other at the same time. It can be held in an enclosed arena, and television coverage is easier than it is for traditional rallying. While it may not be for the purists, it is a form of the sport that could realistically attract a lot of manufacturer interest.
There was much fanfare about a rallycross track at Winton Motor Raceway back in 2006, but nothing has eventuated since the initial announcement.
With the Australian Rally Championship slowly gaining in popularity again, rallycross could be another string to rallying’s bow that pushes the sport back into the public eye.
RallySport Magazine ran a feature on rallycross in our July 2006 issue, which we have re-published HERE. We’d be interested in your thoughts on whether rallycross could be a success now.
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