Brian Deegan overcame mechanical issues and a stacked field to grab the gold medal in RallyCross at Summer X Games 17. The Metal Mulisha general fought his way through the vastly more experienced field and reminded the world that he is serious about racing. It was an unusually hot and muggy day for Southern California, but that didn’t stop thousands of fans from showing up to witness the newly birthed American version of RallyCross, rip through the streets of downtown Los Angeles.

After sorting out the mechanical gremlins that caused him to retire during Saturdays head to head Rally Car race, Deegan went out and soundly beat newcomer Robbie Madison, American Rally competitor Dillion Van Way, and the battered veteran Travis Pastrana, (who was forced to use hand controls to brake and accelerate) in his qualifying round – which put him through to the final round of competition.

At the start of the final, European RallyCross standout Liam Doran got the hole-shot leading the pack into the first corner, but was pushed into the wall by last years gold medalist and Ford/Rockstar team member Tanner Foust. Deegan saw his way through the melee and ended out in front, gaining a huge advantage on the tight fast course. Brian never gave up the lead position even after his mandatory joker lap. With Tanner Foust and WRC Champion Marcus Grönholm still chasing him, Deegan held fast and remained steady. The former FMX champ took the checkered flag in his Rockstar Metal Mulisha Ford Fiesta, taking his first ever gold medal in X Games RallyCross.

X Games 17 RallyCross Results:
1. Gold – Brian Deegan
2. Silver – Tanner Foust
3. Bronze – Marcus Grönholm

Words by The Martelli Brothers

Photos by Vincent Knakal of Mad Media

[Show as slideshow]

In front of thousands of cheering spectators and millions of TV viewers, European RallyCross standout Liam Doran dominated the Head-to-Head rally race to walk away with a gold medal. The field was stacked and the competition was intense, but the young RallyCross start brought his A-game and wielded his Monster Energy C4 Citroën like a seasoned veteran.

Set partially on the streets of LA just in front of the Staples Center, the rally course was a combination of tarmac, dirt and gravel, making tire selection and suspension set up critical. The racing was a head to head competition pitting two cars against each other in single elimination rounds.

Liam advanced his way up the bracket beating both new comers as well as last year’s X Games Gold medalist Tanner Foust. In the final round Liam was faced up against WRC champion Grönholm for a best of 3 competition. Liam bested the rally legend beating him two rounds one after the other in dominating fashion.

“It feels amazing to win my first event at my first ever X Games! I am just super excited to be here competing. I can’t wait to get back out there tomorrow, RallyCross is my event!” stated Liam.

Liam’s Monster Energy teammate and hooning king Ken Block ran into mechanical issues in practice but still managing to qualify. His mechanical issues worsened however during seeding and ultimately was forced to withdraw with a blown engine. Ken will be back with a newly prepped car to compete alongside Liam in RallyCross tomorrow at 2pm pacific.

X Games 17 Rally Car Results:

1. Gold Medal – Liam Doran
2. Silver Medal – Marcus Gronholm
3. Bronze Medal – David Higgins

Words by Matt Martelli

Photos by Vincent Knakal of Mad Media

[Show as slideshow]

European Rallycross star Liam Doran makes his X Games Debut in rally this weekend. The young brit brings his flamboyant driving style to the streets of Los Angeles to battle the top names in Rally, including his teammate and king hoonigan, Ken Block. Watch Liam slide his car sideways and rip around the track while testing his Monster Energy Citroën C4 Rallycross car at Irwindale speedway, in preparing for X Games.

Directed by The Martelli Brothers, Produced by Mad Media

A perfect storm is brewing for RallyCross.  X-Games has become a highly attractive event that all the rally drivers in the world are now paying attention to.  WRC, IRC, European RallyCross and American drivers are all now vying for their spot.  Maybe it has something to do with the fact that when Ken Block shows up at a WRC round he garners more fans and attention then 7x WRC champ Sebastion Loeb.  Or maybe it has something to do with the launch of the American version of European RallyCross, Global RallyCross.  Or the fact that car manufacturers are looking for a conduit to sell small cars to young people.  Whatever the case, the payoff will be great door-to-door Rally-X racing.  The purists will say, “This is not true rally” and they are right, but just like desert off-road racing, it is really difficult to get American spectators to get off the couch and go hike down a rally stage and stand in rain, snow, mud, or heat to watch rally cars blast by.  So, Rally-X is here to stay and it’s undoubtedly going to grow.

I’ll be the first one to admit the actual rally racing at X-Games has been sub par, last year’s course was a joke.  The racing was terrible; the drivers were confused about the course and the number of laps.  The checkered flag was actually waved before all laps were complete.  In fact, the only year that I remember the racing to be actually great was the first year rally was apart of X-Games and they ran stages both at the stadium as well as stages from the now defunct Rim of the World Rally.  As a fan and a facilitator it has been like watching your favorite boxer show up to a fight only to realize he is going to fight with his hands tied.  Yet, despite it all, ESPN has been learning.  This year’s course looks to be the best circuit ever, taking to the streets of Los Angeles just outside Staples Center.

X-Games is no longer going to be a contest between American rally heavies; Travis Pastrana, Tanner Foust and Ken Block, it has expanded to an international battle.  The beauty is, it’s not being manipulated by any one sanctioning body, the FIA, WRC, IRC, Rally America, and European Rallycross all have drivers competing. Tanner Foust has been extra busy sharpening his skills and collecting podiums in the European Rallycross.  Don’t count out Brian Deegan; he has been busy banging doors in the Lucas Oil Off-Road short course series competing in two classes.  Young European RallyCross standout Liam Doran has been tearing it up and will likely be bringing his A-game.  I also can’t leave out former WRC champ Marcus Grönholm and French rally mad man Stephan Verdier who is coming with a “Rally Killer” Subaru specially prepared by master mind Quirt Crawford of Crawford Performance, the builder of the first two Gymkhana cars.  Needless to say, it’s going to be a heated battle with some epic RallyCross racing.

The driver entry list is heavy:

The Americans:
Ken Block
Tanner Foust
Travis Pastrana
Brian Deegan
Rhys Millen
Dave Mirra
Jimmy Keeney
Joseph Burke
Nate Conley
Michael Jernberg
Dillon Van Way
Pat Moro

The Europeans:
Marcus Grönholm
Stephan Verdier
Liam Doran
David Higgins

Australia:
Robbie Maddison

The Manufacturer list is growing as well:
Subaru
FORD
Citroen
Skoda
Hyundai

Rally Schedule:
Dirt jump practice 8-10pm Friday the 29th
Rally Practice 9am Saturday the 30th
Rally Qualifieng 11am-12pm Saturday the 30th
head to head Rally 1-3 pm Saturday the 30th
RallyCross Practice 10-2pm Sunday the 31st
RallyCross Final 2-4pm Sunday the 31st

Live TV coverage on ESPN + ESPN2

Words by Matt Martelli

Photos by Lars Gange/Matt Morning/C.Van Hanja/Shazamm/ESPN Images

[Show as slideshow]

So you’ve heard of this new off-road format, Global RallyCross, where production based cars battle it out door to door on every possible road surface (think short course or motocross-style action), but what’s it like from a driver’s perspective? Here to tell us about the last event, Twin Peaks, is current 2WD points leader, Matthew Johnson.

After winning the 2WD Class at Irwindale Speedway last month (the first-ever, Global RallyCross event) you must have felt pretty good going into the Twin Peaks event near Seattle. Did you have any concerns?

My Nitro Circus Mazda RX8 is so new to me that it was hard to know what to expect. We made some pretty large changes to it after Irwindale and those worked great at Twin Peaks but they also made it possible to detect the next layer of issues to focus on. Getting the suspension set up correctly is a really important part of it, so we were working on that most of the weekend.

Last weekend was cold and rainy in the Northwest, tell us what the track was like at the Old Mill Adventure Park and how did the weather affect it?

The Park is home to the Dirtfish Rally School where some of my friends work, so I thought I would know what to expect. The word on the street was that it would be mostly pavement which led me to believe we’d have good grip. However, it turned out to be much slicker than Irwindale with a lot more dirt and mud out on the track. I think all the drivers were having a hard time finding grip which made the course extra challenging! There was an 80+mph section through a huge warehouse and a long deep dirt section that separated the men from the boys.

So far we’ve seen some amazing action in both 2WD and AWD, i.e. cars getting completely destroyed, what’s your strategy for keeping your car together and away from the bumpers of others?

Well, I actually had a bit of an encounter with the road at the Irwindale event. One of the issues with the Rx8 is that I’m barely able to see out of it. I was on the inside line on a drift car during qualifying and making a pass in the dirt and as my line tightened I didn’t see a tractor tire laying there! I bopped that sucker hard and got shoved up onto two wheels, then all the way up skidding on the right side of the car for 10 feet or so. Somehow it fell back to the wheels after coming to a stop, man that was lucky!

Who’s your biggest threat in 2WD and who should we keep our eyes on in AWD?

Right now Dillon VanWay is showing up strong and going for it, but at Twin Peaks he was getting a run for his money by Cody Crane. From round 1, Andy Sutherland was really quick and from this last event, Mikael Eriksson in his Porsche was demonstrating the gap between US and European RallyCross. I think there are a solid bunch of rally drivers around the country still getting their heads around RallyCross who could turn up at any moment, the question is; how well will they do in the wheel to wheel format? Its super different from stage rallying; so wham-bam, hammerdown and before you know it, a checker flag. A well developed 2WD car is plenty exciting to watch and you can have some really solid racing on a smaller budget than the AWD cars. But for now, the AWD cars have some of the stiffest competition I’ve ever seen. Honestly I’m quite good friends with all the AWD guys but I’m having the most fun watching Stephan Verdier kick ass in a car he built in his backyard.

Those Fiesta’s and Hyundai’s look like a blast to drive too, any plans to move to the AWD scene?

Absolutely. When I can get in the position to be in a competitive AWD car I’ll make the jump. For now I’m having fun driving my Mazda and learning a lot about the sport of RallyCross.

The Global RallyCross Championship is being aired live online by ESPN3 and is also covered on ESPN and ESPN2. For dates and times see: http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2011/03/02/espn-adds-global-rallycross-championship-series/

Finishing up Ken Block’s three-part video series teasing his 2011 WRC season start is a clip of Block in action with his new machine. Caught during testing in the woods and frozen lakes of a wintry Sweden, watch Block relentlessly flog his 2011 Monster Energy Ford Fiesta RS WRC as he preps for the season kickoff in Karlstad, Sweden.

[Show as slideshow]

Wolfsburg (14 September 2010). The lead has changed at the “Dakar” dress rehearsal in Russia: the Volkswagen drivers Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) have taken the overall lead at the Silk Way Rally on clinching their third stage win. On the fourth of eight legs the 2009 “Dakar” winning duo prevailed against its Volkswagen team colleagues Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E) who had decided this year’s “Dakar” in their favour. 1m 35s now separate de Villiers/von Zitzewitz and Sainz/Cruz in the overall classification. Third place on the stage between Lipetsk and Volgograd plus third overall went to Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D) in the third factory-prepared and factory-fielded Race Touareg. Fourth overall was secured by the fourth Volkswagen “Dakar” duo, Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) who set the day’s fourth-best time.

Leg four of the Silk Way Rally from Lipetsk to Volgograd took the teams through four different vegetation zones: from mixed forests through wooded steppe and steppe regions all the way to the semi-desert in which Volgograd is located. 60 per cent of the 298.05-kilometre special stage of the rally consisted of sandy ground and put the contenders to the test with tricky navigation and demanding undulating, partially wooded sections which required superb driving skills.
Kris Nissen (Volkswagen Motorsport Director)
“Today our ‘Dakar’ dress rehearsal started in earnest. The leg was difficult – for the car as well as for the drivers and co-drivers. There were many sandy sections and demanding navigational tasks. I think that victory will continue to be decided between Carlos Sainz, Giniel de Villiers and Nasser Al-Attiyah. But there’s no doubt in my mind at all that the decision to contest the Silk Way Rally was absolutely right. It’s a perfect competitive test for the 2011 Dakar Rally.”

#100 – Carlos Sainz (E), 2nd place leg / 2nd place overall
“We were actually having a wonderful day until I braked too late at a fork in the road and stalled the engine. By the time it started again we’d already lost some time. That’s really a shame because except for that everything was going well today. Tomorrow we’ll be in for a tough day on which we want to recover the ground we lost today.”

#101 – Giniel de Villiers (ZA), 1st place leg / 1st place overall
“Fourth leg, third stage win – you could hardly wish for more than that. We had a flawless day, no incidents. The Race Touareg was running like clockwork and my co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz did an outstanding job, properly judged all the intersections and immediately found the way points in the dunes.”

#102 – Nasser Al-Attiyah (Q), 3rd place leg / 3rd place overall
“Unfortunately, we had a bit of misfortune today because a hose clamp on the intercooler broke at a pretty early stage – something that normally never happens. We wanted to make up the three minutes we lost due to the repair and suffered a puncture in the process. Clearly, this was not my day. But tomorrow there’ll be another chance to catch up to the top, and I’m determined to use it.”

#104 – Mark Miller (USA), 4th place leg / 4th place overall
“The navigation was difficult again today and unfortunately it caused us to lose time. Twice we didn’t immediately find the way. But this doesn’t explain the loss of time we suffered in the dunes. They were hard to handle because they dropped down very steeply on the back. At the finish I was surprised about the times set by our team colleagues. I want to and will learn from that for the ‘Dakar.’”
Number of the day
The total deflection and top-out travel of the damper pistons on the car of Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz on the fourth leg amounted to 41,825.8 metres. The Race Touareg 3 vehicles are fitted with two dampers per wheel from technology partner ZF Sachs. The suspension travel is limited to a maximum of 250 millimetres by the regulations.
Results
Standings after leg 04, Lipetsk (RUS)–Volgograd (RUS); 298/786 km SS 04/Total

Pos., Team, Vehicle, Leg 04, Total time
1 Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D), Volkswagen Race Touareg 2, 3h 10m 39s (1), 7h 47m 23s
2 Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E), Volkswagen Race Touareg 3, 3h 13m 33s (2) + 1m 35s
3 Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D), Volkswagen Race Touareg 2, 3h 17m 12s (3) + 6m 33s
4 Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA), Volkswagen Race Touareg 2, 3h 21m 17s (4) + 38m 30s
5 Matthias Kahle/Thomas Schünemann (D/D), SMG Buggy, 3h 43m 40s (5) + 1h 23m 16s
6 Alexander Mironenko/Sergey Lebedev (RUS/RUS), Nissan Frontier, 3h 51m 27s (6) + 1h 35m 00s
7 Ilya Kuznetsov/Andrey Neshin (RUS/RUS), Mitsubishi L201, 4h 08m 04s (8) + 1h 48m 23s
8 Benediktas Vanagas/Saulius Jurgelenas (LT/LT), OSC Oscar, 3h 57m 33s (7) + 2h 12m 07s
9 Binyamin Dzhepaev/Alexey Kuzmich (RUS/RUS), UAZ Pickup, 4h 11m 37s (9) + 2h 26m 34s
10 Frédéric Chavigny/Jean Brucy (F/F), Nissan Pathfinder, 4h 18m 26s (10) + 2h 32m 02s

Coming up …

Wednesday, 15 September: leg 05, Volgograd (RUS)–Astrakhan (RUS) in brief: 50% steppe; 25% swampy-sandy passages; 25% small dunes
The Silk Way Rally on TV
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
23.45–00.00 Eurosport Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 4

Wednesday, 15 September 2010
08.35–08.45 Eurosport Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 4 (rerun)

Additional reports on the news and sports programmes of TV channels n-tv, ARD and ZDF.

Wolfsburg (13 September 2010). Volkswagen continues to set the pace at its “Dakar” dress rehearsal in Russia with a solid team performance. The 2009 “Dakar” winners decided the third leg of the Silk Way Rally in their favour: Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) celebrated the second stage win between Vyazma and Lipetsk on leg 03 of the rally. By finishing the special stage as the runners-up Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E) defended their overall lead. Five legs before the finish in Sochi their advantage amounts to 1m 19s. Third place today went to the duo Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D), who after four and a half hours of driving time are at an equal overall time level with de Villiers/von Zitzewitz. Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) set the fourth-best time in the fourth Race Touareg.

The third leg of the Silk Way Rally from Vyazma to Lipetsk primarily put the communication between the drivers and co-drivers to the test. Many branch-offs, forks in the roads and intersections required the co-drivers’ full concentration. The drivers were faced with a demanding gravel stage featuring many quick directional changes.
Kris Nissen (Volkswagen Motorsport Director)
“Volkswagen can be proud of its squad today because we’ve shown a good team performance on this tricky leg. The drivers in particular did a flawless job and the mechanics prepared four perfect Race Touareg vehicles. For the co-drivers it was a difficult day. They made some minor mistakes today and got lost. Something like this shouldn’t happen at the ‘Dakar.’”

#100 – Carlos Sainz (E), 2nd place leg / 1st place overall
“I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a leg with so many branch-offs as I have today. There was an incredible amount of work for my co-driver Lucas Cruz and branch-offs, branch-offs, branch-offs. Therefore, opening the special stage today was no advantage because we couldn’t use the tracks of other drivers for orientation. So, we can be more than pleased with the day’s result even though the situation in the overall standings is pretty tight. We need to continue to stay concentrated.”

#101 – Giniel de Villiers (ZA), 1st place leg / 2nd place overall
“We had a good day today, even though it didn’t feel like it in the car at first. We also made some minor mistakes at the many intersections – as did our team colleagues. Well, those were the characteristics of this leg. And all in all we managed to deliver a solid drive.”

#102 – Nasser Al-Attiyah (Q), 3rd place leg / 3rd place overall
“We wanted to close up to our team colleague Carlos Sainz who opened the stage in front of us – unfortunately we lost a few seconds in the end. But nothing’s been decided yet at this rally by a long shot. Just looking at the overall standings shows this. We’re all close together.”

#104 – Mark Miller (USA), 4th place leg / 5th place overall
“Today, perfect communication in the cockpit was crucial. My co-driver Ralph Pitchford and I managed this almost across the whole distance. Unfortunately, we made a navigation error at the beginning of the leg. On another occasion I misunderstood Ralph and took a turn where we should have gone straight ahead. That cost time. But on the whole it was a good leg for us.”
Number of the day
On the third special stage the co-drivers announced instructions to the drivers about every 8.8 seconds. The roadbook for the 207.25-kilometre route included 62 pages and 307 pictures. Each picture contains up to four different pieces of information and is repeated three times on average.
Results
Standings after leg 03, Vyazma (RUS)–Lipetsk (RUS); 208/607 km SS 03/Total

Pos., Team, Vehicle, Leg 03, Total time
1 Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E), Volkswagen Race Touareg 3, 2h 15m 55s (2), 4h 35m 25s
2 Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D), Volkswagen Race Touareg 2, 2h 14m 48s (1) + 1m 19s
3 Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D), Volkswagen Race Touareg 2, 2h 16m 07s (3) + 1m 19s
4 Boris Gadasin/Vladimir Demjanenko (RUS/RUS), Proto G Force, 2h 30m 08s (5) + 19m 30s
5 Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA), Volkswagen Race Touareg 2, 2h 18m 35s (4) + 29m 11s
6 Matthias Kahle/Thomas Schünemann (D/D), SMG Buggy, 2h 39m 32s (7) + 51m 34s
7 Ilya Kuznetsov/Andrey Neshin (RUS/RUS), Mitsubishi L201, 2h 44m 02s (9) + 52m 17s
8 Alexander Mironenko/Sergey Lebedev (RUS/RUS), Nissan Frontier, 2h 40m 38s (8) + 55m 31s
9 Bogdan Novitsky/Vitaly Evtekhov (UKR/UKR), Nissan Pick-up, 3h 00m 11s (17) + 1h 05m 08s
10 Aldis Vilcans/Vladimir Makarenko (LV/UKR), Mitsubishi Pajero, 3h 01m 16s (18) + 1h 22m 58s

Coming up …

Tuesday, 14 September: leg 04, Lipetsk (RUS)–Volgograd (RUS) in brief: 60% winding, hard-soil sections; 30% sandy passages; 10 % small dunes
The Silk Way Rally on TV
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
00.15–00.30 Eurosport Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 3
08.30–08.45 Eurosport Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 3 (rerun)
23.45–00.00 Eurosport Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 4

Wednesday, 15 September 2010
08.35–08.45 Eurosport Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 4 (rerun)

Additional reports on the news and sports programmes of TV channels n-tv, ARD and ZDF.

Silk Way Rally 2010
“Dakar” dress rehearsal: new Race Touareg 3 debuts in Russia
An important milestone on the way to the “Dakar”: the new Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 will experience its competitive debut at the Silk Way Rally through Russia (11–18 September).

The fascinating off-road marathon from Saint Petersburg to Sochi will be the big dress rehearsal and final test for the Dakar Rally through Argentina and Chile (01–16 January) where Volkswagen is striving to achieve the “hat-trick” with TDI diesel technology following its exploits in 2009 and 2010.

The brand new Race Touareg 3, now with an output of 310 hp and sporting the attractive design language of the production model, will be piloted by the Dakar winners Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E). The three other Volkswagen crews, Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D), Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) and Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA), will compete in the predecessor model, the Race Touareg 2, in Russia and will receive the new vehicle generation for the Dakar Rally in January as well.

“The Silk Way Rally is a task of enormous importance to us,” says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen, “because it is the only competition we’re tackling before the 2011 Dakar Rally and our aim of achieving the hat-trick there. We want to use the opportunity to not only test the material at this tough rally and to sharpen the senses of our drivers and co-drivers after an eight-month break in rally racing – but very clearly get our whole team to work together smoothly. After all, this is the ‘Dakar’ dress rehearsal for the engineers and technicians as well.”

Endurance run in competitive conditions: Race Touareg 3 is being put to the test

After more than 10,000 kilometres of testing in Spain and Morocco the new Race Touareg has to prove its prowess in competitive conditions for the first time at the Silk Way Rally: the powerful 4×4 with a TDI engine is in for a competition covering nearly 4,600 kilometres of which about 2,100 are timed. “After a nearly eight-month break in rally racing the whole team has to find the right rhythm,” says Carlos Sainz who won the “Dakar” in 2010 with Volkswagen. “Obviously, winning is always the goal – but this time we also want to demonstrate the progress we’ve made with the new car compared with the old one. So this event will be about two things: regaining our ‘Dakar’ speed and thoroughly testing the ‘RT3’ in competitive conditions.”

Demanding terrain for drivers and co-drivers as ideal preparation for the “Dakar”

The ceremonial start at the Palace Square with the impressive Winter Palace in St. Petersburg kicks off the Silk Way Rally on 11 September in a historic setting. From the world’s northernmost metropolis the first leg will lead to Staraya Russa and from there via Vyazma and Lipetsk to Volgograd. On the way to Sochi, the rally’s final destination and venue of the 2014 Winter Olympics, stage destinations in Astrakhan, Elista and Maykop are on the agenda. The route with eight special stages across North Russia featuring the sandy massifs of Kalmykia and the rough foothills of the Caucasus is regarded as ideal preparation for the Dakar Rally thanks to its multi-faceted terrain.

“Although the second Silk Way Rally has the same name as the first edition last year, it actually leads across a totally new route,” says Timo Gottschalk, who navigates Nasser Al-Attiyah. “With the start in St. Petersburg and the finish in Sochi we’re in for demanding terrain. There will be fast sections requiring high driving skills as well as many off-road and dune stretches. So we’re expecting a very quick rally that’ll be anything but easy.”

Chance for revenge: Sainz/Cruz to tackle team-internal duels unbeaten

Volkswagen is sending four driver/co-driver pairings with winning potential to the Silk Way Rally – the same duos who are scheduled to reach for the third consecutive “Dakar” title in January 2011 as well. Each of these duos is determined to show itself in top form before the desert classic and to fight for victory. This might even put an end to a string that has so far been unbroken: ever since Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz have been competing jointly for Volkswagen they have remained unbeaten: in addition to the 2010 “Dakar” victory, the track record of the purely Spanish pairing reflects exploits at the 2009 Silk Way Rally and the 2009 Rallye dos Sertões – three of the 13 cross-country rally wins achieved by Volkswagen to date.

Another “Dakar” winning duo – the South African Giniel de Villiers and his German co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz – is aiming for victory in Russia too. The 2009 “Dakar” winners who celebrated the first diesel-powered victory in the automobile classification of the desert classic with Volkswagen are equally hungry for success as the “Dakar” runners-up in 2009 and 2010: Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) and Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D). “I’ve still got some unfinished business with the Silk Way Rally,” says the Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah. “I’ve good and bad memories of it. The good ones: Timo and I were leading the rally some of the time. The bad ones: after a rollover we were forced to retire just before the end. That’s why we’ve prepared ourselves even better for this competition. But the main focus is on the evolution of the Race Touareg 3 for which we want to gain as many findings as possible because our big aim is to win the ‘Dakar’ in January.”

13 victories, 39 podium places, 113 stage wins: Volkswagen is set on continuing exploits

With the Race Touareg 3 Volkswagen is set on continuing a unique success story. Volkswagen is the only manufacturer so far to have decided the automobile classification of the Dakar Rally in its favour with diesel technology. The statistics reflect 39 podium places in 28 rally runs – 13 of them wins. Since the launch of the Dakar Rally programme with the Race Touareg and the Race Touareg 2 in 2004 more than half of all stage exploits have gone to Wolfsburg: 113 out of 216 stage wins were clinched by a Race Touareg, with 37 stage wins having gone to the brand at the Dakar Rally itself – in six events so far.
The 2010 Silk Way Rally Route
Date, Leg, Start–Finish, Special Stage, Liaison, Total
11 Sep 2010 1 St. Petersburg–Staraya Russa, 80.00 km, 324.00 km, 404.00 km
12 Sep 2010 2 Staraya Russa–Vyazma, 209.00 km, 505.00 km, 714.00 km
13 Sep 2010 3 Vyazma–Lipetsk, 205.00 km, 403.00 km, 608.00 km
14 Sep 2010 4 Lipetsk–Volgograd, 355.00 km, 425.00 km, 780.00 km
15 Sep 2010 5 Volgograd–Astrakhan, 380.00 km, 129.00 km, 509.00 km
16 Sep 2010 6 Astrakhan–Elista, 490.00 km, 15.00 km, 505.00 km
17 Sep 2010 7 Elista–Maykop, 340.00 km, 435.00 km, 775.00 km
18 Sep 2010 8 Maykop–Sochi, 14.00 km, 270.00 km, 284.00 km
Total 2,073.00 km, 2,506.00 km, 4,579.00 km
TV Schedule, Silk Way Rally (CEST)
Sunday, 12 September 2010
00.00–00.15 Eurosport, Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 1
11.00–11.15 Eurosport, Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 1 (rerun)
20.45–21.00 Eurosport, Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 2

Monday, 13 September 2010
08.30–08.45 Eurosport, Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 2 (rerun)

Tuesday, 14 September 2010
00.15–00.30 Eurosport, Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 3
08.30–08.45 Eurosport, Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 3 (rerun)
23.45–00.00 Eurosport, Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 4

Wednesday, 15 September 2010
08.35–08.45 Eurosport, Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 4 (rerun)

Thursday, 16 September 2010
00.00–00.15 Eurosport, Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 5
08.35–08.45 Eurosport, Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 5 (rerun)

Friday, 17 September 2010
00.00–00.15 Eurosport, Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 6
08.35–08.45 Eurosport, Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 6 (rerun)

Saturday, 18 September 2010
00.00–00.15 Eurosport, Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 7
08.30–08.45 Eurosport, Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 7 (rerun)
23.00–23.15 Eurosport, Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 8

Monday, 20 September 2010
01.00–01.15 Eurosport, Silk Way Rally, summary, leg 8 (rerun)

Wednesday, 22 September 2010
01.00–01.30 Eurosport, Silk Way Rally, summary

2011 Dakar Rally
From 2 to 3: new Race Touareg for “Dakar” hat-trick mission
A world debut alongside chariots and gladiators: Volkswagen presented the Race Touareg 3 to the public in a spectacular show.

In the nearly 2000-year-old amphitheatre in Trier, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the duos who aim to secure the brand’s third consecutive “Dakar” victory in South America from 01 to 16 January 2011 unveiled the 310-hp four-wheel-drive vehicle in front of a crowd of some 1,000 enthusiastic spectators. Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E), Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D), Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) and Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) showed the “RT3” in “Dakar” trim for the first time.

“The Dakar Rally is a mystique. Everything’s got to be right to conquer it,” says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. “Technology, drivers, service and logistics – every single aspect is crucial. Anyone aiming to finish the ‘Dakar’ at the very top has to first conquer the rally itself and then beat their rivals. We’ve learned a lot in the past few years. All of these things had to be considered in the development of a new vehicle – I believe we’ve found the ideal mix of revolution and evolution for our Race Touareg 3.”

The Dakar Rally is regarded as the greatest challenge in worldwide motorsport. Volkswagen has revolutionised cross-country rally sport with the Race Touareg 2 and TDI technology – and decided the legendary “Dakar” twice in its favour in the past two years. Volkswagen is the only manufacturer so far to have won the automobile classification of the desert classic with diesel power. For 2011 the goal has been clearly defined: Volkswagen is set on taking the trophy to Wolfsburg for the third consecutive time. For the “Dakar” hat-trick mission the squad leaves nothing to chance: in January 2011 four newly developed Race Touareg 3 vehicles – successor models of the successful model version 2 – will cross the starting ramp in Buenos Aires. Their task: to again victoriously master the endurance test consisting of the legendary Pampas, the dizzying altitudes of the Andes and the gruelling Atacama desert in Argentina and Chile.

Revolution and evolution: updated “Dakar” technology in the “RT3”

To achieve the big aim of clinching the “Dakar” hat-trick, Volkswagen banks on the logical and consistent evolution of the Race Touareg 2 into the model version 3. The specifications issued to the engineers for this project contained three major headlines: improvement of the cooling system, optimized gearbox tuning and more power for driving at high altitudes. In addition, the engineers’ agenda included detailed work to increase the performance capabilities of the two-time Dakar Rally winning Race Touareg 2 even further. The results achieved now reveal a prototype with completely renewed aerodynamics that builds on a proven chassis of its predecessor.

Race Touareg 3: a major aerodynamic step for the “Dakar”

The Race Touareg 3 makes a big aerodynamic step forwards – the biggest one since the model change from the original Race-Touareg to model version two. The main focus during the development of the 310-hp cross-country rally prototype was put on optimising aerodynamics. In addition, the designers adapted the distinctive look of the Touareg II production “sibling” for the “Dakar” version: like the road-going model, the Race Touareg displays its dynamic character traits in its exterior form as well.

The Race Touareg 3’s most obvious change compared with the predecessor model is found in the roof area where the air flow towards the radiator, the damper cooling and the diesel fuel cooling systems has been radically changed. The objective was to improve the chimney effect to remove the heat which accumulates under the carbon fibre-reinforced cladding while optimising air supply in the process.

Intercooling – 100 per cent made by Volkswagen

For the intercooling system the team of Volkswagen Motorsport engineers drew on proven components from the production side of the house. The cooling element of the intercooler – a supplier component in any motorsport discipline – was designed and produced for the Race Touareg 3 by the prototyping department of the Volkswagen brand. Thanks to the experience gained with production vehicles the entire intercooling distance suffers less pressure losses – a gain in efficiency which is directly reflected in improved power output. Due to this and other detailed work the 2.5-litre TDI diesel engine version for the 2011 Dakar Rally now delivers 229 kW (310 hp) – seven kW (ten hp) more than the unit used in the Race Touareg 2.

Race Touareg 3 vs. Race Touareg 2: progress in the sum total of details

A revolution of the exterior form, an evolution under the bonnet – initial tests suggest how well this philosophy is working out for the detailed further development of the Race Touareg 2 into the model version 3. In three-week tests held in Spain and Morocco the new car was tested in a direct comparison with the old model. During the tests around Mahmid with temperatures of up to 48 degrees Celsius and endurance tests around Erfoud the Race Touareg 3 covered some 10,000 kilometres of simulated special stages without any significant technical problems – this equates to the double “Dakar” distance and exceeds the total number of kilometres driven in the races of an entire Formula 1 season.

Experience is trumps: a proven driver line-up for the 2011 Dakar Rally

At the 2011 Dakar Rally that starts and finishes in Buenos Aires and covers about 4,500 kilometres of special stages through Argentina and Chile (01 –16 January 2011) Volkswagen will rely on four proven driver/co-driver duos. The 2010 “Dakar” winners, Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E), will pilot one of the four Race Touareg 3 as will Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D), the 2010 “Dakar” runners-up, Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D), the 2009 “Dakar” winners, and their team colleagues Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA), who were just barely beaten in that event.

World debut in Trier: Volkswagen unveils the Race Touareg 3
Remember Ben Hur? Gladiators clad in racing overalls, an almost 2000-year old arena and right in the middle – the new Race Touareg 3.

In front of an impressive setting, inside the ancient amphitheatre in Trier (100 AD), Volkswagen will present the title defender for the 2011 Dakar Rally on 20 August. More powerful and with a new look, the cross-country rally prototype shows itself well prepared for clinching the third Dakar victory in a row. As early as in 2009 and 2010 Volkswagen has been the only manufacturer so far to have decided the automobile classification of the Dakar Rally in its favour with diesel technology.

Motorsport Director Kris Nissen: “Our aim is the hat-trick at the Dakar”

The ceremonial unveiling, which starts at 8.30 p.m., will feature all four Volkswagen driver pairings striving for Volkswagen’s third consecutive diesel victory at the legendary desert rally through South America in January 2011: last year’s winners Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E), Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D), Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D) and Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA).

“With the Race Touareg 3 we’ve completed the next step in the evolution of a technology that has already been successful,” says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. “Particularly in respect of aerodynamics we’ve reached the next level and improved the qualities of the predecessor yet again. This effort has produced a spectacular outer skin and an updated technical core. With the ‘RT3’ we’ll tackle our big aim: the hat-trick at the Dakar Rally!”

Rally environment and historic setting: the “RT3” meets the public eye

The official presentation of the Race Touareg 3 will take place as part of the WRC Rally Germany. At the amphitheatre in Trier the modern motorsport gladiators will meet with their historic role models in a spectacular show. A special attraction: the event will not only be open to media representatives but to a large public audience as well. Immediately after the presentation the Race Touareg 3 will embark on a journey to Russia where it will celebrate its eagerly awaited competitive debut at the Silk Way Rally from 11 to 18 September.

Does becoming a WRC driver change your daily routines? Ken Block showed us in this new Ford Fiesta commercial that nothing changed at all. All is the same and Ken still goes grocery shopping and walks the family dog like the average you and me.

Note video is also available in 720 and 1080 HD

Produced by Mad Media Directed by the Martelli Brothers

12 Rally competitors face each other in 2 disciplines of X-Games version of RallyCross during the 16th X-Games in Los Angeles, CA. We bring you some up close photography since pictures speak a thousand words. Tanner Foust was the big winner during this years games which comes at no big surprise with his resume in Rally and Drift racing. Metal Mulisha’s Brian Deegan came in a close 2nd. Both Rockstar and Ford are happy with their one/two win.

Check complete results at ESPN

[Show as slideshow]

WRC driver Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN) and co driver Miikka Anttila (FIN) during special stage 14 - Surkee 1

The World Rally Championship (WRC) resumed last week in Jyvaskyla, Finland for round eight of the championship.  The 2010 rally also marked the 60^th anniversary of Rally Finland and many vintage rally cars from Skoda, Volvo, Audi and more were brought out for everyone to enjoy.    While it was held more than 5600 miles from Baja the countries and events have more in common than you might think.

Jyvaskyla sits 160 miles north of Helsinki, the Finnish capital city in what is known as the lake region.  While driving through the countryside you constantly pass postcard perfect lakes and cabins every few miles.  The area conjures up thoughts of Lake Tahoe, northern Minnesota and the pine forests of Baja with similarities to each area.

Traditionally the rally is held over three days but this year the rally would be condensed into a two day event with 19 special stages that covered 310 kilometers or just under 200 miles.  The racers started their recce, prerunning to us, earlier in the week and the cars got their first taste of dirt at speed on Thursday morning with the Shakedown stage.  The Shakedown is a chance for everyone to drive a stage in their racecars and make any last minute adjustments to the setup of the cars.  The stage is open for four hours with most drivers taking at least four runs through the 4.7km stage.

Mikko Hirvonen turned the fastest time of the day with a 2:02.2 besting his Ford teammate Jari-Matti Latvala by one tenth of a second.  While the stage does not count towards the official results it is an indication of each drivers speed.

Mikko Hirvonen (FIN) was the winner in 2009 and he had every intention of defending the title and keeping the win on home soil in Finland.   However six time world champion Sebastien Loeb (FRA) planned to take the win from the Finn.   Loeb also had a new teammate on the top Citroen team for Finland.  Junior driver Sebastien Ogier (FRA) moved up while Dani Sordo (ESP) went down to the junior team to join F1 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen

The race officially started on Thursday night at 6:45pm Laajavuori 1, a 4.19km stage that started with an asphalt jump followed by a paved trail racing up the face of a ski run before turning to dirt.  With Finland being so far north starting late is not an issue with lighting.  In summer the sun does not set until 10:30pm and the skies stay light until well after midnight and start to brighten again about 4:30am.

Privateer driver and double World Champion Petter Solberg (NOR) jumped out to an early lead taking the stage win by one second over local favorite Mikko Hirvonen.  Loeb finished a further six tenths behind Hirvonen.  Tens of thousands of fans came out to watch their favorite drivers tackle the stage and due to limited parking most walked for miles to get there.  Finnish rally fans passion for the sport rivals the locals of Baja in both fervor and dedication.

Day 1 of the rally continued on Friday with special stage 2 – Urria 1, a 12.7km stage.  The first car would appear on the stage at 07:42am but by 6:00am the crowds had started to gather with many fans enjoying a few beers and grilling food much like their counterparts in Baja.   The stage took racers past yet another picture perfect lake and cabin.  In front of the cabin was picnic table built from large logs that the owner put together in under 2 days, impressive to say the least.  The friendly locals were quick to offer me some homemade licorice type drink and after trying one I wished I hadn’t.

Hirvonen got down to business and won the stage by 2.1 seconds over Latvala, with Loeb in third again.  Hirvonen won SS3 as well giving him 4.9 seconds over P. Solberg at the conclusion of the stage.  Things were looking bright for the Finn with solid performances on the early stages but all of that would soon change.

Hirvonen's car after the big crash that ended the rally early.

Stage 4 was Urria 2; the second time though the stage.  The stage featured several large very high speed jumps similar to what we find at Ojos Negros but smaller with speeds of close to 100mph.  Feeling confident Hirvonen was flat out through most of the stage and as he hit the big jumps.  While the first passed without incident the second is right on the apex of a right hand corner and he got a bit out of shape on the landing and hit a large berm sending his car into a massive roll and crash flipping the driver five times and peeling the co driver’s door right of the car for a classic desert yard sale.  The ferocity of the crash was more than enough to take Hirvonen out of the rally but amazingly the cage held up remarkably well and both occupants walked away with no serious injuries.

“It happened so fast, there was nothing I could do,” Hirvonen told wrc.com. “We went straight into a bank and rolled straight in the road, up the hill, for a long time.  The speed wasn’t too much but at that speed I knew when it landed we’d be lucky to stay on four wheels.  “The dream is over and it’s just disappointing but at least we were on the pace before it happened. That’s good. A crash like that is not going to distract me or scare me.”

Hirvonen’s crash sent opportunity knocking on the doors of both Latvala and P. Solberg.  Solberg held off Latvala for the next two stages and was looking good until being overtaken by the Finn.   The battle at the top of the leaderboard was intense throughout the day and Ogier, who started the day in fifth position, battled hard with his fellow Citroën drivers to climb to third overnight. Reigning World Champion Sébastien Loeb struggled in the morning stages when he damaged the front bumper on his C4, seriously affecting the aerodynamics of the car. He recovered from fifth position to fourth by the end of the day, just 11.7 seconds ahead of Dani Sordo.  At the conclusion of Day 1 Latvala held a 9.1 second lead over Solberg.

Being at the front of the pack would be a bit of a disadvantage for Latvala, as he would be first off the line on each stage of Day 2 and having to deal with loose conditions as he cleaned the road for fellow drivers.

“Running third on the road gave me a bit of an advantage today,” said Latvala. “Maybe I took it too carefully at times but we’ll try to keep up this pace tomorrow.”

Luckily for Latvala there was a lot of rain overnight which helped pack the racing surface and bring up grip levels for his run to the finish on Day 2.

The two day format of the rally really put the screws to drivers but especially to the crews.  The top drivers would not return to the service park until 8:30pm at the end of Day 1 for repairs and have to leave again at 5:50am the following day for the 99km drive east of Jyvaskyla for the start of SS12.

WRC driver Sebastien Ogier (FRA) and co driver Julien Ingrassia (FRA) jump during super special 8

Young gun Ogier wasted no time getting to work winning SS12, a short 10km stage by one second over Latvala but on the 29km SS13 the old master Loeb was back in the saddle to take the win by 1.7 seconds over Ogier and by 7.3 over Latvala.  From there the drivers head back towards Jyvaskyla for SS14 – Surkee 1, a 19km stage that again had massive crowds out to watch.

Latvala wicked it up and took he win by 7.3 over Ogier and improved his overall lead to 22.5 seconds.  Loeb fell back again to third with Solberg fighting the good fight in fourth.  Loeb came on strong again winning stages 15 and 16 to move up into third overall while Latvala faltered on both stages cutting his lead to just 12.3 seconds over Ogier.

The final three stages would be repeats from earlier in the day and with 60km to go Latvala would be in the hot seat to hold on to the lead.  On SS17 Ogier further cut into Latvala’s lead winning by 1.7 seconds over the Finn, but Latvala would not be deterred and he came back to win SS18 by 0.5 seconds over Ogier all but securing his victory.  Ogier claimed victory on SS19, the final stage, by 0.8 over Loeb and a full second ahead of Latvala but it was not enough.

After two days of intense competition, Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila won their home round of the FIA World Rally Championship, Rally Finland. The Finns held off a trio of Citroëns to beat Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia by 10.1 seconds, and his third-placed team-mates, reigning World Champions Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena.

The win gave Latvala enough points to move into third in the championship with Loeb first and Ogier second.

WRC drivers (from left) Sebastien Ogier (FRA) and Julien Ingrassia (FRA) and Miikka Anttila (FIN) and Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN) and Daniel Elena (MON) and Sebastien Loeb (FRA) celebrate on the podium at the Neste Oil Rally Finland

Latvala was all smiles after the event as he spoke about winning his home rally.  “It feels really amazing. It’s unbelievable. So good, and such a relief, and with all these people you saw at the podium and in the stages, they come to support you so you can win it. There are no words to describe it. I’m so happy to hear I am the youngest too. Sébastien Loeb has beaten all the records; at least something is left for me!” He continued “Honestly, I was a little bit lucky with the rain. It helped a lot in the first stage, then I concentrated in the third stage after I lost time in the second stage. I made a big attack in the new four kilometers of the third stage and that helped me a lot. Sébastien was pushing very hard, both of them; they make my position very uncomfortable. But then towards the afternoon, I was able to take time, but then they catch me, then I made more time, they take it back – it was cat and mouse. I honestly have big respect, with the experience of Finland they have, for Sébastien Ogier and his co-driver that they were able to push so hard.”

Second place finisher Ogier was a bit cautious in the early stages of the rally but he was happy in his debut for the senior Citroen team.  “For sure, I am very happy with this result. It’s difficult to be happy when you are second, but Finland is very special. With my experience, this is better than I expect. Today was a very good day; maybe I was too careful yesterday. If I knew yesterday I would be second, maybe I would have adapted another strategy.  It was my first rally with the official team and there was more pressure on my shoulders. But, I gained confidence in the first stages and I’m very pleased with the second day – it was almost perfect. It was impossible to catch Jari-Matti – he deserved today.”

Loeb was also pleased with his result as it gained him valuable points in the championship fight.  “For sure I prefer to win, but like you said, my priority was points for the Championship, but if I can fight for the win I will try. In the first day I lost time in stage two, three and four when I broken the bumper. Then I was a bit far from the lead. I know in Finland to take some seconds it can be very difficult; I had to balance that and take the right choice.”

Top Ten Finishers

1. J. LATVALA
2. S. OGIER +10.1
3. S. LOEB M +26.0
4. P. SOLBERG +30.7
5. D. SORDO +1:45.0
6. M. WILSON +5:43.7
7. M. ÖSTBERG +5:50.8
8. J. KANKKUNEN +7:49.0
9. J. HÄNNINEN +9:05.0
10. P. ANDERSSON +10:15.7

The World Rally Championship will resume on August 19 with the all pavement Rally Germany.

[Show as slideshow]

Travis Pastrana has put together a friendly challenge to his old buddy Ken Block ahead of this weekend’s X Games showdown. He is eager to get back the Gold and we can’t wait to see how the two face-off.

History of Travis at X Games:

• 1999 – Pastrana wins the first ever MotoX Freestyle event at the X-Games. He also scores the highest ever run of 99.00 points.

• 2000 – Pastrana wins the gold medal for the second time, and attempts the first ever backflip

• 2001 – Pastrana wins his third gold, still the only person to win the event.

• 2003 – Pastrana reclaims his gold and becomes the second rider ever to complete a 360 in competition.

• 2004 – Pastrana crashes while trying a 50 ft (15m) 360, sustaining a concussion, but is able to compete the next day and wins a silver medal. Nate Adams becomes the only rider to beat Pastrana at that time. Before this event, he had won Bronze in Best Trick, performing a One-Handed 360 and a Superman Seat Grab-Indian Air Back flip.

• 2005 – Pastrana wins his fifth gold in Freestyle and also attempts the first ever Backflip Barspin on a motorcycle, however the bike fails and he resorts to a regular bike and performs a Backflip Saran Wrap to take Silver in Best Trick.

• 2006 – Pastrana becomes the third athlete to win three Gold medals at one X Games Event. He wins Gold in MotoX Best Trick and Freestyle and Rally Car. Pastrana also performs the first Double Backflip in competition, scoring a 98.60, the highest score in the Best Trick competition at X Games.

• 2007 – Pastrana takes bronze in Rally after sliding into the other drivers area while inside the Home Depot Center. He is disqualified but retains his medal. He also competes in the first MotoX Racing at X Games, but doesn’t achieve a medal after two false starts in the heat race and last chance qualifier.

• 2008 – Pastrana takes gold in Rally and competes in the Speed & Style event but doesn’t place.

• 2009 – Pastrana attempts a rodeo 720 at X Games 15 in the Moto X Best Trick Event. He crashes on his first attempt and withdraws from his second after experiencing blurred vision. He places 4th for his efforts. He takes silver in Rally after being defeated by rookie and former Indy Car/Indy 500 champion Kenny Bräck. On November 8, Pastrana landed the famous Rodeo 720, and filmed it in his newest movie, Nitro Circus – Country Fried. once he landed the trick, he named it the TP7, due to the fact that he was 20 degrees short of 720

Travis Pastrana has put together a friendly challenge to his old buddy Ken Block ahead of this weekend’s X Games showdown. He is eager to get back the Gold and we can’t wait to see how the two face-off.

Subaru Invites Fans to Talk to Subaru Rally Team USA Drivers, Travis Pastrana and Dave Mirra

Subaru of America, Inc. is inviting fans to participate in an hour-long interactive conference call featuring Subaru Rally Team USA drivers, Travis Pastrana and Dave Mirra, Monday, July 26 at 6 p.m. EST. On the call, fans can ask questions and hear Travis and Dave talk about their preparation and plans for X Games 16, their love of Rally and the launch of the all-new 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX and STI.

“Travis and Dave love their fans and this is a unique way to connect with them on a more personal level,” said Todd Lawrence, promotions and sponsorship manager, Subaru of America, Inc. “They are looking forward to talking about what’s going on with the Subaru Rally Team and are eager to drive their Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally cars at X Games in Rally Car Racing and the all-new SuperRally event.”

To join the live conference fans can sign-up here: http://tinyurl.com/24sb2kp.
Then on July 26 at approximately 6 p.m. fans will be called on the phone number they provided at sign up. Fans can also watch Dave and Travis compete live on ESPN during X Games Saturday, July 31, beginning at 4 p.m. EDT.

About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 600 dealers across the United States.  All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. For additional information visitwww.subaru.com.

About Travis Pastrana
Perhaps best known as the very first athlete to successfully land the double backflip in competition on a motorcycle, Travis is not only a supercross phenom and freestyle motorcross pioneer but also a wildly popular action sports personality through his Nitro Circus show on MTV and Thrillbillies series on DVDs. Driving for Subaru full-time since 2005, Travis became the youngest-ever American Rally Champion in 2006 and has gone on to win the Rally America National title with Subaru Rally Team USA for the past four consecutive seasons (2006-2007-2008-2009).

About Dave Mirra
Widely accepted as a BMX Freestyle icon, Dave Mirra holds the enviable record of winning the most X Games medals ever. Highly active in the sport and still participating in select events, Dave gives back to the sport he loves and held his first annual King of the Animal House Invitational in his hometown of Greenville, NC, in December. As a teammate to Travis Pastrana in Subaru Rally Team USA, Dave drives an identically-prepared Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally car in the Rally America National Championship.

Rally4Life Dakar team heading in the right direction with HELIOS Global Tracking

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Okanangan Rally Team Reunites for Canada’s High Altitude National Rally

After a busy weekend as photographer and host for the successful Runway4Life fundraiser, local rally driver Mark Jennings-Bates is ready to get back into the rally car. His team will be travelling to the Rocky Mountain National Rally outside of Calgary, Alberta, this weekend. The event has drawn thirty entries from across the country, including the Squamish, BC based Rocket Rally driver Pat Richard, who was the 2009 Canadian Rally Champion.

Rocky has a reputation for being fast and dry or wet and difficult, and features the epic Powderface stage, one of Mark’s favourite roads. Mark admits that it’s hard to know exactly what to expect until the car is on the start line: “There is a lot of competition coming from the east, especially from Quebec, so there should be some great battles. Weather is a huge factor in this event, and with rain or snow forecast for the weekend, we will need to prepare for very challenging conditions.”

For the Rocky Mountain Rally Mark will be joined by his regular codriver, Jennifer Daly, of Kelowna BC, and the team is aiming for a top ten finish. Jennifer is looking forward to competing again as an experienced team: “Mark and I haven’t been in the rally car together since we got our best result ever last October. We’ve both learned a lot from rallying with others, and I think we’re in a good position to push for our fastest pace.”

The Prescribed Burn Rally Team will be competing under the Rally4Life name for the 2010 season, in preparation for Mark’s entry into the 2011 Dakar Rally. The Rally4Life effort combines the adventure of a gruelling international rally with the determination to raise four million dollars for charities providing clean water to communities in the developing world.

Live updates and scoring results will be available on the Rocky Mountain Rally event website, and the event will be broadcast on TSN on Sunday, June 27.

The Rally4Life Canadian team is based in Kelowna, British Columbia and competes in the Western Canada Rally Championship and select events in the Canadian Rally Championship which is broadcast in High Definition on TSN and will be Canada’s first competitive car entry into the Dakar Rally in January 2011, driving a Bowler Nemesis.

Locally, the team is supported by Ksport USA, Aerius Engineering, BC Resort Homes, Big O Tires Westbank, AGAR Paint and Autobody, Wyatt Autoparts, Provision Data, Bell Racewear, Pinnacle Elite Athletes and Pinnacle Physiotherapy, K96.3FM and Castanet.net.

Okanagan Project receives $130,000 in pledges ahead of long weekend fashion fundraiser.

Canada’s top upcoming Fashion Designer’s will be
showcased at the Runway4Life Fashion Show this May long weekend
in West Kelowna

The Rally 4Life Foundation who are tackling the global thirst epidemic with their $4 million fund raising efforts are holding their inaugural charity fund raising event this May long weekend at The Cove Lakeside Resort.

The fundraiser is being hosted by Antares Media, drama and entertainment specialists, who are producing a 6 part TV documentary about the groups efforts to tackle the worlds most gruelling motorsport event, the infamous Dakar Rally and their endeavours to raise
$4 million to save 200,000 lives by providing access to clean water. The event is attracting top fashion designers, jewelry designers, musicians and TV stars.

The weekend festivities start on Saturday with a chance to have a physical assessment from the areas top athletic coaches, Pinnacle Elite Athlete. Shane Pizzey, from Pinnacle will be on hand at The Cove to conduct personal one on one physical assessments to advise clients on a plan for physical conditioning. Assessments can be booked on line at www.Runway4Life.org

On Sunday, the fun starts at 2pm as the formal fashion show festivities begin. A stunning variety of fashion will be displayed. Flora and Fauna represents eco-design, drawing inspiration from beauty in nature. Kulus Designs features contemporary Northwest Coast Native Art, bringing it to the modern world, while staying true to its origins. Christopher Bates is an upcoming Canadian fashion designer, trained in Milan, who has a full menswear line. Friis and Company is a whole universe of accessories, with something for you whatever your style. Patina Bronsino create finely crafted handbags and accessories made in high quality leather. The finale will showcase haute couture by Malene Grotrian. Malene trained in Denmark and Italy, gained valuable tailoring experience in Ottawa, then launched her own line in 2008. After receiving a first ever standing ovation for her show at Vancouver Fashion Week she was invited to put on a one man show at New York Fashion Week, another first for a Vancouver designer. Guests will be entertained by Grammy nominated artists Splitting Adam and internationally acclaimed violinist Rosemary Siemens. Throughout the afternoon, guests will be able to bid on silent auction items and live auction items to raise funds for the project. The afternoon agenda will be directed by local on air celebrity and Castanet columnist, Lisa Redl. Lisa is a News Reporter/Anchor and has worked for a number of media outlets including CHBC news, SunFM and 103.9 “The Juice”.

“It is a whirlwind of activity at the moment. We are very honoured that so many talented designers and musicians are coming to help us.” said Jackie Jennings-Bates, the co-founder of the Rally4Life project “There is a lot of organisation and many volunteers helping out, thankfully, tickets are starting to sell quite quickly. We are so excited that various individuals, corporations and foundations have already chosen to support our efforts with pledges or donations. Enough pledges have already been received to fund the first two water projects which will be in Kenya and Sudan later this year. Everyone’s donation can make a substantial impact, with $20 being the average cost to provide water to a child for life. Recent UN figures indicate that more children are dying from water quality than from all combined world violence and war” added Jennings-Bates.

Seating is limited at the event and advance ticket purchases are encouraged. Guests can purchase through the website, www.Runway4Life.org or contact Jackie directly at 250 317 1457

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Contact Jackie Jennings-Bates Contact Alexandra Thompson
250 317 1457 1-323 527 0383

About Rally4Life A combined effort to enter the 2011 Dakar Rally as part of the Bowler Offroad Team and to raise $4 million for projects delivering clean water and proper sanitation to communities in need across the world.

About Antares Media This independent media group with head office in London, UK and subsidiary companies in Vancouver, CANADA and Los Angeles, USA specialises in ” drama docu-drama, reality and ” entertainment programming for broadcast and multi-media distribution. Their Vancouver production portal has its own digital post-production (including graphics) suites. The international multi-platform drama and entertainment specialists.

About FeViva.org A local not for profit organization that focuses primarily on relief, aid and shelter for at risk children and families in Africa and Latin America. Currently, FeViva is building a Village of Hope in Sudan for displaced children and families.

About JustADrop.org A not for profit organization based in the United Kingdom supporting water, sanitation and health projects around the world.

About DAKAR The DAKAR began in 1977, when Thierry Sabine got lost on his motorbike in the Libyan desert during the Abidjan-Nice Rally. Saved from the sands in extremis, he returned to France promising himself he would share his fascination in this area with as many people as possible. He proceeded to come up with a route starting in Europe, continuing to Algiers and crossing Agadez before eventually finishing at Dakar. Due to political instability in Africa, the Dakar was run in South America in 2009, the first time the race took place outside of Europe and Africa.

Since then, the Paris-Dakar has never failed to challenge, surprise and excite. Over the course of almost thirty years, it has generated innumerable sporting and human stories.

About Bowler Offroad Bowler Offroad is the manufacturer of off road racing vehicles based on the Land Rover Defender, Discovery and Range Rover Chassis. The company was founded by Drew Bowler who originally designed and produced the Bowler Tomcat which evolved into the bowler Wildcat.

About Shane Pizzey and Pinnacle Elite Athlete Shane Pizzey MKin, CEP, CSCSDirector of Sport Science

As a leader in the field of sport science and performance enhancement, Shane pushes the boundaries of conventional training. Shane has worked with many of the world’s best coaches. Shane’s specialty is in working with speed and power sports including hockey, football, soccer and basketball. Shane’s extensive experience in the coaching field has been highlighted by stops at 2 National Sports Institutes (Canada and Malaysia) as well as being a testing specialist for the Calgary Flames and Hockey Canada.

Mark Jennings-Bates
info@Rally4Life.org

Mitsubishis Sweep The Podium At Oregon Trail Rally

The Dalles, OR (May 16, 2010)  –  The NOS Energy Mitsubishi team of Andrew Comrie-Picard and Jeremy Wimpey took a decisive win on the 2010 Oregon Trail Rally, round 4 of the Rally America National Championship. Comrie-Picard held a comfortable lead over the Mitsubishi crew of Bill Bacon and Peter Watt at the start of the final day and managed to increase his advantage by the final stage. Bacon focused more on maintaining his position by staying ahead of the overall Rally America Championship points leader Antoine L’Estage than trying to catch Comrie-Picard.

L’Estage and co-driver Nathalie Richard drove their Rockstar Energy Mitsubishi EVO X to third place after dropping to seventeenth early on day two of the rally due to mechanical issues. L’Estage claimed every stage win on the third and final day of competition and now leads Bacon in the National Championship standings by 8 points.

This event was the first time in Rally America history to have an all-Mitsubishi national podium and was particularly rewarding for the winners, who are all privateers. The factory-backed teams of both Subaru and Ford were put out of the contest early on the second day of the rally after crashing their cars.

Subaru Rally Team USA’s Dave Mirra and Martin Headland rolled their car near the start of the Fir Mountain Long I stage (SS6) and were not able to continue. Monster World Rally Team’s Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino suffered the same fate on the second pass of the Fir Mountain stage (SS8), damaging their 2010 Ford Fiesta and retiring from the event.

This year’s Oregon Trail Rally was a grueling event that witnessed a heavy rate of attrition. Of the 61 starters, 24 crews had DNF’d by the end of day two and only 47 teams were able to start on the final day. Teams challenged Oregon’s unforgiving gravel logging and farm roads in the areas surrounding The Dalles and Dufur, battling hot, dusty conditions against the backdrop of the scenic Columbia River Gorge and towering Mt. Hood.

The trip out West was favorable for Pat Moro and co-driver Ole Hunter, who took the Super Production Class win. Moro’s podium finish at the Olympus Rally along with his Oregon Trail Rally win have launched him to second place in the Super Production Class Championship. Moro has overtaken his teammate Tim Rooney, who retired early on day two of the rally, in the SP title chase with only two events left on the calendar. Moro is now within striking distance of SP leaders Travis and Terry Hanson, who finished Oregon second in class to maintain the SP Championship lead. Able Planet Rally Team driver and 2009 Super Production winner, Jimmy Keeney, completed the podium with co-driver Jason Grahn for their first top three finish of the year.

Ramana Lagemann returned to the West Coast hoping to repeat his Olympus Rally Super Production win and was certainly on pace to do so, but a 17:30 minute penalty for speeding through a transit effectively knocked him out of contention.

The 2-Wheel-Drive Class saw a new winner with reigning 2009 2WD Champion, Dillon Van Way, securing his first overall class victory for the year. Van Way finished 1:15.3 minutes ahead of 2WD points leader Chris Duplessis. Duplessis was behind his usual pace while adapting to a newly-built Scion xD supported by 0-60 Magazine and Sparco, but finished second in 2WD with an unproven, underpowered car. Normally, Duplessis pilots a 1990 VW GTi and consistently beats other rally cars with twice as much horsepower. Dodge SRT-4 driver John Conley and co-driver Keith Rudolph held onto third in class and maintains his 2WD second place overall position.

In the opening round of the 2010 MaxAttack! 2WD Series, Cody Crane battled Dillon Van Way throughout the weekend, but ran into mechanical troubles late on day two. Crane had to rebuild his Honda CRX’s transmission overnight, forcing him to drive more conservatively on the final day of the rally. Van Way overtook Crane for the MaxAttack! win and Duplessis finished third. Gaylord Van Brocklin and Brian Gottllieb also claimed MaxAttack! cash prizes, finishing fourth and fifth respectively. The MaxAttack! Series now moves East to the New England Forest Rally in Sunday River, Maine on July 16-17 before the final MaxAttack! shootout at the Lake Superior Performance Rally in Houghton, Michigan.

The Trails End Regional Rally saw another Mitsubishi Lancer EVO in the top spot with Wolfgang Hoeck and Piers O’Hanlon beating Wagons Ho! Regional Rally winners Mark Mager and Jake Blattner by 1:32.5 minutes. Wolfgang also won the Shunpiker Stages Regional Rally on Saturday. Pacific Northwest team of Dave and Richard Hintz finished third on the podium.

The next round of the Rally America Championship is the Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally (STPR) in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania on June 4-5. STPR is the last chance for teams to win valuable points towards receiving a Summer X Games 16 invitation to compete in the venerable Rally Car Racing event.

Rally car racing is considered the extreme sport of automobile racing and is often described simply as “real cars, real roads, real fast.” This all-season motorsport sees drivers and their co-drivers take modified road cars to the limit as they achieve blistering speeds over courses that cover more than 100 miles of gravel, dirt or snow-covered roads.
About Rally America:Based in Golden Valley, Minn., Rally America sanctions the premier performance rally series in the United States, the Rally America National Championship Series. In 2010, Rally America will conduct six National Championship events at venues across the country, from Olympia, Washington to Newry, Maine. Rally America competitors reach speeds of well over 100 mph in modified street cars on natural-terrain courses consisting of gravel, dirt or snow.  Additionally, through a partnership with ESPN, qualifying Rally America drivers will be invited to compete in ESPN’s Summer X Games 16, the annual leading action-sports event that’s broadcast live on ESPN. For more information, be sure to visit www.rally-america.com.
Rally America  is proudly supported by Subaru of America, Inc., BFGoodrich Tires, Team O’Neil Rally School, Able Planet, Inc., Hawk Performance Brakes, RaceWatches.com, Exedy Racing Clutches and RECARO.
Podium Photo Credit:Matt Young/www.worldrallysport.com/Rally America

(May 12, 2010) Subaru Rally Team USA driver Dave Mirra will be the lone team entry in this weekend’s 2010 Oregon Trail Rally based in and around Portland, Oregon.  A previously scheduled engagement with the Nitro Circus Live tour in Australia precludes Subaru driver Travis Pastrana, the 4-time defending Rally America National Champion, from competing at the Oregon Trail Rally. Mirra currently holds 4th Overall in the 2010 Rally America National Championship standings while teammate Pastrana sits in 2nd having won the last round of the series, the Olympus Rally, late last month.

Pastrana will headline Nitro Circus Live in Australia this month, a series of stadium based events that will feature action sports stars performing never before seen tricks and stunts in a spectacular live action format.

The Oregon Trail Rally, round four of the 2010 Rally America National Championship, features over 115 miles of competition run over the course of three days.  The action kicks off this Friday in Portland with a night of fan-friendly mixed-surface stages at Portland International Raceway.  The bulk of the rally however will take place east of Portland in the Mt. Hood area on technical and flowing gravel roads. The ever changing Pacific Northwest weather adds to the challenge for drivers and crews.  Area roads can get extremely muddy and wet with rain; however, it is just as possible for them to be dry and dusty.

Mirra, driving a BFGoodrich Tires-shod 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI enters the Oregon Trail Rally on a high note after having earned his best-ever national finish at the previous round , the Olympus Rally, where he placed 3rd Overall..  ”I can’t wait to get out to the Oregon Trail Rally and pick up where I left off at Olympus. My pace was solid but I’m not where I want to be yet,” explains Mirra. “I’m progressively getting quicker and more confident in my new, more powerful Subaru [Impreza WRX] STI this season, but I feel I made a lot of progress at Olympus.  I’m hoping to find some more at Oregon and get a bit faster still.”  Mirra will again have co-driver Martin Headland sitting alongside.

Dave Mirra will meet fans at the Oregon Trail Rally Fan Appreciation Show this Thursday (May 13, 2010) from 11 am – 1 pm at Pioneer Courthouse Square in downtown Portland.   Later that same day, Mirra  and his #40 Subaru Impreza WRX STI raly car will make an appearance at Dick Hannah Subaru in the Vancouver Auto Mall from 6:00pm – 7:30pm for an autograph session.

The Friday Fan Spectacular at Portland International Raceway (PIR) begins at 6 pm kicking off with a Parc Expose (car display) where fans can view the competition cars up close and mingle with drivers. This will be followed by a series of mixed surface competitive special stages specifically designed for spectator viewing.

Event updates, news and results can be found at www.Rally-America.com starting Friday evening.  Nightly Subaru Rally Team USA updates and photo galleries can be found at rally.subaru.com.

Subaru Rally Team USA is proudly supported by Subaru of America, Inc., Subaru Tecnica International (STI), Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT), DC Shoes, BFGoodrich Tires, RECARO, Vision X, Alpinestars, Motul, Exedy, VP Fuels and Vermont SportsCar. For more information on Subaru Rally Team USA, as well as exclusive photo and video galleries visit rally.subaru.com and for the latest news follow the team on Twitter: twitter.com/srtusa.

Oregon Trail Rally Format and Schedule Announced

Monday, May 3, 2010

After an action packed weekend of competition at the Olympus Rally in
Ocean Shores, WA it was four time Rally America Champion and Subaru
Rally Team USA driver Travis Pastrana who took top spot on the podium.
Pastrana said, “This rally was hard from the start. It was definitely
the most intense field that we’ve had.” Rockstar Energy Mitsubishi
driver Antoine L’Estage keeps his Championship points lead with
another 2nd place overall podium finish for the third event in a row.

Next up for the national and international competitors is the Oregon
Trail Rally, Round 4 of the Rally America Championship, May 14-16. The
teams will have a short 3 weeks to prepare their cars for the always
challenging Rally event.

To introduce rally to those less familiar with this style of racing,
the Oregon Trail Rally event organizers will bring a display of
competitor cars to Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse Square on Thursday
May 13, from 11 AM to 1 PM.

The competition begins at Portland International Raceway (PIR) on
Friday evening at 6 PM with a series of timed competitive special
stages specifically designed for spectator access. “Our Friday Fan
Spectacle at PIR has developed over the years to be one of the best
rally racing spectator formats in North America. Spectators will have
the opportunity to see the cars and competitors up close with full
“pit access” at the car display (Parc Exposé) and feel the excitement
of Rally competition. We are grateful to Portland International
Raceway for their continued support”, commented Robert Mahony, Oregon
Trail Rally media officer.

Teams from across North America and Europe are scheduled to compete at
the three day event.
YouTube Gymkhana driving legend Ken Block has formed a new team,
Monster World Rally Team, and will test his 2010 Ford Fiesta on the
challenging Oregon roads. Block has the speed to win in Oregon. Will
this be his year to celebrate at the top of the podium?
BMX Legend and Subaru Rally Team USA driver, Dave Mirra, has moved up
to the powerful Open Class this season following a successful Super
Production class run last year. Mirra is well known in the action
sports community with a line of video games besides being the most
decorated X Games athlete in history.
Andrew “ACP” Comrie-Picard, always a fan favorite, will return in his
NOS Energy Drink Mitsubishi Lancer Evo.

Unlike circuit racing, Rally racing takes place mostly on temporarily
closed gravel roads, and the course is unknown to competitors until
they face the special stage at speed. Variable road conditions,
changing weather and the race against the clock must all be taken into
account by rally teams as they hurtle their finely tuned racing
machines through day and night.The three-day contest includes 16 timed
competitive special stages, with the action taking place at Portland
International Raceway on Friday and Hood River and Wasco County venues
on Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday morning starts with a 10 AM Parc Expose (display) at 2600 W.
6th St (immediately off of I-84 exit 83) in The Dalles. At 11 AM the
cars will leave at one minute intervals and head out to the forest
stages which includes the spectator favorite at Fir Mountain. Rally
fans in Oregon are familiar with this Hood River site, and 1000 fans
packed the hillside last year. Special parking and shuttles are being
implemented this year so that fans don’t have to hike a mile to the
spectator location. Oregon Trail Rally sponsor, Dick Hannah Subaru, is
graciously providing free hot dogs to fans at spectator locations over
the weekend.

After a service stop back in The Dalles the show moves out to the
Dufur area (15 miles south of The Dalles). A rally car service area
will be set up in the City Park, with spectating venues nearby.
Saturday’s action concludes in downtown Dufur at 7:30 PM with a “Rally
Street Party & Barbeque” in the city park open to all rally fans.

On Sunday, teams return to Dufur, with breakfast at the high school on
Court St. from 7:30 to 10:30, which will benefit the schools Activity
Fund. The breakfast is open to the public to come meet the rally teams
and enjoy a warm morning meal, while raising money for a great cause.
The motorsport action continues around the Dufur area all day, with
the champions taking the podium on Dufur’s Main Street around 4 PM.

Oregon Trail Rally Chairman Matt Tabor is excited about returning for
a second year to the beautiful Columbia River Gorge region of the
state. “Last year’s event was one of our best ever, the weather was
great and the competitors and fans loved our new location. We have had
great support from the people in Dufur and they are really excited to
have this event and the economic benefits for their community. We are
planning a great show for the town.”
Event Schedule:

Thursday, May 13
11:00 – 13:00 Rally Fan Appreciation Pioneer
Courthouse Square
Show
Downtown Portland

Friday, May 14
18:00 – 20:45 Fan Spectacular
Portland International Raceway
-Competition Stages

Saturday, May 15
10:00 – 12:00 Parc Expose Shop
n’ Kart, The Dalles
11:00 First Car starts Day Two
Shop n’ Kart, The Dalles
12:00 – 16:00 Competition Stages Hood River
16:00 – 20:00 Competition Stages Dufur
19:30 First Car Finishes Day Two Main St., Dufur
20:00 – 22:00 Rally Street Party & BBQ Main St., Dufur

Sunday, May 16
10:00 – 11:00 Parc Expose Main St., Dufur
11:00 First Car starts Day Three Main St., Dufur
09:00 – 15:30 Competition Stages Dufur
16:00 First Car Finishes Event
Main St. Dufur

Rally Headquarters: Shilo Inn-The Dalles. Phone: 541-298-5502

Additional information on the 2010 event and a downloadable “Spectator
Guide” will be posted on the events website,
http://www.oregontrailrally.com, as details become available.
Become a fan of the Oregon Trail Rally on Facebook for the most up to
date information.

–30–
About Rally Racing
Rally racing is one of the world’s most challenging and popular
motorsports. It is considered by many as the extreme sport of
automobile racing and it’s often described simply as “real cars, real
roads, real fast.” Unlike any other type of car racing, rally teams
compete in any weather, on challenging forest, mountain or desert
roads.
Racing takes place only on “special stages,” using demanding back
roads temporarily closed by local authorities for the event.
“Transits”, driven at normal highway speeds with teams fully subject
to all traffic laws, connect the “special stage” sections together
speeds. Vehicles can only be serviced and repaired at designated
“service” locations and for set periods of time.
Rally vehicles are production-based cars and trucks from
manufacturers around the world. All competition vehicles are installed
with mandatory safety features to protect the competitors. They
compete both for the overall victory and wins within a class structure
that groups together vehicles with similar performance.
Each vehicle carries a driver and a co-driver/navigator. Using a
detailed route book and a sophisticated rally computer, the co-driver
keeps the team on-course and advises the driver of any hazards ahead.
This role is as critical as the driver’s skill, since the team is
traveling at full racing speeds over roads they have never before
seen, in any type of weather.

About Rally America
Based in Golden Valley, Minnesota, Rally America sanctions the premier
rally racing series in the United States, the Rally America National
Championship Series. In 2009, Rally America will conduct nine National
Championship rally events at venues across the country, from Portland,
Oregon, to Bethel, Maine. Rally America competitors reach speeds of
well over 100 mph in modified street-legal cars on natural-terrain
courses of gravel, dirt or snow.

Additionally, through a partnership with ESPN, qualifying Rally
America drivers are invited to compete in the Summer X Games, the
annual leading action-sport event that is broadcast worldwide live on
ABC and ESPN. For more information, visit www.rally-america.com.

2011 Dakar Rally
New “Dakar” route has been presented – Volkswagen anticipates demanding terrain
The gruelling Atacama desert, the dizzying altitudes of the Andes, quick gravel stretches in “La Pampa” – the Dakar Rally’s third event in Argentina and Chile will go farther north than ever before. As title defender after its victories in January 2009 by Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz and in 2010 by Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz, Volkswagen anticipates even more demanding routes for its “hat-trick mission”. In 2011 the legendary desert rally will take the contenders to the borders of Bolivia and Peru, five of the twelve stage-finish locations are new on the route.

The legendary pampas, the Atacama desert and the dizzying altitudes in the Andes: title defender Volkswagen sees itself confronted with an even tougher route of the Dakar Rally from 02 to 15 January 2011. The third edition of the most gruelling challenge in worldwide motorsport to be held in Argentina and Chile will offer the entrants more varied desert sections, quicker gravel stretches and twistier mountain passes than ever before. Volkswagen had decided each of the two past Dakar Rally events in South America in January 2009 and 2010 with the Race Touareg in its favour and is thus the only automobile manufacturer to have won the legendary desert rally with diesel technology. In January 2011 Volkswagen will tackle “mission hat-trick” setting its sights on the big aim of clinching the third consecutive “Dakar” victory. In Paris, the organiser, A.S.O. (Amaury Sport Organisation), has now presented the route that is awaiting title holders Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (2010), Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (2009) and company.

“We welcome the new route of which we’ve now gotten a first foretaste,” says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. “There are two ‘Dakar’ principles: expect the unexpected and the next one is always the toughest ‘Dakar’. In view of even more demanding sand passages in the Atacama desert and a route that leads even farther towards the north into so far unknown regions the A.S.O. as the organiser of the Dakar Rally has more than stuck to its principles in this respect for the 2011 event again. Our biggest rival continues to be the Dakar Rally itself, but we shouldn’t underestimate our sporting rivals either.”

Chile’s vast north and Argentina’s legendary pampas as ideal off-road terrain

Far into the sandy depths of the Atacama desert, at high speed through “La Pampa” and all the way up to the borders of Bolivia and Peru: the 2011 “Dakar” route again delivers its typical superlatives. In 2011 the contenders will be in for a new adventure of even more varied desert passages. Besides featuring new classics like the white dunes of Fiambalá, the route scheduled before the only rest day will run up to the Peruvian border of Chile to the town of Arica and thus into a totally new type of desert for the first time.

But before, the rally’s start in Argentina’s metropolis Buenos Aires with built-in goose bump guarantee will be on the agenda. In 2009 and 2010 the ceremonial start marked one of many emotional highlights. The first special stage of the 2011 Dakar Rally will take place on 02 January 2011 between Victoria and Córdoba and feature somewhat well-known terrain for those who contested the event in previous years. Immediately afterwards, though, the “Dakar” will enter new off-road territory.

Through the mountain ranges and plateaus of the Sierras Pampeanas the route will lead via San Miguel de Tucumán to San Salvador de Jujuy – to new stage destinations and high up to the Argentine-Bolivian border. Along the Paso de Jama the rally armada will cross the Andes into Chile. Calama and Iquique which has been known as a “Dakar” component from 2010 – with its breathtaking arrival at the finish – form the final two stations before Arica which marks the northernmost point of all three “Dakars” held in Argentina and Chile so far.

Not until after the only rest day in Arica on 8 January 2011 will the competitive stages in the north of Argentina and Chiles be followed by familiar terrain and previously known towns at the end of the stages: Antofagasta and Copiapó mark the end of the legs in Chile. After the crossing of the San Francisco pass in the Andes back to Argentina Fiambalá, San Juan and Córdoba will be further towns at the end of the stages until, ultimately, on 15 January 2011 between Córdoba and Buenos Aires the 2011 “Dakar” winner will be determined and cheered by an emotional crowd on arriving in the metropolis with a population of three million.

“Mission hat-trick”: Sainz and company look forward to the new challenge

The route which is more demanding than before in view of the totally new types of terrains it features is welcomed by the current “Dakar” title holder. “Winning the Dakar Rally one day has always been a big dream of mine which came true last January after an extremely tough battle,” says Carlos Sainz who together with his Spanish compatriot Lucas Cruz clinched victory in front of his Volkswagen team colleagues Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk and Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford with the smallest lead of all time and – together with them – secured a historic one-two-three victory for Volkswagen. “Success always makes even hungrier for success. That’s why, in view of the new and promising route, I’m looking forward to returning in January 2011.”