Global Rallycross Championship 2012

[tbtstt]

So, as with last year, a flashy new marketing leaflet has hit the internet in anticipation of the 2012 GRC series:

Global Rallycross 2012 Brochure

Assuming I am reading it correctly (page 7) it seems there will be 7 events in the 2012 season:

21/04/2012 - Las Vegas
05/05/2012 - Chicago
20/05/2012 - New York
02/06/2012 - Atlanta
30/06/2012 - Los Angeles (X-Games)
01/07/2012 - Los Angeles (X-Games)
15/07/2012 - Dallas ("X-Games rallycross"?)

This leaflet is showing two classes for next year (limited and unlimited - page 13), but doesn't seem to mention the 2wd class we saw in the GRC this year?

[Carsandmotorracing]

Seems interesting, I prefer the cars in Global Rallycross than european series that's for sure.

[AndyS]

Wow! Very impressive marketing material, looks to me like there is some serious money going into this. Very interested to see how this develops, they seem to have cottoned on to the fact that to appeal to the younger market you need to use modern media, something that most other forms of motorsport have been very slow to react to. Hopefully, they'll make full use of You Tube, at least I'll get to see some of it then. Unless highlights turn up on Motors that is.

[USRallycross]

Not a very practical schedule. Races every two weeks may work elsewhere but not in a country the size of the US. Also, from a sponsor viewpoint - and we had no input into this despite being the biggest sponsor (with Rockstar this past year) - we can't activate around the events so close together.

Sponsorship and expectations from it are very different over here and we expect the same output and results as we get from NASCAR......

.....now talking of NASCAR who saw the 'leak' on "Jayski" that spoke of Ford working with NASCAR to take over rallycross in the US?!?!?!? Now we sponsor the #43 Ford Fusion of Petty Motorsports in NASCAR Sprint Cup but that isn't the reason why I have been to far too many NASCAR events this year!

I can't confirm rumors but I can say as a sponsor and a fan I want to partner with NASCAR. 2012 will be exciting.....

Mark

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by USRallycross

Not a very practical schedule. Races every two weeks may work elsewhere but not in a country the size of the US.

But Nascar does races nearly every week for 10 months!

Originally Posted by I Rosputnik

I think they should develop rallycross in South America next after looking at the viewing stats.

No matter what our politicians claim and our militants desire, South America isn't a unified continent like Europe or North America. This year, the South American Rally Championship cut from 6-8 races to 4 because very little entries got to be at all races. This year grids grew a lot, but there isn't much media coverage.

Chile has a very healthy championship because of Mobil backing, Argentina now has locally-built cars (Fiat, Chevrolet, Ford, Peugeot) as the main class rather than Mitsus and Subarus... but this goes very slow. We don't have as many bold investors as in North America. And Brazil is a continent itself, we Spanish-speaking countries don't get much news about them, including rally.

The only way for rallycross to grow here is to partner ESPN or Fox Sports, and host the races together with existing rally championships. Chile has a super stage final event in Santiago. Buenos Aires, Rio and/or Sao Paulo could have one. Córdoba, San Luis and Curitiba could as well, but no matter the large motorsport crowds, they are rather low density places.

[USRallycross]

And as a result the cost of competing in NASCAR is excessive for many sponsors and forgot independents......

[I Rosputnik]

Interesting comparisons between it and other championships. The only thing that comes close is the WTCC. Great to see them sticking with the ERX regulations as well, because if this thing is to work as a next world championship then they going to need to attract drivers from from as many national championship from around the world as possible. Plus unlike touring cars which has championships running to different regulations, creating one global regulations should help to create a global market for buying second hand cars. I do hope in a few years time as well we see a Super 1600 class in the GRC. This should allow for rookies to see how they do at the highest level.

It's interesting looking at the stats as well. I think they should develop rallycross in South America next after looking at the viewing stats.

So I'm left wondering, when GRC finally becomes international, would there be a national US rallycross championship in its place? It would give new drivers and teams a good starting platform and when there's a GRC round nearby they could mix it up with the GRC drivers similar to when the ERX goes to countries with national championships and the locals take part.

As for the jumps, I'm hoping that they don't over do them. It's a great feature for a few tracks, but I can see it working for every track...

[rx-guru]

Global views…
BTW, is the Irwindale vs Global/ESPN/RallyCar issue off the table now?

[tbtstt]

The close proximity and huge distance between events does seem a bold move as the only regular competitors are going to be the big dogs of the GRC.

The NASCAR association is interesting to hear. I can't see any information on "Jayski's" site, so I assume the "leak" got pulled?

Can you confirm that the 2wd class has been dropped for next year USRallycross? Whats up with the second "X-Games Rallycross" in Dallas as well? Any details at this stage?

Originally Posted by I Rosputnik

Great to see them sticking with the ERX regulations as well

If I understand correctly there are some aspects of the GRC cars that would not comply with ERC regulations? rx-guru or one of the other long-termers may be able to confirm that though.

[rx-guru]

AFAIK they only follow the ERC rules rather freely. Some cars are not homologated with FIA and not on the 'Eligible for RX' list of FIA, therefore they do not comply with our rules in the first place. Saw pics of cars with spaceframe parts that would also not be allowed in the ERC. However, as I have never been over I do not know much about the cars of the US boys.

[USRallycross]

I was not consulted on the GRC release so cannot speak to the X Games in Dallas although this looks like a typo. Given how much ESPN covet X Games, I am pretty sure that is not impressive.

I think there will be a 2WD class and have spoken to 2 manufacturers who aren't in rallycross right now who want to run works teams but will only compete in 2WD.

NASCAR is a very exciting option......

[NaBUru38]

Since ESPN is backing it, I believe it could stand on red for two more years.

[NewYankee01]

can i just say that when i watched the US round on espn i must say the commentator was absolutely diabolical of the highest order,

one of my issues with him when he was talking about gronholm taking his joker lap as follows

first lap "gronholm must take his joker lap, (later on in the lap), he didnt take his joker lap he must take it before the end of the race or risk being dq'ed (next lap) will he take his joker lap NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO, he has to take his joker lap the next lap or the lap after." eventually he did it was even worse than hearing americans on football i ended up switching it off. i turned it back on and had the rest of the programme on mute.

[NaBUru38]

Well, Andrés Agulla and Alex Pombo were amazing as usual for us Spanish-speakers.

[NaBUru38]

Meanwhile, on GRX official website...