Global Rallycross Championship 2012

[Stephen H]

Originally Posted by USRallycross

Sorry I have no insights at all into where the track will be located within the oval. My personal opinon is that it will be on the back stretch and will be wholly contained inside the oval and will not use the oval at all.

GRC will run (usually) on the same day as Nationwide - haven't seen the IndyCar schedule for Texas - and I personally can't see NASCAR letting anyone showering/dropping dirt anywhere near an oval.

Sorry I cant be of more help.


Mark

Thanks for the response, since found a Map that shows the infield circuit off the back straight, and guess there is more opportunity to build a track there, but it would not put the Rallycross in front of the main grandstand, and when I clicked on camping it shows this area as motorhome camping. But maybe that's for NASCAR, and not Indycar. Or maybe they will only allow camping there after the Rallycross and truck race on the Friday.

The camping Map shows two other ovals on the site, is it possible the Rallycross track will be built away from the main oval.

I seem to Remember that ASCAR would not allow a short oval for National Hot Rods to be built at turn 4 of Rockingham, Corby, so can't imagine Indycar will want any loose surface anywhere near the main oval.

I'll try emailing the circuit to see if they know. Thanks

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

From a teams perspective, it doesn't really matter as there isn't much crossover between the 2 series anymore. For Subaru it looks like Mirra is pretty much doing the GRC and Higgins is doing the RA championship.

I think it's more a pain in the butt for the fans that would be interested in both.

Yeah true, do Vermont Sportscar have enough of a support team to be in two places at once though? They need as many mechanics as possible when Mirra is behind the wheel!

Slightly off topic, but I'm glad to see Higgins back with SRT USA this year, be good to see him do X-Games again as well.

[tbtstt]

Apologies for the double post (and its nothing we didn't know already), but Block has officially confirmed he will be running the full GRC season in 2012, as well as select Rally America, Canadian Rally and WRC events.

http://www.rallycrossworld.com/2012/...move-official/
(Overly flashy video confirming the above is no doubt on the way! )

Think Block is much more suited to the GRC than WRC, hopefully they have ironed the kinks out of his car so he can have a decent crack at the season.

[USRallycross]

We will be making an announcement tomorrow afternoon UK time (about 3pm)........like Ken it will be the first of two releases.

BTW - Carl Edwards took pole for the Daytona 500 in a car on which we are an affiliate sponsor. Pressure on.....

Mark
Best Buy Racing

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by USRallycross

We will be making an announcement tomorrow afternoon UK time (about 3pm)........like Ken it will be the first of two releases.

Really making an annoucement this time?...


...cheers for the heads up, will keep an eye out!

[USRallycross]

Yep, really this time in just under 3 1/2 hours. Everything ready to go.

Mark
Best Buy Racing

[tbtstt]

Haha, cheers Mark!

Well, thanks to a pointer from someone paying more attention than me, I now note that Liam Doran is doing two rounds from the British Rallycross Championship and the European round (or should I say "Monster Energy International Rallycross Festival"? ) at Lydden Hill.

Hopefully Liam won't be the only full time GRC driver who will at least be making an appearance in European events in 2012.

[USRallycross]

Best Buy Returns to the Global RallyCross Championship


(Minneapolis, MN), February 21, 2012 - Best Buy Racing will return to the Global RallyCross Championship in 2012 with a two car team partnering with Olsbergs Motor Sport Evolution (OMSE) for an all out assault to bring the GRC title and X Games 18 Gold back to Minneapolis. Headlining the Best Buy team will be two- time World Rally Champion Marcus Grönholm who won three GRC events in 2011.The second Best Buy car will be driven by leading British RallyCross Championship contender David Binks who finished third in the 2011 championship.

“We are excited to be back in the Global RallyCross with Marcus and David,” said Mark Williams of Best Buy Racing “it is exciting that in 2012 the GRC will reach a broad demographic from fans of the X Games to the larger NASCAR audience. This is the start of a multi-year relationship with OMSE leveraging the GRC’s global expansion as a great way to promote Best Buy Mobile and the Best Buy brand generally.”

“I am really pleased to be competing in the GRC with Best Buy Mobile and OMSE” said Grönholm who claimed a silver and bronze medal at X Games 17 in the Best Buy Fiesta, “although I won some races last year that is not good enough. I have always wanted to win every time I get in a car and I have some unfinished business in the GRC.”

“I have had a demanding fitness routine over the winter and I know OMSE has continued development of the Ford Fiesta. The competition has stepped up both in the Best Buy team and the field in general. I can’t wait to take Best Buy Mobile to the top of the podium.”

Grönholm spent the 2011 season with Best Buy Racing in the GRC and in 2012 will be joined by David Binks the young Englishman who ran several events with Best Buy backing with his family team before moving over to an OMSE run Ford Fiesta.

“This is a dream come true for me,” said Binks who will turn professional with the team. “The GRC is where everyone wants to be and to partner with Best Buy and OMSE is a great opportunity for me to challenge for wins and ultimately the championship. I will have a little adjustment to US courses and to the jump, but Marcus was a great teammate at Lydden last year and I look forward to working with both he and Andreas again.”

“I am really pleased that Best Buy and Marcus are coming back in 2012” said Andreas Eriksson, team principal of Olsbergs MSE and the architect behind the Olsbergs Ford Fiesta domination of X Games 15,16 and 17. “I’ve know Marcus a long time and He is a perfectionist and he pushes everyone, including himself, to be the best they can be – and then to be better! That just raises the game for everybody which is good. I enjoyed running David last year and he showed at Lydden that he has the pace. I think he will surprise a few people this year.”

[tbtstt]

Great to hear that Binks has secured a full time drive with Best Buy for 2012, but a shame to see no mention of any UK or European events in that press release.

Having had it confirmed that the plans for the Best Buy team are so GRC-centric, I assume that means that the other OMSE entrants (specificially Foust) will be on a similar calendar.

[RallyCrossNoob]

or cars in general (that's what living in NYC does to you) however I'm thankful to you guys for keeping the information coming.

I am going to be doing some work that concerns the GRC, so I hope you guys don't mind answering the silly question or 1,000.

thanks!

[I Rosputnik]

Welcome to the forum, if you want to learn about rallycross then might I recommend this to begin with.

If only there were Group B's in the GRC...

(I couldn't find one of the world of sport videos.)

[NaBUru38]

Hey, the Autosport website took both the Best Buy and Monster rallycross announcements. Getting them to talk about GRX is quite a success.

- o -

Hello, RallyCrossNoob! I hope that you enjoy your time here in Ten-Tenths. If you wish, you can visit other sections in the forum to discuss several motorsport activities from several disciplines around the world. Good luck!

[rallyloverke]

Good luck to the "Best Buy Guys" in America!

[Down F0rce]

Sooo there is not actually going to be an NYC event?

[USRallycross]

No, there is no event in NYC. The deal with SMI stopped discussions for an event in the metro area.

It does show the profile of the series that Autosport picked up both the Block and Best Buy news story and ran a feature on GRC and why drivers are going there. If anyone knows how hard it is to get into Autosport then you will also know the step forward the GRC has taken.

Eight weeks to the first race.......


Mark

[King Arthur]

It has been a very long time since I posted, commented upon anything to do with Rallycross but I must say that what Mark has achieved is quite exceptional. As a very early member of the ERA we all had such hopes but Mark has actually brought them to market. Well done. In my days as the Sphere Drake co ordinator we had such plans fior Rallycross albeit in Europe. Dear Arthur Debenhams always said the sport had the potential and now Mark it appears you have achieved what we had all hoped for but not achieved. My hat goes off to you and Maggie and I wish you all the best you have finally achieved what so many of us felt was possible but could not arrange. Well done. By the way whilst it MAY in the short term harm the ERC I beklieve in the long term it will add to it. Look at Bike racing with series on either side of the pond with an annual final alternating between each continent. Oh maybe I m thinking of the Ryder Cup. Just imagin that. Wishing everybody a safe and successful year

TW Ex International Clerk of the Course and the man who brought Sphere Drake Insurance into Rallycross

[USRallycross]

King Arthur - thank you for the kind words. There is still a lot of hard work to do but I believe we are on the right path. I listened to Arthur for 25 years and a lot of that energy and enthusiam burns within me everyday.

Mark
Best Buy Racing

[chasing cars]

Its a shame we wont see the Best Buy Fiestas in the UK this year but then I guess there is no point in marketing something that is no longer available in this country. Still it would be nice if there was a GP this year that Binks could return for that, surely some unfinished business there.

I will be interested to see how David gets on. Until last years GP I never really rated him that high as a driver but then maybe he hadnt had the machinery to show off his talent.

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by chasing cars

Its a shame we wont see the Best Buy Fiestas in the UK this year but then I guess there is no point in marketing something that is no longer available in this country. Still it would be nice if there was a GP this year that Binks could return for that, surely some unfinished business there.

Yeah, fully agree with you there. Looking at the scheduling I think a return appearance from Gronholm at Lydden in August seems unlikely as well.

Pity, as I was hoping he might try and do North Bend on one wheel this time.

Any word when we will see an official annoucement from Foust? There are a few comments on Facebook (not sure how legit they are!) indicating that he might still be doing a few rounds in Europe?...

[AndyS]

Originally Posted by chasing cars

Its a shame we wont see the Best Buy Fiestas in the UK this year but then I guess there is no point in marketing something that is no longer available in this country. Still it would be nice if there was a GP this year that Binks could return for that, surely some unfinished business there.

I will be interested to see how David gets on. Until last years GP I never really rated him that high as a driver but then maybe he hadnt had the machinery to show off his talent.

Agreed the team made a spash at the GP and bought the element of professionalism that the BRC craves. Again agree with you on Binks, I didn't think he looked much cop, but I changed that opinion swiftly after watching him in the GP final. Looking forward to seeing him improve this year, if its shown anywhere other than ESPN in the UK. Best Buy still have an online business in the UK, I think, so you never know they may put in an appearance.

[USRallycross]

David would love to race in the UK this year but it is a matter of logistics. It doesn't make sense to ship cars back and forth and our season ends pretty late. Also - the format of the Grand Prix this year really doesnt work to our advantage.

Interesting comments re David's ability and the change especially over the GP weekend. I think we all under estimate the difference in being a true privateer as David has been compared to working with OMSE. You can brake later for that corner and take that chance when you don't have to personally pay for the consequences (of course some people can afford to pay for the consequences - but David isn't one of them). At Lydden his splits were comparable with Marcus and if he hadn't made the mistake at the Elbow I am not sure Marcus had an answer to him in Heat 2. The same was true of the test in Sweden.

It is all mental! At the GP I could see David was braking to early for the top corner - about the same as everyone but Liam and Andy - and I told him to brake later and not too worry if it went wrong. He did just that and our split time was much better. Andreas then told him I had him braking too early and he went deeper - and the splits worked again. I saw David visibily grow in confidence during that weekend and I think on Sunday he drove the best of his career and it leaves me really excited about what he can do this year because expectations are low when compared with Gronholm, Foust, Pastrana, Block, Issachsen, Doran, Deegan and so on. I am confident he will surprise.

For those of you with long memories will know that David raced in Minicross when it was stupidly competitive and in those evenly matched cars his talent stood out. That is what I remember. Now he has the car and the team to deliver on that talent.

And of course out of the car he is a sponsors dream - except for that damn accent which he will soften for American audiences!

Mark
Best Buy Racing

[AndyS]

Yeah, shame about the GP but I think it has something to do with an event breaching the noise restrictions last year and Croft losing a day. The knock on was Croft having to move the Xmas Stages Rally to January, therefore giving them one less day this year. I may be wrong but I think it may have been the GP that caused the problem, hence the reason they have been reduced to one day this year. Maybe completely wrong on this though and apologies if I am barking up the wrong tree.

Back on topic, any word on TV highlights being shown anywhere else other than ESPN?

[B Friendly]

In my eyes David has always been an exceptional driver, it was just the machinery that let him down and also his budget compared to other drivers. (well after his Minicross days anyway!)

Huge congratulations go out to him and everyone involved!

Now on the subject of accents, you can take a man out of Newcastle, but you can't take Newcastle out of a man!

Long live Rallycross, the best form of motorsport EVER!!!

[gas305]

Have to say that David Binks i feel despite the question mark from others regarding his talent, will fit perfectly with the American media circus. He is a true gent and has a genuine warmth and that will endear him over the pond.

Met him and his dad just a couple of times in the paddock at lydden and his PR (even with that EVO) was second to none, photos of my kids in the car, signed photos etc etc. He is the real deal. Understand completely why faith has been placed in him.

Also despite being a suvverner, i can understand every word!!

Good luck to him, he achieved his dream, something we can all aspire to.

[bigted]

Good to see a couple of Ex BTRDA runners hitting the world Stage