GRC Round 2: Barcelona, Spain - 19/05/13

tbtstt · 13 May 2013, 17:45 (Ref:3246829)

Less than a week to go to this now so, even though forum interest may not be that high, I thought I'd start a new thread for the event.

Track looks a lot tighter than the Brazilian track (which I personally don't see as being a good thing), but this event sees the return of Subaru (hopefully with a more competitive car) and the competition debut of MINI.

List of invited athletes is up on the ESPN page...

http://xgames.espn.go.com/xgames/eve...vitedathletes/

...and currently looks like this:

Steve Arpin
Ken Block
Brian Deegan
Liam Doran
Tanner Foust
Toomas Heikkinen
Sverre Isachsen
Bucky Lasek
Anton Marklund
Bryce Menzies
Dave Mirra
Travis Pastrana
Nani Roma
Carlos Sainz
Patrick Sandell
Scott Speed
Guiga Spinelli

Anyone want to hazard a prediction for the win?...

I Rosputnik · 13 May 2013, 17:55 (Ref:3246842)

Any European rallycross regulars racing, minus the usual suspects?

**FIRE** · 13 May 2013, 18:21 (Ref:3246856)

What car will Nani Roma drive?

PhergAthor · 13 May 2013, 21:06 (Ref:3246945)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE

What car will Nani Roma drive?

WRC spec Mini

juha205 · 14 May 2013, 02:38 (Ref:3247066)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE

What car will Nani Roma drive?

A MINI proto that he drives in the Spanish Gravel Rally Championship, with Mitsubishi engine & running gear, the same that was seen at Montalegre. Only over 400-450 hp, but may be enougth for that slalom track...

tbtstt · 14 May 2013, 08:09 (Ref:3247161)

The MINI ready to race...

ebby · 14 May 2013, 16:15 (Ref:3247338)

Will there be live TV on ESPN? hopefully this time without skateboarding interupting it.

bigted · 14 May 2013, 17:42 (Ref:3247367)

Sunday afternoon espn us,

NaBUru38 · 14 May 2013, 18:18 (Ref:3247393)

Nani Roma and Carlos Sainz -> OMG!!!

What car is Dave Mirra and Sverre Isachsen driving?

paul1982 · 14 May 2013, 18:59 (Ref:3247421)

Mirra and Isachsen in Subaru Impreza but i tought now build by Gunarsson
Roma indeed in "dakar" rebuild car not in WRC spec....

Distracted · 14 May 2013, 19:42 (Ref:3247466)

The track looks super tight. I have a feeling it's going to be carnage. (

No pun intended there!)

tbtstt · 15 May 2013, 07:59 (Ref:3247726)

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul1982

Mirra and Isachsen in Subaru Impreza but i tought now build by Gunarsson

Have all three Scoobs been built by Gunarsson, or just the Isachsen car?

tbtstt · 15 May 2013, 10:15 (Ref:3247775)

Forgive the double post, but I just spotted this article mentioned on Facebook:

http://www.motorsport.no/wip4/isachs...748&id=2129854

I'm not sure how accurate Google translate is (or how accurate the article is in the first place!), but a few interesting lines:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motorsport.no Article

Dave Mirra and top Norwegian skater Bucky Lasek as team-mates, and all three sets with upgraded cars in Barcelona.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motorsport.no Article

We have upgraded last year cars quite a bit. I had a very good test in the United States outside of Boston for a couple of weeks ago. The car is significantly better than last year, and in addition, we are in the process of building a brand new car, but this is not done yet. I'm going to run it later in the season

All three with "upgraded" cars, but the "brand new car", is that the Gunarsson car? Is it not finished yet?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motorsport.no Article

In addition to the races in the GRC Sverre Isachsen hopes to be able to stand for the start of the European Championship round in Norway or Sweden.

I will soon begin testing of the new car, and an alternative is to take the Norwegian or Swedish EM round like some kind of test with this car.

Isachsen possibly back in Europe in a Subaru then?

**FIRE** · 15 May 2013, 12:13 (Ref:3247806)

Maybe Gunarsson was just hired as a consultant to help with improving the existing cars?

Quote:

Norwegian skater Bucky Lasek

Lasek is from Norway?

tbtstt · 15 May 2013, 13:24 (Ref:3247855)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE

Maybe Gunarsson was just hired as a consultant to help with improving the existing cars?

Possibly, though the off season talk I recall reading about, and the article by Bill Bywood from a few weeks back...

http://www.bybillwood.com/subaru-grc...b_source=pubv1

...imply otherwise:

Quote:

Originally Posted by ByBillWood.com

In March I learned from several sources that three-time European Rallycross Champion Sverre Isachsen, who came to the Subaru Puma program last year, had a Subaru car at the Ingvar Gunnarsson Motorsport AB shop in southwest Sweden. I was told it was a shell, I was told it was his 2012 Subaru Puma Ralllycross team car being studied for development and another rumor had it the car was in the corner of the shop waiting for development money.

Sverre would only say it was a Subaru and it was being prepared for the new season. He wouldn’t tell me if it was a new construction, a rebuild or a development mule. Gunnarsson Motorsport built the Ford Focus monsters that Isachsen used for his consecutive ERC championships from 2009 to 2011. He has enormous confidence in one of the most successful rallycross shops in the world.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ByBillWood.com

The questions now: Which cars will show up at Barcelona and/or Munich? And where were they built?

Though that article gives us more questions than answers really.

I was hoping the new Subaru webisode series would give move details, but its only made a passing reference to the GRC thus far. I have noticed a number of comments from David Higgins and Sverre with regards to testing, all of which imply that it was done in the US. Quite likely on last years car(s)?...

**FIRE** · 18 May 2013, 18:27 (Ref:3249487)

Dorans Mini:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydeNQ0ehPoU

Distracted · 19 May 2013, 15:55 (Ref:3249861)

Dirt tracks, no good? Masses of dust last time, this time it is raining and the track is just mud.

**FIRE** · 19 May 2013, 17:12 (Ref:3249914)

Who won?

Distracted · 19 May 2013, 17:48 (Ref:3249944)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE

Who won?

No-one.

Race has been cancelled because of the rain:

Quote:

X Games Barcelona ‏@xgamesbarcelona 14m
NOTICE: Technicians have determined the impossibility to repair the damage caused by rain. The RallyCross final has been cancelled.

**FIRE** · 19 May 2013, 18:02 (Ref:3249956)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Distracted

No-one.

Race has been cancelled because of the rain:

Was there no track action at all or did they only cancel the final? I can't find results.

QuarterRik · 19 May 2013, 18:05 (Ref:3249958)

This is rallycross for heaven sake, no Nascar!! Artificial bullschit, if they would use the regular circuits this would not happen.

Distracted · 19 May 2013, 18:10 (Ref:3249961)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE

Was there no track action at all or did they only cancel the final? I can't find results.

No racing at all. They did have cars out on course, but the mud and slick tyres meant everyone was just sliding around. I think they'd have tried it if there had been different tyres available.

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuarterRik

This is rallycross for heaven sake, no Nascar!! Artificial bullschit, if they would use the regular circuits this would not happen.

I know- but because this is part of X-games, they're making their own course.

The track was stupidly wet and didn't seem to be draining at all. http://instagram.com/p/ZgErrgM8_0/

Couple of tweets from Toomas Heikkinen:

Quote:

Toomasheikkinen LIVE ‏@topicrossLIVE 2h
its like driving on ice but much worst at the moment. Slicks tyre on mud is not the easy condition.

Quote:

Toomasheikkinen LIVE ‏@topicrossLIVE 2h
Its raining heavily again! Cars go max 20km/h on track... red flag

chunder · 19 May 2013, 19:25 (Ref:3250001)

Lol

I was almost crying with laughter when I read this!

What a load of rubbish

I Rosputnik · 19 May 2013, 19:28 (Ref:3250003)

I still can't get over the fact they were using semi-slicks considering the track was at least 90% dirt.

Distracted · 19 May 2013, 19:57 (Ref:3250020)

Tweet from X Games:

Quote:

X Games ‏@XGames 3m
Unfortunately, due to heavy rain & resulting adverse course conditions, the Ford RallyCross competition at X Games Barcelona was cancelled.

Two problematic races in a row at X Games makes me a bit worried- they will drop things they don't think perform well. I'm sure rallycross isn't at that point but it still can't be good for the sport. I think this is the sort of thing that makes other motorsport fans dismiss the sport.

I can't believe that they only have one type of tyre. I think that's an X Games thing and it's pretty stupid. Have a dry tyre and a wet tyre. Least then they can run and keep the fans (and sponsors) happy.

I do think it's interesting that there's been nothing from the drivers yet. I bet they're not happy, seeing as this race is part of the GRC series.

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