Colin McRae in ASCAR!

Speedworx · 21 Aug 2002, 18:20 (Ref:363461)

WORLD RALLY HERO TO COMPETE AGAINST EUROPE’S TOP OVAL RACING STARS

Colin McRae, Britain’s first World Rally Champion, will contest a round of the ‘Days of Thunder’-style ASCAR Championship in 2003.

The 34-year-old Scot had hoped to compete in the series during the Rockingham 500 ASCAR event on September 13/14 – which also marks the return of CART to Britain – at the 1.5-mile banked oval but was foiled when the date clashed with a test for the Ford Rallye Sport team and also with family commitments.

The plan was to run McRae, who won the World Rally Championship in 1995 and currently lies second behind Marcus Gronholm in this year’s title battle, in a Ford Taurus next month after taking a rookie test during the week leading up to the September event.

McRae said he was disappointed to miss out on the chance to compete against some of Europe’s best racing drivers in the V8-powered, 500bhp American-style stock cars but intends to try again next year. “It would have been good to do it,” McRae said. “But the test in Italy is really important for us. I’m sure there’ll be some time next year when we can sort something out for me to have a crack at ASCAR.”

McRae has come close to racing on circuits in the past and professes to be interested in trading rally stages through forests and water splashes with the wheel-to-wheel, bumper-to-bumper combat of ASCAR racing where speeds can reach 175mph.

“Five-litre, V8 engines at 175mph would be really good fun,” he admitted.

Jason Plato, the British Touring Car champion, who currently lies in second place in the ASCAR series, also looks forward to competing against the World Rally star. “It’s fantastic to have Colin coming,” he said. “He will go very well. He’s world class and when you are that good in one series you are good in anything.

“He might find it a little scary. Then again, he’s loop the loop, so maybe not!”

Bob Berridge, head of ASCAR organisers Oval Racing Management, said: “We have a car prepared and ready for Colin. It’s a shame he isn’t able to take part at the Rockingham 500 event, but we look forward to seeing one of the best drivers in world motorsport competing against Europe’s best in oval racing next year.

“It just goes to show how ASCAR has captured the imagination of drivers and fans alike. After proving what a great series ASCAR is this year, and with the quality of drivers like Colin McRae lining up to take part in the series, ASCAR is certain to be bigger and better than ever in 2003.”

Fantastic, even it if is for 1 round.

MrTTraces · 21 Aug 2002, 18:33 (Ref:363462)

yeah it would be good to see him racing in it

Lee Janotta · 22 Aug 2002, 00:37 (Ref:363463)

Oh man! This is gonna be a hell of a crash!!!

gazzarallie · 30 Aug 2002, 09:45 (Ref:368923)

british touring car championship would be more fun to watch him race in

Liz · 30 Aug 2002, 10:55 (Ref:368965)

I agree with gazzarallie -- but he may be in that next!

I wonder if someone has pointed out to McRae that the guy who refused to go one on one with him has said that racing on ovals is "too dangerous" (as is rally, sports car racing, etc.)? Does Colin McRae know what "too dangerous" actually means?

Good for him though for trying all kinds of racing and I hope he does well.

P.S. He's not taking Nicky with him, is he?

SJ Spode · 31 Aug 2002, 09:55 (Ref:369716)

Quote:

Originally posted by Liz
P.S. He's not taking Nicky with him, is he?

They do have 2 seater ASCARs (or the facility to fit 2nd seats), so why not. The pace notes could be repetative though.

Speedworx · 31 Aug 2002, 14:51 (Ref:369901)

Colin would rock in an ASCAR meeting and he should have told Ford to use someone esle for the test.

How about having Nicky in another car. Then we would see who drives better, Colin or Nicky.

Liz · 1 Sep 2002, 13:17 (Ref:370388)

I can't wait to see Colin and Nicky on a superbike!

rdjones · 1 Sep 2002, 17:51 (Ref:370624)

Quote:

Originally posted by gazzarallie
british touring car championship would be more fun to watch him race in

He has already tried that one a few year ago and punted one Matt Neal of the track...................

**touringlegend** · 1 Sep 2002, 21:26 (Ref:370759)

And got disqualified, the races he was in was at Knockhill.

Liz · 3 Sep 2002, 11:12 (Ref:372028)

Well, at least he is consistent. (He'd have won if he'd taken Nicky with him to remind him to calm down.)

SJ Spode · 9 Sep 2002, 12:07 (Ref:376354)

According to wrc.com, Colin McRae's deal to race ASCAR at the CART meeting this weekend is back on

Apparently McRae had an hour-long rookie test in the ASCAR two-seater before taking to the 1.5-mile oval in the car he will be racing next week.

Reigning BTCC champion Jason Plato had gone out earlier in the same car to set a benchmark time and the Scottish ace rose to the challenge by smashing it by 0.4 seconds. McRae's final time of 36.4 seconds is the fastest ever time recorded by a rookie at Rockingham!

Amongst the comments McRae made after his test were
"I found the concrete wall a bit more comfortable than the trees on a rally stage."

and when asked how he found it driving without co-driver Nicky Grist, Colin replied: "It's quite peaceful actually!"

StuiE · 9 Sep 2002, 12:23 (Ref:376367)

Wonder what Jason was thinking! being beaten by a "rookie" in the car he has been racing all year!

Colin should be right in the think of it in the race, he can only get faster from here!

SJ Spode · 9 Sep 2002, 12:27 (Ref:376372)

You can only hope from Jason's perspective that he put in what he thought would be a good bench-mark lap. If he was 'going for it', I'd hate to hear the reaction in the Bintcliffe garage.

imull · 12 Sep 2002, 23:23 (Ref:379154)

according to motorsport news. macrea raced in btcc and finished 9th and fifth at knockhill. he also set the fastest evedr lap by a "learner driver" at rockingham (somwherer else i saw it was alo one of the quickest ever but not too sure).

SJ Spode · 16 Sep 2002, 08:46 (Ref:381338)

Well on Saturday Colin proved what we all knew; that rally drivers are the best in the world.

After qualifying mid-pack he set about the ASCAR field and was up to 5th before a puncture dropped him to the back again. Undaunted he came back and as others did themselves (and each other in) he came through for a strong 6th place finish.

It was a great drive and next we want to see him in a Touring Car or maybe even a Champ car.

Liz · 17 Sep 2002, 00:25 (Ref:382038)

"I found the concrete wall more comfortable," said McRae, "than a row of trees on a rally stage." Now there is a man who knows no fear!

Well done Colin, and let's see you up front at San Remo now.

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