Global Rallycross Championship 2015

[crossfades]

Sebastian Eriksson will join Joni Wiman in GRC. Dejong is not listed in the team any longer, no idea why

http://www.omse.se/?p=908

[rx-guru]

Originally Posted by crossfades

Sebastian Eriksson will join Joni Wiman in GRC. Dejong is not listed in the team any longer, no idea why

Difference of opinions.

[Distracted]

I'm convinced that GRC is slowly turning into NASCAR.

http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com...-red-bull-grc/

[USRallycross]

I don't think it is turning into NASCAR as much as it is struggling to gain a foothold and they are trying a new format to see if they can get some excitement on TV.

As someone around at the start of this, IMHO it went wrong pretty quickly. In the first full year (move past the Rally-America events in New Jersey) the series allowed a mix of true SuperCars (OMSE, Jernberg, etc.) with in effect clubman rallycross cars (Moro, Keeney, etc.) This provided similar sized grids to what is there now and people to put their feet in the water.

The following year they in effect banned these cars in anticipation of new manufacturers coming in and new teams running customer cars for OMSE, etc. When this didn't happen the fields were weakened and it became more expensive than the US teams could/were willing to afford. Europe has a strong base to pull from - as WRX demonstrates.

Then circuit design got worse. I still love the original New Jersey track but that first year in Irwindale and Colorado and Dirtfish the courses weren't too bad. Not great (although Dirtfish has the potential) but not destruction in the first corner. That's what the temp tracks provide and just kill too many cars. Also reduces the amount of loose and that is what everyone finds spectacular.

I have lots of friends who make their living from GRC but struggle to see it going much beyond this season or next. Three years ago I would have been excited to see Ganassi come in but without more teams coming up it is a Ford show (yes, I know VW are in for now). Hopefully Audi will have a team take on some cars but losing the privateers three years ago was a step backwards.

As someone writing the checks we couldn't justify the investment.......


Mark

[Distracted]

Thank you for your insight. It's nice to hear from someone who is involved. I'd love to see GRC doing really well.

Some of the courses have been terrible. It got to the point where I'd look away from the first corner because you just knew it was going to be a pile up.

[tbtstt]

Interesting post there USRallycross. I have struggled to get into the last couple of GRC seasons, but although my interest has faded I assumed support for it was growing in the US.

[Distracted]

They seem to be bringing out a few new things this week:

http://www.redbullglobalrallycross.c...-red-bull-grc/

[NaBUru38]

Dodge closed all their factory efforts.

General Motors is doing Nascar, IndyCar and IMSA. They don't really need rallycross.

Hyundai ... I don't really understand what they are doing in WRC. It's rahter expensive and media coverage is minimal. They are focused on sponsoring soccer and college sports.

Toyota is busy with Nascar, truck racing and drifting.

Honda is doing IndyCar and IMSA.

Fiat, Mazda and Mini should be in.

[Distracted]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Dodge closed all their factory efforts.

General Motors is doing Nascar, IndyCar and IMSA. They don't really need rallycross.

Hyundai ... I don't really understand what they are doing in WRC. It's rahter expensive and media coverage is minimal. They are focused on sponsoring soccer and college sports.

Toyota is busy with Nascar, truck racing and drifting.

Honda is doing IndyCar and IMSA.

Fiat, Mazda and Mini should be in.

I don't think Fiat (USA) have a car that would work- they only sell the 500 (and variations thereof) in the US.

[NaBUru38]

The 500x?

[Distracted]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

The 500x?

I think it's too tall- it's about half a foot taller than a Polo.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Distracted

I think it's too tall- it's about half a foot taller than a Polo.

Being obviously the wrong shape didn't stop Suzuki with the SX4 in the WRC (or the Ignis in S1600 for that matter!). If you want in then you go with what you've got!

[NaBUru38]

Or the Mini Countryman.

[Distracted]

The Beetles are moving from a 1.6 engine to a 2.0.

What’s New in 2015: This year’s Beetle will see a jump in horsepower, part of the switch from a 1.6-liter engine to the larger 2.0-liter powerplant. Aside from that, the key difference for Foust is that he’ll start the season with the Beetle instead of using the rented Polo for much of the year.

http://www.redbullglobalrallycross.c...-tanner-foust/

Should be interesting to see what happens as a result. I felt from the start that it was too big to use a 1.6 engine (unlike the Minis) so I'm glad to hear it.

[Distracted]

Map for Ft. Lauderdale-

Looks quite tight. Looks like there might be room for some passing though.

[FIRE]

The FIAT 500 from a Polish driver never materialized?

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Distracted

The Beetles are moving from a 1.6 engine to a 2.0.



http://www.redbullglobalrallycross.c...-tanner-foust/

Should be interesting to see what happens as a result. I felt from the start that it was too big to use a 1.6 engine (unlike the Minis) so I'm glad to hear it.

From now they use the same engine as Marklund?

Marklund, KMS and EKS have all their own engine builder?

[Distracted]

Originally Posted by FIRE

From now they use the same engine as Marklund?

Marklund, KMS and EKS have all their own engine builder?

No idea, but I did just find this:

New this year, the team has chosen to change the engine specification from the Beetle GRC race cars that ran in 2014. In place of the 1.6-liter turbocharged and intercooled TSI® four-cylinder engine, there is now a 2.0-liter TSI engine that produces 553 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, compared to 544 hp and 387 lb-ft for the 2014 car.

http://www.redbullglobalrallycross.c...season-opener/

[Wild Dog]

Originally Posted by Distracted

Map for Ft. Lauderdale-

Looks quite tight. Looks like there might be room for some passing though.

Looks quite boring to me. Not enough dirt and basically just 4 turns.. Hmm.

[FIRE]

No joker lap?

[Wild Dog]

Originally Posted by FIRE

No joker lap?

It's in the hairpin to the left. Marked with the white stripe in the middle of the turn.

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by Wild Dog

Looks quite boring to me. Not enough dirt and basically just 4 turns.. Hmm.

And not enough jumps and bumps.

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by Distracted

Map for Ft. Lauderdale-

Looks quite tight. Looks like there might be room for some passing though.

Looks like a microscopic Lydden Hill!

[Distracted]

Originally Posted by tbtstt

Looks like a microscopic Lydden Hill!

Apart from it's all flat... and they'll likely have better weather.

[crossfades]

KMS use Trollspeed engines.
http://kms-racing.com/nyheter/nyhets...volkswage.html

Marklund also use Trollspeed engines I believe. EKS could be having manufacture engines from Audi since much of the car also was built in Germany but not sure there either.