Rallycross success stories

[Barrie]

Ive noticed alot of successful motorsport technology and preparation specialists have arrisen from rallycross. In my time as a rallycross fan Ive seen the rise of Ripspeed international(Keith Ripp), Xtrac, was first used with effect in Martin Schanche's original Escort Mk3, (Mike Endean), Quaife gearboxes (Mick Quaife and father), GTech, Will Gollop, sure there are many others.

[chunder]

Guess it is because there are few rules stopping people trying out new technololgy in rallycross, not so much now but certainly back over the years.
Rememebr Ford debuted the RS1600 in rallycross and developed the 4WD Capri.
Audi used rallycross to help with Quattro development and Citroen I am sure Kenny's car to have a look at $wd without doing it themselves.
Best one for me though is Ford. When MArtin Iversen was over here in the nineties M-Sport got involved with a semi-auto gearbox and clutch system the Glomma Papp team were trying.
And more recently the special gearboxex taht Peugeot,Ford,Hyundai were using in WRC where they were using concentric driveshafts and stuff were first used by Schanche in the green Escort that Jos Kuypers drove.
The idea is to cram all the workings into a smaller space by having input/output shaftfs running inside each other.
Total genius and Martin did it all before the WRC teams, no doubt on a fag packet aswell!!

[Barrie]

Rallycross drivers have always been very clever in there car preparation. Pit walkabouts you will just about always see the drivers getting there hands dirty. Martin Schanche designed all his own cars with fantastic success, he would often be one step ahead of the works teams on and off the track. You will still find characters in rallycross, unlike most other forms of motorsport, spoilt brat robots throwing tantrums if things don't go there way, thats why motorsport is in the doldrums at present.

[chunder]

Don't be so downhearted mate, there are racing categories that are still fun and the people are really approchable.
I was in the same position as you for a while until I found short oval racing and also bike racing taht is much more friendly.
I always found most forms of motorsport very *****y and out of reach.

[Hog]

Get back to banger racing. Real basic racing where having a larf and a crash is the order of the day.

No so technical though.........unless you consider squeezing me into a Volvo 244 to race as a technical challenge.

[chunder]

Fraid I'm not with you concerning bangers mate, can't stand the bloody things, used to be good but all a bit organised and racey these days.
You sit and watch them "Rod" race in the heats coz they don't get get damage for the final where the money is.
At least they are a good chance to go and look round the pits and have a chat!
Seriously though, I used love em when I was a kid but have had to sit through some seriously turgid banger races recently hence my hatred.
Fair play for having a go though mate, you are a braver man than me.
Check this out, in a recent Kings Lynn classic banger meet there was a guy in an Austin 1100 racing hearses, Jags and all sorts of stuff, bloody nutter!!

[Hog]

Where did you used to watch mate? There's still some good heavy action to be had out there. I was up at Hednesford Hills last weekend for the Civil War 5 - top meeting IMO.

If you want heavy then go to Wimbledon for the London Open in a few weeks time. 1600cc limit but usually one of the best meetings of the year for action.

[chunder]

Used to watch at Boston actually, mainly got into it because I used to race grass track cars so knew a lot of the local breakers in the area and got to know a few of the banger lads.
Some of those guys were brilliant drivers aswell. But once i started geting into the oval scene my aiiention was grabbed by things like Saloon Stox, F2 and of course F1
It has its place and I will admit that some of the guys are really good but it seems to have lost its appeal, especially as everyone uses the same cars!

[moyzer]

Aye, you can't beat a bit of banger racing for a laugh.
I was brought up with the Saturday night meetings at Aldershot before it became a by-pass (ironically called The Hogs Back!!).
In my late teens I would drag a few friends along to Paices Hill in Aldermaston, which with a good pebble and a tail wind, is a stones throw from my parents house. They still race there these days, albeit with a drastically reduced entry from what I can remember.
The locality of the track meant that on a typical Sunday afternoon each fortnight, the air was full with the distinctive sound of 2.8 Granadas on full chat around the dirt oval. A sound to behold!!

[Hog]

Now I REALLY must paint that on the back next time I race......

[Gnomex]

Hi Hog

If "Alcohol is the anasthetic under which we endure life" then pass the bottle. Second thoughts - make it a tanker...