Sutherland Battles at the 2010 Gorman Ridge Rally

Posted on September 4th, 2010 by admin

Round 3 of the California Rally Series Rally Moto series took place in Frazier Park,
California as riders competed in the 2010 Gorman Ridge Rally. Universal Rally
rider Andrew Sutherland won this event in 2009 and was looking for a repeat victory.

Learning from last years race, Andrew selected a lighter more maneuverable rally bike
that could better cope with the rough and twisty roads of the Gorman Rally; sidelining
his KTM Enduro in favor of a Husaberg 450. There was a dramatic drop in power by
switching to the smaller bike but it was offset by the increase in handling prowess of the
revolutionary “Berg”.

The learning curve was steep but by the 3rd stage Andrew was able to post a stage time
less than a second slower than the leader, Bike Bandit sponsored rider Chris Martin.
Andrew pushed again on stage 5 and took the stage win by 6 seconds. Staying close
throughout the event, the duo tied on stage 7, down to the hundredth of a minute!
However, Andrew couldn’t consistently match Chris’s pace and ended the day in what
is becoming a familiar position this year, 2nd place. With the championship wrapping up
at the Prescott Rally in October, there is little hope of breaking Chris’s firm grip on the
championship lead.

“This was one of the most competitive rallies I’ve been in, cars or bikes”said Andrew.
“It was a lot of fun battling Chris for the “W”and I tried my best to make him earn it,
which he did”.

Andrew also stated that this may be his last year competing in Rally Moto events, on a
regular basis. “I want to get back in the car. After returning to bikes and pushing myself
for 2 years I realized why I switched from racing bikes to cars back in 2001. I’m not
willing to take the big risks required to truly go fast on a bike anymore, self preservation
seems to kick in sooner as you get older. With my MBA program wrapping up in the
spring of 2011, I’ll have more time to dedicate to finishing my current rally car projects
and running some events.”
www.universalrally.com

Special Thanks:

www.evolutionracewerks.com
www.rallydata.com
www.californiarallyseries.com
www.gormanridgerally.com
www.bikebandit.com

Gorman Ridge Rally entry now open

Posted on July 5th, 2010 by admin

Dear Competitor,

We are pleased to announce that entry is now open for the 2010 Gorman Ridge Rally presented by Subaru Western Region. The event is round six of the California Rally Series and round four of the United States Rally Championship. The Event is also the third of four events in the BikeBandit.com CRS Moto Championship for motorcycles. Once again, Gorman Ridge will be the place, “where new rally legends are born”. Visit the event website at www.GormanRidgeRally.com for details and the online entry and volunteer registration.

Two years ago, we created the “Rally Rebate” program that offers competitors up to a 33% discount on their entry fee based on the total number of rally car entries starting the rally. This innovation helps both competitors and organizers by helping to ensure that events will not be cancelled due to low entries. To qualify for the rebate, your paid entry must be received prior to August 6, 2010.

An exciting new stage has been added in the Hungry Valley Park and we have redesigned several of the traditional stages to add variety and new challenges. This year the event will also include a new larger service. A two-pass recce will take place starting the morning of Friday, August 27. Along with the new roads, we’ll still have all the good-times, great competition, and mid-rally BBQ that have made this rally popular with competitors.

Rally Tennessee Race Was A Blast!

Posted on June 2nd, 2010 by admin

Rally Tennessee wrapped up the second round of the Atlantic Rally Cup and the Atlantic RallyMoto™ Cup over Memorial Day weekend in Perry County, Tennessee. The awesome all-paved tarmac course  winds through the hills of Middle Tennessee and is known for having the twistiest rally roads in the United States.

Two-wheel drive cars swept the podium on both days of racing. Doug Shepherd and Karen Wagner, in their powerful Dodge Neon SRT4, took first place overall and in the Open 2WD Heavy class. Shepherd said ‘It’s amazing how these roads really work you as a driver. We really used the whole road.’ Josh Wimpey and Jeremy ‘Worm’ Wimpey were only nine seconds behind in their Volkswagen Golf GTI and finished second place overall and first in the Open 2WD Light class. In a bright yellow Acura Integra Type R, Evan Moen and Billy Elliott Mann rounded out the podium with third place overall and second place finish in the Open 2WD Heavy class.

Other class leaders included Darrell Pugh and Jonathan Barnes with first place in the Open AWD Heavy class. Newcomers Jason Smith and Jared Lantzy finished first in Open AWD Light in a Subaru Impreza. Dmitriy Martynov and Jonathan Tinsey had an off course excursion on day one that had them stuck fifteen feet down in a ditch. They fought back on day two in their Eagle Talon to earn a first place finish in the Stock Medium class.

Diversity was visible in the RallyMoto™ competition – each competitor campaigned a unique motorcycle! Rider Bill Conger took first place overall and first in the RallyMoto™ Medium Modified class both days on his Aprilia RXV 5.5. Conger, the fastest rider of the weekend, unfortunately had his one and only crash right in front of the photographers on the Tree Farm Stage. Kurt Weigand followed in second place overall and first place in the Stock Medium class on his KTM 530EXC-R. Rally novice Ken Anderson finished third overall and second in the Stock Medium class on a Honda XR650.

The City of Lobelville hosted the event on Saturday with Pit Row featured on Main Street. Competitors, volunteers and the local community enjoyed the festival atmosphere and the free country music concert that night. Despite thunderstorms and rain, the event finished on a high note at Hot Rods & Cadillacs – with the final checkpoint inside the bar!

“Tiny Perry County has been slammed hard recently,” admitted Lobelville Mayor and Perry County Chamber Board member Robby Moore. “Of course, the Governor rescued us somewhat last year, as we were hit unemployment-wise and therefore, economically. Now we’re doing like all of Middle Tennessee and assessing and rebuilding in the aftermath of wide-spread, devastating floodwaters. Rally Tennessee offered a free holiday weekend of first-class racing and music, which was a well-needed, well-deserved blessing.” Proceeds from Rally Tennessee spectator guides, concessions, and t-shirt sales went to the local volunteer fire departments, a local Boy Scout troop and the Bobby Qualls Family Fund. Many local businesses reported feeling the impact of the event. For example, Chet’s Pit Stop doubled their sales on the Saturday of the event.

Back to back weekends for Rallymoto

Posted on May 26th, 2010 by admin

Rallymoto fans will have back to back weekends of Rallymoto goodness to enjoy starting in just a couple of days. Saturday May 29-30 the hills of Tennessee come alive with the annual running of the Tennesse Rally for 2010. This weekend features the longest mileage of any rally in the United States and it is all run on pavement. Go to the Rally Tennessee web page to follow along with the scoring and this year they have added text message updates for even faster results.
The following weekend Rallymoto runs out west at the North Nevada Rally. This features some of the best rally roads on the west coast that bike riders will love. These roads promise to be fast, smooth and challenging for riders in both California Rally Series Classes. The California Rally Series CRSMoto series is sponsored by Bikebandit.com and has a record number of entries for this event. Follow the links on the North Nevada Rally website to find live scoring updates.

NASA Rally Sport expands Rally Tennessee to be the longest rally in America

Posted on May 18th, 2010 by admin

Rally Tennessee, which takes place in Perry County on May 29 – 30, 2010, has expanded its route this year. Adding a new stage in the southern end of the county, a twisty course that runs parallel to a small stream before heading back up to the ridge, has made Rally Tennessee the longest stage rally in the United States. The course is roughly twenty percent longer than any other event in the country and includes a scheduled 158 miles of competition packed into two days. The all-paved tarmac course is very twisty as it runs through the hills of Middle Tennessee.

‘We’re pretty excited about it.’ says Anders Green of NASA Rally Sport. ‘All competitors love getting more racing. The amazing part is that this new stage starts only two miles from an existing stage, so the rally has remained very compact. Every rally driver, in their heart, really wants ten or twenty mile stages out in the woods. The drivers will get two chances to look at the roads, called ‘recce’, and then the race is on!’

Rally racing began in the early part of the last century, racing from one city to another. It was a free for all, with no defined route, and drivers were free to take whatever route they thought best, passing other daily traffic as they went. As the machines became faster, and reliable enough that the drivers didn’t have to carry a mechanic with them, the courses became more rigidly defined. As we entered the modern era of rallying in the 1970s, the events became flat-out high speed racing, and the roads are closed for the racing.

‘Perry County and the towns of Lobelville and Linden, have been very helpful to us.’ says event organizer Amy Feistel. ‘We have doubled the number of spectator areas available on the last day of racing, and we think that will help get more people coming out to watch. There will also be a free country music concert featuring T. Graham Brown in Lobelville on Saturday after the racing. We’re shooting for as much economic impact in the area as possible.’ Guides on where to spectate, with schedules and driving directions, will be available at Main Street Market Deli in Lobelville and Sanders Service Center in Linden. The free concert in Lobelville’s Music Park begins at 7:30pm on Saturday, May 29, 2010.

More information, along with how to get behind the scenes and even closer to the drivers as a volunteer, is available at RallyTennessee.com. The web site also has a sign up to receive text message updates on scores and activities during the rally.

Rally Tennessee is part of the 2010 Atlantic Rally Cup and the 2010 Atlantic RallyMoto™ Cup. International competitors from as far away as Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Ireland, Poland, and Russia join competitors from as close as Ohio, Florida, North Carolina and Tennessee. Rally Tennessee attracts novice and veteran competitors alike while spectators enjoy the variety of viewing locations throughout Perry County.

Registration now open for North Nevada RallyMoto event

Posted on May 11th, 2010 by admin

After some last minute details had to be worked out the organizers of the North Nevada Rally have opened registration for the returning event for 2010. The first running of RallyMoto was in 2008 and the rally took a year off in 2009. Entries can be submitted onRallyData.com. Information including supplemental regulations and schedules are posted on the North Nevada Rally website. June 4-5 is not very far off so make sure you get your bikes in order and your entry submitted. This is event has some of the best RallyMoto roads in the US.

High Desert Trails Rally – April 17th, 2010

Posted on February 8th, 2010 by admin

Rally competitors, husband and wife team of Kristopher & Christine Marciniak, will be once again running a regional rally on the CRS calendar for 2010. The High Desert Trails Rally will be a fun, affordable event. The rally will be held in Ridgecrest, California on Saturday, April 17th, 2010.

We’ll have a single pass caravan reconnaissance you can do in your rally vehicle, along with organizer supplied stage notes! An open service is planned after each stage to give you plenty of time to get your machine back on the course. Planning on attending the CRS Rally School? This event will be a great place to practice your driving, note calling, and newly acquired rally skills. Plus, we’ll be giving those drivers, co-drivers, and riders a discount for completing this year’s school!

Held just outside of town at the Ridgecrest motorsports park, the course is a 6 mile stage that has it all: fast and flowing sections, tight and technical, smooth and sandy. All freshly graded and ready to run. The day will be a coefficient 2 event. It will be open to all vehicles meeting NASA RallySport requirements, including RallyMoto bikes!

Are you ready for a fun, low pressure event? Are you ready to work on reading or driving with stage notes? Are you ready to practice what you learned at the rally school? Want to shake down your rally car or bike for the 2010 season? The High Desert Trails Rally in Ridgecrest California is the place! Stay tuned to our website at highdeserttrails.com for event info and registration. We can be contacted through email at: rally@highdeserttrails.com

Early entry will open (tomorrow) Monday, February 8th, 2010 – Click here for event pricing and details.
http://highdeserttrails.com/competitors/

Jonah Street Takes Seventh in Dakar Then Races with NASA Rally Sport

Posted on January 28th, 2010 by admin

Jonah Street just finished seventh at the Dakar rally in South America, and was the top competitor from the USA. After months of training, preparation, and two weeks of grueling racing in the Dakar, this hero deserves a break. But less than a week after making it back home to the US, he’s already planning for his next rally. Street is headed South again, only this time he won’t need a passport or a translator, he’s racing in the United States. The Sandblast Rally on February 6 in South Carolina, is his next stop.

Sandblast Rally runs in a similar format to the Dakar. Racing stages are separated by liaison sections. The main differences for Street are going to be the length and the navigation. Sandblast is only one day long, running from morning to night. The format of the rally is the same as a WRC rally event, so the stages are completely closed and there are no navigation choices to make during the racing sections. Relative to the Dakar, the Sandblast Rally is much more of a sprint, with the competitors covering 130 miles.

‘Our other racers are very excited.’ say Anders Green of NASA Rally Sport. ‘Like millions of other race fans, they have been watching Jonah on Versus for the last three weeks. Getting to race him, in the sandy conditions we have, is like escaping to Dakar just for a day. Other Dakar competitors have said that our stages remind them of the old Dakar Day 1 stages in Portugal, so I have no doubt that Jonah will jump right in move out to the front.’

Sandblast Rally is one of only a handful of rallies in the US that take part in NASA Rally Sport’s program called RallyMoto(TM), which allows motorcycles to compete on the same racing stages as traditional rally cars. This program started in 2007 and has exploded in popularity. For the last two years, Sandblast Rally has had the biggest entry fields of any rally in America.

Street’s machine, given his long relationship with the manufacturer, is no surprise: KTM. The 950 Super Enduro is built and ready for the trip to Cheraw, SC next week. The Dakar had a recent class rule lowering the allowed engine displacement, but large engines are still allowed with NASA Rally Sport. Some riders will be on BMW HP2 bikes with 1200cc engines. ‘A key difference,’ notes Green ‘is that since the format of our rally is so compact, we can have medical staff only a few miles away. Safety is still our primary concern for all racers.’

For Dakar fans that want to follow Street as he races next weekend, they can sign up for text message updates and get scores on SandblastRally.com For those folks lucky enough to live in the Southeast, they have a chance to meet this Dakar hero and watch him race in South Carolina. A testing session on the Friday before the race is open for viewing. Friday evening all competitors will have their race vehicles on display in Chesterfield, SC. The ceremonial start is Saturday morning in downtown Cheraw, SC. More spectating information is available on SandblastRally.com.

CRS Moto 2009 winners honored at awards banquet

Posted on January 24th, 2010 by admin

California Rally Series held their annual awards banquet last night and part of the ceremonies was awarding the trophies for the 2009 winners. In the Under 800 class Andrew Sutherland was champion, and in the Over 800 class Tim Hilsamer was awarded the the championship. The 2010 schedule starts in April with High Desert Trails rally and promises to be an exciting year of Rally Moto.

California Rally Series wraps up Rallymoto season at Prescott Rally

Posted on September 29th, 2009 by admin

The California Rally Series inaugural CRS moto season runs the final points race this weekend (October 2-3,2009). With four of the five entries in the big bike class there should be a good battle for bragging rights. This is first year bikes have run at Prescott, but the rally has a long history. This is the 22nd Annual Prescott Rally. Racing starts Friday afternoon and runs into the evening, where bright lights will be the biggest advantage.
Racing continues on Saturday with the majority of stage miles being run. For bike this will be a test of endurance and strategy to get to the end with the fewest mistakes made.
If you are interested in running or spectating all of the information can be found on the Prescott Rally site.