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Category | Rallying |
---|---|
Country | United States |
Inaugural season | 2005 |
Folded | 2018 |
Last Drivers' champion | Dave Brown (2018) |
Last Teams' champion | Racer Dave Rally Racing |
Official website | rally-america.com/ [usurped] |
The Rally America National Championship was the national championship of rallying events in the United States. The inaugural season was in 2005. Rally America was also the name given to the organization that sanctioned the championship, was briefly rebranded to RallyCar in July 2010, [1] then reverted to Rally America the following year. 2018 was the final year that Rally America sanctioned a rally event. In 2019 Rally America briefly became a media organization with the stated goal of promoting rallying in the United States before pausing all social media posts and shutting down its official website.
Rally America was founded in 2002 by CPD Rally Team owner Doug Havir, who provided scoring and reporting services to the Sports Car Club of America's ProRally Championship. The two companies worked in tandem until the end of the 2004 season, when the SCCA withdrew its involvement in U.S. stage rallying. The SCCA then made the decision to sell all commercial and sanctioning rights to Rally America.
In 2005, the inaugural Rally America National Championship was run, incorporating most of the events previously sanctioned by the SCCA. [2] In 2011, Vermont businessman Bill Fogg took over ownership of Rally America from Havir. [3]
Race | Years involved with Rally America |
---|---|
Colorado | 2005–2009, 2017–2018 |
Lake Superior Rally | 2005–2009, 2013–2018 |
Rally Wyoming | 2017 |
Mount Washington Hillclimb Auto Race | 2014 |
New England Forest Rally | 2007–2016 |
Ojibwe Forests Rally | 2005–2009, 2013–2016 |
Olympus Rally | 2007–2012, 2015–2016 |
Oregon Trail Rally | 2005–2016 |
Pikes Peak Int'l Hill Climb | 2005 |
Rally in the 100 Acre Wood | 2006–2018 |
Sno*Drift | 2005–2018 |
Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally | 2005–2016 |
Wild West Rally | 2006 |
Season | Champion | Car |
---|---|---|
2005 | Patrick Richard | Subaru Impreza WRX STI |
2006 | Travis Pastrana | Subaru Impreza WRX STI |
2007 | Travis Pastrana | Subaru Impreza WRX STI |
2008 | Travis Pastrana | Subaru Impreza WRX STI |
2009 | Travis Pastrana | Subaru Impreza WRX STI |
2010 | Antoine L'Estage | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X |
2011 | David Higgins | Subaru Impreza WRX STI |
2012 | David Higgins | Subaru Impreza WRX STI |
2013 | David Higgins | Subaru Impreza WRX STI |
2014 | David Higgins | Subaru Impreza WRX STI |
2015 | David Higgins | Subaru WRX STi |
2016 | David Higgins | Subaru WRX STi |
2017 | Arkadiusz Gruszka | Mitsubishi Mirage R5 |
2018 | Dave Brown | Subaru 2.5 RS |
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The points are awarded based on final position, as well as achieving a point for starting the race and one point for finishing the race. Thus, finishing a race will automatically earn the driver three points: one for starting, one for finishing, and one for coming in 10th+ place.
Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th+ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Points | 20 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Rally America did not maintain manufacturer scoring or provide recognition for vehicle successes. Most cars are selected by their drivers or teams with the vast majority being entered without any special involvement by their manufacturers.
Subaru was an integral part of Rally America from its inception. The Subaru WRX STi version of the Impreza vehicle, had already become the most numerous competitive rally car in North America. Subaru became a sponsor of the series and many prizes and other incentives were provided by the company both for rally in general, and Subaru driving teams in particular. A fully stocked parts truck was dispatched to all national events, offering Subaru teams unique access to parts and expertise on scene. There were discounts on parts for teams using Subaru Rally Team USA parts. [4]
Mitsubishi was Subaru's primary competitor in North America, with its Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution series of cars. In the hands of competitive drivers, the Evo proved a challenge to the larger quantity of WRXs, often edging into top three finishes.
Ford Motor Company has had a long history in rallying item rallycross both World Rally Championship and in North America. Ford made a unique appearance in American rallying at the 2009 X Games. Driven by Tanner Foust, Ken Block and Brian Deegan, three open-class Ford Fiestas were dominant (two of the three claimed podium positions) throughout the weekend. Block, the eventual winner, praised the car, while Foust has said he would like to see a factory-backed Ford Racing team competing regularly in Rally America. [5] For 2010, Ford announced that they would be sponsoring a Fiesta in Rally America and the X-Games. [6]
While not often contending for top overall spots they were good cars for those contesting the two-wheel-drive championships and for beginners. The Volkswagen Jetta, Volkswagen Golf and Volkswagen Beetle all had many appearances and much success in Rally America events.
The Scion Rally xD debuted in the two-wheel-drive category at the 2010 Oregon Trail Rally with Christopher Duplessis at the wheel. In 2011, Duplessis switched to a Ford, and the Scion xD was piloted by Andrew Comrie-Picard. [7]
In 2009, Rally America narrowed down the number of championships. The regional rallies have many categories split into two events, such as 2 Wheel Drive being split into a separate championship for Group 2 and Group 5, as well as the addition of an Open Light. A list of the full rules can be seen at the Rally America website. [8]
The engine is turbo charged and must be based on a production engine with the power being limited by the use of an inlet restrictor. The body must be recognizable as the original car. There is a minimum weight also enforced dependent on the engine. [8]
2.5L or less naturally aspirated 4WD production vehicles with no minimum weight. Like the open class the body must be recognizable as the original car. [8]
The chassis generation must match the appearance and modifications of the car. Thus, one can take a chassis from a 2006 Subaru WRX and put a 2003 WRX shell around it, but all parts must be allowable for a 2003 WRX. Engine displacement cannot be more than 2.6 liter with multipliers, and a limiter is placed on any forced induction system. A minimum weight is also enforced. Many other parts can be replaced, as long as they are an option from the manufacturer. [8]
These are based on the old FIA Group 5 and Group 2 standards. Both are limited on weight, displacement, and must be based on cars with a production of 1000 per year. Power may be sent to either the rear wheels or the front wheels. [8]
The Subaru Impreza is a compact car that has been manufactured by the Japanese automaker Subaru since 1992. It was introduced as a replacement for the Leone, with the predecessor's EA series engines replaced by the new EJ series. It is now in its sixth generation.
A World Rally Car is a racing automobile built to the specific regulations set by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and designed for competition in the World Rally Championship (WRC). The cars were introduced in 1997 as a replacement for Group A regulations used in the manufacturers' championship, and were replaced by Group Rally1 in 2022.
Subaru Tecnica International, or STI, is Subaru Corporation's motorsports division. STI, along with Prodrive of the UK, specialized in the preparation of a variety of vehicles for the Subaru World Rally Team which competed in the World Rally Championship (WRC). It was founded in 1988 by Subaru Corporation, the parent company of Subaru, to promote the company's performance-oriented identity.
Mark Johnathon Lovell was a British rally driver. He won the 1986 British Rally Championship in a Ford RS200 Group B, the 1987 and 1988 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, the 1988 International Dutch Rally Drivers' Championship and the 2001 SCCA ProRally Drivers' Championship in the United States. He also won the 2003 Pikes Peak Rally only two weeks before his death.
The GT World Challenge America is a North American auto racing series launched in 1990 by the Sports Car Club of America. It has been managed by the SRO Motorsports Group since 2018, and has been sanctioned by the United States Auto Club since 2017.
The Subaru Impreza WRX STI is high performance specification model of the Subaru Impreza compact car line, manufactured by Japanese automaker Fuji Heavy Industries Subaru.
Sno*Drift 2005 was a car rally held on January 28–29, 2005 as part of the Rally America ProRally and ClubRally series around Atlanta, Michigan. It was the 19th Sno*Drift event held, and the 16th to be held as part of a national series.
Tim O'Neil is an American rally racing driver, and the winner of five production-based North American rally championships. He has driven both as a privateer, and as a factory driver for Volkswagen and Mitsubishi.
Tanner Lee Foust is an American professional racing driver, stunt driver, and television host. He competes in rally, drift, ice racing, time attack, hill climb and rallycross with multiple podium placements, national championships, and world records. He was a co-host of the American version of the motoring television series Top Gear.
Kenneth Paul Block was an American professional rally driver with the Hoonigan Racing Division, formerly known as the Monster World Rally Team. Block was also one of the co-founders of DC Shoes. He also competed in many action sports events, including skateboarding, snowboarding, and motocross.
Subaru is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Subaru Corporation, the twenty-first largest automaker by production worldwide in 2017.
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The 2010 Rally America season is the sixth season of Rally America. The season consists of 6 rallies and began on January 29, with the Sno* Drift National Rally in Michigan. They will also be hosting 3 rally-cross competitions in the fall at New Jersey Motor Sports Park. The Rally in the 100 Acre Wood had Ken Block in a Ford Fiesta was the first time in 10 years that Ford has been on the podium. It also marked the first time since 2004 that a Subaru was not on the podium, and the first time in history that a Subaru has not won the championship.
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Subaru Motorsports USA is Subaru of America's motorsports arm that participates in events in the United States and its operations are managed by Vermont SportsCar, previously Prodrive.
SCCA Pro Racing is the pro racing division of the Sports Car Club of America. SCCA Pro Racing was formed in 1963; the company is a fully owned subsidiary of SCCA.
The second generation of the Subaru Impreza compact car was introduced in 2000 and manufactured up to 2007 by Subaru in Ota, Gunma, Japan, in both sedan and five-door Hatchback bodystyles, as well as two intermediate facelifts throughout its lifespan.
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The FIA World Rallycross Championship is a rallycross series organised by the FIA in conjunction with series promoter Rallycross Promoter GmbH. From the inaugural season in 2014 to 2020, IMG Motorsport fulfilled the role of promoter.
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