Well, another year of X Games competition is in the books and as I write this, guys are probably hard at work removing all of that dirt from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Hey, how do they do that anyway?
As you might have heard, there have been mixed reactions to this year's rally competition, but we'll get into that later. For now, here's some of the action from practice on Friday.
I'm still a huge beginner when it comes to covering rally, so the first thing I did after arriving at the coliseum was take a walk through the pits and staging area. Three different car makes would be represented in the competition at X Games 16, Subaru, Ford, and Mitsubishi.
The mix included big factory-backed teams like Subaru, with star drivers Travis Pastrana and Dave Mirra…
…along with lesser known, but just as dedicated teams from the Rally America series.
For 2010, there was also a change of venue for the rally competition, with the Home Depot Center in Carson being left behind for the historic LA Coliseum.
The Coliseum is one of the most storied places in sports, home to two different Olympics, the Super Bowl, the World Series, and countless other events. It would be interesting to see how rally racing would fit in here.
Finally, it was time for the drivers to hit the dirt for practice. Here's the Tron-esque Impreza of Norway's Sverre Isachsen.
It turns out there'd be plenty of familiar faces from Formula Drift competing in this year's event. This Evo X was driven by Sam Hubinette in the new Super Rally competition.
FD driver Stephan Verider was also out, looking very strong in a "hawkeye" Impreza.
Of course rally veteran and FD rookie ACP was also back in the NOS Evo.
It wasn't just on the track where the FD drivers could be found. Here we see Cody Parkhouse, Ryan Tuerck, and Vaughn Gittin Jr. getting a look from the seats.
Vaughn was out to support his buddy Ken Block, who'd be taking his Ford Fiesta to the X Games for the first time.
The little Ford proved itself last year in the hands of drivers like Brian Deegan. (No ride height comments please!)
Not to mention Kenny Brack, who drove his Fiesta to the gold medal in 2009.
When I hear the word "rally", it's scenes exactly like this that come to mind.
After the drivers had been on track for a while, it was time to open up the jump for practice.
This is considered the highlight of X Games rally, and there was a lot of interest over how the cars and drivers would handle it.
So how did they handle it? Rather easily actually. From my vantage point the jump didn't seem as dramatic as last year's, and none of the drivers seemed to have any trouble clearing it.
It may have been smaller than last year's, but it's still a jump for crying out loud – and that means it's awesome.
That's a good note to finish on. I'll be back soon with a look at Saturday's competition. Don't miss it.
-Mike Garrett
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
F*ck me. you call this rally. This is just american FMX stars showing off, now Jyväskylä neste rally Finland, that is rally, my dear friends. Regardless that in next season they will be competing with those underpowered super 2000 cars.
Yea I must agree that once I read the names of most of theses drivers it sort of turns me right off. I mean I used to watch Pastrana and Deegan try and set new motocross records in the X Games and Dave Mirra would try to be doing the same on BMX. Now I am supposed to believe that they are some sort of professional rally drivers? In a stadium?! LOL. Throw a few cameras on Blocks ride and we'll have Gymkhana 3.whatever. You know I hope we can keep this a secret from the WRC guys they already hate America enough without us making the NASCAR version of a rally. Figures they would do it in a stadium as well since that means they don't need a navigator in the front seat for when they win. Watching X-games competitions over the years vs Olympics has shown me that unlike the Olympics where you compete for your country, in the X-games you compete for fame and ego. All these clowns were riding dirtbikes and BMX and winning medals years ago so they decided that wasn't enough they wanted to go pretend they could drive rally. Except to make it plausible for their skills and egos they had to make a tiny stadium track akin to their previous motocross outings and then take out the navigator part since the track makes that unnecessary (how convenient). Sorry but I lost my respect for the X-games years ago and honestly regardless of all that have you ever seen an Olympian try to get gold in two different sports? These guys are stretching for the stars too hard thinking they can conquer all these sports. The only reason they look competent is because they are racing against each other and they all are amateurs by WRC standards.
So this is supposed to be a rally cross event now?
I wish Martin Schanche hadn't retired as he'd show them off in the way Loeb does on the WRC.
Also, to real rally fans, Rally Finland was the big highlight of the weekend for sure.
I really enjoyed the rally rascing! It wasn't as good as last year, but it was still very cool to watch. Also, for those who are complaining about "X-games" and "rally" in the same sentence, what did you expect? It's a stadium, not a big forest with abandoned roads. If all you focus on little stuff, it's no longer fun. It's racing, in whatever form it's produced in.
At least we still get to see fast cars rip it up on a dirt track. Sure, Loeb would beat anyone in this lineup but lets see him do a double backflip on a bmx or in fmx...
And as for olmpians see here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Olympians_who_won_medals_in_the_Summer_and_Winter_Games
w00t ACP! I'm curious as to why he's switched back to his evo IX and isn't using his evo X. I remember seeing the IX back in 2007 (i think?) when it was still 100% stock lol...
Ken Block showin off his epic lack of talent yet again
@ Ville
This isn't rally, its X-GAMES
The rally event is about as close to Rally as the Big Air is to skateboarding. It's not sports, its a spectacle. Don't tell me this is your first time encountering this?
@ville: have fun with thos underpowered cars in Finland buddy. door to door racing with overpowered cars sounds alot more exciting. I dont care whos showing off. ON ANOTHER NOTE; Maybe Michael Schumacher feels better about losing to Tanner after hearing the Xgames results. HAHAHAHA
wallpaper of Sverre Isachsen's imprezza please :p
completly agree with both comments not a fan in the least bit
As a lifelong rally fan, i take offense to ken block's DC buddies calling themselves professional rally drivers... i mean, brian deegan?! come on. nothing against the guy personally, but they could not find a more mediocre driver to compete (he got lost on a closed circuit stage). I don't care if metal mulisha likes to compete compete in rally, no matter what their image might be, but what upsets me is when they are regarded as skilled rally drivers.
i hope this doesn't air in europe.
Reading the 3 comments so far I think people are forgetting that this event is just about having a bit of fun and winning a few medals. Colin Mcrae did this event before he died. He was a proper rally driver if I recall correctly. But I'd say he did X games for the fun aspect. Yes, a few may do it for ego, but I guess you can compare it with the current drift scene. You have some wanting to be the best because it's "cool" to be the best. And then you have the real proper enthusiasts who do it for the fun aspect. Don't make it so serious people, the Olympics is the serious one, X games is the fun one, don't forget that.
Sorry there Speedhunters... But I will have to agree with all 3 of the guys on top. I actually saw part of the race and in all honesty it was a joke. Some of the drivers even got "LOST" on the course... I mean really come on. I respect the driving skills of a lot of these guys like Block or Foust. But the track layout was crap, and not once was there a solid racing moment. X Games should stick to what they know... or throw these guys in with the Race of Champions and see who is left on top.
>Sorry but I lost my respect for the X-games years ago and honestly regardless of all that have you ever seen an Olympian try to get gold in two different sports?
Jackie Joyner-Kersee won multiple events in the Olympics.
Wayne Gardener did equally well in GP bikes, touring cars and JGTC.
As much as us mere mortals may despise it, some people are just good at controlling anything with engines.
I completely agree with you F3INT.
Those "rock-stars" are amateurs at best (Block included). A couple of Gymkhana vids and now he drives in the WRC, and doing poorly. He should stick selling shoes.
All these folks want is money and fame; very sad.
Maybe I should stop ranting and being so fvcking pessimistic all the time.....it seems that lately all my comments have been deleted to keep this site haters free. (Rod Chong or whoever monitors the responses, go ahead and delete once again my message). Way to go !
Stephan Verider's STI does it all, Drift, Roadracing, and now Rally Racing too. What's next? Is he going drag racing with it next? Talk about a do-all car.
It's disturbing to see people hinting at some kind of notion that tanner is anywhere near the level of Michael Schumacher.
" Swerv13 said:
@ville: have fun with thos underpowered cars in Finland buddy. door to door racing with overpowered cars sounds alot more exciting. I dont care whos showing off. ON ANOTHER NOTE; Maybe Michael Schumacher feels better about losing to Tanner after hearing the Xgames results. HAHAHAHA"
What are you calling underpowered? A modern WRC car? Juha Kankkunen was there at the 60th running of Rally Finland this weekend and he's rallied since the late 70's in the group 4 era. He's won championships in Group B and Group A as well as winning rallys in the WRC era. If anyone knows power it is him.
Juha was inceribably impressed at the corner speeds a modern WRC car is capable of. He said it was great to drive even though he drove Group B monsters.
Swerv13, you are comparing some side show event with talentless TV personalities to the greatest drivers in the world. And Tanner Foust never raced Schumacher at the ROC, it was Carl Edwards who can actually drive without working how he looks on tv.
Yeah I agree with some stuff that's been said. I'm quite a rally fan but this is nothing like the WRC. Not really a proper rally. Would make sense if it was put on as extra entertainment at say a super special stage (usually held in some sort of arena).
I agree. Absolutely disgusting reaction to this post. I'm ashamed to be grouped as a car guy with all of these childish posters. So disappointing.
that white suebee 523 flipped in the right last turn it was crazy he kept trying to drive afterward gotta love those suebees
Say whatever it has still produced some great driving moments like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gxo0xdR2uvo
Got to agree with Ville and F3INT here, Pastrana should stick to what he does best, there is no skill in this they should quit pretending.
Dave you're right about Loeb not being able to do tricks on a crosser, but you won't ever see him try because he knows he's a rally driver! These guys should go back to what they do best, it's embarrassing
Don't waste time EJ25, clearly some of these men don't know REAL rallying and understand that rallying is 2nd in development to F1 racing..YES, it is!!! Don't be fooled.
WRC cars started the whole turbo charging era back in the early 80's. Nothing is underpowered about them.
What you guys see in America aren't WRC cars, they're modded Evos and STI's. Learn something first b4 u diss a sport cause you guys ALWAYS do that on this forum and know NOTHING from the things you say.
Ken Block tried WRC this yr for Ford and what happened? He got torn to pieces cause rallying in America CANNOT be compared to WRC...
Grow up! Wah these guys are doing something that you all can't and you are just jealous of their opportunity to do this race. I doubt any of you could drive as well as these guys in front of a crowd of millions. Most other drivers don't have that pressure. If you thinly you can drive this well, then let's see you accel at any other sport like them. As car guys we should have respect for anyone with talent, and not blindly attack these drivers for doing what they do for their own reasons. Do you even know that these guys have been racing since before xgames rally. Travis and Brian race motorcycles on dirt. Tanner and Sam drift but they are still allowed to race? The first two have better reasons for doing rally. And ken has probably been racing as an amateur since before you stopped wetting your bed. These comments are full of haters. I'd much rather see these guys do their version of rally than watch any of you try to drive. Now let's have respect. We are all car guys and should respect each other. These guys all have talent and are performing in front of a bigger crowd than any other drivers and accomplish things that most other driver's can't. So quit being haters and show some respect to some talented drivers. Your childish reactions to this post are a disgusting example of how no one should act.
I agree with Bigjoe and F3INT, instead of Mirra, Deegan, etc, invite REAL RACING PILOTS, Rally, F1.WTCC,Rallycross doesnt matter any sport. im my opinion Block and Tanner were the best Americans,
Everyone says Block fails ,yes he failed on Rally but on SuperRally he was great after a bad start on heat 2 he managed 2 place to the Final B but the fiesta let him down on the last lap, and like Bigjoe said RallyAmerica cannot be compared with WRC, what did you expected from him World Champion?
Block was the one o said that he was competing on the the WRC to lurn with the best drivers because he didnt had a chance... and remenber one thing to be a Rally driver, on any rally championship WRC, IRC, RallyAmerica, any championship you need to have BALLS!! Forget F1, Rally is waaaay more dangerous than F1.
Next year lets hope for a BETTER track this year was a joke... im from Portugal and staid up until 4 am to watch it, i only liked SuperRally but i has nothing to do with European Rallycross
I would add that if Ken Block would stick to making shoes, it would be better.
If Brian Deegan would stick to FMX and his Metal Mulisha, that would be better.
If Dave Mirra would stick to BMX, that would be better.
....and yes, even Travis Pastrana, if that kid would stick to FMX or MX, that would be better.
The problem is; all of them realize that there is money to be made, some exposure and some spot light.
Everyone wants a slice of that pie that seems to get smaller by the day.
....the sad part is, kids nowadays are so gullible, they see Ken Block racing a Subaru in a desolated area and assume he's the shit.
If Ken Block, or any other drivers mentioned above were truly into cars and had passion about cars, they would have started racing since they were little kids.
holy haters lol
rally is no place for moto bros
i cant imagine how much of a joke this must be to real rally drivers
I bet all of you can beat these guys in this race... (rolls eyes)
Wow. I can not believe the disgusting comments on this. It's obvious that you hate on these guys because you are jealous of their opportunities. Show some love. We are all car guys.