Video Post: Quantum Rally Sport dominates first ever Pro-Rallycross event at NJ Motorsports Park

This past weekend marked the very first-ever 'Pro' Rallycross event in the United States. The course was laid at using portions (some would say too much) of the Tarmac road circuit at New Jersey Motorsports Park, not terribly far outside of Philadelphia and Wilmington. The classes were broken down into 4wd / 2wd and a number of heats determined the final running of the A Main in each class.

Flying the flag for VW, Quantum Rally Sport absolutely dominated in 2wd, running an ABF 2.0 16v motor in their 1987 Mk2 Golf GT with ratty Toyos and many stage miles on the aged shell. The performance was so commanding that driver Josh Wimpey eventually slapped his GoPro on the roof of his old Volkswagen facing towards the rear, to at least capture some other cars for a portion of the 4-lap race. A few cars managed to hang on for about a half of a lap, but soon after there was nary a competitor in sight. Check out the action as captured from pretty much right above the driver's head.

The winner in 4wd was Tanner Foust in his Rockstar=sponsored Ford Fiesta. Check out the full report HERE.
Sound like fun? Well fret not, the second round is once again at NJMP on the weekend of October 2nd, just one week after H20 International. I'm going to make an attempt to go down and support Josh and the QRS crew, but the way things go with shows (I think I'm still wiped from Waterfest) I can't make any promises...

_WRS

Still on the scene...

Photo shoot at 5ptz...

Ferrari California in NYC

Video Post: Diesel power (wow)

Leave it to the Europeans to take drifting to the next level. Sheer insanity!

Another shot of the 16v, sunny and blue rather than cold and gray

A nice little carb'd 16v Jetta...

Fresh washed, setting sun...

V.A.G. Fair 2010 - It's this weekend, man

This weekend thou shalt get thyself to York, Pennsylvania for the the 4rd annual V.A.G. Fair - the brain child of the one and only Cory Sterling. Cory has helped out Jay Shoup with H20 International for years, and he's now put all that experience of working on arguably the best VW / Audi show in the country into his own little show, in his own backyard.

I won't be making it myself but it'll be worth it...new for 2010 is an SCCA Autocross (awesome) and old favorites like the show fields, vendor areas and...dunk tank. Don't forget that Pennsylvania is a serious strong hold of old-school VW heads, so there will be many older Mk1 and Mk2 cars that don't make it to all the other out of state shows.

It will truly be, as they proclaim, "A Cory Nation Celebration!" That probably means something about beer, just FYI.

V.A.G. Fair

_WRS

This weekend: ALMS at Mid Ohio

This weekend sees the return of LIVE FREE STREAMING of the American Le Mans' 6th race of the year, at Mid Ohio. Be sure to check it out tomorrow at 2:30 PM, Eastern. Sign up at www.americanlemans.com/live to take advantage. Coverage is thanks to our friends over at Falken Tire. As always you can listen on Radio Le Mans as well.

In qualifying today it was everything but Porsche, with the Ferrari's from Risi battling the Corvettes from Pratt & Miller, but the Italian horsepower trumped American torque and saw the two red F430 GTs sweep the front row. Corvette lined up 3rd and 4th, while BMW rounded out the top 7, with one of the Extreme Speed Ferraris sandwiched in between. Flying Lizard, with Patrick Long handling the wheel on the 45 and team principle Seth Neiman in the 44, could manage no better than 8th and 13 in class, respectively. Team Falken Tire struggled with the pace throughout all the practice sessions and it continued during qualifying, placing 11th on the grid, a mere 3-tenths faster than the Jaguar which has found quite a bit of speed. Although the big Jag still lacks the ultimate pace to take a podium or a win, the improvement is nothing more than huge in a program which has up to this point been a bit of a disaster.

Black Swan continues to dominate the GTC class, with Jeroen Bleekemolen wheeling the 2010 Porsche GT3 Cup to pole position.

The deck is stacked against the Porsches this weekend in GT. It will take a bit of a Miracle to pull out a podium let a lone a victory at Mid Ohio, but with the number of offs and cautions in practice they could prove to be the deciding factor in the race. Getting caught out and at the wrong place and time could mean a wrecked race car or at least being put at the wrong end of the pace car, which could mean artificially going a lap down. One puts you out of the race, the other instantly out of contention.

Should be a great show!

_WRS

Spotted in NYC: Mk4 Jetta

Parked just one block away from my apartment, this moody Mk4 Jetta was holding court over the local park. After taking the pic a group of nearby tween girls asked (somewhat aggressively) why I was taking their picture. I assured them I was not, I was taking a picture of the car. They looked at me as if I was crazier than if I had just said I was taking a picture of them.

More often than not, people who live in NYC just don't understand people who are into cars. That's why when people ask me what I do, I say 'computer stuff,' and leave it at that...

_WRS