A Farewell Message from The Checkered Flag 1 Nov 2024 3:43 AM (11 months ago)
After 15 years of bringing motorsport coverage to our dedicated readers, it is with a heavy heart that I must announce the closure of TheCheckeredFlag.co.uk. This decision hasn’t been made lightly.
The motorsport media landscape has changed dramatically since our inception in 2009. What was once a relatively modest space has become increasingly crowded, with numerous outlets competing for attention in an oversaturated market. While competition can be healthy, the current media environment demands resources and time commitments that, as an independent outlet, we find increasingly challenging to meet while maintaining our high standards.
Since our founding in 2009, TCF has grown beyond anything I could have imagined. What started as a passion project has evolved into a respected voice in motorsport journalism, and for that, I am incredibly grateful.
One of my proudest achievements has been providing a platform for talented journalists and photographers to showcase their work and develop their careers. It brings me immense joy to see many of our former contributors now working professionally in motorsport, covering events worldwide for major publications and teams. Your success is a testament to your talent and dedication, and I’m honoured that TCF could play a small part in your journey.
To our contributors past and present (full list at end): thank you for your tireless work, professionalism, and enthusiasm. Your commitment to delivering quality coverage has been the backbone of our success. Whether you wrote a single article or hundreds, each of you helped build this platform into what it became.
To our readers: thank you for your unwavering support over the years. Your engagement, comments, and passion for motorsport made every late night and every deadline worthwhile. You’ve been the driving force behind everything we’ve done.
While this chapter is coming to an end, the memories and achievements we’ve shared will always remain. I hope that in some way, TCF has contributed positively to the motorsport community and helped foster the next generation of motorsport media professionals.
Though the website itself will be closing, our vibrant community will continue to thrive through our Discord channel, Facebook community groups, WhatsApp channels, and Reddit presence. I encourage all our readers to stay connected through these platforms, where we can continue to share our passion for motorsport and maintain the strong community we’ve built together over the years.
Thank you all for being part of this incredible journey.
Vince Pettit
Founder & Editor
www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk
TCF Role Call
A massive thank you to all of our contributors since the inception of TCF, also to those media representatives along the way who have accommodated us.
Aaron Rook, Abel Cruz, Adan El-Farzazi, Adam Arbon, Adam Bath, Adam Johnson, Adam Morgan, Adela, Ahmad Al Harthy, Alasdair Lindsay, Alessio Campigotto, Alex Goldschmidt, Alex Griffin, Alex MacDowall, Alex Morgan, Alice Cipolat, Alice Holloway, Andrew Calder, Andy Champness, Anna Schuurmans, Archie Hamilton, Aron Smith, Ashley Cline, Ashley Hambly, Becca Stubbs, Ben Carr, Ben Huntley, Bethany Andrews, Bethonie Waring, Caitlin, Callum House, Callum Lewis, Callum Voisin, Carlton Danga, Charli Andrews, Charles Fox, Charles Oladeji, Charlotte Hardy, Chloe Grant, Chloe Hewitt, Chris Atikinson, Chris Gurton, Connor Edwards, Connor Jackson, Connor Stringer, Craig Boon, Craig Edwards, Craig McAllister, Craig Robertson, Craig Venn, Dai McCann, Dan Cammish, Dan Mason, Dan Wells, Daniel Ewart, Daniel Lawrence, Daniel Lloyd, Darius Needham, David Bean, David Pittard, David Rodgers, Denis Hardy, Dino Zamparelli, Dominik Wilde, Ed Spencer, Elfyn Evans, Ellie Jane, Emil Bernstorff, Emily Linscott, Emily Macbeth, Emmanuel Baako, Erick Hernandez, Fergus Mckie, Findlay Grant, Frank Parker, Fred Pettit, Gabe Perrin, Gemma Bray, George W, George Wilson, Georgina Yeomans, Grant Rivers, Griffin Schmoyer, Hal Messer, Hannah Ellis, Harry Slade, Helena Hicks, Hunter Bosworth, Ian Price, Jack Cunnane, Jack Finnie, Jack Mackenzie, Jacob Awcock, Jacob Bosley, Jacob Gill, Jai Fletcher, Jake Boxall-Legge, Jake Handley, Jake Kilshaw, Jake Nichol, Jake Williams-Smith, James Bowers, James Broomhead, James Calado, James Charman, James Clark, James Eagles, James Kirk, James Mc Cann, James Newbold, James Parker, James Singleton, James Strange, James Thomas, James Thompson, James Warnette, Jamie Arkle, Jamie Chadwick, Jamie Partis-Nelson, Jaquob Crooke, Jasmine Butler, Jean-Paul Hackett, Jess Shanahan, Joanna Cole, Joe Briley, Joe Diamond, Joe Ellis, Joe Finnerty, Joe Hudson, Joe McCormick, Jon Lancaster, Jonathan Whitney, Jordan Aylott, Jordan Groves, Jordan King, Jordi Wood, Joseph Borg, Josh Bell, Josh Cook, Josh Disborough, Joshua Close, Josie Smith, Justin Nguyen, Katy McConnachie, Kay van Berlo, Kelvin Naicker, Kevin Ambrose, Kieran Forrest, Kris Quinn, Kyle Hall, Laura Allard, Laura Tillet, Lauren Taylor, Leann Boone, Lee Bonham, Leigh O’Gorman, Linda Pettit, Louis Suddaby, Luke Davenport, Mark Byrne, Mark Cridland, Mark Foley, Mark Martin, Martyn Pass, Matt Bristow, Matt Jeffray, Matthew McMahon, Max Coates, Max Palermo, Max Pearce, Maurice Henry, Megan Cantle, Melissa Chappelhow, Michael Callander, Michael Passingham, Michael Trusler, Michael Tuohy, Mitch Gilbert, Mike Widdowson, Morgan Price, Nat Jarvis, Nathan Hine, Nathan Purchase, Nelson Espinal, Nic Hamilton, Nicholas Short, Nick Golding, Nick Oliver, Nick Richardson, Nick Smith, Nick Turner, Nigel Chiu, Oli Webb, Oliver Clarke, Olivia Dellar, Ollie Chadwick, Paolo Iantosca, Paul Hensby, Paul Turner, Peter Allen, Phil Beckett, Phil Kinch, Pontus Lindroos, Rachel Hack, Reece Barr, Richard Plant, Rico Lievens, Rob Durrant, Rob Every, Rob Jaina, Robert Jones, Robert Percy, Ross Messinger, Ross Sheppard, Ross Wylie, Ryan Ashenhurst, Ryan Lilly, Samuel Gill, Sara Smith, Sarah Jones, Scott Douglas, Scott Mitchell, Scott Wilkes, Seb Gigner, Senna Hamilton, Seth Hine, Shweta Grace, Simon Paice, Stacy Guiney, Steve White, Steve Wood, Steven Batey, Steven Knightley, Steven McAleer, Stuart Richards, Sudha Sundararaj, Tatiana Calderon, Taylor Powling, Tim Lumb, Tio Ellinas, Tom Cairns, Tom Errington, Tom Howard, Tom Ingram, Tom Jackson, Tom Jeffries, Tom Leach, Tom Surgay, Tommaso Zurli, Tony Lynch, Tyler Benoit, Victor Peraire, Will Aspin, Will Bratt, William Brierty, and Zoe Wenham.
Irwindale Speedway to close, hosting final events in December 30 Oct 2024 11:58 PM (11 months ago)
After twenty-five years, Irwindale Speedway & Event Center will close its doors for good. A final event, called the Farewell Extravaganza, will be held on 21 December.
Although popular, the track’s fate had been murky since its previous owners filed for bankruptcy in 2012. It resumed operations a year later before rumours about demolition came about in 2015. Another ownership change eventually kept it open under the leadership of Irwindale track champion Tim Huddleston and NASCAR team owner Bob Bruncati.
“Irwindale has been more than just a track—it’s been a home and gathering place for racing enthusiasts worldwide,” said Huddleston. “On behalf of my wife Lisa and our partners Bob and Maureen Bruncati, we extend heartfelt thanks to our fans, racers, sponsors, and the City of Irwindale for their unwavering support over the past 25 years. We’re grateful for every moment and memory we’ve shared as a community.”
Located in Irwindale, California, the track opened in 1999 as a half-mile oval with progressive banking in the turns. It also features a third-mile oval within and a drag strip.
From 2003 to 2010, the oval was used for NASCAR’s Toyota All-Star Showdown that brought together the top drivers from NASCAR’s regional divisions (currently the ARCA Menards Series East and West and the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). Notable victors include driver-turned-team owner David Gilliland, former ARCA title contender Michael Self, and two-time winner and eventual twice NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano.
The ARCA West Series has run a points race at the track since 1999 when it was Winston West; Sean Hingorani is the final NASCAR/ARCA points winner after sweeping the 2024 weekend in July. Points-paying stock car events were also held for the now-defunct NASCAR Southwest Series and the ASA National Tour.
The track is also considered one of the top venues for drifting. D1 Grand Prix held its inaugural round outside of Japan at Irwindale in 2003 in front of a sold-out crowd. A year later, it was on Formula DRIFT‘s inaugural schedule, where it had remained since. Its popularity has earned it the moniker “The House of Drift”.
Irwindale’s location near Los Angeles has also made the premises a common filming location for commercials and television series. The sitcom Malcolm in the Middle used footage from the 1999 Winston West Series race there for one of its episodes. The Titan Games, a short-lived sports competition hosted by Dwayne Johnson, conducted its first season at Irwindale.
Its closure leaves the already struggling Southern California racing market in a more precarious position. Auto Club Speedway, the region’s primary NASCAR hub, was closed and demolished in 2023 as part of a reconfiguration project to turn it into a short track, though progress has been slow. The contract to run the Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum also expired after 2024, moving it to Bowman Gray Stadium for 2025. Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in Bakersfield will inherit most of Irwindale’s remaining assets.
The drag strip’s final race will be on 5 December. The Farewell Extravaganza will include figure-8 races, drifting, and an ARCA West exhibition race.
2024 Baja 1000: Wouter-jan Van Dijk set for second attempt 30 Oct 2024 7:54 PM (11 months ago)
Wouter-jan Van Dijk stole the show at the 2023 Baja 1000 when he completed the full race distance on his own, with a motorcycle that barely passed SCORE International inspection, and was basically falling apart at the seams and held together by zip ties. One year later, he’ll certainly hope his second start goes a little smoother but is up for the adventure.
The 2023 1000 marked Van Dijk’s first time racing in SCORE, on encouragement from his friend Shane Moss who had done the 2019 race. Before Baja, much of his racing experience was in enduro which included Red Bull Romaniacs.
“I didn’t have much expectations, really,” Van Dijk told the SCORE Journal. “I knew the way down would be fun and a mad trip. I just sort of wanted to know a bit of the different terrains before the race, and I just took the race experience as it came along.”
He bought a KTM 500 EXC off Craigslist in San Diego before crossing all of Baja California to the start of the race in La Paz. After frantically making last-second repairs and modifications to comply with SCORE regulations, he was on his way. Despite not having pre-run the course, he caught eyes with his pace early on. As the race wore on, however, the KTM started to take damage that included a broken bike rim and navigation system; to rectify the matter, he hastily used zip ties to hold the tyre to the rim. To further complicate matters, he was competing solo in the Pro Moto Ironman class, meaning he had no team-mates to pass the bike off to.
He fought his way through the night hours, during which fans and racers alike took notice. Various teams and bystanders also lent their support, whether it be assisting in repairs or even a snack before rejoining the race. Sure enough, he reached the finish in Ensenada just past midnight and placed seventh in class.
Needless to say, his story took the racing world by storm. SCORE Journal editor Dan Sanchez described Van Dijk as “truly an example of what (SCORE President Sal) Fish had evisioned for SCORE.” The Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame named him one of the recipients of the Adventure Impact Award for 2024.
With 2023 behind him, his focus now is on the 2024 race. For better or worse, the 869-mile (1,359.39 kilometres) course is much shorter than the 1,310.94 miles (2,109.75 km) he faced last year as part of SCORE’s fiftieth anniversary.
To help cover expenses like gear and travel, Van Dijk launched a GoFundMe in mid-October. As of this article’s publication, it has raised AUD$2,438 (€1,476.14).
“Any help would be greatly appreciated as I don’t think the zip ties will hold my rim together for another Baja trip,” Van Dijk quipped on social media. Like last year, he will race in Pro Moto Ironman.
The 2024 Baja 1000 will kick off on 15 November.
Barbora Holicka, Duckar to fly again at Dakar Classic in 2025 30 Oct 2024 7:34 PM (11 months ago)
Barbora Holická and Lucie Engová will bring their 1979 Citroën 2CV back to the Dakar Classic in 2025. After checking off a successful finish in their début this year, their goal for 2025 will be to contend for the win.
The two finished sixty-third overall in the 2024 Dakar Classic and won the H1.A category. However, it was certainly no walk in the park. At one point in Stage #10, the car got stuck and they had to get it towed to the finish. Nevertheless, they achieved their goal and became the first Citroën 2CV to complete the event, whether in the Classic or the main Dakar Rally.
“Last year, our team had a clear goal: to reach the finish,” said Holická. “We raced with an original car, barely modified, just as the 2CV teams had done at the historic Paris–Dakar Rally in Africa. We achieved our goal and became the first Citroën 2CV to finish the Dakar.”
Their 2CV was designed by Josef Rataj with a very colourful livery and a rubber duck on the side. Nicknamed “Duckar”, the car was part of a larger project to support duck raising at Safari Park Dvůr Králové. Rataj will create a new wrap for the 2025 car.
The Citroën 2CV had been used by various competitors in the Dakar’s early history such as Jean-Louis Ramel in 1983 and Claude Yves Petelet in 1985. Pierre David entered the latter in a modified 2CV, only to retire from the Prologue. Holická’s 2CV, which entered on the 75th anniversary for the car, was the fifteenth instance of one taking part.
“We gained a lot of experience in January,” began mechanic Tomáš Neruda. “I’ve been building 2CVs for over thirty years, but I had never built an off-road version. I know these cars from global rallies, where the off-road community comes together to race on African sands, but I had no firsthand experience.
“We spent a lot of time brainstorming possible modifications for the African terrain and which would take us further. We thought about thge car’s weight, the gearbox, and especially the engine’s power. We’re consulting a specialist in Belgium, and we even built an engine there that produces double the output at the same weight while still being a simple air-cooled twin-cylinder boxer.”
Holická and Engová primarily compete in stage rally, the latter as both a driver and navigator for her brother Tomáš Enge.
The 2025 Dakar Classic runs in tandem with the Dakar Rally on 3–17 January.
Greg Gilson to race Qatar International Baja on 1980 Honda XLS 125 30 Oct 2024 7:08 PM (11 months ago)
Greg Gilson‘s motorcycle for the Qatar International Baja is older than some of his fellow competitors. While most riders will be racing their usual 450cc bikes, Gilson is entered on a 1980 Honda XLS 125.
He purchased the bike for €300 in 2018, though expenses for parts and maintenance increased the total tenfold. Certain modifications were made from when he bought it such as larger sprockets, though others remain stock.
The XLS line was introduced in 1978 as the successor to the XL that débuted three years prior. The inaugural Paris–Dakar Rally in 1979 saw Grégoire Verhaeghe and Alain Quie race the XLS 125, the smallest bikes in the field; Quie did not finish, while Verhaeghe placed sixty-fifth overall. Gérard Barbezant attempted the 1985 Dakar on one but retired.
Modern off-road bikes are obviously more powerful and durable than Gilson’s, though that has not stopped him from doing anything and everything with it. He ran the 2019 Rallye du Maroc on the Honda, successfully reaching the finish twelfth in the Enduro class despite a broken collarbone. It has also won thrice in Morocco’s cross-country rally championship and even saw action in the FIM Enduro World Championship’s Requista round in 2020, where Gilson placed forty-ninth overall.
Even outside of racing, he likes to take the Honda out for city cruising or long road trips.
“The message is simple, is to do big with small things,” Gilson told Rally Raid Spirit. “Even if we don’t have a lot of power, we will try to finish the race with a bike that is 45 years old with fourteen horsepower. But she’s really used to used to riding in the Sahara in Morocco so I think the dunes will be the same in Qatar, I hope. See you at the finish line.”
Although 450cc is the norm today, it stems more from being the maximum engine displacement allowed by the FIM (outside of the Trail class for 600cc and above). Those hoping to win would obviously prefer the best possible equipment, meaning everyone is on a 450cc bike, though anyone could theoretically enter with smaller bikes if they wish. Sylain Espinasse even completed the 2016 Dakar Rally on a two-stroke Husqvarna 125cc bike.
Sixty-two bikes are entered for the Qatar International Baja, which begins on Thursday. It is the fifth round of the 2024 FIM Bajas World Cup.
Spain doubles down with FIA, FIM Games 30 Oct 2024 6:13 PM (11 months ago)
International motorsport will descend upon Spain twice this fall. Last weekend, the FIA Motorsport Games arrived at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, where the host country dominated the medal count with six of each for a total of eighteen. A month from now, Spain’s Circuito de Jerez will host the inaugural FIM Intercontinental Games.
Spain was the only country with double-digit medals in total and over twice as many as the second most of seven by Germany and the United Kingdom. Their six golds were also twice as much as Germany and Italy. The Spaniards also topped the total medal table at the 2022 Games, but failed to score a gold.
Juan Cota Alonso headlined the Formula 4 race after leading the entire race and clearing Peru’s Andrés Cárdenas by two seconds. Hugo Fuertes added a gold in Cross Car at the nearby Aspar Circuit, while four more golds came on the rally side.
“Every lap was key to achieving victory, I stayed calm and focused,” said Cota. “This medal is for my parents and my family for everything they have sacrificed for me. There is nothing greater than representing Spain today with a gold.”
Eric Gené, the son of World Touring Car Championship veteran Jordi Gené and nephew of F1 alumnus Marc Gené, narrowly missed out on adding a nineteenth medal for Spain. He was running third in Touring Car before falling to fourth due to a penalty and late contact.
Gené was not the only second-generation driver to take part. Kevin Magnussen’s younger brother and Jan Magnussen’s son Luca Magnussen finished seventh in Karting Sprint Senior. Oscar Wurz, son of Alexander Wurz, retired from the F4 race.
The United Kingdom enjoyed two golds from James Owen and Jorge Edgar in GT Single Make and Karting Sprint Junior, respectively.
With the four-wheeled Games out of the way, Spain now turns to Jerez to prepare for the FIM Intercontinental Games. Scheduled for 30 November/1 December, it will only consist of the Supersport and Supersport 300 events for 2024 but plans are to expand to other disciplines like motocross and enduro in the future.
Unlike the FIA Motorsport Games, the ICG’s “teams” are continents, each represented by an FIM Continental Union (CONU): Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, and Oceania. Each CONU will have eight riders total with four per class, and at least one woman must be in each category.
“In one month this project will finally come to life,” said FIM President Jorge Viegas. “The FIM Intercontinental Games will be unique in bringing together all six FIM Continental Unions. It is a landmark competition that I have been keen to see happen since I first proposed it many years ago and I am delighted that we will finally see the first edition play out on the wonderful Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto very soon.”
FIA Motorsports Games winners
| Event | Winner | Country | Silver | Bronze |
| Auto Slalom | Michaela Dorčik / David Nemcek | Slovakia | Martaliisa Mein / Kristian Hallik (Estonia) | Claire Schönbo / Markus Firschin (Germany) |
| Cross Car Junior | Lucas Cartelle | Belgium | Diego Martinez (Spain) | Sacha Daayot (France |
| Cross Car Mini | Hugo Fuertes | Spain | Merel Hoogstra (Netherlands) | Ava Cabral (Canada) |
| Cross Car Senior | David Méat | France | Ivan Piña Chinchilla (Spain) | Sebastian Enholm (Sweden) |
| Esports F4 | Luis Felipe de Sà Tavares | Brazil | Martin Kadlečik (Czech Republic) | Gyumin Kim (South Korea) |
| Esports GT | Igor De Oliveira Rodrigues | Brazil | Niklas Houben (Germany) | Vojtěch Fiala (Czech Republic) |
| Formula 4 | Juan Cota Alonso | Spain | Andrés Cárdenas (Peru) | Reza Seewooruthun (United Kingdom) |
| GT | Hubert Haupt / Finn Wiebelhaus | Germany | Chris Froggatt / James Cottingham (United Kingdom) | Dexter Müller / Yannick Mettler (Switzerland) |
| GT Single Make | James Owen | United Kingdom | Christophe Hurni (Switzerland) | Ivan Velasco Sanchez (Spain) |
| GT Sprint | Ayhancan Güven | Türkiye | Finn Wiebelhaus (Germany) | Daniel Juncadella (Spain) |
| Historic Rally | Andrea Zivian-Zippo / Nicola Arena | Italy | Ben Mellors / Alex Lee (United Kingdom) | Antonio Sainz / Carlos Cancela (Spain) |
| Historic Rally Gravel | Andrea Zivian-Zippo / Nicola Arena | Italy | Ernie Graham / Anna Graham (United Kingdom) | Vojtěch Štajf / Veronika Havelková (Czech Republic) |
| Historic Rally Tarmac | Andrea Zivian-Zippo / Nicola Arena | Italy | Antonio Sainz / Carlos Cancela (Spain) | Chister Hedlund / Ida Lidebjergranberg (Sweden) |
| Karting Endurance | Justine Strauven / Maxime Drion / Maverick Dessy | Belgium | Belen Garcia Espinar / German Sanchez Flor / Jose Perez Aicart (Spain) | Jack O’Neill / Andrew O’Neill / Rhianna Purcocks (United Kingdom) |
| Karting Slalom | Louis Stange / Maja Braun | Germany | Balázs Sturcz-Molnár / Anna Benedek (Hungary) | Oliver Victor Junior Jansen / Senna Bison (Netherlands) |
| Karting Sprint Junior | Jorge Edgar | United Kingdom | Iskender Zülfikari (Türkiye) | Bosco Arias (Spain) |
| Karting Sprint Mini | Xavier Lázaro | Portugal | Bannet Korjus (Estonia) | Nuvola Morales Mendez (Spain) |
| Karting Sprint Mini B | Benjamin Poulsen | Sweden | Cristobal Ricci (Peru) | Albert Poulsen (Denmark) |
| Karting Sprint Senior | Markas Silkunas | Lithuania | Alex Machado (Andorra) | Ruben Moya Lopez (Spain) |
| Rally2 | Ali Türkan / Oytun Albayrak | Türkiye | Alejandro Cachon / Borja Rozada (Spain) | Alejandro Mauro / Adrian Perez (Mexico) |
| Rally2 Gravel | Jose Antonio Suarez / Alberto Iglesias | Spain | Ali Türkan / Oytun Albayrak (Türkiye) | Rokas Steponavičius / Dovydas Ketvirtis (Lithuania) |
| Rally2 Tarmac | Alejandro Cachon / Borja Rozada | Spain | Ali Türkan / Oytun Albayrak (Türkiye) | Kenneth madsen / Mette Felthaus (Denmark) |
| Rally4 | Tom Kässer / Stephan Schneeweiß | Germany | Sergi Perez / Axel Coronado (Spain) | Luis Eduardo Stedile / Carlos Enrique Morales (Brazil) |
| Rally4 Gravel | Sergi Perez / Axel Coronado | Spain | Martin Koči / Petr Těšínský (Slovakia) | Luis Eduardo Stedile / Carlos Enrique Morales (Brazil) |
| Rally4 Tarmac | Sergi Perez / Axel Coronado | Spain | Nard Ippen / Jorie Christiaens (Netherlands) | René Noller / Tim Rauber (Germany) |
| Touring Car | Ignacio Montenegro | Argentina | Raphael Reis de Sá (Brazil) | Adam Kout (Czech Republic) |
Medal count
| Rank | Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Spain | 6 | 6 | 6 | 18 |
| 2 | Germany | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| 3 | Italy | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | United Kingdom | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| 5 | Türkiye | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| 6 | Brazil | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 7 | Belgium | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | Slovakia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| T-9 | France | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| T-9 | Lithuania | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| T-11 | Argentina | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| T-11 | Poland | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| T-11 | Portugal | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 14 | Netherlands | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 15 | Estonia | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 16 | Czech Republic | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 17 | Switzerland | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| T-18 | Andorra | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| T-18 | Hungary | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| T-18 | Norway | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| T-18 | Peru | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 22 | Sweden | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| T-23 | Canada | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| T-23 | Denmark | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| T-23 | Mexico | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| T-23 | South Korea | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
FIA tweaks start order for 2025 W2RC 30 Oct 2024 2:42 PM (11 months ago)
The FIA has modified its start order for races during the 2025 World Rally-Raid Championship. Most of it will remain the same for the leaders, though other changes are intended to decrease gamesmanship in the Prologue.
“The World Council approved updates to the W2RC sporting regulations, and the criteria defining the start order of Leg 1 have been amended to discourage tactics during the Prologue and increase interest in the start order selection process,” reads an FIA statement. “Adjustments have also been made to the start order of subsequent stages to better account for the Challenger and SSV competitions.”
After the Prologue, the top ten finishers get to select their start positions for Stage #1 like they already do, with tenth being the first up followed by ninth and so on until the winner picks tenth. This will continue for 2025, though the FIA will now account for all drivers who set times within 110 percent of the winner along with everyone with Platinum or Gold priority. Gold status is awarded to all Ultimate drivers as well as the champions of the Challenger and SSV classes.
Every driver who meets both caveats will then be grouped by the top ten fastest in the Prologue. The start order selection process from there remains the same.
Starting with Stage #2, the starting hierarchy has been upgraded. The first out remain the same, with the Ultimate drivers whose times in the previous stage are within 115% of the winner going out first behind the victor regardless of their priority. The rest of the Ultimate grid who exceeded 115% go out after by their priority, including those in Silver who requested to have a different start position.
Under the current repositioning rules (as stipulated in Article 32.3 of the FIA’s Cross-Country Rally Sporting Regulations), “With the exception of a Stage following a Marathon Stage, FIA Platinum and Gold priority drivers with Groups Stock, Challenger & SSV vehicles and who have set a time in the previous Stage’s Selective Section(s) that is more than 115% of the best time in their group must be repositioned after the last driver who has set a time that is less than 115% of the best time in the group. FIA Silver priority drivers may benefit from one repositioning per event, according to the rules set out in Art. 32.3.1. They must request their repositioning to the Clerk of the Course no later than 1 hour before the time of publication of the start order for the following Stage.”
The same pattern applies for Challenger and SSV, albeit with 107% of the winner’s times instead. Those regardless of category whose times are within 120% of the overall stage winner follow suit. At the end of the order, the Trucks head out ten minutes following the final UTV.
The FIA had been entertaining start order changes since summer 2023. FIA cross-country rally manager Jérôme Roussel explained around that time that the new rules are intended to “make them more universal on based on the mathematical calculation” to help those who “had a very bad day.”
Joao Ramos concerned with UTVs’ increasing advantage in Bajas 30 Oct 2024 1:56 PM (11 months ago)
The Ultimate (T1) class for prototype cars is the premier category in cross-country rally, while UTVs compete in Challenger (T3) and SSV (T4). In most rallies, an Ultimate car would easily outpace a Challenger or SSV.
That was not the case at the Baja Portalegre 500, where Ultimate drivers struggled while the Taurus T3 Max of Miguel Barbosa became the first UTV to win the overall in race history. Gonçalo Gurreiro and Paulo Rodrigues, respectively in a Polaris RZR Pro R and Can-Am Maverick X3, joined Barbosa on the podium ahead of Edgar Reis‘ Taurus, making it a top four sweep by UTVs. João Ferreira was the highest-finishing T1 in fifth.
Ultimate driver João Ramos, who retired from the race after water got into his Toyota Hilux’s engine, feels this development is more alarming than impressive. In an interview with AutoSport, Ramos alleged the closing gap between T1 and UTVs stems more from poor regulation by the FIA and fears it could affect fan interest in the discipline.
While it might sound like sour grapes from a T1 driver, Ramos’ sentiment is far from uncommon. North American desert racing had long derided UTVs as golf carts which have little place competing alongside Trophy Trucks and buggies, only for UTVs to become one of the most popular vehicles on the market for their accessibility and increasing competitiveness. Ramos acknowledged the lower cost compared to a T1, but feels UTV teams are investing so much into their programmes that it’s not exactly as cheap of an endeavour as it seemed.
“There are people who prefer watching the trucks, the larger vehicles, and the T1s, which are much more impressive. These are the machines that truly appeal to fans,” he began. “I understand why people go for the UTVs, the T3s and the T4s, because the investment is lower. In reality, with the advancements being made, it’s no longer as affordable as people say. They’re already spending a lot more money now. They’ll never spend as much as they would on a T1 or a T1+, but they’re still spending a fair amount.”
He attributed part of this to the FIA’s Equivalence of Technology policy, where the sanctioning body modifies the top speed of a given category based on how it and other classes are faring. While this allows the FIA to create a level playing field, Ramos feels things are getting out of hand.
“These cars weigh less than half of ours, have a lot of braking power because of their lighter weight, and they’re incredibly agile. Even then, they’re wider too,” he continued. “[The FIA] lets them to evolve without castrating them in things like gearboxes, which makes things messier in the world of Bajas. People are spending less to race and still end up competing on our level.”
Besides performance, Ramos said the routes in European Bajas favour UTVs far more than Ultimates. While most long-distance races like the Dakar Rally take place in open deserts, where a T1 can easily outpace a UTV, European races are shorter and held on twisty courses that allow a UTV to keep pace. Guillaume de Mévius also pointed this out in 2023, though he was in favour of narrowing the gap between T1 and T3 to encourage drivers to graduate to the top level.
With more people getting into UTVs over T1s, Ramos also pointed out the ramifications this has on the overall FIA European Baja Cup and Portuguese Cross-Country Championship standings. Due to inconsistent grid sizes, both series allocate points that are multiplied by a coefficient depending on the number of entrants in a given class, such as multiplying by 1.5 if there are over eleven competitors or 1.2 for six to ten. Since UTV fields are much larger, Ramos noted a UTV with a lower finish in its class could earn more points than a T1 who placed better.
“This is nonsense. They’re destroying the sport, and it’s no surprise that interest is waning,” Ramos proclaimed. “I’ve been saying this for years: the day we leave, no one will come to watch the races except those already closely involved.”
TRANSCRIPT: TCF Interview with Dylan Parsons 30 Oct 2024 1:11 PM (11 months ago)
On 25 October, The Checkered Flag caught up with Dylan Parsons to talk about his Championship Off-Road Pro SPEC-winning campaign, the growth of the class, and the 2025 season.
The full transcript of the interview is available below. Some text has been altered from the actual dialogue to improve readability.
An article on the interview can be read here.
Transcript
TCF: You went from not winning any races your rookie season in Pro SPEC to winning five times this year and the championship. Last time, you told me that 2023 was going to be more of like a learning year for everyone, so by comparison, what was your mindset going into 2024?
DP: To win races like that was definitely the mindset. Towards the end of the year, we started podiuming in ’23 and then got Rookie of the Year. We were just building up momentum and just not trying to wreck the truck. Beginning of the season, I came in, I tested twice before the season and I’m like, “We were ready coming into the first race to run with those guys,” and we won the first race of the year. We were ready to go.
TCF: How much of a confidence booster was it to win the season opener?
DP: Oh, that was huge. Lena, I got hundreds and hundreds of laps on Lena. It’s the closest track to us and to go test there, we tested there multiple times. Going there and winning, it’s not my favorite track of them all, but we had competitive lap times and we showed up and knew we were ready to go. Winning the first race, it kind of didn’t set in all weekend. We went first and second over the weekend and we were like, “Okay, we know we can run with these guys. We knew we can run with them last year. We just have to execute and be there when we have to be.”
TCF: Bark River was kind of an interesting weekend because you ran three races because of the Crandon makeup, and of course you won two of three and finished second in the other. How did it feel to run so well on what was such a busy weekend?
DP: I actually raced a buggy on Friday at Bark River too, so it was wild. I knew coming into the weekend that it was going to be super busy. I actually got an extra guy to come with just because I’m like, “We have three days to turn this truck around and if we have any problems, we’re going to be busting our butts.” But Bark River is probably my favorite track. Winning on Friday, it just escalated. We had a flat tyre on Saturday and still battled back to get second. I think the truck was battle tested Saturday like we had no body left. Definitely, winning at Bark River that weekend was as best-case scenario as you could get throughout that weekend, and then we took the Champ points lead at Bark River.
I podiumed both days at Bark River last year in the truck too, and I’ve won multiple times in the buggy and I think I podiumed in side-by-side there a few times too. So definitely, Bark River has been good to me. [chuckles]
TCF: So would you say that when you took the points lead at Bark River, or any time before that, where you started to realise your chances of winning the championship were a lot better than you might have expected?
DP: We talked about it a little bit. I’m like, “I’m just worried about racing race by race, like if that happens, it happens.” We kind of mentioned it at Lena, we were getting close. Nick (Visser) was running good, but he was having issues where he’d just crash out but he beat me in qualifying every time. He was always fast, he was just having super issues with the truck breaking or crashing. I wasn’t worried about any of that. I just wanted to take each race one by one and worry about winning that race or podiuming that race.
I mean, we podiumed every race this year except one day at Antigo. We had a flat tyre that day, like just from some contact; the flat tyre, some contact, I think I had a couple, but it was never a failure. It was always, we got hit.
TCF: I remember a couple of times where you and (Chris) Van Den Elzen and Visser and a couple of other guys got into it, like I think at ERX you and Van Den Elzen got together. Were there any hard feelings between you and anyone else or did you move on from it eventually because you’re all friends?
DP: Well, that one I was pretty upset about. We talked the next day, we were good, it just… It was escalating a little bit there. […] He’s super fast but he was starting to have problems at ERX. We crashed at ERX, and then it just escalated from there again. We had sat on the podium, we got over it and then like him and I got together again.
I had been doing it a little bit at Bark River too. We bumped on that last lap there and I made an aggressive pass for the win, but you’re going for the win that late in the season for points, if the opening was there, you had to go for it.
TCF: There were some other guys who gave you some good competition even though they weren’t full-timers like Chris Parrish and Wyatt Miller. What was it like racing with those guys?
DP: Parrish was super fast. He came from Formula 4 and stuff like that and it would have been interesting to see him the whole season, but obviously (Ryan) Beat had different plans, like with Wyatt coming in and that was the plan. Wyatt was super fast. I think he’s racing that truck again next year and he’s going to be super fast. Him coming into this sport is putting more eyes on the sport because of his family as an Earnhardt and all that as a 12 year old. There’s a few young kids and it’s kind of like, “Well, you got to race them the same as everyone else, but you got to remember that they’re 12.”
But yeah, having them come in is only going to make our sponsors get more publicity. Bass Pro Shops is going to post things about that and our truck’s in the same picture or JR Motorsports or whatever. It can put more eyes on short course with him coming in, just like back in the 90s, no one really knew Jimmie Johnson raced short course. That’s where he came from, and he went and did what he did in NASCAR for all those years. There’s the crossover of the stepping stones and hopefully Wyatt goes to that at some point and he can say he raced short course to start to grow himself into what he’s going to do.
TCF: Pro SPEC’s been growing and getting more competitive over these past few seasons from four trucks in Year One. What are your thoughts on how it’s grown?
DP: I think we had ten trucks this year. The first race was kind of like, “Where is everyone?” There were some trucks that didn’t race this year and there’s trucks that sold already. Chad Rayford who won the points last year, good friends with him, I was pushing hammers to buy that truck since Snocross season and getting that truck back on the track (with Avery Hemmer). She was super fast at Crandon. Like I actually went over and helped them test before Crandon and didn’t even take my truck. I just went over there and spotted for her. They’re like, “You think she’s ready?” Yeah.
[…]
Pro SPEC was growing. I think we had 11 trucks at Fall Crandon and not sure if there’s any more being built at the moment. There’s a couple for sale still, but I had a lot of questions after Fall Crandon on some. I know one side-by-side guy bought a Pro Lite, but he wasn’t sure what he’s going to do with it yet. It’s a carb Pro Lite and I think he’s going to race that next year in Pro Lite and see how that goes.
The Impulse Podcast would always say we were the best race to watch like every race. We would put on a show every race and there were people coming up to me at the parade and Lena, at Crandon, like, “You guys are putting on a great show. All this stuff.”
That’s really cool to know that we’re putting on just as good a show as Pro 2, Pro 4, everything else and we’re not the level they are.
TCF: Obviously, Pro 2 and Pro 4 are the big fish in the series, but do you feel Pro SPEC, being more of a driver series, is going to get even more popular?
DP: Hopefully. Pro SPEC, I think the biggest problem is there’s all these Pro Lites that guys are seeing for sale for so cheap. You get to explain to them like, “How much time’s on all that stuff? Like is it all new?” Then you see a Pro SPEC that’s for sale, I know there’s two of them for sale and they’re priced way higher than a Pro Lite, but those engines have zero time on them. They’re brand new, they are both brand new gone-through trucks.
I’m on my second season on an engine and I haven’t done anything with it; maintenance, that’s all we’ve done. It’s been proven that you could take a stock engine and race. We bounce them off the rev limiter and everyone knows that, but no failures and that engine’s been great versus some of these higher classes. They’re rebuilding engines halfway through the season and Pro Lites are buying engines and shipping them off and getting them rebuilt right away. It’s a big expense where this engine, yeah, it’s $9000 with all electronics, but it’ll run. Wiring harness all the way out to the alternator, you hook fuel to it and it’ll run.
My opinion is they’re spending more than that to rebuild them. You just buy a new one and put it in when you think the time is that you blow it up or it’s wore out or whatever, but I’m going to do some leakdown on mine and stuff like that this winter and see where we’re at. It feels stronger now than it did last season, I’ve probably been driving a little bit but it doesn’t seem to be so.
TCF: How big of a role have guys like Mike Vanden Heuvel and Matt Gerald had in building and developing the truck throughout the year?
DP: Huge. Mikey, I go up there maybe once a week and go to lunch with them or whatever, just shooting ideas off each other. We did a couple things this summer throughout the year and made the truck faster throughout the year. There were just some stepping stones of stuff we wanted to do and we did it before Bark River, we did a couple changes and before spring Crandon and it was huge. We definitely felt the speed come from the stuff we did in the truck.
TCF: How big was it to have a sponsor like Toys for Trucks, especially since they were a full-season sponsor this year?
DP: Toys for Trucks has been awesome. Bill (Ciuplinski) and TJ (Larson), they came to the races this year, the owner and the GM of all the stores, and they both came to a race this year. It was super cool. We’re kind of local and we see Toys for Trucks, they have a couple stores right by us, but most people don’t realise that they have like thirty stores across the country. They bought a couple 4 Wheel Parts and they’re kind of the same thing as a 4 Wheel Parts. Some of their numbers on sales, I never would have even realised that they sell so much of Bilstein and CURT Hitches and things like that. They’re a huge supplier for a lot of those products.
TCF: Last year, you told me you expected a huge learning curve going from a side-by-side to a truck. How big did it actually end up being?
DP: I’m finally to the point where I feel I can drive it the same way as the buggy. It’s just ‘jump in and drive,’ and it’s just like you drove it like that. It was the same thing jumping in the buggy the first time: the first two years, I wrecked a lot of stuff and stuff like that. That was the goal with the truck: the parts were way more expensive, you need to not wreck things. That’s why I was like, “I had to go out and prove myself that I can drive it.”
Now, I can jump in that thing and drive it however I want and it’s super comfortable. That was definitely a learning curve. Last year, I was constantly chasing, it felt like traction, just trying not to spin out in traction. This year, I could throw the truck wherever I wanted to and I knew what it was going to do. I think the Kenda tyres helped a lot on that. Our setup worked well, like we built the trucks all at the same time, Mikey had been working with Pro Lites that have been running Kendas for years now.
Ours and Chad Rayford’s setups were real close last year. I knew that he was winning, that he’s got the same setup I do, it’s just the kind of tyres I think made our truck work a lot better than where we were at before.
TCF: At the end of the season, you won at Crandon. You said last year it was fun, but it’s also extremely stressful because of all the hype. How did it feel to finally win there, especially on Labour Day weekend?
DP: I didn’t win the big day but Saturday was still cool, definitely. We came into the weekend and we had to start the race, we had to qualify within a couple positions of Nick. He qualified first and I got second, so I just had to start and I won the championship. It was just, ‘Okay let’s go race. We don’t have to worry about winning the championship, any of that.’
The high all weekend was up there. You can’t even explain that high. The weekend was awesome. Saturday, it was a dream come true and it was pretty cool.
Winning at Crandon, I won my first race there in buggy. Winning the ring, that would have been cool to win on Sunday. But winning the championship, we did what we could do. We got taken out on Sunday on the first lap and that was our only DNF for the year; that was my choice because we came into the pits and the tyre was all wrapped up. I couldn’t have won two laps down, but you don’t get paid for fourth in the Red Bull Cup.
TCF: What are your plans for next year? Are you going to defend your Pro SPEC title or do you plan on trying out some other classes?
DP: That’s the plan. We bought a semi a couple weeks ago so that’s going to help out with the programme. I think I took five trailers to Fall Crandon, just between campers and extra trailers and the UTV and parts. Everything will be all going in one trailer, that’s going to be super nice, and just defend the Pro SPEC title. We got a few other companies coming onboard for next year that we are working out some final details. That’ll help in like, just trying to make the truck better.
There’s still room for improvement on making the setup better and truck better and there’s a few things I want to change, but just do the same thing again. Hopefully, as long as things go well, we’re going to go to the Mint in March for that short course race if the Pro SPEC class is going there. There was a group chat going around that most of us wanted to go and it sounds like Beat wants to go, so as long as we get the funds for that, we’re going to go there.
I believe Champ’s going to post their schedule, I heard November 1st or 3rd next week or two weeks. They have most of the schedule out, but there’s still one race up in the air at the end of the season. I’m not sure where that’s going to be yet, but we heard it was possibly west.
Super pumped to go to Wheatland in May. I’ve been there once with the MidAmerica UTV series, but I just went and helped out Colin (Kernz) and that was the first time ever being there. That was the time when the Pro Lites ran there and my truck wasn’t quite done and I’m like, “I’m not going down there for that first time driving it” kind of thing. But that track looks awesome, like that big jump in the back and the over/under, there’s no track like that around here. I’m super pumped to go there. That should be really fun.
TCF: I think Champ is also adding a race in South Dakota, so what are your thoughts on that if it happens?
DP: That one, I’m not sure what’s up. It’s South Dakota or further west. There’s kind of some rumbling of what’s happening there and rumours and stuff like that. I mean, South Dakota would be cool. We race Snocross there and that town Deadwood is a super cool town. Everything’s right there and supposedly the track was going to be close to town.
But I heard rumours there were some issues with permits or something like that. I’m not sure where they put the track there. It’s not mountainous, but it’s pretty hilly right there. There’s cliffs and stuff like that. But we’ll see. I mean, hopefully we go there, it’s a little closer than California, but there’s rumours of Arizona or California. I’m not sure yet though. We’ll see.
TCF: To play on the Snocross thing, how different or similar is working on a Snocross programme compared to a short course?
DP: It’s a lot of the same thing and a lot of the stuff I learned from my programme, I’ve learned from Snocross and stuff and back and forth. You’re dealing with the same people; Champ runs Snocross also, so all the officiating, most of them you’re dealing with the same people and stuff like that. I’m just a wrench for one of the teams. Last year, I worked with Nick Lorenz and we got second in Pro Lite points. That was a lot of fun and it’s a good filler that I can work for a team like that and then still do my programme in the summer. Super pumped for that. You get to see the country too. I went to Canada last year, Deadwood. It’s super cool.
But yeah, like the same thing. You prep the sleds at the shop, you race one day and then you take it all apart and redo it and put it back together for the next day. It’s the same mindset with a snowmobile as you do with the truck, like it’s, make sure you get one chance to go on the track and you got to make sure everything’s perfect.
TCF: Would you ever see yourself actually racing in snocross or are your hands already full as it is?
DP: I did a little bit. I did a little bit when I was younger and I raced cross-country snowmobiles for a little while and then I did a few regional snocross races, but I had more fun wrenching on snowmobiles and that kind of thing. I’m too old to race now. All those guys are pretty young.
TCF: Yeah, I get it.
Before we wrap this up, is there anything else you’d like to add?
DP: I’m not sure. [laughs]
No, I’m just super pumped on the championship. Between Matt and I, that was the goal. That’s always the goal is to win the championship. I think winning that, we’ve just got to keep growing on it and defend it next year. Just keep growing at it, like I’m not sure. The future is endless. It’s just, how far can we go?
Interview on YouTube
2024 Baja 1000: Kove Moto to provide factory support for rally bikes 30 Oct 2024 12:56 PM (11 months ago)
With SCORE International continuing to accept bikes commonly used for rally raids, Kove Moto will enter the sport with factory backing for the first time at the Baja 1000 in November.
Besides bringing the new Kove 450 Rally EX bike, the Chinese manufacturer will also provide factory support for the #801X led by rally veterans Mike Johnson and Jim Pearson. As of this article’s publication, Dustin Davis‘ #805X and Scott Purcell‘s #834X teams are also entered in the class on Koves.
SCORE introduced Pro Moto Adventure for the 2024 season, which is reserved for bikes with up to 450cc engine displacement and a navigation tower like those used at the Dakar Rally and World Rally-Raid Championship. Every entrant in the category so far has been on a Kove 450 Rally, who offers prize money for the top three regardless of their marque.
“KOVE Motorcycles is planning a show of support to the SCORE Pro Moto Rally Class,” reads an excerpt from the latest issue of the SCORE Journal. “The Asian Motorcycle company is sending new EX450 Rally Motorcycles for an international team made up of American, Mexican, Canadian, and Chinese racers.”
Johnson is the owner of Rally Comp, which produces metering devices used in tandem with roadbooks. In 2023, he finished third in the National Enduro class at the W2RC’s Sonora Rally in his first race on a Kove, then backed it up with a second in Pro Rally at the NORRA Mexican 1000 a week later. He also has Dakar experience, racing the 2014 edition. Pearson made his Dakar début in 2023 as a solo rider in the Original by Motul class, but retired with a mechanical issue.
The #801X will also have Marco Molinar, Jordan Huibregtse, and Sergio Vega on the roster. All three are familiar with rallies, with Huibregtse also competing at Sonora.
Davis currently leads the Pro Moto Adventure standings with 185 points to Purcell’s 120. Paul Hart, Mark Bechtold, Steve Hatch, and Austin Cummins are on the #805X team.
Purcell will have NORRA star Matt Sutherland on his #834X stable; Sutherland won the 2023 Sonora Rally in Malle Moto followed by the Mexican 1000 overall as part of the Ultimate Ironman Challenge. Will Swanson, Mark Vanscout, and Rob Barnum are also involved.
The Kove 450 Rally EX made its competition début at the 2024 Dakar Rally with Mason Klein, marking Kove’s first time competing in the premier RallyGP class.
The Baja 1000 will kick off on 15 November.
Ryan Prosser becomes youngest BITD Trick Truck champion 30 Oct 2024 12:01 PM (11 months ago)
With a third class win in as many races at last weekend’s Laughlin Desert Challenge, 18-year-old Ryan Prosser is the youngest driver to win Best In The Desert‘s Trick Truck championship.
Although Trick Trucks are generally among the top vehicles in desert racing, the class was relatively quiet in 2024 outside of the premier Vegas to Reno. Prosser was the only TT driver to enter all four races, and even then he did the V2R in a UTV Open instead. TT was a Prosser-only show at the season-opening Golden State 250, while defending champion Jonathan Brenthel was his only other competition at the Silver State 300 where the latter retired.
In Laughlin, the only other Trick Truck entered was Jordan Dean who retired. Prosser finished seventh overall among Unlimited vehicles.
While competition was certainly scant, BITD awards forty-five points for simply finishing, meaning a retirement could have easily thrown things out of order. Furthermore, if no driver runs at least three races (the fourth can be dropped as one’s worst finish), a trophy would not be awarded.
Besides the title, Prosser also claimed Rookie of the Year honours. As the reigning champion, he will be allowed to swap his #42 number plate out for #1.
Ironically, TT still had the closest points battle of all cars and trucks. David Ziegler held off Connor McMullen with a strong outing at Laughlin to claim the Class 6100 title. Chris Woo and Chad Hall were the only full-season competitors in the Stock categories, as was Jeff Harmonson in the Jeepspeed Trophy.
On the opposite extreme, the battle for the top motorcycle title came down to just a single point. Although Shane Logan finished behind Hayden Hintz at Laughlin (third to Hintz’s first), Logan’s result was dropped for being his worst outing of the season and allowed him to hold off Hintz for the championship.
Can-Ams swept the three UTV championships. Dustin Jones, in his first full season with the Can-Am Maverick R after winning the 2023 Silver State 300 in its racing début, held off Colt Brinkerhoff for the UTV Turbo Pro title. Another Maverick R topped UTV Open with Josh Row, who was the fastest UTV outright at the Vegas to Reno, beating Laughlin overall winner Cody Bradbury.
Bradbury, Jones, and Row finished 1–2–3 among all UTVs at Laughlin.
Short course racing took place the Friday before the main desert events. Joe Terrana won the Class 11 race ahead of Brian O’Dor, while Chase Mankin and Mason Cotter respectively topped the UTV Short Course and Youth classes. Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone pulled double duty by entering both the Class 11 and UTV Short Course events, finishing second in the latter and five laps down in the former.
Laughlin Desert Challenge class winners
Car/Truck
Limited
| Class | Overall Finish | Number | Driver of Record | Total Time |
| 4800 Ultra4 | 8 | 4817 | Johnny Valadez | 1:02:51.750 |
| Class 1600 | DNF | N/A | No Finishers | DNF |
| Jeepspeed Cup | 3 | 1706 | Ken Tichy | 2:32:19.134 |
| Jeepspeed Outlaw | 6 | 3769 | Alex Littleboy | 2:21:31.990 |
| Jeepspeed Trophy | 1 | 4725 | Jeff Harmonson | 2:20:35.171 |
| Stock Full | 7 | 1230 | Chris Woo | 2:22:22.023 |
| Stock Mid-Size | 5 | 7300 | Chad Hall | 2:35:25.930 |
| UTV Sportsman | 2 | M911 | Tray Parkhurst | 2:28:49.479 |
Unlimited
| Class | Overall Finish | Number | Driver of Record | Total Time |
| 6100 Spec | 1 | 6140 | Conner McMullen | 1:47:23.286 |
| Class 1000 Limited | 4 | 1077 | Brody Aikins | 2:00:01.565 |
| Trick Truck | 7 | 42 | Ryan Prosser | 1:53:51.696 |
| Unlimited Car | 6 | 1507 | Nick May | 2:07:29.944 |
Motorcycle/Quad
| Class | Overall Finish | Number | Rider of Record | Total Time |
| Motorcycle 399 Expert | 28 | 225 | Josh Newsom | 2:35:33.679 |
| Motorcycle 399 Pro | 7 | X69 | Branden Siebenhaar | 2:25:45.458 |
| Motorcycle Ironman Amateur | 29 | O63 | Kellen Davies | 2:41:08.210 |
| Motorcycle Ironman Expert | 13 | O27 | Remington Mathews | 2:32:33.918 |
| Motorcycle Ironman Pro | 5 | J40 | Aiden Poulson | 2:41:35.769 |
| Motorcycle Lites Amateur | 31 | G38 | Cooper Nugent | 2:26:58.979* |
| Motorcycle Lites Expert | 21 | K77 | Ethan Monrreal | 2:25:59.946 |
| Motorcycle Lites Pro | 33 | A99 | Andy Moore | 2:32:08.139* |
| Motorcycle Open Amateur | 25 | 292 | Tyler Simpson | 2:32:10.179 |
| Motorcycle Open Expert | 6 | 315 | Wyatt Seat | 2:25:24.830 |
| Motorcycle Open Pro | 1 | N1 | Hayden Hintz | 2:25:43.380 |
| Motorcycle Over 30 Expert | 14 | 510 | Morgan Shultz | 2:33:05.012 |
| Motorcycle Over 30 Pro | 4 | P5 | Hayden Roberts | 2:35:46.257 |
| Motorcycle Over 40 Expert | 22 | O19 | Jayson Kidwell | 2:26:08.378 |
| Motorcycle Over 40 Pro | 27 | C1 | Brett Stevens | 2:33:29.170 |
| Motorcycle Over 60 Expert | 19 | 923 | Dick Wilk | 2:40:37.579 |
| Quad Expert | 30 | 458 | Dakota Hibler | 2:23:02.639* |
| Quad Pro | 10 | Q2 | Bret Greenholz | 2:28:31.079 |
UTV
| Class | Overall Finish | Number | Driver of Record | Total Time |
| UTV Naturally Aspirated Pro | 12 | R11 | Ethan Groom | 2:26:54.118* |
| UTV Open | 1 | H1 | Cody Bradbury | 2:17:02.779 |
| UTV Super Stock | 6 | S930 | Todd Zuccone | 2:26:25.775 |
| UTV Turbo Pro | 2 | T978 | Dustin Jones | 2:19:39.097 |
2024 Best In The Desert champions
Some classes did not name a champion because none of its competitors ran every race.
Car/Truck
| Class | Number | Champion | Points | Number | Runner-Up | Points | Margin |
| 4800 Ultra4 | 4817 | Johnny Valadez | 212 | 4837 | Jeremy Jones | 82 | 130 |
| 6100 Spec | 6123 | David Ziegler | 262 | 6140 | Conner McMullen | 82 | 180 |
| Jeepspeed Trophy | 4725 | Jeff Harmonson | 216 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Stock Full | 1230 | Chris Woo | 288 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Stock Mid-Size | 7330 | Chad Hall | 245 | 7366 | Loren Healy | 73 | 172 |
| Trick Truck | 42 | Ryan Prosser | 218 | 1 | Jonathan Brenthel | 89 | 129 |
Motorcycle/Quad
| Class | Number | Champion | Points | Number | Runner-Up | Points | Margin |
| Motorcycle 399 Expert | 225 | Josh Newsom | 262 | 208 | Jared Silva | 59 | 203 |
| Motorcycle Ironman Amateur | O63 | Kellen Davies | 255 | O51 | Jason Bowles | 117 | 138 |
| Motorcycle Ironman Expert | O27 | Remington Mathews | 224 | O20 | Brian Spiersch | 79 | 145 |
| Motorcycle Ironman Pro | J7 | Dustin Slade | 207 | J6 | Mike Chastain | 147 | 60 |
| Motorcycle Open Expert | 315 | Cameron Wilson / Wyatt Seat | 211 | 324 | Jack Monach | 187 | 24 |
| Motorcycle Open Pro | N2 | Shane Logan | 246 | N1 | Hayden Hintz | 245 | 1 |
| Motorcycle Over 30 Expert | 510 | Morgan Schulz | 262 | 525 | Mike Beck | 118 | 144 |
| Motorcycle Over 40 Pro | C1 | Brett Stevens | 173 | C22 | Dennis Belingheri | 73 | 100 |
| Motorcycle Over 60 Expert | 916 | Harold Harris | 264 | 923 | Dick Wilk | 134 | 130 |
| Quad Expert | 458 | Dakota Hibler | 252 | 440 | Joseph Linderborg | 192 | 60 |
| Quad Pro | Q2 | Brett Greenholz | 228 | Q88 | Jason Zittel | 209 | 19 |
UTV
| Class | Number | Champion | Points | Number | Runner-Up | Points | Margin |
| UTV Open | H959 | Josh Row | 284 | H1 | Cody Bradbury | 238 | 46 |
| UTV Pro Turbo | T978 | Dustin Jones | 238 | T845 | Colt Brinkerhoff | 199 | 39 |
| UTV Super Stock | S930 | Todd Zuccone | 244 | S74 | Derrick Luttrell | 196 | 48 |
INTERVIEW: Dylan Parsons recaps 2024 Pro SPEC championship season 30 Oct 2024 10:41 AM (11 months ago)
The last time Dylan Parsons sat down with The Checkered Flag, he was preparing for his rookie season in Championship Off-Road‘s Pro SPEC class. A year and a half later, when TCF caught up with Parsons on Friday, he was the newly crowned champion of the category.
TCF and Parsons recapped his 2024 season, discussed the growth of the Pro SPEC class and what makes it one of the most popular divisions in short course today, and even chatted a bit about snocross and what’s to come in 2025.
A transcript of the interview can be found here.
The 2024 Season
Parsons finished fourth in the 2023 Pro SPEC standings. It took some time to get used to his new confines after moving up from 1600 Single Buggy, but he found some steam in the closing stretch with three podiums: a pair of thirds in both races at Bark River International Raceway and a second in the season finale at MidAmerica Outdoors.
“Towards the end of the year, we started podiuming in ’23 and then got Rookie of the Year. We were just building up momentum and just not trying to wreck the truck,” he began. “Beginning of the season, I came in, I tested twice before the season and I’m like, ‘We were ready coming into the first race to run with those guys,’ and we won the first race of the year. We were ready to go.”
The strong ending to his first year proved so encouraging that he picked up full-season sponsorship from Toys For Trucks. A pickup aftermarket accessories seller, the company first appeared on Parsons’ #99 truck at the 2023 Crandon World Cup weekend before stepping up for the entire 2024 campaign. TJ Larson and Bill Ciuplinski, respectively the President and Vice President of Retail, also attended races.
Parsons described the sponsorship activation as “super cool. We’re kind of local and we see Toys for Trucks, they have a couple stores right by us, but most people don’t realise that they have like thirty stores across the country. They bought a couple 4 Wheel Parts and they’re kind of the same thing as a 4 Wheel Parts. Some of their numbers on sales, I never would have even realised that they sell so much of Bilstein and CURT Hitches and things like that. They’re a huge supplier for a lot of those products.”
The 2024 campaign kicked off with the Mayhem at the Motorplex, the first of two rounds at Dirt City Motorplex. The track was the site of Parsons’ first Pro SPEC podium last year when he finished third, and one that he is more than familiar with. He took the lead on the opening lap of the first race and never looked back en route to his maiden truck win, then capped off the weekend with a second in Race #2.
“I got hundreds and hundreds of laps on Lena. It’s the closest track to us and to go test there, we tested there multiple times,” Parsons explained. “Going there and winning, it’s not my favourite track of them all, but we had competitive lap times and we showed up and knew we were ready to go. Winning the first race, it kind of didn’t set in all weekend. We went first and second over the weekend and we were like, ‘Okay, we know we can run with these guys. We knew we can run with them last year. We just have to execute and be there when we have to be.'”
The Antigo Off-Road National at Antigo Lions Roaring Raceway ended up being his worst outing of the season, though it still had its moments. He was able to notch a third on the first day before a flat tyre dropped him to fifth, which he pointed out was due to contact rather than a tyre failure.
A second at the Forest County Potawatomi Brush Run got him back on track before being mired in drama with fellow title competitor Chris Van Den Elzen at ERX Motor Park, where the two collided mid-air in the closing laps on Friday. He salvaged a third, though he admitted he was “pretty upset about” how he was raced.
“We talked the next day, we were good, but it was escalating a little bit there,” he continued.
Parsons noted he also had to get aggressive at times to stay alive for the championship. This was evident at Bark River where things got physical as he held off Van Den Elzen in order to take the points lead: “We bumped on that last lap there and I made an aggressive pass for the win, but you’re going for the win that late in the season for points, if the opening was there, you had to go for it.”
Bark River was an unusually busy time for the series. Besides the usual Off-Road Rumble in the UP, a third race day was added to make up for the Brush Run’s Saturday being rained out. To make Parsons’ schedule even more crowded, he also raced his buggy again that Friday.
Nevertheless, he had a near-perfect weekend as he won on Friday and Sunday. Despite Saturday being marred by a flat that dropped him a lap down, he clawed back onto the lead lap after a red flag to finish second. Perhaps to make the runner-up all the better, he finished ahead of Van Den Elzen and fellow contender Nick Visser.
“I knew coming into the weekend that it was going to be super busy. I actually got an extra guy to come with just because I’m like, ‘We have three days to turn this truck around and if we have any problems, we’re going to be busting our butts,'” he recalled. “Bark River is probably my favorite track. Winning on Friday, it just escalated. We had a flat tyre on Saturday and still battled back to get second. I think the truck was battle tested Saturday like we had no body left. Definitely, winning at Bark River that weekend was as best-case scenario as you could get throughout that weekend, and then we took the Champ points lead at Bark River.”
Parsons entered the Polaris World Championship Races at Crandon International Raceway with a healthy advantage over Visser to the point where he simply needed to start Saturday to secure the title. The non-points race on Sunday, which was part of the Red Bull World Cup, did not go as hoped as he was wrecked out on the opening lap; while it was his only retirement of the year, it not affecting the championship meant it didn’t put too much of a damper on his weekend.
“We came into the weekend and we had to start the race, we had to qualify within a couple positions of Nick. He qualified first and I got second, so I just had to start and I won the championship,” elucidated Parsons. “It was just, ‘Okay, let’s go race. We don’t have to worry about winning the championship, any of that.’
“The high all weekend was up there. You can’t even explain that high. The weekend was awesome. Saturday, it was a dream come true and it was pretty cool.
“Winning at Crandon, I won my first race there in buggy. Winning the ring, that would have been cool to win on Sunday. But winning the championship, we did what we could do. We got taken out on Sunday on the first lap and that was our only DNF for the year; that was my choice because we came into the pits and the tyre was all wrapped up. I couldn’t have won two laps down, but you don’t get paid for fourth in the Red Bull Cup.”
He finished the season with 644 points, 47 more than Van Den Elzen and 49 on Visser, and five wins (he also notched one at the Dirt City Off-Road National). After spending his rookie year trying to get used to the truck, he’s far more comfortable now.
“I’m finally to the point where I feel I can drive it the same way as the buggy. It’s just ‘jump in and drive,’ and it’s just like you drove it like that,” he said. “It was the same thing jumping in the buggy the first time: the first two years, I wrecked a lot of stuff and stuff like that. That was the goal with the truck: the parts were way more expensive, you need to not wreck things. That’s why I was like, ‘I had to go out and prove myself that I can drive it.’
“Now, I can jump in that thing and drive it however I want and it’s super comfortable. That was definitely a learning curve. Last year, I was constantly chasing, it felt like traction, just trying not to spin out in traction. This year, I could throw the truck wherever I wanted to and I knew what it was going to do. I think the Kenda tyres helped a lot on that. Our setup worked well, like we built the trucks all at the same time, Mikey (Vanden Heuvel) had been working with Pro Lites that have been running Kendas for years now.”
Vanden Heuvel, the head of Flying Dutchman Off-Road, and Parsons’ team manager Matt Gerald have been instrumental in developing the truck since entering Pro SPEC.
“Mikey, I go up there maybe once a week and go to lunch with them or whatever, just shooting ideas off each other,” Parsons remarked. “We did a couple things this summer throughout the year and made the truck faster throughout the year. There were just some stepping stones of stuff we wanted to do and we did it before Bark River, we did a couple changes and before spring Crandon and it was huge. We definitely felt the speed come from the stuff we did in the truck.”
The Pro SPEC class
“That’s really cool to know that we’re putting on just as good a show as Pro 2, Pro 4, everything else and we’re not the level they are.”
– Dylan Parsons
Parsons’ first year in Pro SPEC was the third for the class. It was founded in 2021 with input from Ryan Beat, a Pro 2 star who helped design and test the truck. The début season as an actual championship came the following year, where just four drivers competing for the 2022 title, before the grid more than doubled with nine the following year.
As the name suggests, Pro SPEC has certain parts that are identical between trucks to promote parity and provide a more affordable yet competitive option for those looking to climb the short course ladder. The stock engine is one such component, which Parsons noted is exceptionally durable in quality and performance. Although a Pro SPEC truck tends to be pricier than a Pro Lite, which might convince drivers to buy the latter, the engine helps make Pro SPEC the smarter investment in the long run.
“There are all these Pro Lites that guys are seeing for sale for so cheap. You get to explain to them like, ‘How much time’s on all that stuff? Is it all new?’ Then you see a Pro SPEC that’s for sale, I know there are two of them for sale and they’re priced way higher than a Pro Lite, but those engines have zero time on them,” Parsons started. “They’re brand new, they are both brand new, gone-through trucks.
“I’m on my second season on an engine and I haven’t done anything with it; maintenance, that’s all we’ve done. It’s been proven that you could take a stock engine and race. We bounce them off the rev limiter and everyone knows that, but no failures and that engine’s been great versus some of these higher classes. They’re rebuilding engines halfway through the season and Pro Lites are buying engines and shipping them off and getting them rebuilt right away. It’s a big expense where this engine, yeah, it’s $9,000 with all electronics, but it’ll run. Wiring harness all the way out to the alternator, you hook fuel to it and it’ll run.
“My opinion is they’re spending more than that to rebuild them. You just buy a new one and put it in when you think the time is that you blow it up or it’s wore out or whatever, but I’m going to do some leakdown on mine and stuff like that this winter and see where we’re at. It feels stronger now than it did last season, I’ve probably been driving a little bit but it doesn’t seem to be so.”
Besides the equipment, Pro SPEC also offers a solid field of drivers looking to break into the higher rungs of short course. Ronald Kosciesza, the only other full-time driver and a 2024 rookie moving up from Sportsman trucks, was never in the title conversation but enjoyed strong runs as well that included a podium at Bark River.
Part-timers impressed as well. Hunter VanZile was a Mod Kart competitor before heading into Pro SPEC and won at Bark River. Christopher Parrish, who did double duty in Championship Off-Road and on pavement in the Formula 4 United States Championship, won three times at Antigo, Crandon, and ERX. 13-year-old Mod Kart champion Avery Hemmer acquired 2023 Pro SPEC titlist Chad Rayford‘s truck, and Parsons—who had the same truck setup as Rayford in 2023—served as her spotter for testing before the Crandon finale where she finished third in both races.
Other 2024 competitors included Diesel Shanak, who dubiously received the Tough Luck Award for his misfortunes throughout the season en route to a sixth in points, 2022 and 2023 Mod Kart champ Porter Inglese, and the returning Aaron Messenger and Justin Tessmer, who each scored a top five at Fall Crandon.
For those unfamiliar with the series, Wyatt Miller was perhaps the most notable face. Despite being just 12 years old, the dirt track racer and fourth-generation Earnhardt strung together three straight podiums to begin his short course career. Parsons described both Parrish and Miller as “super fast,” while opining the latter could be a major boon in promoting short course because of his background and pace. Miller plans to return to the series in 2025, which he feels is “is putting more eyes on the sport. There’s a few young kids and it’s like, ‘Well, you got to race them the same as everyone else, but you got to remember that they’re 12.’
“Having them come in is only going to make our sponsors get more publicity. Bass Pro Shops is going to post things about that and our truck’s in the same picture or JR Motorsports or whatever. It can put more eyes on short course with him coming in, just like back in the 90s, no one really knew Jimmie Johnson raced short course. That’s where he came from, and he went and did what he did in NASCAR for all those years.
“There’s the crossover of the stepping stones and hopefully Wyatt goes to that at some point and he can say he raced short course to start to grow himself into what he’s going to do.”
With so many personalities and the championship’s three-man battle, it is no wonder that Pro SPEC was a fan favourite in 2024. Parsons cited The Impulse Show, a podcast focused on short course who “would always say we were the best race to watch like every race. We would put on a show every race and there were people coming up to me at the parade and Lena, at Crandon, like, ‘You guys are putting on a great show. All this stuff.’
“That’s really cool to know that we’re putting on just as good a show as Pro 2, Pro 4, everything else and we’re not the level they are.”
The 2025 Season
While the 2024 season just concluded in September, Parsons is already at work in expanding Shock Tech Racing for 2025.
“We bought a semi a couple weeks ago so that’s going to help out with the programme,” he said. “I think I took five trailers to Fall Crandon, just between campers and extra trailers and the UTV and parts. Everything will be all going in one trailer, that’s going to be super nice, and just defend the Pro SPEC title. We got a few other companies coming onboard for next year that we are working out some final details. That’ll help in like, just trying to make the truck better.
“There’s still room for improvement on making the setup better and truck better and there’s a few things I want to change, but just do the same thing again.”
Over the winter, his focus will be on AMSOIL Championship Snocross, where he works as a mechanic. The series is overseen by International Series of Champions, the same sanctioning body that runs Championship Off-Road. The 2024/25 season begins at Mt. Zion Ski Hill (Ironwood, Michigan) on 13/14 December and concludes at Spirit Mountain (Duluth, Michigan) on 4–6 April.
While a different motorsport from short course, there are plenty of aspects that can be applied from one to the other. Parsons himself used to do snocross and cross-country snowmobile racing when he was younger, but found he “had more fun wrenching on snowmobiles.”
“It’s a lot of the same thing,” he explained. “A lot of the stuff I learned from my programme, I’ve learned from snocross and back and forth. You’re dealing with the same people; Champ runs Snocross also, so all the officiating, most of them you’re dealing with the same people. I’m just a wrench for one of the teams. Last year, I worked with Nick Lorenz and we got second in Pro-Lite points. That was a lot of fun and it’s a good filler that I can work for a team like that and then still do my programme in the summer. Super pumped for that. You get to see the country too. I went to Canada last year, Deadwood. It’s super cool.
“You prep the sleds at the shop, you race one day, and then you take it all apart and redo it and put it back together for the next day. It’s the same mindset with a snowmobile as you do with the truck, like it’s make sure you get one chance to go on the track and you got to make sure everything’s perfect.”
Besides Champ, Parsons plans to go to the Mint 400 in March for the newly added short course races if Pro SPEC is invited. He and his classmates have a group in which “most of us wanted to go and it sounds like Beat wants to go, so as long as we get the funds for that, we’re going to go there.”
Once Snocross and possibly the Mint are out of the way, it is full steam ahead to the 2025 Championship Off-Road season. The year begins on 2–4 May at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri, a track Parsons visited in 2023 and told TCF soon after that he would love to see on the COR calendar. Indeed, he reiterated that position on Friday.
“Super pumped to go to Wheatland in May,” Parsons commented. “I’ve been there once with the MidAmerica UTV series, but I just went and helped out Colin (Kernz) and that was the first time ever being there. That was the time when the Pro Lites ran there and my truck wasn’t quite done and I’m like, ‘I’m not going down there for that first time driving it,’ kind of thing. But that track looks awesome, like that big jump in the back and the over/under, there’s no track like that around here. I’m super pumped to go there. That should be really fun.”
Besides the usual returning tracks, the series also plans to head to Deadwood for the Black Hills Shootout, which was previously on the 2024 schedule before being pushed back a year. While Parsons likes the area thanks to Snocross, he revealed he isn’t entirely sure if it will happen due to “some issues with permits or something like that.” Arizona and California have also been raised as potential alternatives, though he would prefer Deadwood if possible since it is a closer trip from the Midwest.
“It’s South Dakota or further west,” he heard. “There’s kind of some rumbling of what’s happening there and rumours and stuff like that. I mean, South Dakota would be cool. We race Snocross there and Deadwood is a super cool town. Everything’s right there and supposedly the track was going to be close to town.
“I’m not sure where they’ll put the track there. It’s not mountainous, but it’s pretty hilly right there. There’s cliffs and stuff like that. We’ll see.”
Regardless of where COR goes, he is ready to go for back-to-back Pro SPEC titles.
“I’m just super pumped on the championship. Between Matt and I, that was the goal. That’s always the goal is to win the championship,” Parsons concluded. “I think winning that, we’ve just got to keep growing on it and defend it next year. Just keep growing at it.
“The future is endless. It’s just how far can we go?”
Interview on YouTube
Ultimate Rally Classic to take place in fall 2025 30 Oct 2024 1:00 AM (11 months ago)
TL’O has created the Ultimate Rally Classic, a historic rally raid for vehicles produced between 1976 and 2000, with the inaugural edition set to run from France to Morocco in fall 2025.
The race is headed by Pascal François, who previously founded and directed the Pioneers Classic. Held last month, the Pioneers Classic (Pionniers Classic) is also a historic rally that ran through Morocco.
“After a two-year break, I had time to reflect and think things over properly,” François told MotorLifestyle.com. “I thought, ‘No, this just isn’t possible.’ The Pionniers Rally was a ten-year adventure, and the Pioneers have taken a different direction now, which I have no criticism of—quite the opposite, actually.
“But I missed the adventure of vintage cars. I missed Africa, especially Morocco. So next year, I decided to lead of the team that you knew from Pioneers and head out again, this time for the Ultimate Rally Classic 2025 organised by TL’O.”
It will span roughly twelve days with plans of starting at Montauban in France. Similar to the old Paris–Dakar Rally and the current Africa Eco Race, competitors will then travel across the Mediterranean into Morocco. The cities of Nador and Zagora are among the stops that TL’O hopes to pass before ending at Fort Bou-Jerif in the southern part of the country. Each stage will be roughly 280 to 350 kilometres long.
All cars and trucks are eligible provided they were manufactured between the aforementioned time frame, while bikes are still being deliberated on whether they are safe enough to take part. TL’O is also considering a “Youngtimer” class for cars built between 2001 and 2015.
If things go to plan, the race will begin in late October 2025 and conclude in early November in order to “align with certain November holidays,” François explained.
“I know Morocco quite well after visiting it for ten years so it’s hard to impress me, but this route does.”
The Ultimate Rally Classic and Pioneers Classic are not the only historic cross-country rallies, let alone in Morocco. The RallyClassics Africa in September also takes place in the country, while the Morocco Desert Challenge plans to introduce a Vintage class for its 2025 edition. The Africa Eco Race also has a Historic category for cars built before 2007, while the now-Saudi Dakar Rally operates the Dakar Classic for vehicles made between 1979 and 2005.
Red-Lined T1 Adventure Cup created for 2025 SARRC 29 Oct 2024 11:46 PM (11 months ago)
Hoping to give privateers in vehicles from Red-Lined Motorsport their due, the manufacturer has launched the Red-Lined T1 Adventure Cup for the 2025 South African Rally-Raid Championship.
Any non-factory driver piloting a Red-Lined VK50, VK56, REVO T1+, or even the new REVO+ GT-R in the Adventurer category is eligible for the Red-Lined Cup. Adventurer is a subsect of the usual Ultimate class, classified as T1 while the latter is T1+.
If the trophy existed for 2024 and the season ended today, Gerhard Heinlein would be the winner as he currently leads the Adventurer class standings outright after five of six rounds. Heinlein races a Red-Lined VK56 Evo2.
“Our Red-Lined privateers continue to do us proud, with two of them currently fighting it out for the 2024 South African Rally-Raid T1 class championship,” said Red-Lined Motorsport CEO Terence Marsh. “Looking ahead we feel the need to better recognise our customer teams, so from 2025, we will present the Red-Lined T1 Cup.
“Open to any privateers competing in a Red-Lined VK50, VK56 or REVO in the T1 Adventure Class of the South African Rally Raid Championship, the Red-Lined Cup is a ‘single manufacturer’ type series within the National Championship. Not only will the overall winners get to lift the inaugural Red-Lined T1 Cup trophy, they will also be receiving some really cool prizes for their efforts.
“We look forward to confirming the final details of the Cup following negotiations with our various partners, but rest assured, it will be rewarding for our overall winning privateer crew. The only prerequisite is that the crew must race a Red-Lined VK50, VK56, or REVO in the T1 class of the 2025 South African Rally Raid Championship. The best placed T1 crew at the end of the championship will then lift the Red-Lined Cup and associated prizes.
“We are really looking forward to this championship within a championship where our privateer customers in equally performing race machines get the opportunity to go head-to-head for the Red-Lined Cup and associated bragging rights.”
Red-Lined’s VK50 and VK56 are T1 cars based on the Nissan Navara. The company débuted in T1+ with the Red-Lined REVO T1+ in 2023, followed by the upgraded REVO+ GT-R introduced in April. The T1+ cars have seen action in SARRC as well as the World Rally-Raid Championship and Dakar Rally, while the T1+ won in its maiden Australian rally in September. The GT-R model uses an engine from the Nissan R35 GT-R whereas the REVO T1+ has the same engine as the VK56.
Sebastien Loeb, Hayden Paddon join 2025 Race of Champions 29 Oct 2024 11:27 PM (11 months ago)
When the Race of Champions heads to Australia in March 2025, Sébastien Loeb will seek his record-breaking fifth individual crown while Hayden Paddon will represent neighbouring New Zealand for the first time. Both rally drivers confirmed their entries on Wednesday.
Loeb is currently in a three-way tie with Didier Auriol and Mattias Ekström for the most “Champion of Champions” titles at four each. After losing to Marcus Grönholm in the 2003 final, Loeb exacted revenge the following year. From there, he alternated between first and second with another win in 2005 but defeats in 2004 and 2006, the latter to Ekström. He won the 2008 edition over David Coulthard then added his fourth over Sebastian Vettel on the snow in 2022.
At the latest ROC in 2023, Loeb lost to Thierry Neuville in the opening round. He and Adrian Tambay were also knocked out of the first round in the Nations Cup for France. Loeb’s only Nations Cup win came in 2004 with Jean Alesi.
“I won Rally Australia once and I have so many good memories from the Race of Champions,” said Loeb, referring to his 2004 Rally Australia win en route to his first of nine World Rally Championships. Since then, he has mainly focused on rally raids like the Dakar Rally. “Competing and winning ROC in front of the enthusiastic French fans in Stade de France (in 2005) ranks as one of my all-time best racing memories and it’s always nice to meet up with the other drivers in such a special atmosphere.
“I am pretty good at adapting to different types of cars and tracks so my objective is of course to try to win my fifth ROC title now that this great event is back in a big stadium again.”
Paddon will enter the ROC as the twice defending European Rally Champion. The 37-year-old competed in WRC from 2007 to 2022 with a win at the 2016 Rally Argentina.
Although New Zealand has more than its share of star racers like Scott Dixon and Earl Bamber, Paddon is the first Kiwi to do the ROC.
“To be part of the Race of Champions and especially represent the first Team NZ in ROC is a dream come true for me,” Paddon stated. “I’ve been watching the Race of Champions every year since my hero Colin McRae won ROC in Gran Canaria (1998), always hoping that one day I would be invited to compete.
“It’s a true honour to be able to represent New Zealand and compete against some of the best of the best. New Zealand has always proudly punched above its weight in world motorsport and this will be a chance for myself and my teammate, whoever that ends up being, to really fly the Kiwi flag on the world stage.
“I hope many New Zealand fans will join me in Sydney now that this unique event is coming to this part of the world for the first time. March cannot come soon enough.”
The 2025 Race of Champions is scheduled for 7/8 March. Other confirmed drivers include Germany’s Vettel and Mick Schumacher as well as Australia’s Jamie Whincup and Mick Doohan.
Christine GZ abandoning 2025 Dakar Rally entry due to budget 29 Oct 2024 2:35 PM (11 months ago)
Barring a miracle, Christine GZ will have to wait until 2026 for her next Dakar Rally. On Tuesday, she announced that due to a lack of funding, she will not be able to race the 2025 edition as she had hoped.
“I would love to say we are READY FOR @dakarrally,” began GZ’s post, “but unfortunately… we didn’t make it. We tried it all, but couldn’t find the budget….”
GZ made her Dakar début in 2024 after years of competing in the Spanish Cross-Country Rally Championship. Driving a Can-Am Maverick X3 for FN Speed Team, she finished thirteenth in the SSV class after hanging within the top fifteen for much of the rally before late mechanical issues hampered her progress in the final few days, including a broken front differential in Stages #10 and #11. Still, she ended the race with a best daily finish of tenth.
Outside of cross-country rally, she has competed in stage rally and Extreme E. GZ was involved with the latter since the inaugural season in 2021, where she finished ninth in points, while her last start was a third at the first Hydro X Prix in 2023 for Carl Cox Motorsport before becoming the series’ test driver.
Ricardo Torlaschi, who served as her navigator for the Dakar, will enter the 2025 race with TH-Trucks. Scheduled for 3–17 January, it will be his thirteenth Dakar.