Ken Block... in a fiesta?
01-06-2010, 10:53 PM
#62
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"I never knew rally existed in America," says Block, a co-founder of DC Shoes who has competed in snowboarding, skateboarding and motocross and has become an Internet sensation with millions of YouTube views for his Gymkhana videos. "Travis started racing Rally America in 2004, and it woke me up. I went through the schooling and was quick enough and had some natural talent."
01-07-2010, 12:55 AM
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01-07-2010, 01:50 AM
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This may be regurgitation from the thread as I stopped after the first page, but Ford already has a phenomenal driver in WRC, on top of the fact that Block wouldn't stand a chance against Loeb anyway. He is in way over his head. I'd put more money on an ex-F1 pilot performing well in WRC after a couple seasons than I would on a youtube video driver. Just throwing in my 2c.
P.S. I just now actually clicked the OP's link to see why I skipped reading it in the first place. I got about 10 seconds into the article before copying a portion and closing the FF tab. I laughed: "With backing from Ford, Block hopes to become the first American to compete full time in the WRC, which is the rally equivalent to NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series." America, **** yeah! We have to compare other motorsports with NASCAR in an attempt to help our nation's population understand what the rest of the world's motorsports competitions are about, much the same way we have to help our population understand why soccer is actually called football IN EVERY OTHER PART OF THE WORLD by saying things like: "Apparently they call it football, not soccer like we do, because it is a sport you play with a ball...using only your feet, hence football. No idea why they call it football though, it's soccer, football is played with an almond-shaped ball that your throw with your hands and kick from time to time."
P.S. I just now actually clicked the OP's link to see why I skipped reading it in the first place. I got about 10 seconds into the article before copying a portion and closing the FF tab. I laughed: "With backing from Ford, Block hopes to become the first American to compete full time in the WRC, which is the rally equivalent to NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series." America, **** yeah! We have to compare other motorsports with NASCAR in an attempt to help our nation's population understand what the rest of the world's motorsports competitions are about, much the same way we have to help our population understand why soccer is actually called football IN EVERY OTHER PART OF THE WORLD by saying things like: "Apparently they call it football, not soccer like we do, because it is a sport you play with a ball...using only your feet, hence football. No idea why they call it football though, it's soccer, football is played with an almond-shaped ball that your throw with your hands and kick from time to time."
Last edited by vodka; 01-07-2010 at 02:09 AM.
01-07-2010, 01:55 AM
#65
Do you even follow WRC? Or even the Adapta World Rally Team? Or even Mads Ostberg.
Well, here is a picture of Mads after his 3rd consecutive win at the 2009 NM rally.
Mads is on the Right and his co-driver, Ole Kristian Unnerud, is on the left.
Here is a picture of the car he drove in that rally.
Looks familiar.
Also Mads is a driver for the Adapta World Rally team and he drives in the WRC.
Here is a news release about the Adapta team LINK
Here is a picture of the Adapta team in the 2009 WRC.
Here is a picture of Mads driving in the 2009 Cambrian Rally, a rally that he won.
OH CRAP! It looks like there are still Subarus in the WRC!
I apologize if the post comes off as extremely rude, but I cannot tolerate blatant ignorance.
01-07-2010, 02:36 AM
#66
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Umm.... I hate to break it to you... but... they could have stayed in a Subaru.
Do you even follow WRC? Or even the Adapta World Rally Team? Or even Mads Ostberg.
Well, here is a picture of Mads after his 3rd consecutive win at the 2009 NM rally.
Mads is on the Right and his co-driver, Ole Kristian Unnerud, is on the left.
Here is a picture of the car he drove in that rally.
Looks familiar.
Also Mads is a driver for the Adapta World Rally team and he drives in the WRC.
Here is a news release about the Adapta team LINK
Here is a picture of the Adapta team in the 2009 WRC.
Here is a picture of Mads driving in the 2009 Cambrian Rally, a rally that he won.
OH CRAP! It looks like there are still Subarus in the WRC!
I apologize if the post comes off as extremely rude, but I cannot tolerate blatant ignorance.
Do you even follow WRC? Or even the Adapta World Rally Team? Or even Mads Ostberg.
Well, here is a picture of Mads after his 3rd consecutive win at the 2009 NM rally.
Mads is on the Right and his co-driver, Ole Kristian Unnerud, is on the left.
Here is a picture of the car he drove in that rally.
Looks familiar.
Also Mads is a driver for the Adapta World Rally team and he drives in the WRC.
Here is a news release about the Adapta team LINK
Here is a picture of the Adapta team in the 2009 WRC.
Here is a picture of Mads driving in the 2009 Cambrian Rally, a rally that he won.
OH CRAP! It looks like there are still Subarus in the WRC!
I apologize if the post comes off as extremely rude, but I cannot tolerate blatant ignorance.
Adapta is in WRC, but they are in the PWRC. as in the privately ran WRC teams, just like Solberg, and team Quasys who ran a STI that I crewed for in rally japan 2007.
You have to realize though that theres a HUGE difference between a factory backed car in WRC like those of Ford and Citroen vs. the private teams bringing in cars that are WRC 'spec' but not not factory backed, they are basically not even in the same class as the full factory WRC cars. if you get out to alot of WRC races like I do, you will see theres seriously dozens of WRC cars racing that arent factory backed WRC cars (aka PWRC) that you dont see race on the TV broadcasts. Yes they are still classified as racing against the rest of the factory WRC teams, but no, they are not even in the same leauge. So in this case, sorry but Overbear is correct, Subaru as a company effort is NOT officially in WRC anymore, even though there is a number of teams that are still running the older Imprezas in WRC spec as PWRCs, just as you will find many private teams still running WRC spec EVO 9s even though Mitsubishi pulled out 2 years ago.
Last edited by Krinkov; 01-07-2010 at 03:44 AM.
01-07-2010, 03:17 AM
#67
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BTW any of you guys coming back down to Mexico with us this year?
2008 was seriously out of control, we were in the same hotel with half the WRC teams and sponsors and had access to all of them, everyone!!
It was a ****in blast! Our recap of 08'
And thats just a TASTE of WRC MEXICO *****ES!!!
ahh god damn, the memories, gettin a bit misty right now
2008 was seriously out of control, we were in the same hotel with half the WRC teams and sponsors and had access to all of them, everyone!!
It was a ****in blast! Our recap of 08'
And thats just a TASTE of WRC MEXICO *****ES!!!
ahh god damn, the memories, gettin a bit misty right now
01-07-2010, 03:34 AM
#69
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Nice pics^
Subaru may not be a factory team but there are teams who have won series without factory backing.... Regardless, this will be entertaining people! And on the chance Ken delivers some wins I know all the haters will be jumpin on the KB boner train.
Subaru may not be a factory team but there are teams who have won series without factory backing.... Regardless, this will be entertaining people! And on the chance Ken delivers some wins I know all the haters will be jumpin on the KB boner train.
01-07-2010, 03:52 AM
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01-07-2010, 04:55 AM
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indeed, thats what Solberg is doing right now in PWRC trying to compete with the full factory WRC teams, the fact that he's been as competitive as he has in a 3 year old car with only private sponsorship speaks volumes about how competent a driver he really is vs the full factory teams. this should be a very exciting year for WRC, Im hoping to make it out to at least 3 races this time. hope you guys can come too, its a totally different experience then you can imagine just by seeing it on TV believe me!
01-07-2010, 08:32 AM
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i just want clear the air about 1 thing. PWRC vs WRC.
PWRC is not the privateer class specifically. PWRC is the 'Production' class. So, for instance, you can have factory backing within the PWRC class from Skoda, Suzuki, etc, and not be considered a privateer.
and, by your logic Krinkov, Petter Solberg with the XSara, then the C4 would be running in the PWRC class and not the WRC top tier. and yet, he is running in full WRC class with a privately entered car.
as i said previously, it is legal to compete for the WRC driver's title and be a privateer. it just means you cannot try for the manufacturer's/constructor's title.
"The basic difference between the PWRC and WRC is the top WRC cars cost about $1.5m to put on the road.
They are fabricated from the bottom up while the PWRC cars are standard production line body shell and engines. Other parts are replaced, but at about a tenth of the cost. "
http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald...ll-speed-ahead
also, someone commented on an ex-F1 driver in WRC... his name is "Kimi Raikkonen" and he already tested WRC in a Super2000 class car in 2009. he is going for a full WRC calendar, with factory backing by Citroen in 2010.
PWRC is not the privateer class specifically. PWRC is the 'Production' class. So, for instance, you can have factory backing within the PWRC class from Skoda, Suzuki, etc, and not be considered a privateer.
and, by your logic Krinkov, Petter Solberg with the XSara, then the C4 would be running in the PWRC class and not the WRC top tier. and yet, he is running in full WRC class with a privately entered car.
as i said previously, it is legal to compete for the WRC driver's title and be a privateer. it just means you cannot try for the manufacturer's/constructor's title.
"The basic difference between the PWRC and WRC is the top WRC cars cost about $1.5m to put on the road.
They are fabricated from the bottom up while the PWRC cars are standard production line body shell and engines. Other parts are replaced, but at about a tenth of the cost. "
http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald...ll-speed-ahead
also, someone commented on an ex-F1 driver in WRC... his name is "Kimi Raikkonen" and he already tested WRC in a Super2000 class car in 2009. he is going for a full WRC calendar, with factory backing by Citroen in 2010.
01-07-2010, 09:33 AM
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