Popular heresay says something about cages being required even for RallyX, and there's no minutes available on the CARS website from the AGM to check.  Say it ain't so anybody?

Just to clarify, the cages thing was in regards to rallysprint, not rallycross.

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RallySprints were basically mini performance rallies, with transits and stages held on closed roads.  The problems with these events were that speeds were getting quite high in what were basically road cars.  Most had minimal (or no) cages and stock seat belts.

RallyCross is similar to a Solo II on gravel.  Usually held in a field or gravel pit with cones marking out the course.  Not much to hit so safety requirements are less stringent, i.e. no cages are required.


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Nobody is trying to kill the grassroots level, but I understand what you mean.  However, in order to promote the sport and draw in sponsors, we need to have bigger crowds and greater exposure.

I don't think there are that many trend followers yet.  I think if you talk to the people at the spectator areas, you'll find that most are hardcore rally enthusiasts like yourself!  The very nature of the sport - requiring people to leave the comfort of their living rooms and stand in the woods all day - may discourage some of the bandwagon types.

There's a possibility that the RallyCross series may be resurrected this summer.  Those of you who are interested in competing should contact RSO at http://www.rallysport.on.ca .  If they hear a lot of voices, the chances of us seeing the RallyX series again will be greater.  One thing to keep in mind - if the series reappears, it will likely be in Bancroft.

Stay tuned for more info, and thanks for your interest!

(speaking for myself)

Although they were called RallySprints, the events we ran in 2001 and 2002 fit the definition of RallyCross (not the European version of RallyCross, although it would be very cool if we had that here!).  There was a real RallySprint series in Quebec, but it is pretty much dead because of the new rules.

The new RallySprint rules are such that you have to build almost a full-out performance rally car just to run those types of events.  This pretty much squeezes out RallySprint and virtually eliminates its usefulness as a stepping stone.  Now that the cars have to be built to nearly the same standard, RallySprint is virtually the same as performance rallying but with a 3km limit for stages.  

I believe (although I could be wrong) that the Quebec series disappeared because there wasn't much interest after the new rules were announced.  Those who didn't have the money to build rally cars couldn't enter events, and those that could build cars figured they might as well move up into performance rallying.  Instead, a new RallyCross series has appeared, running mainly (I believe) at the MecaGlisse circuit.


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The two go hand in hand.  I think live crowds get more exposure than TV audiences to banners, vendors, sponsor logos on cars, etc. while TV viewers see more commercials and on-air plugs.  And events with large spectator numbers tend to have large TV ratings as well - people tell their friends about this really exciting sport they've discovered, and that it will be on TV in a few weeks...