Friday, February 26, 2016

WMWR 2016 Kicks Off SCCA RallySprint Series

Alternating between blizzards and spring-like temperatures, it’s certainly been an interesting winter in the U.S.’s Northeast. For 2016, the winter rally in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania was run by the Sports Car Club of America in its inaugural RallySprint event. SCCA brought the RallySprint name back in 2015, renaming the annual event to the Waste Management Winter RallySprint. The “rally light” format runs events on private property with no public transits, reducing costs and liabilities to organizers and competitors while providing an important step between autocross and full stage rallies. It’s a great test run for driving teams and their crews as well volunteers, providing a taste of what it really takes to compete in championship stage rallies. Waste Management also hosts the first two stages of the summertime STPR full stage rally.

01_wmwr16-ice

Overnight temperatures were below freezing. The 18 starting teams made their way from Parc Expose in the Wellsboro center to a still-frozen but thawing Waste Management property. As the first stage began, dispatches over the radio indicated that cars were quickly falling victim to the icy and muddy course. Alan Edwards and Daniel Baker slid off course into a ditch, then were extracted in a damaged but still driveable 2003 Dodge Neon.

04-wmwr-dodge

“The first stage was very slippery as most of the road was still frozen from the overnight temperature, and four cars slid off the course.  We wanted to make sure out day didn’t end after only a few miles, so we were cautious.  But then, as the road began to thaw, not only did it become muddy and wet, but the rocks started to come to the surface as the gravel started to get chewed up from the cars.  We ended up with four flat tires and a broken wheel before the end of the event, but we just kept going and our Subaru ran great,” said Jon Kramer after his overall win with co-driver Jason Smith, #777 1993 Subaru Impreza.

02-wmwr16-777

As each of five stages were run, the temperatures went up into April weather and the course went from icy mud to thick mud and puddles. No gorgeous shots of snow-spewing cars at this winter rally. Three stages were run in one direction over the same 13-mile gravel road. In mid-afternoon after the third stage the muddy cars headed to service, then back out for the last two stages in the other direction.

05-wmwr-lastcar

Because of the beautiful weather the spectator area was full, the crowd watching the competitors head up a straight-away over a fan-pleasing jump.The final stage saw the sun set and the remaining ten cars finishing as the moon rose. The Dodge Neon was the last car out driving the course – and at a normal speed – but finishing the final stage is no small feat. Hardcore.

Full results with gallery following:

WMWR_2016_scoring-RESULTS_1

A2200014 P2200094 A2200093 A2200174 P2200015 P2200035 A2200035 P2200133 P2200078 A2200073 P2200257 P2200164 P2200231 P2200316 A2200219 A2200193 P2200421 P2200427 A2200176 A2200252 A2200245 A2200257 P2200464 A2200300 A2200432 A2200414 P2200457 A2200445 A2200273 A2200458 P2200578 P2200583

from The Garage http://thegarageblog.com/garage/wmwr-2016-kicks-off-scca-rallysprint-series/
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from Tumblr http://peternpalmer.tumblr.com/post/140016263286
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