Tag Archives: Rally

Boom Banger Rally 2014

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Boom Banger Rally’s first event “The Cosmopolitan Classic” was held in August this year and will return with two more Rallies in 2014.

The Cosmo is a classic European Rally driving through France, Switzerland, Italy and Monaco over three days and in 2014 will be held on August Bank holiday – 22nd and 24th August.

However before that “The Marrakech Express” will be launched, a Rally to Africa which Boom hope will bridge the gap between many similar European events and the longer more hard core routes inaccessible to many. This event will run during the week leading up to Easter – 13th and 17th April meaning teams can enjoy Easter weekend in Marrakech before flying home. Starting in Reims in France (165 miles from Calais) it will take five days to travel down through France, across The Pyrenees into Spain, and through Gibraltar to Morocco. The total driving distance from Reims to the finish line in Marrakech is just under 2000 miles.

The criteria for entering any of the Boom Banger Rallies is to have a minimum of two drivers and the car must cost no more than £250. Also, the rules state, “Vehicles with genuine comedy value will be EXEMPT from the £250 limit.”

Bookings are now live for next year’s Rallies. Until the end of November, the entry fee has been reduced to £175 for the Cosmopolitan Classic and £250 for the Marrakech Express.

Contact: www.boombangerrally.co.uk

Email: info@boombangerrally.co.uk

Tel: 07773 398 496

WRC’s Richard Burns Foundation Video

From a previous experience with an illness these stories strike a cord with me and respect the good which can be rallied from dark times.

The video is a tribute to the late Richard Burns and his incredible but albeit short career at the WRC driving for teams Subaru and Peugeot, If your off to the Wales Rally this weekend be sure to show your support. (if not show it anyway!)

The Richard Burns Foundation was created following the death of Richard Burns, the 2001 FIA World Rally Champion, from an astrocytoma – a form of brain tumour – in November 2005. In the tenth anniversary year of Richard’s title, the charitable Foundation that acts in his memory has consolidated its mission in a new development to help the Brain & Spine Foundation create a nationwide network of brain centres in the UK. Inspired by the leadership of Richard’s surgeon, Peter J Hamlyn, MB BS, BSc, MD, FRCS, FISM, who is also the Chairman of the Brain & Spine Foundation, Richard’s charity will help to address the startling lack of neurological provision in the UK.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Richard’s 2001 World Title, the Foundation has launched the Paint It Orange campaign in a bid to to create a sea of orange across Wales as spectators gather for the last round of the WRC. With our special orange commemorative t-shirt, you can join in the footsteps of the stars of the World Rally Championship and Formula One by buying this limited edition shirt by clicking here

Source:- http://www.richardburnsfoundation.com

Volkswagon Shakedown Testing Polo WRC Rally Car

Volkswagon WRC Polo
Volkswagen have begun shakedown testing of the 2013 Polo R WRC rally Car.

Testing is being completed by two-time World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz.

An initial test run of around 100 kilometers took place in Eifle Valley close to Trier in Germany, one of the stages of ADAC Rally Germany.

Says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen: “Next year we’ll be running an extensive testing programme on tarmac, gravel, mud and snow in order to prepare ourselves for the 2013 season as best we can.”

The Volkswagen Polo R WRC features a 1.6-liter TSI engine that develops approximately 296hp. The car is also equipped with an all-wheel drive system based on the haldex.

WRC Rally Team – Hayden Padden New Zealand

WRC

Got an email of my good friend Steve Cotton from Cotton Competition who happens to be working for the New Zealand WRC rally team.

So thought I would show you the videos from the teams perspective and perhaps pretty apt to celebrate New Zealands Gracious win at the Rugby World Cup.

Hope to see you soon Steve and fetch me a jacket back….

Source:- www.hayden-paddon.com

FORD ESCORT MK1 RS2000 – touches the heart and soul (Rare Find)

Here is a fantastic video of the Mk1 Rs2000 driving around the Eifel close to the Nuerburgring.

When the Escort was launched, Ford prepared a rallying version, which was later marketed as the Escort Mexico, commemorating the car’s victory in the London to Mexico Rally of 1970.

Ford felt there was a market for a car with more power and refinement than the Mexico, but without the higher production and ownership costs associated with the more complex RS1600.

Ford believed that such a model would appeal to a wider customer audience than the existing ‘sporting’ Escorts, and would offer RS motoring at an affordable price.

This is MacMedia first youtube clip so be kind and support their efforts, and if you fancy owning one be prepared to spend around 24k Gbp.

RS2000 For Sale

F1’s Robert Kubica Seriously Injured in Andora Rally (Video)

Polish Formula One star Robert Kubica was seriously injured in a crash while heading to the start of the Ronde di Andora rally in Liguria, Italy, his Lotus Renault team says.

The Lotus Renault GP driver from Poland was at the wheel of the Skoda Fabia he was to race in the rally on Sunday when he left the road at high speed and crashed into a wall.

His co-driver, Jacub Gerber, is reported to have emerged from the wreck unhurt, but Kubica remained inside.

Kubica is said to have been conscious when emergency services removed him from the vehicle.

He was then transferred by helicopter to the Santa Corona hospital in nearby Pietra Ligure, near Savona, suffering from multiple fractures and internal trauma.

His condition was said to be serious and subsequent reports claimed he may be at risk of losing a hand that was crushed in the crash.

Get Well Soon Kubica!

Ken Block in Mk2 Ford Escort

Here is another Ken Block video from the states, this time a historic outing in a 2.0 litre Cosworth powered MkII Escort.

The rally cars were highly specialised machines. Bodyshells were heavily strengthened.

The BDA engine was bored to 2.0 L and gave up to 270 bhp (201 kW; 274 PS) by 1979. It was complemented by a strengthened transmission, five-speed straight-cut ZF gearbox, five-linked suspension and a host of more minor modifications. In this form, the Escort was perhaps not the most sophisticated of the rear-drive saloon cars that dominated rallying in the late 1970s.

A full bodied parakeet barked

CITROËN DS3 WRC


Pursuing its involvement in top-class road racing, Citroën Racing has unveiled its new DS3 WRC, due to take part in the 2011 season of the World Rally Championship. Citroën DS3 WRC complies with the brand new regulations drawn up the FIA and is packed full of Créative Technologie.

The compact, dynamic and aggressive design of this ‘little racer’ immediately catches the eye – it has clearly been designed with winning in mind with its widened wings, redesigned bumpers and aerodynamic features. Built using the production body shell, the chassis has undergone many modifications to adapt the four-wheel drive transmission and the McPherson-strut suspension system. The safety of the driver pair is guaranteed by a roll cage, which enhances the sturdiness of the car.

Compared with the previous generation of World Rally Cars, the 2011 regulations have led to a genuine revolution under the bonnet. Citroën DS3 WRC is powered by a four-cylinder, 1600cc turbocharged direct injection engine. A first at this level of motorsport, the use of a direct injection engine opens up new possibilities for the development of racing engines, especially in terms of fuel consumption. Designed and built from start to finish by Citroën Racing, this engine develops a healthy 300bhp.

The bodywork has been extensively tested in the windtunnel by Citroën and the panels a mixture of polycarbonate and filled with foam to improve crash protection properties and also weight reduction.

Built using the DS3 production body shell, the DS3 WRC chassis includes a roll cage made of over 40 metres of steel tubing. The lower part has undergone several significant structural modifications:
Upper attachment points added for the rear McPherson-strut suspension
Optimisation of the lower suspension attachment points
Integration of the transmission tunnel and the rear differential
Lateral reinforcements added level with the body sills

Since DS3 is more compact than C4 WRC, Citroën Racing’s engineers worked on improving the position of each component so as to achieve the best possible balance between the car’s centres of inertia and centres of gravity.

ENGINE: THE DIRECT INJECTION REVOLUTION

Since ground link system regulations have only undergone minor modifications compared to the previous generation of World Rally Cars, design office engineers were able to make the most of their experience, deploying solutions that have proven successful on C4 WRC.

The McPherson-strut front and rear suspension systems have latitude that enables the position of the attachment points to be optimised. In order to keep development and running costs down, it is now only possible to certify one type of pivot. DS3 WRC uses the same part at the front and the rear, on both the gravel and tarmac versions. The struts are connected using an interface part that varies according to the version. Just like its big sister, the C4 WRC, the four-way adjustable shock absorbers (low- and high-speed compression and rebound) have been designed and built by Citroën Racing.

Slightly smaller than on C4 WRC in order to comply with the 2011 regulations, the 355mm (tarmac) and 300mm (gravel) brake disks at the front, and the 300mm brake disks at the rear, come with four-piston callipers. A water-cooling system improves the efficiency of the brakes on tarmac.

TRANSMISSION: FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE FOR ALL SURFACES

With special stages on icy Swedish roads, rough gravel tracks in Greece and smooth Catalan tarmac, DS3 WRC will need to cope with both varied and demanding road surfaces. Although it is without any electronic assistance, the four-wheel drive transmission has been designed to maximise performance in all conditions.

The 2011 regulations require constructors to select a supplier that has met the specifications drawn up by the FIA. They set the weight and price of each element. Citroën Racing has signed a technical partnership agreement with the French company, Sadev.

The six-speed sequential gearbox and the front differential are integrated in an aluminium housing. These are connected to the rear differential via a longitudinal drive shaft. The central differential is now prohibited, but a system may be used to disconnect the rear wheels when using the hydraulic hand brake. Semi-automatic, steering wheel-mounted controls are also outlawed, and have been replaced with a totally manual gearshift lever.

As with the engine, the lifespan of the gearbox increases with the 2011 sporting regulations. At one point in the season, teams must use two gearbox/rear axle assemblies for three rallies.

DS3 WRC is set to make its official competitive debut at Rally Sweden (10-13 February), the first round of the 2011 FIA World Rally Championship.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

CHASSIS
Structure Reinforced body with weleded, multi-point roll cage
Bodywork Steel and composite fibre

ENGINE
Type Citroën Racing – 1.6-litre turbocharged direct injection engine
Bore x stroke 82×75.5mm
Capacity 1,598cc
Maximum power 300bhp at 6,000rpm
Maximum torque 350Nm at 3,250rpm
Specific output 188bhp/litre
Ditribution Double overhead camshaft valve train driven by timing belt
4 valves per cylinder
Fuel feed Direct injection controlled by Magneti Marelli SRP-HP unit

TRANSMISSION
Type Four-wheel drive
Gearbox Sadev six-speed sequential
Control Manual
Differential Front and rear mechanical, auto-locking

BRAKES
Front Ventilated disks, 355mm (tarmac) and 300mm (gravel)
Water-cooled 4-piston callipers (tarmac)
Rear Ventilated disks, 300mm
4-piston callipers
Distribution Adjustable from cockpit
Handbrake Hydraulic control

SUSPENSION
Front McPherson type
Rear McPherson type
Shock absorbers Citroën Racing four-way adjustable shock absorbers
(low- and high-speed compression and rebound)

WHEELS
Tarmac 8×18’’ wheels
Gravel and snow 7×15’’ wheels

DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES
Length 3,948mm
Width 1,820mm
Wheel base 2,461mm
Track 1,618mm (front and rear)
Fuel tank 75 litres
Weight 1,200kg with driver pairing (regulations)