GOODBYE RALLY COLORADO!
The High Country Rally Group LLC, the corporate entity responsible for the organization, promotion and operation of RALLY COLORADO based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, has elected to discontinue this rally. The Miller Coors RALLY COLORADO 2009 presented by Fireside Catering held over the weekend of September 18-20, 2009, was the final rally in the nine year life of this event.
The discontinuation of this rally is a direct result of the recently announced schedule change to the 2010 Rally America National Championship series calendar. This change removed the three national rallies which had been run in the second half of each year from the 2010 national calendar. Since the only option presented to the RALLY COLORADO Organizing Committee by Rally America for 2010 and beyond under their sanctioning was to become a Rally America Regional Rally, our committee members concluded that we would be unable to execute the size and caliber of event which we, our volunteers, our spectators, our community and most importantly, our commerical partners, had become accustomed to over the past six years as a full, two-day national level rally.
“Over the years as the rally grew, we had created a great community synergy around this event…it had become one of the more popular events on the local Steamboat Springs summer event schedule. Our excellent organzing committee, extremely capable volunteers, very high level of local commerical sponsorship, continued support from our local governmental entities, a loyal specator base and continued attendance from national and regional competitors all contributed to nine years of great rallying in northwest Colorado” said Jim Gill, Chairman of the RALLY COLORADO Organizing Committee. “It’s a shame to see this event, and the great community spirit which has surrounded it, come to an end” said Gill.
This rally began in 2001 as the Colorado Cog Rally and at that time was sanctioned by SCCA as a one-day regional event. It continued to grow through 2003 into a two-day SCCA regional event and in 2004 was included on the SCCA ProRally Championship calendar. Since 2005, the Cog Rally, as it had become known, was included in the Rally America National Championship Series…the name was changed to RALLY COLORADO for the 2007 event.