Rally America Removes Rally Colorado From National Calendar
Sunday, October 18, 2009, 11:50AM, MDT
Earlier today, Rally America Inc. announced some major changes to the format and structure of their 2010 calendar. One of these changes included the addition of three European-style rally cross events to be run as exhibition events next year with the potential for additional events of this type in 2011. Another major change for 2010 was the compression of the 2010 National Rally Championship series from nine events to six events beginning with the Sno*Drift Rally in Atlanta, Michigan in January and culminating with the New England Forest Rally in July. After nine successful years, first as an SCCA Regional and National Rally and later as a Rally America National Rally, RALLY COLORADO based in Steamboat Springs will not be on the Rally America National Championship calendar in 2010.
The RALLY COLORADO Organizing Committee is in the process of determining how, or whether, we should move forward with our event as a regional-only rally…this decision has not yet been made. Over the history of our event, we have created a great support and sponsor network for this sport and for our event throughout northwest Colorado. We have also assembled a great Organizing Committee and an extensive volunteer base which have contributed to the successful organizing and operation of this event in each of the past nine years. This has all taken time and effort to create and we are very concerned about maintaining and growing this synergy moving forward as a regional-only rally. Our Organizing Committee will meet soon to discuss this matter and we will provide additional details regarding the future of RALLY COLORADO in the near future.
Jim Gill
Chairman of the Organizing Committee
RALLY COLORADO
Kevin Hahn
Sunday, 18th October 2009 at 9:22 pm
As always the Colorado Rally Cup will do all that it can to support the High Country Rally Group and Rally Colorado whatever the decision about the future of the event.
Thank you for the years of dedication and for putting on an amazing event.
Kevin Hahn
Co-founder Colorado Rally Cup
Brandon
Sunday, 18th October 2009 at 9:50 pm
Not cool! RC was a definite highlight to my year! If it continues to be a regional, I will still come and help out. Maybe it’s for the best, RA never seemed to be very appreciative of our event anyway.
Mitch Williams
Monday, 19th October 2009 at 6:34 am
Awwww man!
Tyler Patik
Monday, 19th October 2009 at 11:29 am
This is severly dissappointing. You guys put on such a great event. Thanks for the fun we had the past few years.
Krispy Kritter
Saturday, 24th October 2009 at 5:02 am
Why do we continually trade tradition for a dollar. Make a stand to preserve the tradition of open road rally racing. A closed circuit track is nothing more than “putting on a show”. Where’s the skill and challenge in that? Don’t let head honchos that are more interested in making money direct the future of this sport. If they want to make money on this sport they need to get creative and work a little harder promoting the sport as it is and selling sponsorships. If you feel as I do, please make your voice heard. Preserve the tradition of rally racing!
ernie
Thursday, 29th October 2009 at 7:27 pm
Dang that sucks every year it got better and better. This was my vacation every year. Thanks Rally America real good choice NOT!!!!!!
toiletbowl
Sunday, 1st November 2009 at 4:32 pm
bastards
Christina Hartzler
Monday, 2nd November 2009 at 10:57 am
I believe that given enough input as I see above that J.B. might reconsider. Our event is spectacular and as some of you have already said we did get better every year. That was due largely in part to the competitors and the volunteers making the event better. However, we could not have improved to the level where we were this year without the spectators. We have spectators coming from out of state to see our event and I think that says a lot. If RA follows through with this decision of closed circut racing I truely believe that it could be the ultimate deimise of Rally racing. This is simply my opinion only and is not the opinion of the RC committee. I hope that RA will re-consider their position.
Jason
Wednesday, 23rd December 2009 at 12:19 pm
Any updates on this?