PICS : DAVE MALACHA

WORDS : DAVE MALACHA & ALX OCHAL  

I've personally always wanted to experience a Rally event. Have you? 

Here is just a little taste of what I have experienced for my first ever rally event. 

So, the girlfriend and I decided to take a road trip up to Missouri for the annual 100 Acre Rally event sponsored by Rally America and Exedy USA. 

The Rally schedule started bright and early in the morning and the first stop on the Rally schedule was a drivers meeting/ parc expose. When we had arrived, there wasn’t much to see, but moments later more and more Rally cars were showing up. Some drivers would just relax and interact with the crowd, and others would be doing some final preparations. 

There was a very nice diversity in the cars and the people. Everything from Japanese cars to euro cars, didn’t matter if you had a awd, rwd, or fwd car. Every driver seemed confident in their cars and it seemed like they knew what they were about to get themselves into. All I know is that they were ready.

It was interesting to see the difference in the cars for instance details you would usually see in a late night garage builds versus sponsored builds but all the cars were there for the same reason and passion. That Rally Life.

So while the first parc expose was coming to an end we decided to leave a little early and head toward the first stage to get a good spot for some action shots. On the rally schedule you have different  stages with different times and each one is between 15-45 min away from the next stage. Although there are 12 stages per a day, you are only able to attend about 3 or 4 because of the distance and time in between stages.

It was a blast even for spectators. I know it had to be a thrill for the drivers but it was also a thrill for the spectators just knowing that there is nothing but two trees standing between you and a rally car. Sometimes there even was nothing and you didn’t know what could happen next. Especially when the the car missed the turn while going so fast and you smelled nothing but brakes being burnt up and some clutch here and there. You knew these drivers were pushing their cars to the limit. This was what made the thrill and the motorsport of Rally so amazing. 

After more than half the rally cars that have passed through the first stage. We had decided to skip a stage or two and go to a following one early again in order to get the best scenic spot.

Rally fans are either already there or others are just simply enjoying the cruise with you. With each stage being anywhere from 15-45min away you almost start to feel like your in the rally trying to beat the rally drivers to the next stage. Who’s going to win? Is almost what starts to go through your head. 

Going into the night we had decided to stay out in a field and get a better view of the last race as the night came to an end.  

The next day was a repetition of day one. Instead of attending the parc/ expose for day two we decided to head straight for a stage and cheer on the drivers.

Something that was different in day two was the Super-special. The cars were going around a small dirt track where you could view the cars from beginning to end and from all angles in the stage.

The last stage was where all the drivers poured their hearts out and pushed their cars to the limits in order to get the best time and place a spot for an award.

At the end of the last stage, the racers finished off the race with an award ceremony that involved close family and friends. Which of course what better way to celebrate an ending to the racing than on St. Patty’s day? I’m sure the teams and families had a wonderful night of entertainment and finally were able to let loose.

 Over all the Rally Trip was a success and definitely an event to remember. If you are interested in joining in on the fun; follow the event schedule on http://www.rally-america.com. They have events all over the United States as well as all year around. From winter standing in four feet of snow to hot blazing sunny days. Pick your poison and rally on.

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