RANGELY | After months of planning and reworking the operations of the event, Rally Colorado Organizers and America Rally Association are geared up and ready for the August 15-16 event. Rally Colorado will feature Rally Cars tackling over 130 stage miles of twisting dirt roads divided into 14 stages. This event emphasizes the rally’s endurance challenge with the stages averaging just under 10 miles per stage. The Rugged mountains, vast plains, deep canyons, and high mesas test the competitors abilities. In addition to the ever changing flow of the roads, altitude and adaptability hugely impact a team’s success as the elevations bog the cars power down by 15-20% in naturally aspirated vehicles.
WHO: Rally Colorado
WHAT: Main Street Parade
(other rally activities are not open to the public due to COVID-19 situation)WHEN: Friday, Aug. 14, 6 p.m.
WHERE: Main Street, Rangely
Due to the ongoing situation with COVID-19, rally activities are not open to the public for the 2020 event. However, you can find live updates of the event on social media platforms and those local to the event may watch the Main Street Parade scheduled Friday, Aug. 14 at 6 p.m.-6:45 p.m. through the town of Rangely.
Rally Colorado will be kicking off the 2020-2021 super season of the California Rally Series (CRS) Rally Championship. The California Rally Series is the premier performance rally championship in the southwestern United States. The Series incorporates events from various sanctioning bodies in order to create a meaningful regional championship for its members. The Series celebrates more than 40 continuous years of performance rally, making it the longest-running rally series in the United States. To learn more about the California Rally Series visit www.californiarallyseries.com and follow @californiarallyseries on Instagram and Facebook.
CRS Press Liaison, Erik Christiansen shares a few thoughts on the stacked competition, “Last year’s Open Four-Wheel Drive Class season champions Flynn Baglin and co-driver Alix Hakala are back to defend their trophies…with the intent of bringing the fight to the many Subarus on the entry list, as well as a few R5 spec Ford Fiestas. Fresh off a win at a tarmac event on the East Coast, Martin Donnelly and co-driver Martin Brady in their Fiesta will be the one of the favorites to win the event overall. Local driver Scott Crouch, (Flatirons Subaru) took second place overall last year in his Subaru WRX, and along with co-driver Lea Croteau will be looking to improve upon that finish.”
2020 has attracted some exciting competition including returning 2019 Overall Champions, Dave and Mike Brown, 2018 Overall Champions Steve Bis and Scott McCarty, professional skateboarder Bucky Lasek paired with co-driver Krista Skucas, Texas Dave from Rally Ready Driving School, several husband and wife teams, and numerous Colorado locals.
Rally Colorado is a volunteer-run event and its success depends on motorsports fans. What better way to spectate and experience the event first hand! Every volunteer is greatly appreciated by the drivers, crews and event organizers; they will certainly let you know it. This year Rally Colorado has several exciting giveaways for the volunteers provided by Flatirons Subaru, Bobo’s Oat Bars, OzRallyPro, Chocolove, Wine Country Motorsports, Castrol Oil, and Rally Ready Driving School.
2020 has brought many challenges to the new event organizers, the story goes that rally organizers, rally competitors and rally volunteers were sitting outside of the Blue Mountain Inn after a successful and very eventful 2019 event! If you have not heard, ask someone about the story of Earl. There was chatting into the wee hours of the morning. Samantha and Joseph Chiarelli were asking many questions of Alan, the Irishman and Tracey, of Tag Rally Sport (Organizers in 2016-2019) about what goes into running a rally, and right there the next leaders of Rally Colorado were conscripted.
In 2017, the Rally Colorado cup was born. Alan Gardiner came up with the idea that there would be a trophy dedicated to the rally. The cup goes to the competitors that take first place overall. The winner’s names then get a space on the trophy along with former winners from the original Rally Colorado held in Steamboat Springs. Names currently on the trophy from the days of Steamboat are Travis Pastrana, Ken Block, and Andrew Comrie-Picard.
“Joseph, the entire organizing committee, and I are extremely humbled by the entry list of both competitors and volunteers. We are excited for the growth of the sport and we look forward to a successful 2020 event!” Chairwoman, Samantha Chiarelli.
Follow @rallycogroup on Instagram and Facebook. For more information visit https://www.rallycolorado.org/.
PRESS RELEASE | Special to the Herald Times
