Rally America hits the X Games

[belladonna]

so i was flipping through the newest issue of Grassroots Motorsports and came upon this tibit
"Performace rallying will join BMX, stakeboarding, motocross freestyle and other extreme sports at ESPN's X Games...X Games 12 will feature two days of Rally America performance rally competition when it rolls into Los Angeles August 3-6."


so...um...does that mean the one motorsport i love the most is going to become mainstream and ruined? or is this a good thing?

opinions welcome...

[GrassyKnoll]

I personally believe that that kind of publicity is detremental....


Kind of like the new fast and furious coming out in a month based on DRIFTING!!!

This will without doubt ruin my favorite activity ever....


Oh well, guess Ill just have to watch all the dumbasses drive their civics through intersections sideways into traffic light poles....

[belladonna]

when i read the brief, i thought great, another bunch of posers to deal with...

i like being a part of something that isn't "trendy" !

[GrassyKnoll]

when i read the brief, i thought great, another bunch of posers to deal with...

i like being a part of something that isn't "trendy" !


Agreed. And it's all the people that think they've been following the sport forever that piss me off.

Having said that... some popularity for the sport can be good. It just needs to be recognized among the right group of people!! :)

[belladonna]

Having said that... some popularity for the sport can be good. It just needs to be recognized among the right group of people!! :)

yes! and, while the X Games are hugely popular among young people, I don't think it's the best, or right, forum to introduce rally to the rest of the nation...the X Games is not that forum...

and i'm saying all this and i have to think that one of the best moto-freestyle kids of all time is now a rather successful rally driver...Travis Pastrana

[Huffer]

What is the best forum to mass-market rally to the nation?

[belladonna]

i don't think there is a good forum to "mass market" rally racing...i think just the whole idea of it being marketed to a bunch of kids that have no respect for it and will do it because it's "in" is what really bothers me

[GrassyKnoll]

i don't think there is a good forum to "mass market" rally racing...i think just the whole idea of it being marketed to a bunch of kids that have no respect for it and will do it because it's "in" is what really bothers me

+1

[blueb3]

I look at it from a different perspective. Every sport has it's stars, and this sport gets no real love in the US because the mainstream don't know about it. The sport needs some good exposure if we want to see more than just the x-games. Hell, to watch rally now, I have to download it.
Yes, like anything, there will be kids going out and destroying their cars in the woods because they are dumb and saw it on the TV. But it also shows sponsors and the media that this is a sport that people will want to watch and hopefully will give it a chance to flourish.

[Huffer]

i don't think there is a good forum to "mass market" rally racing...i think just the whole idea of it being marketed to a bunch of kids that have no respect for it and will do it because it's "in" is what really bothers me

Snowboarding was the same way - but only hardcore players keep it going.

Motorsports is the same way. You will find that people who aren't committed will drop off quickly. But the upside is that the sport gets exposure to people who have been raised on a diet of NASCAR.

What's more exciting than 150mph mudslinging around canyons?
NASCAR?!? :lol:

[tjpete04]

I look at it from a different perspective. Every sport has it's stars, and this sport gets no real love in the US because the mainstream don't know about it. The sport needs some good exposure if we want to see more than just the x-games. Hell, to watch rally now, I have to download it.
Yes, like anything, there will be kids going out and destroying their cars in the woods because they are dumb and saw it on the TV. But it also shows sponsors and the media that this is a sport that people will want to watch and hopefully will give it a chance to flourish.


I Agree (I wish the same thing would happen with Sailboat racing)

[legacy92ej22t]

I think it's a great thing. Rally in the US needs more exposer. I want to see the factory teams come back to the US, damn it!!!! The sport needs growth and this will help it grow.

Do you have a rally-x chapter within driving distance to your location? No? Well maybe after this you will. Like I said, a good thing.

Don't worry about it being a fad. If it does become a fad then in the long run it will still help with product support and growth anyways.

Geez, don't be so selfish, lets share this wonderful motor sport with everyone. I for one would much rather see hours of Rally America coverage every weekend instead of NASCAR!

[blueb3]

Exactly! I have this entire season on my hard drive.

I am lucky, because I now have a local SCCA chapter that is in it's inaugural season of rallyX. I can't think of a better way to spend $30 bucks and 8 hours. Increased exposure in this sport is a good thing.

[belladonna]

matt - i see your point...i was being selfish! i know! i just don't want to deal with more car posers than necessary...

maybe a surge in interest will make Speed bring back WRC coverage?