Wednesday 12th November 2014
World Rallycross Champs Las Vegas
The sun and sand of Nevada is a world away from Lydden Hill, that's for sure
A glittering strip of neon and hedonism surrounded by the darkness of the Nevada desert, Las Vegas really is like nowhere else on the planet.
Rallycross action in the shadow of the Vegas strip
The irony of bringing four-wheel drive, flame-spitting rallycross cars to the audience on the strip rather seems to work. Sure, it'd make a bit more sense if the dirt were naturally occurring. Like, say, in the seemingly endless desert that surrounds Vegas. But that's not really the point. The crowds can get here easily, the races are brief but action-packed and the beer and burgers are on tap. And it's a short stumble or monorail back to the 24-hour casinos and the all-you-can-eat buffets.Global in this context is the Stateside definition of it, Barbados being about as offshore as the Red Bull GRC gets, the rest of the rounds taking place on US mainland. There's a lot of interest too; Red Bull's series is broadcast on NBC with decent audiences andare household names, many through previous lives as action sports stars with skateboarders, freestyle motocross riders and others joining the fun.
Scott Speed is driving the Andretti VW Beetle
Park the cynicismIt's easy to be a bit dismissive, though that's immediately forgotten watching 10 cars fight for the best line on the first corner. Six laps later it's decided, but what a six laps, the entire circuit visible from almost anywhere you stand, the central jump making for some real heart-in-mouth moments where mid-air taps are very much expected. There's more banging and pops than a municipal fireworks display as the 10 cars lift for the second bend, a tight, 90-degree left-hander. Whooping, yes, whooping, ensues as chaotic mass of Fiestas, Subarus, a Chevrolet Sonic and Hyundai Veloster and the two new VW Beetles from Andretti Autosport sprint down the straight to the next bend.
Volkswagen's part-sponsorship of the series underlines its status and, with the Polo that forms the heart of the WRC campaign not sold in the US, the distinctive Beetle makes for instantly recognisable presence. They're unlike any Beetle you might have encountered either, the 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 540hp, allowing it to reach 60mph in 2.1 seconds. Its power drives all four wheels, GRC rules meaning there are no traction or driving aids to speak of, the gears shifted via a sequential shift lever rather than paddles. That's pretty much the formula, the six-lap heat races over in minutes, the briefest, high-high octane race a riot of noise, physicality and more overtakes than in a typical 70-lap F1 race.
Of course it's a contact sport!
Feel the heatThere are rules to boost the excitement, the heats building up to the final, where the 10 best run for 10 laps. In Vegas, at night, under the floodlights and neon Scott Speed's 7UP Beetle takes what can only be described as an ambitious line into the first corner. The inevitable happens and Speed's Beetle slews into the tyre barriers on the outside of the bend, collecting a few other cars on the way. Red flags out, the clean-up is quick, Speed's Beetle making the restart - albeit featuring somewhat lighter bodywork than it started the previous race with.
Wings clipped a bit Speed's not so assertive on the second start, all the runners getting through the first bend. Then the first jump, always interesting on the first lap given how tight the pack is at this point. There's not much clear air between the cars, though plenty below them and the long-travel suspension designed to cope with the hits makes for an amusing ass-down stance when the cars accelerate ferociously out of the bends.
Big power, big suspension, big fun!
Dominant tonight is Ken Block, winning comfortably in Vegas but unable to stop the title going to a Finn in a Fiesta by the name of Joni Wiman. He comprehensively walked the Lites feeder championship in 2013 before graduating to the Supercars in 2014. But he'd best be looking over his shoulder for the next young pretender joining the big boys in 2015 - 17-year-oldfrom California has won the Lites in his second year, building on a third in the championship in 2013. His grandparents are standing in front of me as he does his victory lap, saying he's only just got his road licence.A rising star in a rising category, the 'global' badge might be something of a misnomer but there's nothing isolationist about the appeal. Big fun and action-packed racing in compact, easy to view format, GRC is very much like the city where we sampled it. Context is everything and in this one it works a treat.
[Sources:]