So I did a rallycross for the first time this weekend....

For anyone thinking about trying it. Do it. It was the most fun I've had in my car.

Was I slower than most? Yes

Did I have a killer time? Yes

After walking the course and feeling the bumps I will admit I was concerned for my car. After running the parade lap it was much less rough that I though it would be. The FRS took its punishment well and was no worse for wear when I finished.

Plus, every other competitor I spoke with was very nice. I felt a little more sense of community than I do at autocross events but that could just be because it's 50 people versus 200.

Bonus photo:

That is awesome! Which event was it?

Rallycross has a fantastic community almost everywhere which is part of it's charm. Most regions have a core group of 15-20 people that you will see at every event, which isn't totally unlike autocross, but the difference is the reaction to new people. New people aren't welcomed to the sport of rallycross, they're welcomed to the family of rallycrossers.

In reply to paranoid_android74:

This was the Thistle Hill Farm event with the Detroit Region.

Needless to say, I've marked my calendar for when registration for the next event opens in two days!

It's definitely fun. And unlike some sports, even coming in dead last can be a whole barrel of fun (which happens to me on a semi-frequent basis due to having the least competitive car ever for tight courses).

I've always wanted to rallycross my STI but I've always been concerned about ride height (Prodrive springs/bumpstops). Is your FRS on stockish suspension? I imagine if you had any bottoming out or oil pan scraping you'd have mentioned it

In reply to jsquared:

Stock suspension on stock tires so stock ride height. I had a few people give me the "this is too pretty to rally"

There were times I felt a pretty hard bump in elevation changes. But overall not too bad. Luckily, just about everything under the car is protected from factory.

That gives me a bit more confidence, but I still think I might try to find a set of stock spring/dampers to put on anyway, since a softer setup is better on loose surfaces from what I've been told. And a front skidplate (skidplate is on the to-do list anyway since I could integrate it with a splitter for track days).

In reply to jsquared:

I was surprised. The FRS has a metal skid plate under the motor and plastic covering all lines back to the rear end. I don't know if that was factory if the person before me did. Either way I'm thankful.

Nice. I've got the plastic shrouds on the lines under the cabin on my STI from the factory, but the plastic undertray for the engine bay was long gone when I bought it.

In reply to MrLittle:

Would this be the one on June 25-26 at I-96 Speedway?

Maybe I should re-prioritize and get my Saab in order...

In reply to paranoid_android74:

Yup thats the one. Registration opens at 8pm tomorrow.

It's definitely a family-experience. I have yet to make an event this year (crazy-rain in March, plans changed in April, this weekend's canceled for weather) but I look forward to my friends almost as much as sliding Subarust around the dirt. If you ever feel like driving a little farther, Western Ohio and Ohio Valley regions have plenty of fun down here in Greenfield and Middletown OH.

In reply to Jerry:

I'd be down for a further drive for some damn good fun! There was an abarth there this weekend too. Such a mean sounding car.

Good to hear you got out. We had a BRZ at our last event as well (the only car running in stock RWD class, lol). Detroit is one of the strongest regions out there for the RWD classes as I recall (aside from Colorado, New England, Ohio, and DC) so you should have some good benchmarks to run against.

Not sure where you are, but DC is hosting the Eastern States Championship in July - a 3-day event that should be a ton of fun with a competitive RWD field. Our venue is hard on paint, but not hard on the rest of the car per se.

MrLittle wrote: In reply to Jerry: I'd be down for a further drive for some damn good fun! There was an abarth there this weekend too. Such a mean sounding car.

I would almost literally kill to have another Abarth with snow tires and go for SF. (They auction one every year at the Dayton Concours show & I always cross my fingers and toes.)

Like others have said the community is really great... I have had very much the same experience as you. Show up not knowing what to expect, but leave all smiles, and wanting more.... Then the modifications start

Which reminds me... I need to sign up for my regions next event.

In reply to Madhatr:

Ive showed multiple friends pictures of your corvette. Such an awesome car to be tearing up the dirt!

Looks like a blast, wish I could have gone, I do like the course they setup there!

Its scary how fast you can start planning a beater rallycross build after the fun of a first event

engiekev wrote: Looks like a blast, wish I could have gone, I do like the course they setup there! Its scary how fast you can start planning a beater rallycross build after the fun of a first event

The plans are in the works haha

In reply to engiekev:

I remember after my first run in a rental Ford Probe at my first event, thinking "I need to check craigslist when I get home".

MrLittle wrote: In reply to Madhatr: Ive showed multiple friends pictures of your corvette. Such an awesome car to be tearing up the dirt!

Thank you for the compliments, the truth is my car is not pretty, or fast, but it is fun...

What are you starting to think about building?