Wow, I know i've been way busy and not really paying that much attention to the "Reality TV" Rally America Champignonskit dog-and-pony show and only a bit more to the WRC but how did I miss that our very own Travis Pastrana had won the 2007 World Rally Championship??

Man! He's come a long way!
Check out his Career Achievments.
I wonder how Block did in the WRC???




Thanks Special Stage! You guys do publish so important stuff occasionally!
And thanks top the guy over there who posted it, sorry stole your photo!

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

John, I suspect that is a typo or Travis's PR people should be slapped. Travis has shown general humilty about his skills on the WRC level of competition. RA and his PR company seem to see his skills otherwise. Otherwise as a technical writer the changes in style and presentation of the different events listed drives me batty.

---

Matt Smith

Racing in glorious black and red

My daily life is a Saab story (sold!)

mothra Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> John, I suspect that is a typo or Travis's PR
> people should be slapped. Travis has shown
> general humilty about his skills on the WRC level
> of competition. RA and his PR company seem to see
> his skills otherwise. Otherwise as a technical
> writer the changes in style and presentation of
> the different events listed drives me batty.
>
> Matt Smith
>
> Sported the Red and Black to Save Us All.

Matt, I see that at least Travis knows full well where he stands. He's a racer from way back, he knows what his numerous injuries caused re his "real" moto-cross career, and although he seems crazy to do this wacky "Free style MX" crap and he knows to play up the crazy guy schtick, I see he's pretty serious, and just wish he wasn't so tied up with "the whole hype machine" which I know will ruin his career.

What I mean is that there is nothing to be gained or proved by Travis--and for that matter his bud Kenny, beating you or me. If that takes so little effort, (just lots of money) then the chasing after driving better stagnates.
A few carefully chosen WRC outing in places where he can (Hopefully due to thin fields) make some "Headlines" isn't working out. They do too few events with too thin fields to have it be useful.

Like most of us, Travis would be better off entering events where there were 60 or 80 cars at very similar levels of prep and performance where he'd have to really fight---sorta like he did in "outdoor" moto-cross.
But I fear that as this thing shows, that he has too many managers, and "yes men" surrounding him to pay attention to details, too much hype nonsense keeps him too busy to concentrate on just rally driving development.

In a way I guess he could say "Why bother developing driving skills when I'm fully sponsored and can even do some WRC thing already?"

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Arent you kinda surprised that Derek Ringer didnt kick in on some of the decision making?
Oh, and 1st Place Ojibwe WRC

---

rally gods would turn in their graves if they ever knew Lada's were now part of EU rallying!!!

I do wonder what Travis's personal goals in rally are...1) develop skills to try and win a WRC title....2) this rally car thing is fun I hope that other people keep paying supporting my ride. He may have gotten to late a start for 1 but seems to be doing well for 2. His PR team seems to be trying to keep him in 2 in the US at the expense of any internatational reputation he is building. I know that the WRC media likes him. His energy and excitment and Americanness makes for good media.

Travis seems like a good guy (from afar). Ken I am less impressed by (from afar). Kenny Bartram I spoke with for a while at LSPR and he seems like a good guy as well. Mirra is a local to me and I have friends that used to ride with him and speak highly of his attitude, humilty, and approach.

---

Matt Smith

Racing in glorious black and red

My daily life is a Saab story (sold!)

I hope Dave Mirra and Lisa Klassen get invites to the X-Games Rally-car-Bash this summer, so that they can give everyone a little glimpse into the future of US rallying.

---

Ted Mendham
www.rensport.net

I'm pretty sure this year's X-Games XXXTreeeeem Rally is going to feature JATO assisted Evos and a Hot Wheels loop with pyrotechnics.

If the goal of Pastrana, Block, etc. is to run in the WRC, they really need to GTFO of the US and run something, anything, and a lot of it, in Yurrup. And that probably means running a national series somewhere, but not the diving into the deep end of PWRC. Not sure what that series would be, but I'm sure somebody here has a good idea.

---

Andrew Steere
Lyndeborough, NH
KB1PJY

Give him a break, they may be referring to his WRC efforts in PlayStation 2

---

Cheers
M.Samli
Phoenix AZ
Gaylant VR4
EVO III GSR (Stolen)


Rallies are no place for traitors

Hey those guys have proven that they can consistantly beat arguably the world's best rally driver, Colin effin' McRae, may he rest in peace. They have nothing left to prove. Has Petter ever done a double back flip on a m-x bike? Has anyone ever jumped a rally car farther than Ken? I rest my case. I do think that Petter would win on Dancing with the Stars, however. Maybe this why Dave Richards has announced a second WRC team for Subaru next year.

Travis and Ken could be just the thing to give those lazy-as-H@ll-euro-trash-Prodrive guys a real American kick in the rear and put the blue cars back on top. Wear yer gold shoes to the victory celebration, gents!

"whad-a-ya mean it don't got a horn that whistles Dixie?"

Back to headquarters for cocktails and debriefing.

---

Ted Mendham
www.rensport.net

Don't you guys know that George Bush declared that winning in the United States is like winning in the world?

---

RichardM

"Balls" Said the Queen, "If I had them I'd be King"

---

Cheers
M.Samli
Phoenix AZ
Gaylant VR4
EVO III GSR (Stolen)


Rallies are no place for traitors

tedm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I hope Dave Mirra and Lisa Klassen get invites to
> the X-Games Rally-car-Bash this summer, so that
> they can give everyone a little glimpse into the
> future of US rallying.
>
> Ted Mendham
> www.rensport.net


that idea makes my gag reflex go crazy.

---

-Mark
www.nocoastmotorsports.net

Here's my take, as a poor, not even driving yet rally car (sort of) owner.

STOP FUCKING COMPLAINING ABOUT EVERYTHING.

I'd put money on it that its a typo. Shame on the media for a mistake. It happens all the time.


I've spoken to Travis before. He's admitted when he's screwed up on a stage, even when it was in front of all the spectators.

I've spoken to Kenny Bartram, he seems pretty cool, and is really laid back.

Ken Block seems pretty uninterested in talking to groups of people DURING the event, but afterwards, I saw him walking around talking to people, checking out John Lane's volvo, and being a pretty decent guy. Pressure might affect him... He could be trying, after all. I know during Track, I was good... But I also was WAY focused on what I was going to do, and didnt really talk to anyone during meets.


But seriously, so what if he's off choosing PWRC events to run. He's getting more seat time. So what if he gets lots of media. So what about Ken Block jumping a rally car and getting a record (whether you agree or not... try getting a record, its REDICULOUS the amount of verification there is. High school track has wind meters and shit. If you run your record WITH the wind, it doesnt count...)

My honest opinion is that until you go out, and at the same national event, go out in your car and beat them, you really dont have any reason to be whining about what ever they're doing, and how they're not really that good.

And no, comparing them to Finns, prior rally drivers, retired WRC drivers, and anything else that you can think of OUTSIDE current times to "better" them doesnt count. Thats just fucking stupid. Its the equivelent of saying that because an F1 car could own a WRC car on asphalt, the F1 car is better.

The big difference I see between Rally Anarchy and Special Stage ISNT so much the loyalty to RA or NRS, but how much bitching and moaning goes on. There's a LOT more here.

And THAT is an unbiased opinion from the NEW GUY. I dont have YEARS of experience to bias myself to one side or another. I'm saying that from observation. I see and have had to deal with problems from BOTH governing bodies while I build my car.




SHORT VERSION

STFU and stop whining about National drivers and whether or not you think they should be there. Want to do something about it? Go out and drive, do well, promote yourself, get sponsors, and then beat them. In theory it works, in actuality, sometimes. And in my opinion, sometimes is worth trying for.

---

Welcome to the cult of JVL drink the koolaid or be banned.

Dazed_Driver Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Here's my take, as a poor, not even driving yet
> rally car (sort of) owner.
>
> STOP FUCKING COMPLAINING ABOUT EVERYTHING.
>
> I'd put money on it that its a typo. Shame on the
> media for a mistake. It happens all the time.
>
>
> I've spoken to Travis before. He's admitted when
> he's screwed up on a stage, even when it was in
> front of all the spectators.
>
> I've spoken to Kenny Bartram, he seems pretty
> cool, and is really laid back.
>
> Ken Block seems pretty uninterested in talking to
> groups of people DURING the event, but afterwards,
> I saw him walking around talking to people,
> checking out John Lane's volvo, and being a pretty
> decent guy. Pressure might affect him... He could
> be trying, after all. I know during Track, I was
> good... But I also was WAY focused on what I was
> going to do, and didnt really talk to anyone
> during meets.
>
>
> But seriously, so what if he's off choosing PWRC
> events to run. He's getting more seat time. So
> what if he gets lots of media. So what about Ken
> Block jumping a rally car and getting a record
> (whether you agree or not... try getting a record,
> its REDICULOUS the amount of verification there
> is. High school track has wind meters and shit. If
> you run your record WITH the wind, it doesnt
> count...)
>
> My honest opinion is that until you go out, and at
> the same national event, go out in your car and
> beat them, you really dont have any reason to be
> whining about what ever they're doing, and how
> they're not really that good.
>
> And no, comparing them to Finns, prior rally
> drivers, retired WRC drivers, and anything else
> that you can think of OUTSIDE current times to
> "better" them doesnt count. Thats just fucking
> stupid. Its the equivelent of saying that because
> an F1 car could own a WRC car on asphalt, the F1
> car is better.
>
> The big difference I see between Rally Anarchy and
> Special Stage ISNT so much the loyalty to RA or
> NRS, but how much bitching and moaning goes on.
> There's a LOT more here.
>
> And THAT is an unbiased opinion from the NEW GUY.
> I dont have YEARS of experience to bias myself to
> one side or another. I'm saying that from
> observation. I see and have had to deal with
> problems from BOTH governing bodies while I build
> my car.
>
>
>
>
> SHORT VERSION
>
> STFU and stop whining about National drivers and
> whether or not you think they should be there.
> Want to do something about it? Go out and drive,
> do well, promote yourself, get sponsors, and then
> beat them. In theory it works, in actuality,
> sometimes. And in my opinion, sometimes is worth
> trying for.
>
> Feisty Peacock?


You know, one of the biggest whiners is YOU Timm, YOU are complaining about an obvious joke.

And I don't really know where you get off telling anybody to shut the fuck up.



this posting is not a "Complaint" its a JOKE about the STUPID degree of, and SLOPPY degree the knaves hired to hype things up do of their job.
And how uninvolved the guy whose name is attached to this BS is---or he would have.

Your comment about "Until you go out and beat them..." is just stupid.

ANYBODY, even you, a kid, has every right to comment on what the see and view, and if the ATTENDANT HYPE doesn't sit well with you, or if it does, fine.
I don't tell you to Shut the Fuck Up because you know nothing about what this sport WAS and how unlimited spending has changed to sport You're free to rant all you want, but as a punk kid, I'd suggest you learn some people don't take too well to kids telling them we're complaining and to shut up.


It's not a TYPO, it's a mistake.

(You're of the type faster than talk generation, explain what the typo was, which key was hit in error? What did they mean to write?)

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Hey Tim,

You are entitled to your opinion, so is everybody else here.

Until you earn your stripes, until you sweat behind the wheel of your rally car on stages, not in your garage, until you learn the logical right from the fundamentally wrong watch what you are saying.

If you don't like the tone here, feel free to frequent other forums, nobody's forcing you do do anything. There is a boat load of talented drivers here and abroad that can hand both Travis and Block their asses but those drivers are not privy to the rule bendings, eye closings or the factory rides.


Typos are not allowed on the level they claim to be competing at. People get ridiculed even sued because of typos. Most likely some asshat PR dweeb wrote it and nobody bothered checking it, that in my book spells stupidity with a dash of negligence. Making false claims in any level of competition is unacceptable.

---

Cheers
M.Samli
Phoenix AZ
Gaylant VR4
EVO III GSR (Stolen)


Rallies are no place for traitors