(Insert stupid Blog name here)

Wow… Hyundai is really serious about this rallying stuff.

 

And while Subaru still isn't participating in the WRC, Travis Pastrana has returned to their Rally USA team, and will be debuting the rally-spec version of the new STi later this year.

 

And of course, there probably won't be any TV coverage of that, either.

Now this is how you sell a used car:

 

 

Check out the story here (and Nissan's amazing response). And the print ads for the car here.

 

Brilliant.

Yeah… not much of a surprise there. Ogier won, although he had to work at it after a tire choice mistake cost him a lot of time on the opening day.

 

Hyundai's first outing was a disappointment, with Neuville crashing out on the first stage of the rally. Then Sordo's car developed an electrical problem and couldn't continue. Well, I guess this week counts as a "learning opportunity" for them.

 

Chris Meeke took third, which is a great showing. The UK radio announcers were going absolutely nuts when he made the podium.

 

Probably the surprise of the rally was privateer Bryan Bouffier, who led for quite awhile (until Ogier clawed his way back up to first), and eventually took second. Bouffier is an experienced rally driver though, having taken second in last year's ERC. Hopefully this will mean more funding for additional WRC campaigns this year.

Well, Sweden was different - Ogier didn't win. He was on his way to win, but he got into a drifted bank, and then he got upsot. Still his climb back from 20th to 6th was impressive.

 

Jari-Matti Latvala won, so there was still a VW in the winner's circle, but at least someone other than Ogier holds the driver's championship lead for now.

 

Hyundai crashed out both cars, but was able to restart them and at least get some more road time.

 

WRC.com has some nice summaries here and here. Still no TV coverage where I live.

Way to have a positive outlook there, Mikko.

Well, at least Hyundai had a better outing this time. But otherwise, the outcome was pretty predictable with Ogier winning again. Almost makes me wish Loeb was back.

(yawn) What? Oh… another rally. Another Ogier win. Portugal or someplace.

 

On the plus side, Subaru may make a hatchback WRX after all. Which is good, because I'm buying a hatchback next time I buy a car. However, I probably won't be buying a car for years, so it really doesn't affect me. And I probably wouldn't buy a WRX because the insurance would be higher. But, um… good for Subaru!

Subaru showed off the new Global Rallycross-flavored STi at the New York Auto Show:

 

 

 

Not sure why the NBC Sports logo is in the middle of a big bird poop. (Make up your own jokes about their Olympics coverage.)

 

A Rally America Championship version will be following later this year.

 

Could this finally signal a return to the WRC?

 

Well, no. Probably not.

 

But Toyota still seems interested.

I guess there was another rally recently. Been a bit too busy to notice. Not like I could've watched it on TV anyway.

 

Ogier came in 2nd. There go his chances for a repeat championship. (There's not an emoticon for extremely heavy sarcasm, or I would have placed it here.)

And another rally has apparently come and gone. Ogier won. Probably some other guys finished, or maybe not. Whatever.

Fox Sports West has finally started carrying WRC highlights!

 

This week was Rally Sweden.

 

From February.

 

But at least it was from February 2014.

 

I guess there have been a bunch of other rallies run this year since my last post about it. Haven't been paying much attention. Let's see...

 

Wait… Hyundai won in Germany?

 

And Latvala is only 27 points behind Ogier with two rallies left?

 

Looks like things got a bit more interesting while I was off being not bored by the same old results.

 

Can't wait to see how things turn out.

 

In May or so.

 

Assuming the WRC survives that long.