BFGoodrich is looking to make some significant traction at the nation’s newest motorsport, the RallyCar U.S. Rallycross Championship.
Taking place Aug. 28-29 at New Jersey Motorsports Park, the blend of circuit racing, off-road racing and rally competition will give fans high-impact action and excitement, as well as giving the company “another opportunity to truly show its stuff,” says motorsports manager Roberts Kukainis.
The track’s jumps, unbanked turns, hills and transitions between pavement and gravel will showcase the grip, acceleration and toughness that has led to 17 of 20 X Games Rally Car Racing and SuperRally medals, he points out.
The company “takes great pride in its rally successes at X Games and Rally America competitions and we can’t wait to get to work at the aggressive new Rallycross series,” Kukainis says.
“Drivers continue to push the BFGoodrich g-Force Rally tires to the limit,” he adds, “and the tires continue to grip at the highest level.”
They will again be the tire of choice for a number of elite drivers, including four-time Rally America champion, Travis Pastrana of Subaru Rally Team USA; 2009 North American Rally Champion and X Games 16 Rally Car Racing bronze medalist Andrew Comrie-Picard of Mitsubishi; and X Games 16 Rally Car Racing and SuperRally gold medalist Tanner Foust from Ford.
“Rallycross at X Games 16 was incredible, and I cannot wait to get out on track again this weekend in New Jersey,” says Comrie-Picard. “I can only imagine that Rallycross will grow rapidly in popularity in the U.S. and it’s exciting to have BFGoodrich Tires’ support in this inaugural event.”
He is intent on “conquering this weekend’s course with the same grip and acceleration” from the tires “that helped me capture the bronze at this year’s X Games.”
Tire selection will be crucial for this first-ever event, and teams will have a number of variables to consider when choosing a rally tire, including hardness, sizing and groove type.
Goodrich has a couple of different offerings to meet the racers’ expectations of grip, acceleration and toughness at the new Rallycross series, according to Kukainis. A course with more gravel will provide the perfect surface for teams choosing the aggressive-gripping g-Force Rally (gravel) tires that cut through loose top surface in search of firmer ground underneath. The g-Force Rally (tarmac) tire “will set teams up for success by hugging the road’s underlying surface where there is less gravel.”
Rallycross will consist of five rally cars jumping and sliding on a road course made up of a mixture of pavement and gravel. The five drivers will line up to start all at once, piloting high-horsepower compact cars through race traffic over a challenging short course in a fan-friendly track environment. Each car must also take a “Joker” lap at some point during the heat, which is a small detour – normally over a jump – that adds a level of unpredictability to the outcome of by instantly changing a driver’s strategy.
Two classes are in play. The first class features faster, all-wheel drive cars that resemble those used in current RallyCar competition. The second category of Rallycross cars will be two-wheel drives boasting 450-plus horsepower, highly modified engines and a reinforced suspension.
In recognition of Pastrana’s “outstanding competitive performance and record-setting achievements at Rally America competitions during his time,” the tire manufacturer will present him with a Performance and Achievements honor at Friday’s Rally America National Rally Championship Awards banquet being presented by the company.
For more information, visit www.bfgoodrichtires.com.
