The heart pounding, high-flying, side-by-side action known as Rallycross is ready for its inaugural debut this coming weekend and BFGoodrich® Tires is once again ready to dominate.  After rocking the Rally Car Racing and SuperRally Car competitions at X Games 16, BFGoodrich Tires is looking to make championship traction again at America’s newest motorsport, the RallyCar U.S. Rallycross Championship.  Taking place at New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP) on Aug. 28-29, the blend of circuit racing, off-road racing and rally competition will give fans high-impact action and excitement, as well as give BFGoodrich Tires another opportunity to truly show its stuff.  NJMP’s jumps, unbanked turns, hills and transitions between pavement and gravel will allow BFGoodrich Tires to showcase the grip, acceleration and toughness that has led to 17 of 20 X Games Rally Car Racing and SuperRally medals.

“BFGoodrich Tires 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,” said Roberts Kukainis, motorsports manager, BFGoodrich Tires.  “Drivers continue to push the BFGoodrich g-Force™ Rally tires to the limit and the tires continue to grip at the highest level.”

BFGoodrich tires will again be the tire of choice for a number of elite drivers, including four-time Rally America champion, Travis Pastrana (Subaru Rally Team USA); 2009 North American Rally Champion and X Games 16 Rally Car Racing bronze medalist, Andrew Comrie-Picard (Mitsubishi); and X Games 16 Rally Car Racing and SuperRally gold medalist, Tanner Foust (Ford).

“Rallycross at X Games 16 was incredible and I cannot wait to get out on track again this weekend in New Jersey,” said Andrew 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.  I am looking forward to conquering this weekend’s course with the same grip and acceleration offered by BFGoodrich’s g-Force Rally tire 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.  BFGoodrich Tires has a couple different offerings that meets teams’ expectations of grip, acceleration and toughness at the new Rallycross series.  A course with more gravel will provide the perfect surface for teams choosing the aggressive-gripping BFGoodrich g-Force Rally (gravel) tires that cut through loose top surface in search of firmer ground underneath.  The BFGoodrich g-Force Rally (tarmac) tire will set teams up for success by hugging the road’s underlying surface where there is less gravel.

RallyCar U.S. Rallycross Championship Competition Format

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 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 their heat, which is a small detour – normally over a jump – that adds a level of unpredictability to the outcome of the heat by instantly changing a driver’s strategy.

Two classes have been chosen for the initial year of Rallycross competition.  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-drive cars boasting 450-plus horsepower, highly modified engines and reinforced suspension.

BFGoodrich Tires to Honor Travis Pastrana at Rally America Awards Banquet

BFGoodrich Tires is proud to have rolled Subaru Rally Team USA driver Travis Pastrana to victory multiple times over the past five years.  In recognition of his outstanding competitive performance and record-setting achievements at Rally America competitions during his time, the tire manufacturer will present a Performance and Achievements award at the Rally America National Rally Championship Awards banquet presented by BFGoodrich Tires on Friday, Aug. 27.  Pastrana’s Rally America accomplishments include:

• 22 wins and 37 podium finishes in 51 Rally events
• 152 stage wins in 475 stages
• Two gold, one silver and one bronze medal in five X Games Rally events
• Rally America Rookie of the Year (2006)
• Four consecutive Rally America Championships (2006-2009)

Additional information regarding the banquet can be found at www.Rally-America.com.

2010 RallyCar U.S. Rallycross Championship Schedule

The three RallyCar U.S. Rallycross Championship events will be televised on ESPN2.  Please check local listings for airdates and times. 

NJMP Rallycross #1
Aug. 28-29
Millville, NJ

NJMP Rallycross #2
Oct. 2-3
Millville, NJ

NJMP Rallycross #3
Nov. 6-7
Millville, NJ

[Source: BFGoodrich]