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2010 United States Rally Championship

Posted: October 9, 2010 11:38 AM - 5367 Hits

THE UNITED STATES RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP ANNOUNCES 2010 UNITED STATES RALLY CHAMPIONS

Posted: October 9, 2010 11:38 AM

The high-desert and mountain roads of Prescott Rally in Arizona provided a fitting finale for the 2010 United States Rally Championship. 168 drivers and co-drivers participated in the sixth season of the United States Rally Championship. As in the previous years, it is the largest competitor participation of any series in North America with an influx of new drivers and co-drivers, some of whom placed high in the Championship standings below. The Year-End Awards Ceremony of the 2010 United States Rally Championship was held at the conclusion of Prescott Rally.

Tom Lawless is the 2010 United States Rally Champion – Driver in the All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) category. This is the second time Tom Lawless won the Championship; his first National Championship Title came in 2005. During the 2010 season, Tom drove with several co-drivers. He won Prescott Rally and secured his Championship Title with Bernard Farrell in the co-driver’s seat.

For the second year in a row, Marra Estep is the 2010 United States Rally Champion – Co-Driver in AWD category.

Erika Detota is the 2010 United States Rally Champion - Driver in the Two-Wheel-Drive (2WD) category. This is the first time in the history of North American rallying that women won National Titles for Drivers.

Jason Smith is the 2010 United States Rally Champion – Co-Driver in 2WD category. Jason is Erika’s Co-Driver.

The Winners of the USRC AWD Production Cup are Katianna Pihakari - AWD Driver, another woman to win a National Title, and Austin Gager – AWD Co-Driver.

The Winners of the USRC 2WD Production Cup are Jeff Hendricks – 2WD Driver and John Stewart – 2WD Co-Driver.

The first three competitors in each category are as follows:

    USRC AWD Championship - Drivers:
    1. Tom Lawless – 2010 USRC Champion
    2. Keith Jackson
    3. Enda McCormack

    USRC AWD Championship – Co-Drivers:
    1. Marra Estep – 2010 USRC Champion
    2. Eric Olson
    3. Tommy Doyle

    USRC 2WD Championship – Drivers:
    1. Erika Detota – 2010 USRC Champion
    2. John Black
    3. Jeff Hendricks

    USRC 2WD Championship – Co-Drivers:
    1. Jason Smith – 2010 USRC Champion
    2. Sean Gallagher
    3. John Stewart

    USRC AWD Production Cup – Drivers:
    1. Katianna Pihakari – 2010 USRC Production Cup Winner
    2. Kevin Welker
    3. Matt Gottlieb

    USRC AWD Production Cup – Co-Drivers:
    1. Austin Gager – 2010 USRC Production Cup Winner
    2. Brian McNamara
    3. John Dillon

    USRC 2WD Production Cup – Drivers:
    1. Jeff Hendricks – 2010 USRC Production Cup Winner
    2. John Black
    3. Alex Rademacher

    USRC 2WD Production Cup – Co-Drivers:
    1. John Stewart – 2010 USRC Production Cup Winner
    2. Brent Ellzey
    3. Steve McKelvie
The United States Rally Championship will continue its bold steps to make national competition more affordable and accessible to a larger number of rally teams. The Championship structure minimizes or, for many teams, eliminates the need for repeated cross-country travel during the Championship season by providing competition on each side of the country. The final round of the Championship at the end of the year counts both in the Atlantic Division and the Pacific Division and together with the results from all previous rounds decides the top spots in the Championship.

The 2010 United States Rally Championship season consisted of a combination of snow, gravel and tarmac events. Events of the United States Rally Championship allow for reconnaissance and pace notes. Tarmac, full reconnaissance and pace notes make the United States Rally Championship unique in North America as no other series in North America encompasses all these features. More information on the United States Rally Championship is available at

THE UNITED STATES RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP AT MIDSEASON

Posted: August 6, 2010 7:05 PM

As the United States Rally Championship (USRC, www.usrallychampionship.com) passes the midpoint of its sixth season with three events completed, competition is heating up in all categories on both sides of the country. 110 competitors, drivers and codrivers, have participated in the Championship by midseason. All USRC events provide for two-pass reconnaissance and allow pace notes.

The United States Rally Championship awards separate National Championship titles in the 2WD (Two-Wheel-Drive) category and in the AWD (All-Wheel-Drive) category. In addition, eligible crews compete for the 2WD Production Cup and the AWD Production Cup.

In the Atlantic Division and overall, the Irish driver Celsus Donnelly in a Mitsubishi Lancer is leading the AWD Championship at midseason. With two different codrivers, Donnelly won tarmac Rally New York USA and placed fifth after mechanical difficulties at New York Winter Rally in difficult icy conditions. Another Irish team of Enda McCormack with co-driver Tommy Doyle, who flies in for the USRC events all the way from Ireland, in a Mitsubishi Lancer is second. Tom Lawless, the winner of New York Winter Rally and the 2005 United States Rally Champion, is in the third place also driving with different codrivers in a Mitsubishi Lancer. The leading codrivers are Tommy Doyle, Joseph Sinkevich and Austin Gager. In the Pacific Division, the leading crew is Wolfgang Hoeck with Pierce O’Hanlon in a Mitsubishi Lancer who won Rally Idaho. Keith Jackson and Marra Estep, the 2009 United States Rally Champions, in a Subaru Impreza are second followed by Dick Rockrohr and Marie Jacobs in a Subaru Impreza in the third place.

In the 2WD Championship in the Atlantic Division, Erica Detota and Jason Smith in a 2WD Subaru Impreza are leading after gaining two excellent second places. The Romanian crew of Claudiu David and Mihaela Beldie are in the second place after winning New York Winter Rally. Tarmac specialists and the winners of Rally New York USA Thomas Greer and Robert DellaRocko in a Volkswagen GTI are third. In the Pacific Division, Chris and Lori O’Driscoll in a Honda CRX are leading after winning Rally Idaho. Alex Rademacher and John Stewart in a Subaru Impreza are second and John Black with Jon Burke in a Ford Ranger are in the third place.

Subaru team of Matt Gottlieb and Austin Gager is leading the AWD Production Cup in the Atlantic Division with two wins in the category. Another Subaru team of Dan Rockrohr and Eve Thomason is leading the AWD Production Cup in the Pacific Division with one win.

Steven Levesque with Steve McKelvie in a BMW M3 from the Atlantic Division are sharing the first place in the 2WD Production Cup with the Pacific Division crew of Alex Rademacher and John Stewart who are driving a 2WD Subaru Impreza.

The United States Rally Championship will continue with the remaining events that include Gorman Ridge Rally (www.gormanridgerally.com) in California, International Rally New York (www.rallynewyrok.com) and the final round of the 2010 Championship - Prescott Rally (www.prescottrally.com) in Arizona.

Atlantic Division teams are competing for coveted cash travel subsidies that will be awarded to top six teams in the Division. The total of $12,000 in subsidies will be distributed to Atlantic Division teams to assist them with travelling to the final round of the 2010 United States Rally Championship at Prescott, Arizona.

The United States Rally Championship is taking bold steps to make national competition more affordable and accessible to a larger number of rally teams. This is the fourth season of the new Championship structure that minimizes or, for many teams, eliminates the need for repeated cross-country travel during the Championship season by providing competition on each side of the country. The final round of the Championship at the end of the year counts both in the Atlantic Division and the Pacific Division and together with the results from all previous rounds decides the top spots in the Championship.

MSI Announces their support for the 2010 United States Rally Championship !

Posted: January 19, 2010 3:22 PM

is with great pleasure today that an agreement has been reached with the United States Rally Championship and MSI (Moore-Sport), a high end manufacturer supporting the motorsport community worldwide.

“MSI has been associated with rallying for many years, and we have been fortunate enough to work with organizations such as the USRC. We hope to build on our previous relationship with the USRC by assisting the competitors financially in this unique series” says Mark Moore, owner of MSI.

MSI will offer cash rewards to be redeemed at their facility towards any number of competition products or services to assist all competitors from 2 wheel drive VW, to open class EVO 9’s. Some of the parts and suppliers available through MSI are DMS 5-way adjustable Suspension and Grease kits, Alcon clutches, and racing discs, Powerflex bushings, Albins axles, ring & pinion sets, and dog boxes, Compomotive and Speedline wheels, Goodridge flexible brake, fuel, and oil lines, ETS racing fuels, Ferodo Brake Pads, RallyTech composite floor guards, wheel wells, door cards, and of course, MSI designed and manufactured, suspension arms, uprights, and frames.

MSI will distribute a total of 1000$ MSI dollars per event to ALL competitors as follows:

    1st - 425.00$ /
    2nd - 300.00$ /
    3rd - 175.00$ /
    4th - 75.00$ /
    5th - 25.00$
In addition to these payouts, there will be a 50$ check for the competitor that rose the most through the starting order. (For example, if they were sitting 20th after engine troubles and they finished 1st, they rose 19 spots, or if they started 40th, and finished 10th, they rose 30 spots.)

MSI will give away 2 DMS 50mm grease kits at every event, and naturally offer discounts to any USRC competitor:
    - 20% discount on any purchase made before June 1st; 2010.

    - 10% discount on all parts & spares for the remainder of the season.
When asked about the championship itself, MSI sees the USRC as a growing series, offering the chance for international competitors to come and race on some of the most challenging, and diversified terrains in North America. It is the only series that has over 200 competitors racing on Snow, Ice, Gravel, and Tarmac conditions and has reconnaissance and pace notes similar to FIA / WRC events. MSI also added “Hopefully our contingency program will pave the way for other manufactures to enter into the series and increase registration numbers even more. We hope to be able to increase our own line of items, and welcome competitors to approach us with their own ideas that they wish to see manufactured or tested.”

The United States Rally Championship (USRC) has announced the following Calendar for the 2010 Season.

Posted: December 4, 2009 12:03 PM

A Two-Wheel-Drive Championship to run in parallel with the All-Wheel-Drive Championship as it has for the previous two years. National Championship titles will be awarded to winning drivers and winning co-drivers.

The United States Rally Championship has introduced many innovations and advancements into the US rallying by allowing great latitude in the way the events are organized and presented. USRC’s streamlined schedule and strategic locations make it the right choice for competitors. The format offers rally teams the opportunity to compete in the National Championship in either the Atlantic Division or the Pacific Division without the overwhelming travel costs required to traverse the continent several times in a single season. As a result, 197 competitors, drivers and co-drivers, participated during the 2009 USRC season, the most of any US series.

The final round of the Championship at the end of the year counts both in the Atlantic Division and the Pacific Division and together with the results from all previous rounds decides the top spots in the Championship. Competitors may count three best scores toward the Championship. As a new feature of the 2010 season, competitors may improve their best scores by up to two scores achieved out of their home Division. Atlantic Division teams will be competing for $12,000 in subsidies to assist them with travelling to the Final Round of the 2010 United States Rally Championship in Prescott, Arizona.

The 2010 season kicks off with a brand new winter event in January developed by Rally New York, Ltd. The New York Winter Rally is a welcome addition to the USRC. This snow rally will be a first for the USRC and helps to round out the six-event calendar after some changes from the 2009 event lineup. The season continues with Rally New York USA, the only National Championship event in North America running on tarmac roads.

The Pacific Division begins the 2010 season with Rallydrift, Inc.’s Idaho Rally, a gravel event in July. Based in Boise, this “must attend” event plans to be bigger and better than ever with new roads in the mix.

The Championship continues with two more closely spaced gravel events, one in the Pacific Division and the other in the Atlantic Division. The long-time favorite Gorman Ridge Rally in California fills the traditional slot in late August and International Rally New York moves next year to a new date in early September.

The organizing team of the 23rd annual Prescott Rally is pleased to host the Final Round of the United States Rally Championship and the Year-End Awards Ceremony for the next two years in Prescott, Arizona. This gravel event held in the high deserts of Arizona in early October will offer a fitting conclusion to the USRC’s 2010 season.

The United States Rally Championship will continue its bold steps to make national competition more affordable and accessible to a larger number of rally teams. The Championship season consists of a combination of winter, gravel and tarmac events. Events of the United States Rally Championship allow for reconnaissance and pace notes. The variety of rallies with different surfaces, full reconnaissance and pace notes make the United States Rally Championship unique in North America as no other series in North America encompasses all these features.

Championship Rounds

Posted: December 4, 2009 12:01 PM

  1. New York Winter Rally, January 23 - 24
  2. Rally New York USA, April 16 - 17
  3. Idaho Rally, July 16 - 17
  4. Gorman Ridge Rally, California, August 27 – 28
  5. International Rally New York, September 9 - 11
  6. Prescott Rally, Arizona, October 1 - 2

Provisional Details

Posted: October 28, 2009 3:27 PM

Regarding the Calendar for the 2010 United States Rally Championship, Michael Taylor, President of United States Rally Championship, Inc. said the following: “We are working on the 2010 USRC Calendar, which will be announced well in advance of the 2010 season. At this point, we are planning the following changes: The International Rally New York that has been the final round of the season for the past two years will take place earlier in the year, namely on September 10 and 11, 2010. Competitors will travel to the final round of the 2010 USRC season at the Prescott Rally in Prescott, Arizona, which is scheduled for October 1 and 2, 2010.”

Atlantic Division teams will be again competing for coveted cash travel subsidies that will be awarded to top six teams in the Division. The total of $12,000 in subsidies will be distributed to Atlantic Division teams to assist them with travelling to the final round of the 2010 United States Rally Championship in Prescott, Arizona.

The United States Rally Championship will continue its bold steps to make national competition more affordable and accessible to a larger number of rally teams. The Championship structure minimizes or, for many teams, eliminates the need for repeated cross-country travel during the Championship season by providing competition on each side of the country. The final round of the Championship at the end of the year counts both in the Atlantic Division and the Pacific Division and together with the results from all previous rounds decides the top spots in the Championship. As a result, 197 competitors, drivers and co-drivers, participated during the 2009 USRC season, nearly twice as many as in any other championship series in North America.

The Championship season consists of a combination of gravel and tarmac events. Events of the United States Rally Championship allow for reconnaissance and pace notes. Tarmac events, full reconnaissance and pace notes make the United States Rally Championship unique in North America as no other series in North America encompasses all these features. More information on the United States Rally Championship is available at

Topics: United States Rally Championship 

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