Donuts were made: Valentino Rossi, faster than Ken Block but not as fast as Robert Kubica.

The yearly Monza Rally Show is a lot of fun: a combination rallycross and WRC special stage, it's run by repurposing various parts of the historic Monza track, including the banking.

Most of the competitors are from Italy but as it's a Monster Energy sponsored event, some big international names dropped in. Valentino Rossi, who would probably show up Monster or no Monster,  was joined by fellow energized drivers, Ken Block, NASCAR's Kurt Bush and Lewis Hamilton.  Hamilton just did a demo in a Mercedes A 45 AMG,  as a demo it was pretty lame but the crowd did not seem to mind and gave him a warm welcome.  Lewis was not the only F1 driver in attendance, Robert Kubica was also in with his current ride, a WRC Ford Fiesta.



Now the Rally Show is supposed to be more fun than competition but racers will be racers.   Both Block and Rossi made almost identical, spectacular passes for the pleasure of the huge crowd in attendance.

Valentino



and KB



Many donuts were made...

It was the first time in a rally(-ish) competition for Bush so it's not surprising he came in last in class, 35th overall.   Block  came in second to last in class, 29th overall, 7 minutes and 25 seconds behind the winner.  I imagine he probably crashed or something.

Rossi finished second in class and overall,  7 minutes and 10 seconds faster than Block and he races motorcycles for a living!

But the Doctor was no match for Robert Kubica, who for once did NOT crash and pretty much obliterated the competition, finishing the final stage over 12 seconds ahead of Rossi.

It's worth remembering Kubica has lost most of the use of his right hand.

Check out the video, Rossi is quick but you can see how much more momentum Kubica carries through the switchbacks.

Well done Robert!



In attendance also historic rally cars,  clip included your viewing pleasure

Open Letter to Ken Block 7

We first issued this about two years ago.  Just saw Gymkhana 7, liked it but we feel we must issue this once more.

Dear Ken

Your Gymakana videos are some of the most awesome automotive footage ever filmed and what you have accomplished in terms of exposing hundreds of millions to... well, hooning, is beyond description.

But let's face it,  as fantastic as your videos have been, they are a variation on the same theme: awesomely produced shots of a monster 4WD rally car dodging assorted obstacles on a closed course.

As you are certainly planning future hooning excellence, let us humbly propose a new challenge for you:

Axis will gladly provide a polo shirt, white socks and loafers for you to properly recreate what is possibly the one video that got us all started thinking sideways:  Stefan Roser's classic RUF Yellowbird run at the Nürburgring.

Picture it,  Schwedenkreuz sideways at 140 this time in glorious multi camera HD. Maybe you could throw in a loop around a biker!

I know you have a deal with Ford, I know you have your own line of shoes and clothes but you're Ken Block, you can do anything you want at this point, will you not find a way make the most rabid of your fans happy?

Cheers
Axis of Oversteer

Open letter to Ken Block

Dear Ken

Your Gymakana videos are some of the most awesome automotive footage ever filmed and what you have accomplished in terms of exposing hundreds of millions to... well, hooning, is beyond description.

But let's face it,  as fantastic as your videos have been, they are a variation on the same theme: awesomely produced shots of a monster 4WD rally car dodging assorted obstacles on a closed course.

As you are certainly planning future hooning excellence, let us humbly propose a new challenge for you.
Axis will gladly provide a polo shirt, white socks and loafers for you to properly recreate what is possibly the one video that got us all started thinking sideways:  Stefan Roser's classic RUF Yellowbird run at the Nürburgring.

Picture it,  Schwedenkreuz sideways at 140 this time in glorious multi camera HD. Maybe you could throw in a loop around a biker!

I know you have a deal with Ford, I know you have your own line of shoes and clothes but you're Ken Block, you can do anything you want at this point, will you not find a way make the most rabid of your fans happy?

Cheers
Axis of Oversteer

Oh Putain, it's a Fiesta in Sweden!

For the first time in what seems like forever, Citroens are not dominating a WRC event, well not yet anyway. Rally Sweden marks the debut of the new 1600cc formula and Ford has four cars in the top five spots after the first day.

Sebastien Loeb was on snowplow duty, having to sweep the course for everyone else, the other Sebatien, Ogier, had a little navigational issue, so it was four Fiestas up top after day one.





But don't count on the French team not to spoil the fiesta yet, Peter Solberg is still in the hunt despite a penalty. Loeb won a stage but a puncture put him quite a way down. Raikkonen has not crashed yet, Ken Block ended up in a snow bank and had to be dug out by fans and relegated to last in class. He did win an informal "longest jump" contest and tweeted about it though. Expect "Block hoons" headlines to pop up :)

Bank Job: 2010 Monza Rally Show

(Lotus Exige Cup 260 Rally by Lord Markus)

Since 1978, when the weather in MIlano turns cold, foggy and preferably wet, the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza gets transformend into a self contained rally track.

Cars participating in the Monza Rally Show run the track forwards and backwards and sideways, they run on the banking, they run at night. They do special side by side super specials and they do what looks like free for alls. Kind of like a Ken Block video minus the editing and special effects.

Cars run the gamut from full blown WRC cars to Corvettes and Ferraris usually a few celebrities. Brilliant idea for rally fans.
Lots more videos after the jump.







WTCC's Stefano D'Aste in a Lotus Exige...





Graziano Rossi, Valentino's dad...





Dindo Capello in a Citroen C4 WRC



Dani Sordo, also in a C4 WRC







WRC final


Quick banking clip

Rally Mexico Day 2 Highlights

Day two of Rally Mexico saw another amazing performance by Sebastien Loeb making up a 20 second first day deficit and adding almost a minute to P2 in the process.

Ken Block ended up crashing out, not quite as spectacularly as Kimi Raikkonen but at least he made it much further into the rally!

Full highlights after the jump.


















Home

Rakkinen on a Roll in Mexico

Not the good kind of roll, in fact it was more like six rolls... out for the rally, car was too beat up to repair. Meanwhile Ken Block survived the first day in 10th spot, last in class but still with the shiny side up!



Here is an added bonus, a helmet cam from Sebastien Ogier car. Two in fact, we also get a Navigator cam... cool





end of post

Rally Mexico Preview

Rally Mexico starts Friday and with it of course the debut of internet sensation Ken Block. Along with Kimi Raikkonen's move from F1 this has been the most anticipated moment for the WRC this season. The Rally will be show in the USA on Discovery Channel's HD Theater starting on March 18th. More after the jump.