Pastrana does it again

[Simmi]

I love the debate this stuff always brings up. I agree with Rally_Rocks about Travis being a great personality. It's pretty much impossible not to like the guy. His enthusiasm is infectious and he is basically a sponsors dream. He is genuinely a rallying fan.

But I still maintain stunts/PR of this nature only serve to mean more money goes into performing more of the same. So this new warped 'Americanized' genre of rallying will flourish but I'm not sure how it will help you're average American privateer. They may have given rallying some coverage on the television build-up but what Red Bull are surely after are the millions of internet hits and in these instances rallying is very much secondary in the 2min clip.

This isn't me saying this hurts the sport of rallying. I'm just lost as to how this is supposed to relate back in any way to a rally stage to be of any real benefit. It's just so far removed from reality the car is secondary to the spectacle of the jump.

[Rally_Rocks]

Tomi, I'll try and explain this again. Pastrana is potentially our greatest global ambassador. Not in terms of his ability, but in terms of his appeal. He is in the top ten most recognisable celebrities in the states and his chosen sport is rallying. The challenge is how does our sport embrace and exploit this.

To be honest I'm not sure why I've bothered responding to your post, because if you can't get excited by the video of what Pastrana achieved there's no hope for you.

[Brother John]

Wow, I'm a huge rally fan, but watching that video quite literaly took my breath away! Who cares that it's not proper rallying, it's one of the most dramatic and exciting things I've ever seen anyone do in a car.

Those of you who knock Travis need a bit if a wake up call. Thus guy is pure gold, and he's as rally mad as anyone. What he does now, a whole generation of kids around the world grow up wanting to do. The guy is a genuine superstar. At a time where we have probably the greatest driver who ever lived able to walk down most high streets of the world unrecognised, we need all the stars we can get.

I say embrace Travus and Ken, marvel at what they do and be thankful for all the publicity our sport receives because of them.

I think that you yourself must firstly discover what real rally meant.

[Simmi]

Tomi, I'll try and explain this again. Pastrana is potentially our greatest global ambassador. Not in terms of his ability, but in terms of his appeal. He is in the top ten most recognisable celebrities in the states and his chosen sport is rallying. The challenge is how does our sport embrace and exploit this.

I think to be honest it's more like how does his sponsor embrace and exploit this. And we've seen the answer. They could send him off to do selected rounds of the WRC but I don't see them doing it to be honest.

[Tomi]

Tomi, I'll try and explain this again. Pastrana is potentially our greatest global ambassador.

Who is our? First of all dont you think that to be an ambassdor of sport the first requairments would be the ability to drive atleast a little?
But I dont think he harm the sport in any way, he is just amusing.

[anthonyvop]

Wonder what the late Colin McRae would have done with Rallying in the USA.

He did this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0de7m7uU0c

[Rally_Rocks]

Brother John, I will happily admit I'm a modern day rally fan who refuses to live in the past. You show your true colours when you, "what real rally meant". I'm sorry, but I'm only interested in living in the present and doing all I can to raise the profile of our sport to the level I think it deserves. We live in a commercially driven, celebrity obsessed world. Embrace it and exploit it, then maybe our sport stands a slim chance of not disappearing into niche obscurity only to be enjoyed by anorak wearing whingers like yourself.

[Simmi]

Brother John, I will happily admit I'm a modern day rally fan who refuses to live in the past. You show your true colours when you, "what real rally meant". I'm sorry, but I'm only interested in living in the present and doing all I can to raise the profile of our sport to the level I think it deserves. We live in a commercially driven, celebrity obsessed world. Embrace it and exploit it, then maybe our sport stands a slim chance of not disappearing into niche obscurity only to be enjoyed by anorak wearing whingers like yourself.

Or they could do practical things like lowering the cost of the WRC car. Try to attract new manufacturers through sensible new regulations. Reinstate classic rallies and give events more freedom to take the action to the fans. Aim to progress into key car markets. Improve their coverage package with the help of the internet and new media. Stuff like that. Stuff they are doing.

Or they could just spend millions on a stunt jump and put so called 'top 10' celebrities in the cars. Generally just whore themselves out to the whims of sponsors and hope these companies stick around. I think you are preaching to the wrong crowd on this forum. People look to the past because it gives them some comfort we could have golden era's like that again in the future.

I'm just glad you aren't the head of the FIA.

[Rally_Rocks]

Simmi, sometimes you talk sense, this time you are talking total crap!

What's the most exciting thing that's happening in our sport this year? Oh, and who's paying for it?

Raikkonen and Red Bull.

What Red Bull do with Pastrana is all part of an integrated global campaign to maximise the return on their rally investment. It's exciting, it's glamorous, it's glitzy, is that really a problem? Of course it isn't, it's the future. And if you don't like the ride, just jump off. Marketing driven motorsport is, unfortunately for some of you guys, the only way forward.

[Tomi]

What's the most exciting thing that's happening in our sport this year? Oh, and who's paying for it?

Raikkonen and Red Bull.

Is it really? its ok that he is there, but far from the most interesting.
To me it seems that marketing men carry you around like a waste bucket.