I went through the trouble of reading this entire thread to get a feel (or something like that) of the European perception of an American driver and b$$$ coming to the WRC. I knew there would be a bit of skepticism, but I hardly fathomed the somewhat malicious remarks made about a guy that most people that post on this forum never heard of a couple of years ago. Its pretty common to roast Americans on just about anything (I admit, as a culture of consumers that are content to watch the rest of the world burn as long at the doors at Best Buy are still opened, we deserve that to some degree) whether its F1, or rallying. But here you have a guy that has done what most of the Americans are content to just bi**h and grumble about, that is to say "We dont have any US guys in the WRC, there is no WRC rally here, there never will be, and that is that." So Ken Block connects the dots as best he can to do so, and he gets flack from both sides of the pond. There are fewer well wishers and pundits hoping he will off the car on the first corner at the first rally. How can you call yourselves rally fans with such a sh*t attitude? (You cant really blame a Finn for faulting anyone that resides outside of their home country wanting to step into the WRC as the two national pastimes are rallying and alcoholism (since the US is at the top of the list, you'd do well to make friends at the bar).

Im willing to bet that most of the pundits that make all the stink over this matter were not only crying the hardest at Colin Mcrae's passing (RIP), but were also among those that laughed the hardest at the name 'Colin Mcrash'.
Expand your damned worldview, if only for the sake of rallying.

As for heritage and dignity of the sport, well heh, motorsport at any level is all about marketing and money. The suits in the boardrooms could give two dung piles about Paddy Hopkirk, Rauno Altonen, Hannu Mikkola, Water Rorhl, The Mini, the Ford Cortina and Escort, the Lancia Stratos and Rally037, The Col De Turini, Yumps, Pacenotes....for them its all about how to make a car sell and make more and more money. Whoever has that money can be a poor of character, a paraplegic, young, old male or female.....it doesn't really matter. Block has the money, loves the sport, feels lucky to be in the place he is in, and I for one would be no different.

Im likely going to be banned for this post, and I seldom make posts, but I have been a member for years, and have always told my other rally friends that this a great place to learn about what rallying really is.....

How disheartening this thread is for one that loves rallying so very much.