what about the USA WRC rallies taken place in '86-'88?

[tmx]

Well it seem there were a short period the WRC was taken place in America according to the statistic, not sure if I am correct. Markku won there in 86 with a S4, then Kankkunen and Biasion in a Lancia group A. It doesn't seem like anyone talk about these events. I for one don't know anything about it. Are there are any footages or memories? Were there any American drivers that received WRC points or gotten a good position?

Anyway, we really need a WRC here in US.

I predict a dead thread.

[DeltaS4]

At the time, the '86 Olympus was very important because it was to decide the championship between Alen and Kankkunen. It's the only reason those two even showed up. But in the end, FISA decided the championship in a boardroom later on.
I have a highlight show of the '86 Olympus on VHS. I also have seen footage from the '87 Olympus in a season review. Alen is extremely pissed because during the first stage, he encounters a civilian driving a Mustang along the road. There is almost a big accident.

[GruppoB]

many would argue that the us doesnt have a suitable fanbase (yet) for a wrc event. id have to agree itd be great to have one here but lets let rally america pick up enough fans that would actualy be interested

i found this on olympus

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Hzm0TYC1KHE

[Josti]

Just a lack of interest is my guess, both from competitors and spectators. Toyota pulled out as headsponsor after 1987, and the last WRC edition only saw one works driver entered. They dropped it in favour of Australia.

[BTCC2]

Where abouts in America was it held?

[Sardalense]

Where abouts in America was it held?

Seattle, in the West Coast.

[Mickey T]

well, given the majority of North Americans believe Sony invented rallying and that Colin McRae was a fictitious character like Lara Croft, it was always going to be difficult to make a US WRC round self sustaining.

that apart, the other real issue that hamstrung the event was that, the brands that dominated the championship (with all due respects to Audi) didn't sell cars there.

Lancia didn't sell there at the time (still doesn't - of the Fiat Group brands, only Ferrari and Maserati are there, though Alfa Romeo will return in limited numbers from next year).

Peugeot still doesn't sell there and neither does PSA stablemate Citroen (who had perhaps the most fleeting Group B career of all).

For the rest of the Group B teams, only Ford and Audi had a significant presence in NA at the time, though Audi's NA operation fell apart because of an "unintended acceleration" legal crisis, brought on by 60 Minutes, that never actually ever existed.

Opel was blocked out by internal GM politics, MG-Rover was a bit player at best and only Ford ever had numbers to back up the investment required to move full WRC teams across there.

To be frank, other than Ford and Audi, none of the WRC regulars had the potential to recoup their motorsport investment out of North America, and the rallying scene there was too immature to justify it as well. it didn't have an adequate infrastructure to run it in-house. if pure commen sense was the criteria, it probably still is too immature (but, then, you could successfully argue that about Sardinia and Cyprus and Turkey).

Remember, too, that Lancia was the dominant force in the immediate post Group B (eg, Group A) era, and they'd have had no wish to waste money on NA.

you could argue that the Safari and the Ivory Coast weren't beneficial, either, but Peugeot has traditionally been a strong brand in Africa and the event had a lot of romantic traction in Europe.

At the end of the day, modern top-level motorsport bears little or no fruit for production engineering or manufacturing, so it's a pure marketing exercise. Marketing dollars, then, will always be spent where they might bring a return on investment.

the sums in north america just don't add up.

[FAL]

WRC was in USA and Canada long before then. Press on Regardless and Rideau Lakes?

[Blitzerflitzer]

Were there any American drivers that received WRC points or gotten a good position

Some Stats about the Olympus: http://www.juwra.com/usa_olympus.html

[DeltaS4]

For the rest of the Group B teams, only Ford and Audi had a significant presence in NA at the time

Peugeot sold cars in the USA at the time of all three Olympus WRC rounds (1986-88). They did not withdraw from the U.S. until after the 1991 model year.
At the time of the 1986 round, Audi had withdrawn from the remainder of the '86 season following the Portugal tragedy.
In addition, the '86 Olympus counted towards the Drivers Championship only, which in those days meant that all the works teams stayed away. They were mainly interested in winning the Manufacturers Title, and the Drivers Title was decidedly of secondary importance. As I stated earlier, the only reason Alen and Kankkunen showed up is because they were locked in a close title fight. Even then, Peugeot and Lancia only brought a single car each, rather than their usual 2 or 3-car teams.

In '87 the rally was moved from December to June, and was also made a round of the Manufacturers Championship. For the latter reason, Lancia sent their full 3-car team, and they finished 1-2-3. But the rally itself failed to attract the minimum number of entries to remain a World Championship round, and there was speculation that it would be dropped.
Somehow the Olympus did return for '88, in June again, but the entry numbers were down even more. Lancia sent one works car and several B-team cars, and clinched the Manufacturers Title at this round. But that was the end for the WRC in the USA.