Finnish rallying championship news

[rallye-vid]

R.i.p ...

[Hartusvuori]

The link in my previous post has been updated with a picture from the scene. Evo IX and what looks to me Corolla GT. What adds to the misfortune is that the short piece of road they used was mainly straight with good visibility, but there was this one crest...

[OldF]

What a tragedy.

R.I.P.

Mostly Google translated.

“Two rally car collided violently with each other on Sunday night at 19 at the Kallionsolantie road Seinäjoki Ämmälänkylässä. The second was a passenger in the cars of 27-year-old man from Isokyrö, who perished in the accident.

The 25-year-old driver from Isokyrö seriously injured. Also, the driver of the second car from Lapua, 26-year-old man was seriously injured. Both drivers' injuries are serious, but their condition is Monday morning, according to data firm.

This is a 1 km road for maintenance use, which was closed on the other end with a barrier. During exercise, the road segments at both ends was also persons to prevent unauthorized access to the road. For some reason the information of two cars starting at opposite direction was not communicated between the drivers and other staff.

Race Cars hit a sharp single stretch of road directly to the heads-hillock and fell him crash scene. The speed of both cars is expected to be around 150 km per hour. Hillock is so high that it prevented visibility from both directions of travel.

Both drivers are testing a racing car drivers and vehicles were the most appropriate safety equipment when equipped. All the cars were wearable helmet and they had a safety belt.”

[Rallyper]

Very sad news - but should mean better communications will be compulsatory, also the way it performs. It should start from drivers but surely also will come from public authorities.

[Hartusvuori]

Greetings from Ovisepät Ralli! Another nice day at the rally. It was sunny and dry day - which of course meant quite a bit of dust, something I'm clearly not used to yet. We had a full day, first driving through stages we had the possibility to go, choosing places and then spectating two, or actually three stages, as first stage was the junior FRC drivers only, some 20+ cars.

Ovisepät Ralli has some old 1000 Lakes stages, SS1/2 Hauhanpohja should ring a bell to some at least. We found two nice places there, first the jump pictured above and also tightening right few hundred metres before the jump. I stayed at the right-hander the whole time. Kari Hämäläinen with his Fiesta S2000 started it, coming two fast and braking heavily into the ditch. Here you can see it. Later on four similar but not as fast offs at the place. Then we moved to SS5, another tightening right hander, but that was on a soft road and soon the ruts made everyone drive similar line. Lots of frost damage still on that small part of the road. All in all, nice and relaxed day.

This rally also had some drivers from FRC to use it as a test for gravel season. A positive surprise was how Teemu Asunmaa in his Impreza won againts Joni Nikko, a far more experienced 4WD driver. Coming to think of it, this could've been Asunmaa's first 4WD rally on gravel. On 2WD Marko Mänty (Civic) was around half a minute faster than Jaro Kinnunen (208 R2). Mänty is arguably the fastest 2WD driver in Finland.

Last weekend accident cast a shadow over this event too. A moment of silence was held at the start ceremonies in respect of the victim of the accident.

You can see my friend's pictures from the rally here: Ovisepät-ralli 2013

[NikoP]

My photos from Joutsa: Ovisepät Ralli

It was indeed quite dusty

[Hartusvuori]

Entries for first gravel FRC event Pohjanmaa-ralli closes tomorrow. None really surprising entries so far except former WRC Academy driver Fredrik Åhlin in Fiesta R2. Will be interesting to compare his speed against Finnish experts Lindroos, Mänty, Kinnunen, Pinomäki, etc. Let's hope his visit to Western coast isn't such a rollercoster as his last year's take on Rally Finland was...

[Hartusvuori]

I don't see Jarkko Nikara on WRC Sardegna entry list, but the weekend before he has now entered FRC Pohjanmaa-ralli with an Evo IX.

[Juha_Koo]

The Fast is back...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhxcOr_Lhu8

[Hartusvuori]

FRC Pohjanmaa-ralli, Laihia, entry list (pdf):
https://akk.autourheilu.fi/Public/Ha...a2ecbe0&full=1

Joonas Lindroos in C2 will lead the way - 4WD drivers will start after 2WD FRC classes.

The event will start this Saturday, June 15th, at 11.01 Finnish time. Finish ceremonies will start at around 17.30.

There will be 6 stages over 90,2 kms, total distance 219 km. Looking at the schedule, it looks very modern and not in a positive sense. But also effective as two stages will be repeated.

SS1 - time 11.19 - 25,34 kms
SS2 - time 12.11 - 4,65 kms
service
SS3 - time 13.53 - 14,97 kms
SS4 - time 14.26 - 6,70 kms
service
SS5 - time 16.06 - 25,34 kms
SS6 - time 16.44 - 14,97 kms

I will attend, of course. Closest FRC event for me easily, yet I've never been to any event in that particular area of the region, so can't tell much about the roads. There's also a big rock festival in the city this weekend, so it'll be three nights of rock n' roll (or indie hipster electro and retro comebacks, but rock n' roll sounds better) and full day of rallying in the middle. I'll be so refreshened by Monday...