This last Thursday Champ, Topher, ADouglas, Castor Troy, and I took a trip to Michigan to watch the Rally America Sno*Drift 2009 winter rally.
This was the first full-on stage rally event that I have ever boon to, but I think the rest of the guys had been to one or two before. Overall I had a really good time, we had a lot of fun packing the 5 of us into the STi to take between stages. The car was a lot of fun on snowy back roads, a little too much fun from time to time, but we didn't get into any real trouble
There were a few of the well known rally drivers at the event, and even more lower budget teams who were driving cars that had character. The big money cars are fun to see, but I really like to watch the people who are more like the rest of us ripping through the woods in their caged up VWs, older Subies, and other random-ass cars.
I took some photos with my point and shoot. Certainly not the perfect camera for the conditions, but I tried to do as much as possible with the settings and hoped the camera would not freak out. I had some issues with the batteries getting cold and "pretending" they were dead, and had to keep the camera in my coat as much as possible, which lead to me constantly messing up the settings and taking crappy photos.
Champ has some MUCH better photos, and hopefully he can post them up sometime soon! I also have some video footage that I will try to make sense of and upload to YouTube this week.
Our transportation: 2009 STi and 2003 9-3 - both with Blizzaks, thank God.
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Subaru driver's area, Mira and Block's cars in the photo, Pastrana's car is to my left (not pictured)
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The AWD Tiburon that Foust drove this year (same car L'Estage won in last year)
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Some photos of the staging area before the race started
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Champ checking out a 323 GTX
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Nice looking Ur Quattro
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Old Porsche with snow tires
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And a few shots from the stages
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There was plenty of damage to be found on the cars in the parking lot at the end of the race. A few cars dropped out for mechanical and damage related issues, but most of them finished.
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The rest of my set is here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/18762226@N07/sets/72157613270332346/
Hopefully I'll have a few videos up tonight.
This was the first full-on stage rally event that I have ever boon to, but I think the rest of the guys had been to one or two before. Overall I had a really good time, we had a lot of fun packing the 5 of us into the STi to take between stages. The car was a lot of fun on snowy back roads, a little too much fun from time to time, but we didn't get into any real trouble
There were a few of the well known rally drivers at the event, and even more lower budget teams who were driving cars that had character. The big money cars are fun to see, but I really like to watch the people who are more like the rest of us ripping through the woods in their caged up VWs, older Subies, and other random-ass cars.
I took some photos with my point and shoot. Certainly not the perfect camera for the conditions, but I tried to do as much as possible with the settings and hoped the camera would not freak out. I had some issues with the batteries getting cold and "pretending" they were dead, and had to keep the camera in my coat as much as possible, which lead to me constantly messing up the settings and taking crappy photos.
Champ has some MUCH better photos, and hopefully he can post them up sometime soon! I also have some video footage that I will try to make sense of and upload to YouTube this week.
Our transportation: 2009 STi and 2003 9-3 - both with Blizzaks, thank God.
Subaru driver's area, Mira and Block's cars in the photo, Pastrana's car is to my left (not pictured)
The AWD Tiburon that Foust drove this year (same car L'Estage won in last year)
Some photos of the staging area before the race started
Champ checking out a 323 GTX
Nice looking Ur Quattro
Old Porsche with snow tires
And a few shots from the stages
There was plenty of damage to be found on the cars in the parking lot at the end of the race. A few cars dropped out for mechanical and damage related issues, but most of them finished.
The rest of my set is here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/18762226@N07/sets/72157613270332346/
Hopefully I'll have a few videos up tonight.
