Should ASO slow the Hummers next year ?

To be frank, I think everyone knows that the Hummers are simply faster than the other cars. We know it, the competition knows it and ASO knows it. Take away our mechanical breakdowns and we would have easily won the majority of the stages; not just by a little, but a lot. Robby and Nasser are great drivers it's true, but to give them their due, some of the other drivers are no slouches either. We've all seen the videos of the Hummers and Mini's going head-to-head, and the Hummers just blow right on by. Whiners they may be, but other drivers have essentially said the same thing : while various terrain differences may favor different configurations, given the overall conditions this year, the Hummers are quite simply the faster cars.

So is it fair for ASO to continue to allow us to have a speed advantage, simply because, as a smaller team that advantage is assumed to be offset by reliability issues, or is there a legitimate case to be made for slowing the Hummers next year ?

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Permalink Reply by ivanspeed on January 15, 2012 at 6:09pm

probably a dime size restrictor

Permalink Reply by Mark Johnson on January 15, 2012 at 6:37pm

The reason they have different classifications is to encourage more participation. The ASO should run a spec car if they do not want outside innovation to compete. Do not penalize a team for their hard work within the framework of existing rules.If they do change the rules, Do it now to allow time to develope a car to compete next year.

Permalink Reply by Bob on January 15, 2012 at 8:44pm
If they do change the rules, Do it now to allow time to develop a car to compete next year.

This is certainly what I was thinking too. Certain classes should not be subject to changes which require massive development, while other competitors are left to rest on their current accomplishments.

Whatever the case, I suspect the showing that Robby made will result in some sort of effort to level the field.

What form that leveling takes remains to be seen, but hopefully it will come about soon.

As to developing a classification of cars which will, by their nature, be faster, more exciting, and garner more public attention than the showroom-lookalikes, I can't really see that happening. In a sense, Robby has slipped in the backdoor by running in a class that previously provided no competition to the look-alikes, and that's a door that ASO, if only from the standpoint of the rally's overall tradition, may want to close.

If Robby's win posed a threat, I suspect it is because his car was obviously not like nothing you could buy at a showroom.

In my estimation his position will be more secure if he makes it clear that his next entry will look more like one of the US products which is commonly sold in Europe.

Permalink Reply by Dave McPartlin on January 15, 2012 at 9:38pm

a simple way to level the playing field would be to plan the route to mix up the terrain

Permalink Reply by Hendricus on January 15, 2012 at 11:55pm

No doubt about it, if you take the course on pavement through the hills and mountains, the rally cars will be faster. If you take the course off-road where long-travel suspension is the key to higher speeds, the long-travel off-road type cars will be faster. Then there's durability, navigation, and overall interests. Who is interested in promoting their products in such a way? Who is interested in watching and following?

IMO, the ASO loved having Robby along because he attracted interest in the race in a number of ways, but now that he's became a contender to win it, he's become a conflict of interest.

Robby needs to compliment the interest of the ASO, not sissy-fi it. But this is difficult because compared to SCORE-type off-road cars, rally cars don't seem quite up for the task of crossing the desert. Obviously the Dakar proves me wrong, but in California, you see a lot of girls driving Minis.

Permalink Reply by matts11 on January 19, 2012 at 7:20am

you can't buy those minis at the showroom either. it might look like a mini, but it was no mini that i have ever seen on the street.

Permalink Reply by Josh Fisher on January 15, 2012 at 9:31pm

Maybe the ASO should take some notes from their French brethren the ACO.
Prototype 1 = Purpose Built like Robbys
Prototype 2 = Buggies
GT-Pro = "Stock" based cars such as the Mini's. Factory backed/Pro drivers
GT-AM = "Stock" based cars such as the Mini's. Independent teams/Amateur drivers.

 

 

Yes I know the Mini's aren't really "Stock Based" but I'm sure y'all can figure out what I mean. While the Prototypes 9 times out of 10 will win the overall race, the "GT" cars are ultimately more important for the Factory & in a way the fans because it'll be closer to something they can purchase/build themselves.

Permalink Reply by Hendricus on January 15, 2012 at 11:21pm

@Josh Fisher:
I like your suggestion. One negative I can think of would be if the ASO has a interest in maintaining the rally cars as the fastest cars. With your plan they would have to surrender such an objective. A positive would be the increased interest in the race. In the short term anyway, any US SCORE-type car and team that entered, would attract US interest.

As it stands, the Dakar is a multiple-day rally race where the route is primarily dirt road and off-road. The rally cars really are tough, and the drivers and cars actually do amazingly well.

Something motivated Robby to enter this event through an unconventional door. Those that know Robby, and/or know US off-road racing love it, but are the pieces there to restructure the Dakar as you have suggested? This I don't know.

How many US SCORE teams would go? How many could afford it? Would such an event attract corporate sponsorship?

Permalink Reply by Hendricus on January 15, 2012 at 11:26pm

The Minis and the rally-cars in general are the new SCORE Class-11.

Permalink Reply by paul menard on January 16, 2012 at 1:32am

the mini's, and the vw's where essentialy prototypes too. there was some featurette on the mini and its all prototype apart from 3-4 pieces.

I think the toyota is less prototype, using the stock bodyshell + rollcage, rather than tube frame clad in carbon fibre like the other top cars.

Permalink Reply by Josh Fisher on January 16, 2012 at 5:06am

If the ASO wants to get rid of the Hummers Robby should pickup a few of these things.

 

 

Make 'em Dakar legal and go out there and kick ass in a Rally style car. But not just any Rally car, an American Made small car company Rebel of a Rally car,

 

 

(if these things are complete crap, my bad. Only footage of them actually drive I've ever seen was what was done with one of the prototypes on Top Gear USA)

Permalink Reply by Vlad Rogers on January 16, 2012 at 9:19am
Robby likes trucks

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