Rally Journeys

Rally Blog Moved

2007-10-16T20:04:00.000-07:00

I've moved my blog here:
http://subieclub.com/index.php?automodule=blog&blogid=14&

Colin McRae 1968-2007

2007-09-15T21:09:00.000-07:00

When Yuji called me up and told me Colin McRae died this afternoon, I was absolutely shocked. I had just seen and talked to the World Rally legend a month ago at the X Games. Next year was going to be the last year he was going to try for a WRC drive.

Link: Scotsman News

My last pics of and with the legend:

Thanks for the memories, Colin . . .

Five Kwik-E-Marts in Six Days!

2007-07-25T21:45:00.000-07:00

Yep, that's what I did. I hit five of the twelve converted 7-Elevens in a period of six days. I actually went to the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb and D1GP drift event in Las Vegas, but the highlight was the Kwik-E-Marts! Hahaha . . . they were awesome. I went to the Vegas one on Friday, July 20th, early in the morning (like 12:30 AM). I hit the Denver one after Pikes Peak on Saturday morning, July 22nd. Then, I went to the two in LA last night, which was Tuesday, July 24th. And last, I hit the one in Mountain View today in the afternoon.

I went to the Las Vegas (Henderson) and Denver ones with Yuji, who took marvelous pictures, by the way. Then I hit the two in the LA area (LA and Burbank) with Abel and Anthony. We all bought hats in the Burbank store, and I'm glad we did. It was the only store out of the five that carried them, as far as I could tell. On the way back up to the bay area, I dropped by the Mountain View one.

Links to my Pictures
Henderson, NV
Denver, CO
Los Angeles, CA
Burbank, CA
Mountain View, CA

Frequently Asked Questions
1) Why'd you go to all those Kwik-E-Marts? Don't you have a life?
I love the Simpsons! After going to the first one in Henderson, NV, I thought it was soooo cool. So I went to the Denver one and realized it was slightly different. I was going to drop by LA and head back up to the bay area anyway, so I knew it'd be the coolest thing if I went to those stores too. Oh, and no, I don't have a life.

2) What are the differences between the stores?
The Las Vegas and Denver stores actually have gas stations. They never show Apu's store in the show as having a gas station, but they have mentioned it before when someone asks for $2 worth of gas, and Apu charges him $4 (don't quote me on the numbers). The Denver store didn't seem to have Ralph! I think someone must have stolen him. The LA store posted Jasper (in the refrigerator) backwards, so you have to open the door to see him clearly. Most of the Simpsons merchandise and posters can be found in the Burbank store. That, along with Bart's graffiti on the side of the store, make it the best out of the five, in my opinion. The Mountain View store looks too high class to be a Kwik-E-Mart. They should have just converted one in SF. Also, because of the lack of space in the Mountain View store, they stick the 3D cutouts in funny places. Oh, only Denver had the Krusty O's in stock. I don't remember seeing them in Las Vegas, but they could have been there, and I just didn't notice.

3) How would you rank the stores?
1. Burbank, CA - This store had the most stuff. Most of the merchandise could not be found in the other stores. The graffiti on the side of the building was well done - even the stink lines were there!
2. Los Angeles, CA - There was a good deal of merchandise here too, but it also had the line that the Burbank one had. We were there late at night (after 9:00), but both places were overflowing with people. I'd be scared to see it in the evening. The merchandise definitely makes a difference. It's nice to see Burns with Bobo sitting on a safe and cases of Buzz Cola behind the register.
3. Denver, CO - Okay, no Ralph definitely hurt this Kwik-E-Mart, but it did have a gas station. There weren't so many people at this one either, and it had a lot of the signs that the Las Vegas one didn't have. Plus, they were the only store that still stocked Krusty O's. The First Bank of Springfield was also cool, and there weren't many people at all, so I could take lots of pictures.
4. Henderson, NV - This one had a gas station as well, and Apu was actually standing behind the counter! This one wasn't too crowded either, so I could take my time with pictures next to my favorite, life-sized characters. What hurt this store was the lack of signs and Simpsons merchandise.
5. Mountain View, CA - This is the closest store to home, and I'm sad to say that I think it was the worst one. It was in a pretty tight area, and the outside just didn't look like a Kwik-E-Mart. It's a rich person's Kwik-E-Mart, which is an oxymoron in itself. The inside had nothing special, and the characters were placed on top of things because there was no room, so it was hard to take good pictures with them. That's the whole point of making them life-sized, isn't it? Still, this one was showing an episode of the Simpsons on TV, so I guess they're trying.

Knowing Your Limits

2007-05-19T23:44:00.001-07:00

Image taken from the official SWRT (Subaru World Rally Team) website.

It has become well-known that Petter Solberg of Subaru has had a long-running stint of bad luck lately. Well, by lately, I mean for the last two years. Considering the situations, from the rock in the line in 2005 Japan to the road accident in Leg 2 of Acropolis last year, he has come across some rather unusual situations!

What of the mechanical problems though? Is the world-class Subaru he drives really that fragile? I believe the answer lies in pushing too hard. It is extremely difficult not to push when your rivals are pulling away on every stage and in every split. In 2003 and 2004, Petter's own limit did not strain the car as much. The braking points could be later, and his Impreza could handle the stresses. But the relationship between the car and the driver's feeling evolves over time; although the driver feels like he is pushing the same, he is in fact pushing the car much harder than before. Braking points become too late, and the brakes and tires just cannot handle the heat and the pressure.

In Leg 2 of Sardinia (happening this weekend), Marcus Gronholm pushed his car to the very limits on the last stage before service. His mastery of the car has enabled him to not only push the limit, but know when to push it. If he suffered brake or tire problems on a stage before service, he could get the car back to service and get it repaired. If he pushed before another special stage, he could lose all the time he made up on the previous stage. Only a rivalry could stir up this sort of thought, improvement, and minute detailing in optimizing the performance of the car. Marcus is really doing a very good job at maximizing his chances in beating Sebastian and winning the championship.

Although Petter may be pushing his car over the limit, he has shown quite a number of mature qualities of a professional works driver. He had more brake problems on Leg 2 in Sardinia, but he kept his head and did his best to keep his speed and position in the race. He has also tried softer settings for his suspension (which may be slightly uncharacteristic of him), and it did not seem to help. (I have yet to see any video though.) Still, I think he should keep at it - keep trying to maximize the performance of the car in ALL areas, whether it be brake and tire management, optimal suspension settings to fit the stages, or even changing driving styles to get that extra bit of speed out of the car.

2007 WRC Argentina Driver and Car Analysis

2007-05-08T11:08:00.000-07:00

WRC Drivers

Loeb
Clean, professional, and fast. Small mistakes don't result in much time loss. Car setup seems perfect for the smooth Argentinean roads, thanks to Loeb knowing exactly what he wants in the car. Mental game is outstanding, allowing Loeb to know when to push and when to back off. His mental game has been evolving as the year goes on and he adapts to Gronholm going flat out on his tail.

Image taken from Marcus Gronholm's personal website.
Gronholm
Probably fastest on the fast sections, but not by much over Loeb. Engine power seems to be hampering the notoriously quick Finn. Gronholm is pushing to the limits of the car, but suspension seems to be too soft for the tighter sections of Argentina's stages; therefore, Gronholm/Ford cannot match the Loeb/Citroen package.

P. Solberg
Perhaps pushing too hard, as it is difficult to see Gronholm and Loeb pulling away on every stage. The car is not 100%, and damaged engine could be a cause of pushing too hard (bumper was gone exposing the radiator when car stopped).

Hirvonen
Not much to say, but eventless run through the smooth stages proves that he is a solid third in the championship. More experience in road surfaces, learning, and improvement in the Finn's smooth style will see him increase his pace another level to match Gronholm and Loeb.

Latvala
Another up-and-coming Finn. Smooth stages of Argentina match his style, and learning the surfaces quickly helped him to a fourth place. Only 22 years old, so plenty of time to get much faster.

H. Solberg
Henning's maximum attack on leg 3 showed that the engine power of the Ford may not be as promising in high altitude as Subaru's engine. Still, no big mistakes, giving him a fifth place over the charging Sordo.

Sordo
Last leg charge was impressive for the Spaniard, but his loss of time with a hydraulic problem on leg 2 showed that Dani is still young. Not sure what else caused the big loss, but if it was simply a change of using the manual gearshift, then he must learn to keep his head under pressure. A more experienced Loeb (or McRae as demonstrated by his losing the paddle shift on the Skoda two years back) would do the best with what he has and drop only a minimal amount of time.

Atkinson
Australian must learn to keep his cool in imperfect conditions. Subaru's engineers cannot be to blame for 100% of the car's mis-setup. Still, he has shown impressive bursts of speed on small portions of the rally. As Sordo, he must learn to maximize what he has and be open to changing his driving style to maximize the car's speed.

WRC Manufacturers

Citroen
Suspension and differentials are just perfect, resulting in fewer and briefer braking points and more time on the throttle. Grip is not lost through the suspension because it is not too hard for Argentina's smooth stages. Engine seems strong everywhere, especially in the high altitude stages of the Americas.

Ford
Although suspension is ideal for many of the world's faster, flowing gravel stages, it seems too soft for the tighter, twistier sections in Argentina. The quick right-left sections make the driver brake longer to allow the weight to transfer from the left to the right of the car, and speed is lost on the exit. On the faster sections or portions where the driver does not have to wait for the weight transfer, the car has a good amount of grip. Engine power could be lacking in high altitude for some reason.

Subaru
Suspension is not quite perfect for Argentina, but closer to what it should be than Ford's. I think it should be slightly softer to allow for more grip, but Petter mentioned he wanted it to be firmer. If Subaru goes with his input, they could fall into the same mistake as last year's. Petter's driving style is not quite as smooth, so driving a softer car would be more difficult, but it is the driver's job to maximize the driver/car package. Engine package seems strong, even for the high altitude stages. Suspension/differential package seems to need the most work; testing is crucial for the drivers to find the confidence they need in the car.

WRC vs. Private
Comparing Stohl's Citroen Xsara to the new C4, we see that the difference in performance is gigantic. The suspension on the C4 has more travel and is better tuned for Argentina's stages. The difference in engine power is phenomenal. I believe the works teams detune the cars before selling them to the private teams, and this along with the C4's new engine create a world of difference. In short, as Stohl said, private teams have no chance against the manufacturers.

Funding Problems for All

2007-04-20T19:30:00.000-07:00

Many of us following the WRC have been aware of a looming financial problem at the top level of this motorsport. Times have definitely changed. Many of us long for the Group B days - the Golden Age of rallying. Rules to reduce costs and increase safety have pushed the sport onto the shoulders of the manufacturers, and many have buckled beneath the weight.

In this day and age, it is difficult for a car company to justify spending tens of millions of dollars a year to run a WRC program. The unknowns are great; a stray rock in the racing line or a rut two inches too deep could cause a disaster for an otherwise perfect rally. It is increasingly difficult to dethrone the well-funded teams, not so much because of the design and technology of their cars, but because of the money required to test these designs, their reliability, and the setups required for each type of surface that the cars encounter.

Even after the Group B era, rally rebuilt itself into a roaring success. Juha Kankkunen, Carlos Sainz, Tommi Makinen, Colin McRae, Didier Auriol - they are our modern day legends. What the manufacturers realized was that they needed a sure thing. They wanted to know that the millions they poured into this unique motorsport would generate some sort of profit. Participating was the first step, but winning was the next. So they poured more money into the program and its development . . . if they could afford it. Slowly the big names came out on top, and the others dropped. In this case, equilibrium is the existence of the two best-funded teams, assuming they can reasonably compete with one another. Drivers can be and are bought. Even with the FIA limitations on the cars, testing can be done before the cars are ever homologated, so money plays a big role. In fact, aside from the driver, testing is generally the most important part in the car's performance, and it can never be fully limited by the FIA.

But imagine the extreme of completely limiting testing so every manufacturer would have the same amount. The manufacturers would no longer feel a sure win. With as much money as they are pouring into the technology today (from active center differentials to semi-automatic hydraulic gearboxes to composite shells used to optimize weight distribution), the deal becomes very bad very fast. So what is the solution?

Rallying was never solely about technology. That was, and still is, Formula 1. Sure, over the years, advances in drivetrain, antilag, and transmissions have made the 300 HP monsters what they are today. But they are not the soul of rallying. The soul of rallying is composed of two things: the drivers and the roads they perform on. Cars will always be driven to the limit. Fans will come if they see god-like driving skills on the most beautiful and challenging roads in the world. If we are to bring back rallying, we must recognize and accept that rallying has this soul.

If the manufacturers and the FIA can first realize this fact, then the specifications and rules that govern the championship will fall into place. More manufacturers will compete, and more top-level drivers will show up in the championship. But it will not be simple. Change - big change - is needed for this to happen. The specifications and rules will need to be reinvented, but for sure, the soul will remain the same.

Suzuki's WRC Challenge

2007-04-04T16:34:00.000-07:00

Suzuki is planning to join the WRC with their new SX4 World Rally Car. There have been many photos of the new car, but a promotional video of the car in action was released recently.

The video starts off with some roads around Southern France typically used for the Monte Carlo Rally, but I don't believe this footage was taken from the SX4 WRC car. There are only a few shots of the car, all driven by "Monster" Tajima, head of SuzukiSport, I believe. "Monster" has won the unlimited class at Pikes Peak numerous times, most notably with the Suzuki Escudo Pikes Peak.

I believe most of this footage is pretty old actually, but you can see how the car handles on tarmac with gravel tires. This configuration was used in Citroen's testing of the C4 as well. I believe this allows the engineers and drivers to see how the car's general handling characteristics at the limit of grip are, since the gravel tires slide on tarmac much more than the tarmac tires. By using gravel tires on tarmac, the general disposition of the chassis can be seen and felt.

I think putting the car on gravel would result in too many bumps to clearly feel the handling out on the car. Putting the car on smooth tarmac with tarmac tires would result in very high levels of grip, and sliding the car would be impractical.

The car seems to be very well-balanced, exhibiting only the slightest hint of oversteer in most cases, and easily controlled with the throttle. This is only part of the equation though. What happens under braking and sharper turns? The big gap between the wheel well and tire is a good sign, as it shows that Suzuki is taking their suspension seriously (as opposed to a small gap, where looks would be a larger concern). Even this video is very short and shows only select clips (the best ones, most likely), but the engineers seem to be on the right track.

The C4 video was much more extensive. It showed the car in a variety of corners, under braking, and at different speeds. For sure, the SX4 will need much more testing under real conditions to get the setup right (e.g. real tarmac roads with real tarmac tires, different types of gravel roads with gravel tires). Of course, the pictures on the site show these things, so I am sure they are hard at work testing.

Back in the States!

2007-03-19T09:40:00.000-07:00

I got back after a day in the Dallas Fort Worth airport. Talk about boring . . . but it did give me a chance to think about Mexico, rally cars, and rallying in general. I think my favorite part of the trip was being so close to the cars and drivers on many occasions. I could see their personalities off camera, and many times, I saw their frustrations (even on camera!). I also loved Guanajuato. That town was absolutely beautiful! I kept telling all the Mexicans I met that I thought Guanajuato was beautiful, and of course, they agreed with me.

I'm definitely glad I went to Mexico. The weather was surprisingly perfect, I had no problems with water or food, and the living arrangements were just fine. But aside from those things, I'm glad I actually got to see the real Mexico for once (not just Tijuana!). I've lived in San Diego for three and a half years, in Southern California for eight and a half years, and I never went to see what Mexico was really like.

Nothing surprised me in Mexico though - I don't think that's a bad thing. Generally, nothing really surprises me about any of the countries I visit. I guess I hear about these countries and see videos and pictures, so I am thoroughly prepared.

Speaking of surprises, I don't know much about Africa. I do wish they would bring back the Safari Rally. I know I'm not the only one. Many people agree with me when I bring up this subject. I think each round of the championship should bring something unique. The Safari Rally is definitely unique in the roads, background and culture, and type of rally. I like to see drivers sweat it out. Too many sprints makes it boring for spectators, and it starts making people wonder if these are the best drivers in the world.

I had a coworker that used to live in Kenya back in the 70s. He described the Safari Rally as something he'll never forget. Images like those stick in people's minds forever.

I've also decided that I will start a technical talk about rallying (in this blog). The main reason is, I think my brother and everyone around me is sick of me talking about rallying all the time. Topics will range from car specifics to driving styles to rally stages. Over the last six years, I've accumulated a lot of information, and from that information, I've been able to build a bigger picture about what really goes on, how drivers and teams work, etc. There are still many "secrets" the manufacturers guard very closely, but observation can go a long way as well. I was actually quite surprised to be able to tell what was going on during the rally just by watching a small portion of the stage. I knew the drivers, could see the splits, and knew the cars to a certain extent. We'll see how it goes.

Final Thoughts on Mexico

2007-03-13T20:55:00.000-07:00

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Mexico, thanks in large part to Yuji. Watching the rally and meeting many of the drivers and codrivers this time was very enjoyable.

The country is beautiful, but I couldn't ignore the pollution and littering that was rampant everywhere, even in the countryside! The people in Mexico enjoy the rally, and many were very friendly towards us. There were some that had this attitude that the rally was their right, which caused lots of problems for the organizers, cops, and drivers. Throwing stones at the rally cars going past at 150 kph is definitely unacceptable, as is piling stones on the road. The drivers and codrivers were very nice in saying it was only a few people that made the rally this way, but this attitude permeated through many of the spectators. This is why the rally is not going back to Mexico next year.

I was quite shocked when I heard a Mexican reporter ask Marcus Gronholm if this was his favorite rally. Not only does he have his real favorites that suit him better (Finland, Sweden, etc.), the behavior of many of the spectators was unacceptable. But Marcus has learned to deal with the media. He used to be ruthlessly honest, but now he will sugarcoat his answers. His response: "There are many nice rallies in the championship." Translation: No way, this rally isn't even close to my favorite.

Mexico has the ingredients to be the premiere North American rally. The countryside and towns are beautiful, and the people are hardworking and friendly. But they will have to figure out why they have these problems that are singular to the championship (aside from the occasional snow throwing onto the roads in Rally Monte Carlo). Once they figure out how to accept the rally, Mexico's high altitude mix of fast and slow stages will be a wonderful addition to the World Rally Championship.Over the last few years, thanks in large part to the internet, rallying has been growing in popularity in the States. If you love some aspect of rallying, whether it be the fast, durable, yet adaptable cars and drivers or the twisty character of the roads of the World Championship, choose a round of the Championship and go watch it! I cannot describe the rush of excitement that comes with hearing the loud popping backfires and roars of the engines echoing through the mountains, valleys, and forests of the best roads in the world!

Yuji Returns!

2007-03-12T22:23:00.000-07:00

Our last stop was a town called Dolores Hidalgo. We actually did not want to go there, but Yuji heard there was a place that overlooked Guanajuato. We thought the place was called Dolores Hidalgo, and the sign pointed us towards this town. It was many kilometers away, but the drive was interesting.

When we got there, we decided to turn around, but as we left the town, Yuji told me stop beside this big statue and church.He told me there was something familiar about the place, and we decided to return to the town and check it out more.Yuji was pretty sick by this point, but he started feeling better. I think the stress and little sleep from the rally killed him. Yuji also gave me some photography lessons here. I understand a bit better, but I have to practice! He's just telling me how to use these tools to achieve the photo that I want, so the real "photographer" is always inside. Yuji has the mind for it, but I find if I hang out with him more, I get better because he helps me stretch my mind more.When we finally got to this town, Yuji said it looked familiar. I suggested that he lived a past life here, and he said he felt like he was returning home. Hahaha - Yuji the King returns! We decided to spend a little time here. It was a really authentic Mexican town, not many tourists, very small, and quite poor. People were friendly though, and of course, kids would still stare at us.

We visited the church there (the largest one, as there were many), and we walked through the streets a bit. It was definitely an interesting portion of the trip, seeing how the locals live outside the areas affected by the rally.

Guanajuato and the Museo de las Momias

2007-03-12T15:00:00.000-07:00

Final day in Mexico! We didn't get out of the hotel until the afternoon because we were busy moping around. Our first stop was the Mitsubishi where the other Japanese photographers told us about a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer on display (and on sale!). Apparently, they disregarded the release date and put it out earlier! That's great news for us!Next stop was Guanajuato. We ate a funny cheese pie for lunch that was actually okay. We went to a place Yuji heard about - the Museum of Mummies. Basically, there were a bunch of dead people they found in a room, I think, dating back to about 1860. They were mostly preserved a bit, I think because they were all in a very dry environment. They were not covered (except perhaps in their clothes that they died in), so some of the bodies were a bit disturbing. No pictures allowed, but it wasn't THAT gross. I guess it made you think about what kind of lives they lived. There were some street vendors outside that were trying to make us buy stuff, and I think some wrote "Rally Mexico" on the back of our car in the dirt. Nice.

Leg 3, Stage 18 - Guanajuatito

2007-03-11T20:10:00.000-07:00

The last day, we covered the spot where the fans and organizers changed the course on the rally drivers. They basically made them go through a watersplash instead of over the bridge. This year, the watersplash was the official route, so no problems there.

Nothing big during the stage. Austin McHale's Ford stopped along the stage in front of us along the bridge. The "Blue Demon" (Mexican in a blue wrestler mask) put the Mexican flag on his car after it stopped (like it died!). It was pretty funny.

Chris Atkinson was in a big fight with Dani Sordo in the Citroen and Mikko Hirvonen in the Ford. It didn't look like he was doing that well though. Travis was still going well. He kept it clean through the watersplash.

Afterwards, we passed an accident - some guy had rolled his truck (probably trying to drive like a rally driver). There were a bunch of people on the ground that were hurt. Some were pretty bloody, but I don't think any of the injuries were life threatening.

We got back for the finish ceremony, and I told Yuji I'd meet him after the ceremony. Instead, I was so tired that I fell asleep on the grass beside the lake! Luckily, there were lots of people there, so no one did anything to me. Not saying they would have done anything if there weren't lots of people, but it was pretty safe.

And that was the rally! Travis took a well-deserved fifth place in the PWRC, and Marcus found speed on the second day after dealing with a faulty engine sensor on the first day to get second. It was kind of shocking for me how much I could tell just by watching the cars in short periods of time along the stage or on acceleration during shakedown. I could tell if there was something wrong with the cars, who was pushing and who wasn't (they all look fast, but I look at splits), and sometimes which cars have better setups.

Marcus is definitely the king, as Yuji puts it. He's the fastest. Sebastian is always clean and fast, and Petter can push like hell, but if Marcus is put up to it, he can push like hell too. That's why he can jump three places in one stage.

Anyway, Yuji finished up his work that night, and we slept in the next day. Woohoo!

Leg 2, Stages 10 and 14 - Duarte and Derramadero

2007-03-10T23:00:00.000-08:00

Today, we went to two different stages. We got up really early to get to the stage on time and found a decent place with some boulders standing on end.As we later figured out, the place wasn't that great. We saw Kobayashi (the awesome photographer) pass in his rental car after we parked. Yuji mentioned that we should probably follow him, but we didn't. We later passed him along the stage as we were leaving and found that he found an awesome spot. We definitely should have followed him.

I chose a spot behind the Corona billboards that they set up for the occasion, and I waved my hand frantically as each car passed. The police wouldn't let anyone stand there, but they saw I had a media pass. There was no danger, and I'm now on Eurosport! The "Crazy Chino Rally Fan" as Yuji calls me.When we left this stage for the next, we found a gate that was halfway closed. We later found out from the press reports that the drivers found this gate closed or half closed as well, which slowed them down. That's ridiculous!

We made our way to the "big jump" on the Derramadero stage. We stopped along the way to take some pictures, and other media people came by and asked if we would give a ride to a Greek photographer, as his partner was going to stay at the beginning of the stage. It was no problem for us, so I followed his car to the beginning of the stage. He was going too fast, and I asked Yuji to check our tires when we got there. Sure enough, our right front tire had a puncture. We changed it quickly and proceeded to the big jump.This "big jump" was actually quite disappointing. Yuji said they had a balloon arch over the spot last year, but this year, they toned the jump down a bit, and there was no balloon. There were many, many people though, but even I have to admit, it was weak.

After the stage, we took off back to the service park to get some more work done. The work just never stopped for Yuji. I think he got about two to three hours of sleep a night. Along the way, Yuji took some pictures of the rally cars going back to the service park, and we catch up to Toshi's Subaru. It's always an amazing site to see a rally car driving along the public road sections.By the way, when we went to get the tire patched at a local shop, a six year girl did most of the work! Her dad helped her set it up, but she took the tire off the rim and applied the patch. Pretty impressive!

Leg 1, Stages 3 and 6 - El Cubilete

2007-03-09T23:00:00.000-08:00

The cops kept stopping us on the stage telling us we couldn't go until it really was too late to go. We'd get permission from the organizers, but they would delay us so much that the safety car had run through. That's my description of the first day of stages.

So we stayed on the same stage. The first spot we chose was along a cobblestone hairpin turn. I perched myself up on the hillside at the end of the straight before the hairpin. It wasn't a big deal because I was about two meters above the roadway. This area was beautiful; the statue of Jesus on the hill (El Cubilete) overlooked the entire area.

Biggest news along this portion of the stage: Petter Solberg was on it. You could tell, he was confident. His foot was on the throttle, enough to shoot a bunch of rocks up at Yuji! It reminded me of Sebastian Loeb in Corsica. Toshi Arai's times in the PWRC Subaru were also very promising. It looked like he was in a big fight with the Evo 9 of Mark Higgins.We moved to another spot along the stage after the first run (SS3) went through. It was a very long, fast section - very different from the hairpins that I'm used to watching. The Mexican fans here were very friendly.It was good to see Travis still in it at this point. Apparently, he had some small spins on almost every stage of leg 1. His split times were more promising than stage 3. His times were similar to Kristian Sohlberg's.

One fan invited us to his house for real Mexican food, which we declined because we had to go back to service, and another girl kept talking to us as we were trying to pack and head back. Yuji said he thought that she wanted us to take her back to the States.

After the stage passed through, we wanted to go to the super special, but it was way too late. So instead, we headed up to El Cubilete, the statue of Jesus on the top of the mountain. What a view! There were lots of worshipers going in on their knees.When we got back, we ate at a place called Vips. As Yuji and I were talking, the person sitting behind me turned and asked us if we were American. From his shirt, we could see that he belonged to the Subaru USA Team. As it turns out, it was John Buffum! We talked a bit, and he asked how Travis looked to us. John, a well known American rally legend, has been working with Travis, and it was an honor to speak with him. Later, Nathalie Richard joined his table as well! Everyone was exhausted by this point though - WRC events seem short, but when you are involved, it seems endless! As Yuji worked, I went off to see the cars lined up in Parc Ferme.
Ken Block's car was there with only minor cosmetic damage, it looked like. He had a small roll on the first stage of the day. Apparently, he was taking it easy, except he just went too fast into a [right, fourth gear?] corner, went off the line onto the loose gravel, and slid wide into the ditch that lines the road. That was enough to roll the car. At least he was able to restart the next day.

Photoshoot and Start Ceremony in Guanajuato

2007-03-08T23:50:00.000-08:00

Plans change fast! After shakedown, we learned that the photoshoot was now going to be in Guanajuato, right before the start ceremony. So we had to look for a new place!

First, though, there was a photoshoot for the PWRC drivers and cars outside.I was able to talk to Denis Giraudet - friends again. Denis and I spent a couple days in Germany together last year during the rally. We were a part of Subaru's meteo (weather) crew, and he and I got to know each other well. I had a bunch of questions for him, and it was a great pleasure to find someone as knowledgeable about rallying as he was.Matt Burt (from the Subaru World Rally Team) came along with us to look for a photoshoot location. Guanajuato is a small college town approximately 30 to 45 minutes away. If I were to describe it in one word, it'd be "beautiful." I mean, this town could take your breath away with one sight. I wouldn't say it's typical Mexico, but the place looks like it has some history.There are these wonderful tunnels going under Guanajuato. Yuji initially said they were for subways, and they were 500 years old. Wait, something's wrong. Then he said they were built for mining, still 500 years old. Make up your mind, Yuji! But that seemed like a plausible explanation. I still cannot picture a subway going through that town!

It wasn't hard finding a photoshoot location. We had to find a location where Petter and Chris wouldn't be mobbed, so that limited our choices. But Guanajuato is pretty all over, so we had no problems finding a place - I guess you can describe it as a sidewalk along the mountainside, lined with classic Mexican houses.

Petter and Chris arrived late, and it was already dark by then. No matter - Yuji worked his magic. It would have been better if we had more light and time, but that's reality. The following picture is taken from the official Subaru WRT website!The photoshoot was short, but it went well. We headed down to the start ceremony, which was so crowded. I've never seen a start ceremony with so many people. It was actually a beautiful sight because all those people were lined along these streets filled with history . . . and rally cars!

Rally Mexico Shakedown

2007-03-08T12:00:00.000-08:00

Nothing special, but it was nice to be so close to the cars and drivers. If I wanted to get something signed, it would have been a great time to do it. Note to self: bring stuff I want signed to shakedown next time. I've never been a fan of getting stuff signed though. I prefer getting a picture with the person instead.It was interesting to see how the cars compared on acceleration. It was difficult to tell (I wasn't taking splits), but the Fords seemed slower than the other cars. Maybe it was because they were quieter, but they just didn't seem to have as violent of a surge on acceleration. The Citroen C4s looked tremendously fast (and loud!), as were the Subarus (even louder!).It was also interesting to see how many runs people needed. Marcus and Mikko did not need many. Maybe two each? Chris Atkinson needed a bunch. I guess they're still trying to fine tune the setup on the new car. What they'd do is run through the short stage, drive back to a service point (perhaps the service park or a nearby gas station), change their setup, and come out and run it again. When they ran along the public road sections, they'd be going very fast. They're supposed to stay within the speed limit, but that usually isn't the case.After shakedown, Yuji wanted me to catch up to Marcus Gronholm (who we saw pass on the way back to the service park). Let me reiterate: these cars run fast on the road section. If it were on an open road, I'd have no chance, but when he hit traffic, I had a chance. So I caught up along the last stretch to the service park (with Yuji hanging out the window), and he was able to get some side-by-side shots. Crazy photographers!I stopped by the first press conference with some of the drivers afterwards. Travis was there. I love his quotes. Let me explain. Most drivers either do not speak English as their primary language, or they have been around for many years and are very careful with what they say. On the other hand, I've heard Travis say, "That stage was freaking awesome" or describe his roll as "freaking awesome." I guess I would reserve the word "awesome" for something good, but hey, I like his style!

Photoshoot Locations, Ford, and Subaru

2007-03-07T23:50:00.000-08:00

Yuji set up a photoshoot with the SWRT drivers (Chris Atkinson and Petter Solberg), so we had to find a location for a photoshoot. We went to the Centro Histórico in León. Not a bad place, according to Yuji, but the local barber shop wouldn't let us take pictures. It still seemed to be okay though.We went to the Ford Media Party afterwards at the Hotel Real Minas. There, we saw all the Ford drivers and the team boss, Malcolm Wilson. But we couldn't stop there. We had to make it back to the service park for Subaru's debut of the 2007 car. Apparently, they revised some suspension geometries, dampers, aerodynamics, and some other minor changes.The car looked good. I think the gap between the wheel well and tire increased, which, I think, is a good sign. They've put more thought into the suspension, which I think was their main problem when the drivers complained about "traction problems" last year. The hood vent became two hood vents (one on each side) like the Fords and Citroens (manufacturers tend to copy each other), and the exhaust pipe was fully encased by the bumper (as to prevent damaging the exhaust like Petter did in Corsica last year). I definitely liked the changes.This was a great opportunity to talk to the drivers if I wanted to. I preferred to listen to their conversations amongst themselves though. I don't like asking the same questions that countless reporters have asked them, and I don't want to hear the same answers either! Yuji was able to take a bunch of pictures during the car debut, and many pictures of him are on the SWRT website. The drivers were interviewed, and Yuji was able to set up a dinner with the other Japanese photographers and Toshihiro Arai after the event.I didn't understand what the others were saying at the dinner for the most part, but Mr. Irie (from Rally Xpress magazine) and Yuji translated some for me. I didn't talk to Toshi at all. There was a guy there by the name of Kobayashi who was an extremely good photographer (maybe top two in the world for motorsports), according to Yuji. He was hit by Toshi in last year's Rally Japan. I remember reading the press release on that. Funny that I get to meet the guy. He seemed very quiet, but very nice as well.

After dinner, we went back to the hotel to get some rest. Finally!

In the Service Park

2007-03-07T19:00:00.000-08:00

We arrived at the service park (the Poliforum, as they call it) and headed to get our media and Subaru World Rally Team VIP passes. I was very impressed by the indoor service park. The place was huge! There were flags of the countries hanging above. The roar of the engines echoed inside, and the Subarus' were unmistakable.The tents were neatly lined up. Subaru was first in the line, then Ford, Citroen, and the smaller crews. Fumio Nutahara was here in his red and black Evo, Denis Giraudet was codriving for a new guy named Spyros on the Syms Rally Team, and Travis Pastrana was here with the Subaru USA Team.

From Snow to Hot - First Impressions of Mexico

2007-03-07T15:00:00.000-08:00

I just came back from Toronto not more than two days ago. Temperatures in Toronto were subzero (Celsius), and the last day seemed extra cold with all the wind chill. I went back to San Francisco, packed my stuff, and headed for Mexico the next day. I stayed overnight in the Dallas airport and found it very difficult to get some good sleep.

I flew into BJX (León/Guanajuato airport). Mexico was how I imagined it. The airport was pretty small, but it was relatively modern as well. Most Mexicans stared at me (especially kids), not in a bad way, because I'm sure Chinese don't come around very often.

Yuji met me about ten minutes after I arrived. We headed off for León in our Nissan Altima. The roads felt like they were third world, but the driving wasn't terrible. I don't think it was much worse than LA, except at smaller intersections where it seemed that the right of way went to whoever got there first.We checked into our hotel, the City Express León, and went to eat at McDonald's. We wanted to stay on the safe side. The food was nothing special. I had trouble understanding the lady when she asked me if I wanted to "Super Size" the meal. I guess they've never seen the movie "Super Size Me."After we dropped by Home Depot (Yuji picked up a small ladder for an advantage in the Subaru WRC 2007 unveiling later), we headed for the service park. Some Subaru recce cars followed us around the corner, and we passed by Mikko Hirvonen coming back from a jog. Weird, to say the least.