Jalopnik: Rallying

How I Won The World's Most Famous Rally By (Accidentally) Cheating

Matt Bubbers, Autos.Sympatico.ca — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST

Rauno Aaltonen drove a Mini Cooper S to the model's last victory in the 1967 Monte Carlo Rally. It was a stunning victory, but Aaltonen's been harboring a secret. How he actually won. Here, he shares that secret with Autos.Sympatico.ca's Matt Bubbers. —Ed. More »

50 years of driving sideways

Matt Hardigree — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 13:30:00 EST

About as complete a history of modern (as of the early 2000s) rally driving as you'll find, anywhere, compressed into just 90 minutes. Watch it for the slow-motion shots of leaping Mitsubishis and interviews with the late, great Colin McRae. Or just watch it because it sounds like my dreams taste. (Thanks to everyone who sent this in!) More »

Vintage Lancia Rally Tribute

Tom Joslin — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST

It takes under two minutes to remind us why Lancia's rally efforts were so awesome and simultaneously stoke the flames of our burning desire to own a Stratos. Unfortunately, this footage is likely as close as we will ever get. More »

Ford Fiesta RS Rally Car Shows Off Its New Duds

Ray Wert — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 08:45:00 EST

Here's Ford's all-new Fiesta RS World Rally Car livery that will adorn the car in the FIA World Rally Championship. More »

He's Got The Biggest Balls Of Them All

Ray Wert — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Sure, the driver of this Ford rally car has himself a set of big brass ones, but we still have to go with the cameraman on any award for biggest set. [via CallItLikeISeeIt] More »

Why You Don't Put A Telephone Pole On A Rally Course

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 14:30:00 EDT

Rallying's a test of nerves, grip, and the ability to follow directions screamed at you seconds before their application. For this reason, it's probably not a great idea to have a telephone pole in the middle of a rally stage. More »

Travis Pastrana Sets New Mt. Washington Auto Road Record

Ray Wert — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 10:15:00 EDT

Travis Pastrana blows past Mt. Washington Auto Road record by 20 seconds. [Vermont SportsCar] More »

Mikko Hirvonen Crashes At Rally Finland, Kills Car Deader Than Hell

Sam Smith — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:00:00 EDT

Ford driver Mikko Hirvonen crashed out of Rally Finland today in fairly dramatic fashion. The Finn was leading the event when he lost control of his Focus RS and somersaulted over a hill. Crazy in-car and spectator footage below. More »

The Ten Most Infamous Crashes In Racing

Martin Grossinger — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EDT

Sadly, crashing is an inevitable part of racing. The sport we love has taken many of our heroes, and although tragedy is never pleasant, it's important to remember who we've lost. Here are your suggestions for racing's ten most infamous accidents. More »

Rally Drivers Have Balls of Steel

Ray Wert — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:45:00 EDT

Yes, this is epic. Yes, it is a Mk II Escort. No, we know nothing else about it. [via Reddit] More »

This Is Your Bill Caswell Rally Car Crash Gallery

Sam Smith — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:30:00 EDT

Bill Caswell, Jalopnik's $500 Craigslist rally-car driver, competed in last weekend's New England Forest Rally. He crashed his car. Because you guys seem to like this sort of thing, we've assembled a gallery of shots from the weekend. Viva crapcan! More »

Ford Gives 43 Fiestas To Rally School, Wants You To Hoon Them

Sam Smith — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 10:30:00 EDT

Ford has given 43 of the European-spec Fiesta hatchbacks used in the Fiesta Movement to the Team O'Neil Rally School in Dalton, New Hampshire. $495 gets you one day behind the wheel with professional instruction. Anybody else smell a bargain? More »

2011 Subaru WRX, STI: First Drive

Sam Smith — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EDT

This is the 2011 Subaru WRX STI sedan. It's a four-door version of Subaru's legendary rally rocket, and it marks a return to the form factor that made the model famous. Is it any different from its hatchback sibling? More »

Small Car, Small Mistake

Sam Smith — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 08:30:00 EDT

The ex-Paddy Hopkirk 1965 Mini Cooper S works rally car being driven — and offed — in anger at last weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed. Adorable. Rallying needs to be adorable again. Photo Credit: Richebetspics/Flickr More »

Rally America Responds To Our X Games Petition, Petition Continues

Sam Smith — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:00:00 EDT

Rally America has responded to our petition to get Bill Caswell, the $500 Craigslist rally-car driver, into ESPN's X Games. It's not happening... yet. This is the full email chain. More »

That's A Lot Of Dead Bugs

Sam Smith — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EDT

A Lancia Stratos at the 2010 Tour Auto in France. Say hello to Wednesday, Killer B. Thems is some dead, dead bugs. Photo Credit: Christophe Le Tellier [Flickr/FotosJimmy via SaveTheEnzos] More »

Help Send The $500 Craigslist Rally Car To ESPN's X Games

Sam Smith — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:30:00 EDT

Despite the fervent wishes of thousands, Rally America won't let Bill Caswell, Jalopnik's $500 Craigslist rally-car driver, compete in July's X Games. These guys used to be part of the counterculture. Have they lost touch? Let's change their minds. More »

The $500 Craigslist Rally Car Update: Buy A T-Shirt!

Sam Smith — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:15:00 EDT

It's been a busy season for everyone's favorite rally-car-drivin', Mexico-invadin', low-budget nutjob. Want to help support his hairbrained schemes? Want to help get him sponsorship? Want to know what he's been up to? All that and more below the jump. More »

Death at the Mountain Gorilla Rally

Peter Orosz — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 10:00:00 EDT

Rwanda is not all about machete-flavored genocides, tall people with cute French names, and mountain gorillas living on volcanoes: they host a round of the African Rally Championship. Last weekend, it went very wrong. More »

Ken Block Wants Your Gymkhana Suggestions! Win Free Stuff!

Sam Smith — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 10:30:00 EDT

Rally driver Ken Block is currently gearing up to film his next gymkhana video using a righteously bad-ass Ford Fiesta. Want to win a trip to the set and score some cool free gear? Of course you do! Here's how. More »

How A 19-Year-Old Became A Rallying Legend

Sam Smith — Wed, 19 May 2010 11:00:00 EDT

It is 2003, and a 19-year-old named Travis is about to climb into a rally car for his first real test. What follows will change the sport forever. This is how it happened. More »

Man Shows Ass To Rally Car, Causes Crash

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 13 May 2010 10:30:00 EDT

Rally driver Mark Tapper, while running Rally New Zealand in a well-sorted Mitsubishi Lancer, was distracted by some "cunt with his ass out" ahead of a corner causing him to roll his car. NSFW. More »

Ken Block's Gymkhana Ford Fiesta: Up Close And Personal

Sam Smith — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:30:00 EDT

We recently had a few moments with the Ford Fiesta set to star in Ken Block's next YouTube gymkhana video. We don't know much about it, but we were able to snap some wallpaper-worthy detail goodness. Enjoy! More »

ESPN: "$500 Craigslist Rally Car" Didn't Cost Much More Than $500

Sam Smith — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 16:45:00 EDT

ESPN magazine talked to Bill Caswell, the man behind our $500 Craigslist rally car story, to get the skinny on what he needed to make it happen. He's also on the network's blog. Here's what it takes, kids. More »

Lily Allen Is Hell On Wheels

Sam Smith — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:35:00 EDT

British pop star Lily Allen owns a Ford Focus RS and apparently knows how to use it. She recently appeared on YouTube ripping a handbrake turn in a deserted parking lot. Why can't all foul-mouthed poplets be cackling stunt drivers? More »

Racer Boy does Beetleball

Rob Krider — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 13:00:00 EDT

Add one part Volkswagen Beetle to three parts route instructions, top it off with the open road, hope that Johnny Law is in the donut shop, and you have the makings of the Beetleball Endurance Rally Series! More »

When Men Were Men And Rallying Was Certain Death

Wes Siler — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 15:30:00 EDT

There was a time, before flat billed baseball caps, when rallying required more than shoe company sponsorship. It required a complete and utter disregard for human life, especially your own. Here's a look at "old school" rallying. More »

2011 Subaru WRX STI: Four Doors Of Homologated Fury

Sam Smith — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 09:55:00 EDT

Homologate [ho'malegat]: verb. 1) approve for sale in a particular market or use in a particular class of racing. 2) express agreement with or approval of. 3) set something up to be loved by Jalopnik. STI sedan, anyone? More »

2011 Subaru WRX: Flairs, Chairs, And A Whole Lot Of Stares

Sam Smith — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EDT

Want an STI but can't scrape up the cash? Desperate for rally-car looks at a cut-rate price? Have we got the Subaru for you! Step right up and check out the 2011 Subaru WRX! More »

The $500 Craigslist Rally Car Contest: Want To Win An XBox?

Sam Smith — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 12:30:00 EDT

The story of Bill Caswell's Craigslist-powered WRC adventure struck a chord with a lot of people, and many of you asked how you could help. Here's your chance: Want to win an XBox and a ride in a rally car? More »

The $500 Craigslist Rally Car Hits Forza Motorsport

Sam Smith — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EDT

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Last week, we told you the amazing story of how Bill Caswell took a $500 Craigslist BMW to a World Rally Championship event. Now a Jalopnik reader has dropped the car into Forza Motorsport 3. Wanna drive it? More »

I Co-Drove The $500 Craigslist Rally Car

Ben Slocum — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:30:00 EDT

Ben Slocum was co-driver of the $500 Craigslist rally car profiled in yesterday's WRC Rally Mexico story. We've asked him to give us his take on this amazing David-and-Goliath story. This is it. — Ed. More »

How A $500 Craigslist Car Beat $400K Rally Racers

Sam Smith — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EDT

Professional motorsport is a cold, hard place. If you want to run with the big dogs, you can't just build a car in your mom's garage and show up, right? Wrong. One guy did just that. Here's his amazing story. More »

Subarus, Mud, And The Fine Art Of Sideways

Sam Smith — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EDT

This is a Subaru STI. This is an ice-covered dirt track in the middle of Utah. And this is a man driving a car with a dab of oppo. This post? This is our guide to hooning a Subaru. More »

Ken Block's WRC Mexico Crash: Brake!

Sam Smith — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:30:00 EST

Ken Block crashed out of last weekend's World Rally Championship race, bringing an otherwise strong showing to a premature end. We were sad to see him go, but thankfully, YouTube was there to show us how it happened. More »

Hey, I'm Standing Here!

Matt Hardigree — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:15:00 EST

Kuwaiti driver Mbarak al-Thefiri competes in the Kuwait International Rally, completely oblivious to the guy hanging out in the middle of the track. That guy's totally got a future in rallying! Photo Credit: YASSER AL-ZAYYAT/AFP/Getty Images More »

Sega Rally Fan Turns Car Into Video-Game Star

Sam Smith — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST

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An AtariAge forum member got a bug up his tuckus and decided to turn his 1995 Toyota Celica into a replica of the Celica ST205 GT-Four from the classic video game Sega Rally Championship. Here's how he did it. More »

30 Years Of Audi Quattro: Vorsprung Durch Badass

Sam Smith — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST

2010 marks the 30th anniversary of Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system, as well as the car that first brought it to market. With that in mind, let's take a look back. Airborne UrQ hotness, we salute you! More »

Step Into Black: The Joy Of Driving At Night

Sam Smith — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:30:00 EST

On the surface, it is negative space, an environment defined by what it lacks. We immerse ourselves in it so often that we take it for granted. It is nighttime, and it is perfect for driving. Are you still asleep? More »

The Most Unnecessarily Dramatic Clip Show Ever

Sam Smith — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST

Rallying, surfing, drifting, and more, all of it set to Oh My God the Suspense music and played in slow motion. It's Michael Bay flick meets Top Gear turned up to eleven. Thrill or bore? You be the judge. More »