Rally on a Budget - SCCA RallyCross

So you want to become a rally driver? The SCCA RallyCross is an affordable option open to any participant with a vehicle. For an entry fee of $50-100, you can slide through the dirt in anything from a stock car to a completely modified rally car.
During the 2018 DirtFish SCCA West Coast National Challenge, we caught up with a few well-seasoned RallyCross drivers to find out what they are racing in and why they love rally!
For more information, visit: www.scca.com/pages/rallycross

[@ke1vin]

I feel like it would be super surreal to drive at dirtfish, having spent so much time there in Dirt 4 and Dirt Rally 2

[@connorbingel7134]

I’ve played the hell out of rallycross in dirt rally 1. Lydden hill is so burned into me it’s crazy.

[@no_sleep_yx3]

Do you have a category for shitboxes that run on 3 out of 4 cylinders? 😂

[@DirtFish]

You'd have to check with SCCA.

[@no_sleep_yx3]

DirtFish ayeee alright. Can I run a snowmobile? 😂

[@volvo9051]

@@no_sleep_yx3 😁😁😁 ill come with my lawn mower

[@no_sleep_yx3]

volvo hell ya

[@fordgalaxie3695]

I'm gonna fucking participate using my combine hahaha

[@DashnCars]

Brianne! I just got engaged at her racetrack down in Texas. If you're anywhere near Austin, stop by and take a trip to Brianne Corn Raceway.

[@G4Disco]

Brianne's place (Lone Star Rallycross) is a good time.

[@DashnCars]

@@G4Disco absolutely! I'll be back soon

[@randymiller6197]

ok so, where did you get that great "no tread on me " shirt??

[@DirtFish]

That's great question! We'll try and find out.

[@azzz..6]

@Levi Ligget ????

[@XG-OFFICIAL-59]

@Levi Ligget huh? Indiana's flag is a torch

[@XG-OFFICIAL-59]

@Levi Ligget yes. I looked it up on Google before I said that, its a torch

[@XG-OFFICIAL-59]

@Levi Ligget i looked at the history of Indiana's flags everywhere. I can't find anything but the torch flag :/

[@willriley1619]

Best budget rally car is a Volvo. 2004 S60 2.5T AWD. Swap suspension from a junkyard XC70 and get good tires. Power is easy to make as well and weight reduction makes a big difference.

[@shaneottney8752]

Definitely agree, or you could go with the Citroen Saxo vts which I think is a great car for starters

[@adinglavic8418]

@@shaneottney8752 maybe even an old focus/fiesta....they have some rally heritage themselves

[@shaneottney8752]

@@adinglavic8418 yeah definitely

[@zepter00]

The gest budget is Ford Fiesta MK 7

[@shaneottney8752]

@@zepter00 budget? are you insane

[@anthonyrita4366]

This is on my bucket list of things to do . I also want to do their driving school as well . Ultimate goal is to have them build me a subaru that also be a daily driver.

[@connorbingel7134]

95 grand Cherokee huh. Well I have a lovely 2004 grand Cherokee with a v8 sitting in my diveway. Only problem is that I have 20 days until I’m 16.

[@Saintbow]

Should use it for a "24 hours at Lemons" race. $500 race car and it's a two day event. Solid race on a budget, plus it's a way for you to use what you have. When I was your age, I ended up racing a 1969 VW Bug. The old "shit boxes" tend to be your most memorable and favorite racer in your life.

[@everettblue9484]

Brianna corn has a sick rallycross property down here in austin

[@DoThingsYk]

Real cars, real roads, real fast.

[@Snakepliskin76]

How young can you be to do this?

[@connorbaz5980]

Man...really wish I could start rallying with just my daily driver. :/ Unfortunately it's a Lancer OZ rally with an Automatic transmission. Pretty anemic on power as well.

[@boostacross1671]

Run it bro! It’s all about fun. Unless you’re like me and you like to mix winning and fun. I’m competitive though.

[@connorbaz5980]

@@boostacross1671 dude, I am ALL about competition as well. 😂 Got to start somewhere though!

[@emiliorescigno]

That’s a perfect car to start with.

[@clubtouge1052]

You can. I just started with a 2007 corolla automatic that i got for 500$. Super fun

[@FullThrottleLifeClothing]

How is a daily driver in rallycross? The nearest event to me is a 4 hour drive, kinda concerned of mechanical issues, and denting up the car

[@DirtFish]

They're usually pretty good. You might want to get different wheels and tires that can take the abuse and won't de-bead easily.

[@jaybiddy955]

Honestly when you first start you'll be a bit on the slower side id invest in steelies if you don't have em throw all season or off-road tires on them send it then swap your wheels and drive home

[@RD-io6sm]

Your vehicle is gonna dinged up. That's just part of it. Remember when McRae repaired his car with a rock?

[@patmcassey6465]

@@DirtFish there’s an event near me next month. Do you think my Fiesta ST could handle it on snow tires or do I need to spend a bit on gravel tires?

[@garrettrinquest1605]

@@patmcassey6465 I know a guy who got second at nationals last year running a stock Fiesta ST. He just had snow tires. Gravel tires will usually put you into a higher class.

[@wolfwolf8100]

Would a 99 civic work would love to get into rally

[@garrettrinquest1605]

That'd be a great car, especially if it's got a manual transmission. I know a lot of people who run older civic wagons and CRXs. I've even seen a few Fits as well.

[@Supadupa335]

Are there any events coming up in California?

[@sergiorosales1689]

Glen Helen antelope valley

[@MrCirclecityrabbit]

Hmm...have a Mercedes ML430 AWD...kind of more like a rally raid truck I guess...but I wonder if my local SCCA group would let me RallyCross with it?

[@DirtFish]

They might! We know plenty of people who use SUVs for Rallycross events.

[@DirtFish]

You would need to ask them. They do allow other SUV's so that might be an option.

[@Happymali10]

So that focus was still FWD?

[@zepter00]

70% of rally cars in the world are FWD

[@fostinator69]

Would a fwd matrix xrs work?

[@DirtFish]

Yeah, that could work!

[@jaybiddy955]

Anything works

[@fordgalaxie3695]

If it drives, it thrives.

[@shaneottney8752]

@@fordgalaxie3695 I live by that phrase

[@NeurodivergentSuperiority]

@@fordgalaxie3695 Lancia Betas are ruled out then!

[@JorgeVonVogler]

Can u go pro threw scca?

[@DirtFish]

Yep, there have been a few people who have started in SCCA and turned their racing into full-time careers.

[@JorgeVonVogler]

@@DirtFish that's fucking mini

[@ioancobarzan7089]

Where I can find something like that in Chicago, or Illinois area, or how I can find something like that. Thanks

[@dronus]

There's a kid who used to race simulation games and won a gaming competition and now he races for a legit Racing Company. Jimmy Broadbent is another simulation racer and he races for a legit racing company as well. Good Luck!

[@Donstar454]

Could you rally an auto

[@DirtFish]

You could, but we wouldn't suggest it. You would have much less control.

[@willriley1619]

You could with a geartronic slapstick or whatever you want to call them. Upgrade to a big transmission cooler and add polyurethane mounts. This setup works well on the Volvos so it might work well in cars alike.

[@abdullah_carart5638]

Can I join for free? I have no money :(

[@diville6425]

if you have no money, youre not gonna be able to fix your car after 1 rally session haha

[@joseph8275]

A2 the JDM fan boy if you need a no money co driver let me know.

[@daveshaw9344]

What you could do is team up with a few people and share a car Each person gets to drive, you all share the costs There's low budget classes of cars