An interesting feature on the Rally America site: Go to stages for Oregon Trail: http://www.rally-america.com/events/2009/Oregon/stages/ Click on the KML link, here is the one for stage 6: [FONT="]http://rally-america.com/Archives/2009/OREGON/Stages/SS6.kml This brings up a Google Earth overhead view of the stage.The stage is highlighted, with speeds color coded so you can see the cars projected velocity as it travels down the stage. This one turns purple the stage ends with a flatter portion as the cars go through 110MPH. Oregon is run on a new roads this year- they are not crowned and some are more wide open and faster along with the usual twisty and technical stages. Here is a video from last years event-this was the narrative from the Rally America newsletter: [/FONT] Ride along for a classic Oregon stage from 2008 with Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino. Narrow crowned roads make running the stage an extreme exercise in precision. The stage road is so narrow in places that if the car is sideways, the ends of the rally car can be hanging over ditches on either side. Strategically placed hay bales in the apexes of corners prevent ditch hooking but will also will kick the car occasionally to the outside of the crown, forcing the car to claw its way back up onto the road. If that were not enough, massive exposure on the outside makes this a sphincter tightening experience for driver and co driver alike. I love this event, but have not had the best luck here, rolling in 2004 and having a head on collision coming off stage last year. Scott www.subaru.net (612)309-5938
Good stuff as usual. I will have to check out the videos when I get home. Thnx I can hear just why Ken Block is soo good. His Co-driver know exactly just how to underline critical section of the course. LOL Very good video. Were those markers on the road? Its nice to really hear the road, good indicator of what the car was doing.
I was at this event. Spectating was not the best but we did the best we could. The special stages on Friday at Portland Int'l Raceway was pretty cool and had a HUGE turnout - thousands of people. Edstrom explaining how he writes/reads notes on the course. I got to talk w/him for quite a while. Great guy. Classic SAAB! Very fun to watch! pace car:
