As we patiently waited for the NASA events this year, our season started quite late. We miss Rim of the World. 
There were lots of questions from fellow competitors as to what rallies we’d be doing this year, and how come we weren’t competing in ________ Rally? The answer this year is a little more complex and I’m going to touch upon some of the team planning that is imperative to success.
Rally America this year has added the requirement of HANS (Head and Neck) devices at its events. NASA looks to add this requirement in 2009. With new helmets and seats to accommodate the devices, we looked at a team cost of around $3500 for the year (equivelent cost of two rally entry fees) just to enable doing a Rally America event in 2008. I’m not drilling holes in a 5 year old Bell helmet. I want comfortable seats that have space and padding for HANS. End of discussion.
We are planning to take 2009 off. Christine needs 100% to finish her doctorate, and I think it’s a good chapter point for our rally career. Don’t worry – we’ll be out volunteering and in our CRS capacities and back in 2010. This gives us time to save for all sorts of new things. Not to get too ahead of myself, but a new faster car is on the drawing board. Propagate rumors accordingly! 😉
As soon as the USRC calendar was announced we started on the plan. So in April (two months before the rallies) we had booked flights and secured lodging for the North Nevada / Idaho loop. We had non-refundable tickets before most teams decided to even RUN the rally. As the price of fuel and flights skyrocketed over the summer this decision saved us hundreds of dollars. The trip was a tow to Reno, rally at NNR, then a tow to Boise, fly home, fly back, rally at Idaho, tow home. Not that all this planning didn’t prevent the unexpected. We had to replace the fuel pump in the Blazer in Idaho and the rear differential bearings when we got back. So much for all the ‘saved’ money. Make sure when you start rallying that you realize $1000 is nothing. Vaporized in seconds by rally teams everywhere. 
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About an hour north of Los Angeles, Hungry Valley is home to a very special rally called Gorman Ridge. It’s a rougher event that makes for a well rounded championship. Just to finish this rally takes planning, effort, struggle, and patience. If you cross the finish line here you are ready for anything that a southwest rally will throw at you – exposures, boulders, rough washes, embedded rocks, water bars, etc. Unusual that it’s often the beginner rally of choice for those starting out in the California Rally Series. Last weekend saw a number of retirements as the crews raced through the rocky terrain.
Look for the good stuff to start at 10AM PST on Saturday, August 16th. – Kris
Two rallies, one trip. Two CRS class victories, one USRC class win. Two great events, one fantastic time! 2007 USRC 2wd Production class champions Kristopher and Christine Marciniak achieved their goals and finished Idaho 9th overall amid a strong contingent of all wheel drive teams, thus gaining valuable points for both the regional and national championships respectively. Not putting a wheel wrong all weekend, the team’s only issue came from a chicane cone that was hit in a spectator area – this lead to some minor road points that the team later nicknamed “spectator points” as the Dodge Rally Neon was completely sideways, giving the crowd a good show on the final stage.
A little over two weeks ago, the Rallynotes.com team captured their first in class victory at the North Nevada Rally. This weekend, the City of Mountain Home will host the Idaho Rally 2008. It’s round 3 of the United States Rally Championship and event 5 of the California Rally Series Championship that the team will be vying for points. The two day performance rally takes place in the Boise National Forest just 30 miles east of Boise. Competitors will race on very technical, narrow and often elevation changing Forest roads with stages ranging from 7 – 14 miles. They will have spectator areas for the fans to come and check out the action!
Stage 4 of the rally, about 3 miles in, it begins to rain. This amps us both up as we haven’t done a stage in the rain in a LONG time. I heard a lot of complaints about traction and I have to tell you it didn’t seem to get any better or any worse for us. The wipers were on and I was trying to go faster then anyone who would slow for a rain storm. 