DirtFish - 2021 ARA SEASON AWARDS

Press on Regardless Award – Southern Ohio Forest Rally Volunteers and Organizers

The phrase “press on regardless” has been the spirit of US rallying for years, and also as the name of the most infamous rally from the SCCA ProRally Calendar.

It’s a testament to the rallyists’ never ending push to finish the rally no matter what hardships they face. While there were plenty of mechanical issues that competitors pushed through this year, the greatest embodiment of the press on regardless spirit came from the organizers and volunteers of the Southern Ohio Forest Rally.

SOFR started off without a hitch for the evening stages on day one, but when day two came, the radio repeater that organizers had bought failed, and seemingly all hell broke loose.

While race control was unable to make contact with the stages, competitors were transited through a few stages and held at service while dozens of people worked frantically to fix the issue to allow the rally to continue as best as possible.

Considering the circumstances, as well as the humidity, heat, and scattered downpours, the organizers and volunteers did a fantastic job of getting as much rallying in as possible before the roads had to be returned to the public.

While there weren’t too many huge offs or mechanicals that stood out from the rest, a few honorable mentions I recall from the season include Texas Dave (Dave Carapetyan) rejoining day two of Ojibwe after a roll on day one, Paul Rowley suffering misfires while battling for second at LSPR but pulling through, and Mark Piatkowski losing third gear while trying to earn points at the same event.

If you have a favorite press on regardless moment from the season, feel free to let us know!

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID COSSEBOOM

WORDS BY MASON RUNKEL

Original Post:

https://dirtfish.com/rally/ara/our-2021-ara-season-awards/

Ken Block to Race 2020 Southern Ohio Forest Rally

“I’m super stoked on this year’s schedule. Being able to race on some of my favorite stages and tracks, here in the United States, and across the world is going to be a lot of fun. The 2020 Cossie World Tour is going to be rad!”

— Ken Block

For official release from Ken Block and The Hoonigan Racing Team

For the first time, LIVE and in front of over 250,000 people, Ken Block and The Hoonigans revealed Ken's new Troy Lee designed 2020 race livery with the Ford Escort RS Cossie V2 at the BurnYard!  With a sold-out crowd watching from the stands (in addition to YouTube live stream), Ken and Hoonigan CCO Brian Scotto took the cover off the Cossie, revealing a wild new look for Ken's 2020 race season.

With the live reveal successfully completed last Saturday, a highlight episode of the events is now up on Ken's YouTube channel. In 2019, Ken's YouTube channel clocked in a staggering 11+ million views for the Cossie World Tour alone - making it one of the biggest exposure outlets in all of stage rally, RallyCross, and Gymkhana in the world! And now, Ken has kicked off his 2020 race campaign with this epic livery launch.

This year the Cossie World Tour will be going back to some of Ken's favorite events around the world, plus adding some that he's never done before - including Rally Barbados. The season kicks off at one of the iconic filming locations of Gymkhana TEN (shot in Guanajuato), at WRC Mexico. The schedule also includes the Southern Ohio Forest Rally, and back to Rally Legend in San Marino where Ken won 1st in his class and 3rd overall in 2019. The Cossie World Tour will also feature Ken running in a Ford Fiesta for three events, including WRC New Zealand, Nitro World Games, and Gymkhana Grid.
 

The off season has been anything but idle for Ken and the Hoonigan Racing team. The modernized 90s era Cossie has undergone some extensive upgrades, including engine updates, lightweight panels, a new roof scoop and more. With the unveil, two new partners were also announced: Borla Exhaust and Rigid Industries lights.  These and other modifications will be highlighted in a forthcoming Cossie V2 update episode on Ken's channel. 

"My first trip to the Burnyard was unreal! Not only was I able to reveal the new livery live to a quarter million fans, but I also got to slide both the Cossie and Hoonicorn around the infamous track!" said Block. "I couldn't be more happy with how the Troy Lee Designs livery came out, and from the reactions of all the fans that were there too." Added Block; "I'm super stoked on this year's schedule. Being able to race on some of my favorite stages and tracks, here in the United States, and across the world is going to be a lot of fun. The 2020 Cossie World Tour is going to be rad!"

Ken Block's 2020 Cossie World Tour Schedule: 

SOFR Published in CAR AND DRIVER

The March 2018 issue of Car and Driver holds a special place in our hearts, because we are in it!

Car and Driver's Brett Berks Article "Our Entirely Subjective Guide to the Most Important Good-Weather automotive events of 2018" has Southern Ohio Forest Rally on it. Noticed for being RA's largest event of 2017, but if reports are correct the largest rally in the United States for 2017! 

We are looking forward to 2018!! #SOFRSOGOOD