What: — The 2016 Waste Management Winter RallySprint, a “rally light” version of the annual Waste Management Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally (STPR), will take place on the Waste Management property just outside of Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. The performance sports cars will run at speed, one at a time, over the gravel, snow-covered roads on competition stages that are intentionally shortened with less high speed sections in order to give the drivers the sensation of full performance rally without the expense of a longer event. The event’s other purpose is to provide training for volunteers organizing and running longer stage rally events like STPR. The event, which is part of February 18 – 21, 2016 Wellsboro Winter Celebration, retains its title sponsorship from previous years with Waste Management and support from the Wellsboro Chamber of Commerce. This year’s RallySprint will be sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), and organized by the SCCA’s Finger Lakes Region. When: Saturday, February 20, 2016 Where: Rally headquarters will be the Tioga County Fairgrounds in Whitneyville, Pennsylvania, with the competition and spectator area located at 782 Antrim Road in Duncan Township (map coordinates are: N41.644/W77.275). Spectator/Public Viewing information: This spectator area in Duncan was first established for the Waste Management event in 2014. Here, the fans will see the cars at speed negotiating the course. The spectator area is close to the service area giving fans another opportunity to see the drivers, crews and cars up close. The gates will open at 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 20, with the first cars passing by just after noon. There will be food vendors and portable bathrooms on-site - amenities will be minimal. Spectator entrance cost is $5 per person, free parking Significance: With this new RallySprint format, which features stage rallying on shorter stages on privately-owned roads (no public access), the organizers have significantly reduced the insurance liability for both the competitor and organizer, thus opening the door for more affordable rallying. A major difference will be the cost for competitors as the entry fee will be greatly reduced from last year - by about one-third – to $300.00. Because of the lower entry fee, we are expecting more than 20 team spots to fill up - with more competitors there will be more on-course action and that should spark more spectator interest.
Interviews: Dave Avery, Finger Lakes Region SCCA/rally chair; Julie VanNess, Wellsboro Chamber executive director; Stephen Hyatt, SCCA national RallyCross chair; Rally drivers from the Northeast U.S. Visuals: Two and four-wheel-drive sports cars at speed executing controlled slides through the corners and storming down the straightaways on the Waste Management gravel roads. Also, the cars will be on display on the Green in downtown Wellsboro at 11:00 a.m. and leave at 11:35 a.m. for Waste Management. The cars will also be available in Duncan mid-way through the rally when they stop for a 60-minute service (approx. 3:00 p.m.). The latest RallySprint information can be found at the following links:
|