GREAT Night Rallycross

[Heraclid]

Just wanted to say thanks again to Joe Black for a great rallycross event and encourage some of you other folks to get involved. Considering it was the first time we've done one of these at Fort Meade, it went very well (and ran ahead of schedule!). Visibility for the drivers was actually quite good, with glowsticks on each cone and a couple of reflective arrow markers. The glowsticks were meant more for the workers to help see if cones went down, but they were extremely helpful for driving. There were situations where, if it hadn't been for those, you couldn't judge how to handle those turns, avoid going too far inside or outside, and set up for the next course feature effectively. Without them a couple of places would have really screwed some people up, because obviously the course is twisty and you can't always have the headlights right where you need them (BTW, someone has a SUV out now with lights that read steering inputs and point where you're turning). Everyone got a few untimed practice runs in the daylight too though, so that kinda helped. All workers had radios and reflective vests. The VX was a thrill to sling around the hairpins as usual, and the stock lighting was plenty adequate (well, mine is sorta stock - running Silverstars in the lamps). I hit less cones in the dark than in the daylight, but after going a spell without hitting any I guess I was due. I was nothing if not consistent, running 2:07 in my last three consecutive runs! I usually improve with each run and would have liked to have done so again, but at least I avoided losing time. :-) Plus I easily won my class, being the only 4WD truck there. LOL!

Come to think of it, it's been a weird weekend with numbers for me. I ran 2:07 in three back-to-back runs, was behind two trucks with the number 666 on them within 5 minutes of each other when I was almost home, and when I took the last exit and stopped for the light, I was sitting at an even 69,000 miles on the odometer. Joe, maybe I'm the one who's supposed to win the lottery. LOL! But not to worry - if I did I'd set you up with one helluva tricked-out third VX! Then again, I can't remember the last time I bought a lottery ticket. But Amanda and I recently watched a woman buy $80 worth of scratch-offs.

[Joe_Black]

Mmmm... third VX. Can you say turbine/electric rally beast? Muwhahahaha!

Photos are up! Fort Meade RallyCross "A Night to Remember" Photos

[Heraclid]

I love the pics! You can definitely pick out my VX in the night shots too. I noticed a few people pointing at the horn lights when I was lining up. VX's look so cool at night. You can tell who that is leaving the starting line in the video too. :-)

Hehe... not that I'd want to play that number, but let's say I played some of those numbers I kept seeing, and I played 666 in the lottery and won. Then, in keeping to my word, I set you up with a helluva tricked out VX, which you would like to be a customized rally beast. I see a theme developing here. Then you could give it horns and make it snort steam like one of those monster trucks I've seen on TV.

[Kalik]

Hey Joe & Heraclid. I got some photos... maybe 40 or so from the event that are usable. Some times the lighting was just too poor. My card isnt full on my camera and my computer at home currently isn't set up to edit the way I would like (Im spoilt at my office with a Mac G5 fully loaded). I will have them up as soon as I can, I have a small site I'm trying to get started. I will send Joe any pics that I can but cant guarantee they will be ready within the next few weeks.

Besides that I was kinda feeling disgruntled shopping for a VX. I actually started to look at WRXs but after seeing the white and silver ones again... I was floored. I think the VX is the best 4 seater vehicle for what my interests are. I also saw and heard a few cars get rattled and "slightly" hurt at the rallycross. Heraclid's VX never sounded like it was getting phased out there. Guess the added lift helps alot, although I was looking at a old legacy for my 1st project car, and the VX as more of a daily driver / tow vehicle / show vehicle.

**Edit**
Also wanted to add the photos I took were all in the staging area. I didn't go onto the track so there isn't any action shots. My favorite shot is actually the volvo getting worked on after busting a tire. Thanks for making me feel welcomed again, and hopefully I can get into a VX soon.

[Joe_Black]

It was great to see you again! Definitely looking forward to the pics, I'll just add them to the site whenever you get 'em to me so no worries.

The VX is definitely much, much tougher than the cars running the rallycross. In November's event I had 3rd overall after my second run, being just a couple hundredths of a second behind the leaders. I believe that's because you can push the VX harder through (and over!) the course than the better-handling cars. It's an incredibly versatile vehicle. I can't help but reflect on how I've taken my stock truck through all sorts of terrain from the Ocala forest to the mountain trails of Uwharrie and various competitions from the tarmac of an 80+ MPH rallysprint to the field-based rallycrosses. It handles everything you throw at it and asks for more in addition to getting me back and forth to work among the swivelling heads and dropped jaws of fellow motorists, whether it's covered in mud or has a fresh coat of wax.

There is no other stock vehicle that can do this. PERIOD.

You'll find yours soon, just be open to offerings on eBay or listings out-of-state. Both of mine were pruchased sight-unseen, the Dragon new at a dealer near Chicago and the Iron Man from an eBay seller in Houston. I flew out and drove each home over a weekend. The Houston trip was awesome as I got to meet George, an Astral owner, who treated me to a ride from the airport and a great lunch. The VX family is the best! I'm sure if you found a VX out-of-state someone here would be more than happy to go eyeball it for you. Heck, if you weren't into the the fly/drive idea I'd be more than happy to go get one for you if you'd cover my expenses, which is less than shipping in most cases. An adventure is an adventure!

Just be sure to call on us here as you seek your dream VX. You'll find it sooner than you think!

[Heraclid]

Kalik, it was good to see you again, and I can't wait to see the pics! Thanks for offering to share them, whenever you can. Also, you mentioned lift, but I think you just meant ground clearance. My VX isn't lifted beyond stock clearance because you wouldn't run a marathon in hiking boots and you wouldn't do any serious hiking in running shoes. The stock VX is a cross-trainer that can do a bit of everything and do it well, and although I could make the VX be one heckuva hiking boot, then I couldn't do a lot of running in it.

These trucks are certainly not all style and no substance - they are pretty, yes, but they are very, very rugged. At the course it tends to get pretty rough in some places toward the end of the day, and the VX does not escape that. It's a rough ride out there for us too, and make no mistake about it - the VX's take a real pounding out there too. The difference is that they ride away no worse for the experience. Now as for me on the other hand, the left side of my knee is a little sore from banging against the door in some of those slides, but I'm so pumped full of adrenaline that I don't feel anything at the time. Ask Joe - I think I forgot to breathe or something during one of my runs at the rallycross before this. I got out of the VX staggering and had to sit down for a bit. LOL!

Joe said it all very well. I particularly liked what he said about it handling everything you throw at it and asking for more. That is so true. You can push, push, push, and the VX just seems to laugh at you and declare that it was born in that briar patch.