10 Things You Need to Know About the Red Bull Global Rallycross

Travis Pastrana GRC LA 2014 ・ Photo by Megan Green

The Red Bull Global Rallycross racing series is coming to the Port of Long Beach for their second annual double header. We had the opportunity to speak with RedBull GRC President and CEO Colin Dyne to shed a little light on what makes the young motor sport series so successful here in the U.S., and to help us pick 10 things you need to know about the Red Bull Global Rallycross.

If you can’t make it out to the Red Bull Global Rallycross Los Angeles Presented by Subaru Tecnica International on September 12 and 13 in person, be sure to catch all the action on NBC.

1. What is GRC?

The Red Bull Global Rallycross is an international racing series that pits highly modified versions of compact commuter cars against each other in a motocross style series of sprint races. Courses mimic the terrain found in the WRC circuit, and competition occurs on a track consisting of both sticky asphalt and slippery soil covered surfaces.

The racecars resemble their road going counterparts, making it easy for fans to identify with cars they see everyday. Piloting these machines are not just racecar drivers, but action sports celebrities; the Red Bull GRC has the largest group of crossover athletes who are champions in their own rights in everything from skateboarding half pipes to professional drifting. Not only is GRC the closest thing to a real-life racing videogame, when the action is paused, fans are treated to more access and activities than most other forms of more traditional motorsport.

Photo by Megan Green

2. The Stars

In traditional racing, the competitors tend to follow a very similar path in order to reach a driver’s seat. Almost always starting in karting from an early age, some move on to motorcycles while others look to lower forms of open-wheel competition and spend years cutting their teeth before being offered a shot at the big time. The Red Bull Global Rallycross takes this notion and turns it on its head.

Action sports legends like Travis Pastrana and Brian Deegan were once known for their abilities to make a dirt bike airborne, while Bucky Lasek did it with a skateboard and a half-pipe. They all became household names at the X-games, and thanks to GRC they still compete today. Only in the GRC can a driver like Ken Block, who gained fame for his driving ability by making YouTube videos, compete alongside professional drift champions like Tanner Foust and second-generation racers like Nelson Piquet Jr.

One of the best things about the Red Bull Global Rallycross being such a new form of motorsport is that it shatters the idea that there is only one type of racecar driver. With such diverse backgrounds, the Red Bull Global Rallycross gives these members of action-sports royalty a place to gather and remind their fans why we worshiped them to begin with. While other sanctioning bodies might prefer to remain a league above those racers competing in it, the GRC embraces the fact that their racing personalities are really the stars of the show.

3. The Fan Experience

Unlike other forms of motorsports with long laid out courses, the Red Bull GRC utilizes a stadium style set-up, which means that you get a great view of (almost) the entire track without ever having to get up from your seat. Not to mention that the short sprint-style heats are ideal for those of us with fleeting attention spans. When you do want to get up from your seat you can stroll through the open-air pits and get closer than you ever will with other forms of professional motorsports (not to mention the opportunity to meet your heroes and come away with a few autographs). While you might have heard there is nothing like experiencing the sights, sounds and smells of a race in person, Red Bull GRC turns things up to 11.

Photo by Megan Green

4. GRC Supercars

The top tier of GRC competition is the Supercar. These machines are capable of accelerating from 0-60 MPH in under two seconds. They go just as fast on dirt as they do on tarmac and can jump a 70-foot gap lap after lap. While GRC Supercars look like Ford Fiestas, Subaru STIs, and VW Beetles, they share little more than the body shape of their “street car” cousins. Aside from the addition of bulging fenders and exaggerated openings to house the series mandated racing slick (tire), the supercars have been further modified to allow for the additional cooling necessary for squeezing 600 HP from a four-cylinder engine that has been pressurized with turbo boost to the point of near explosion. Under the lightweight skin are a series of steel tubes that not only give the Super its structure, but also keep the driver protected in the event of the inevitable crash. Drivers shift gears via a sequential gearshift; pull back for gear up, push forward for gear down. In order to keep costs down and keep teams competitive, electronic driver aids are not allowed in GRC. So all that power is sent to the ground through a series of mechanical limited slip differentials to help the Supercar claw its way around the track.

Photo by Megan Green

5. GRC Lites

In order to open up competition, Global Rallycross introduced the GRC Lites category in 2013 as a spec feeder series where up and coming drivers could compete at a more manageable level. All of the GRC Lites cars are built by GRC Supercar champions Olsbergs MSE; this ensures that all of the racecars start life just like every other. The GRC Lites look like Ford Fiestas, with a 300 HP four cylinder racing engine mounted behind the driver, sending power exclusively to the rear wheels. The idea is that teams can buy a car for under $200,000 and focus on building their team into a well-oiled machine while competing on the same tracks at the same venues as the GRC Supercars.

While the GRC Lites were supposed to have half the drive of a full-blown Supercar, they have been known to be even more challenging to control. Leading series champion Tanner Foust even admitted that he’d like to get his hands on one as a practice car.

6. GRC Tracks

Unlike other forms of motorsports where the racing surface must be groomed and free of dirt and debris, GRC racecars are made to run on anything. Roughly half of the track is paved like a traditional racecourse, while the other half is intentionally covered in dirt to help slow down the Supercars and let them get sideways in the slower turns. Tracks can be set up in a variety of environments, designed to work in everything from a large parking lot across from the SEMA Show in Las Vegas to the front straight at a NASCAR oval.

Photo by Megan Green

7. The Racing Format

GRC races are made up of a series of short sprints. Winners climb up the ladder in an attempt to reach the 10 Car Final, while those less fortunate still have the opportunity to make the show thanks to a Last Chance Qualifier.

Photo by Megan Green

8. The Drivers

We have already talked about the action sports superstars that are currently showing the world just how cool they are thanks to the Red Bull Global Rallycross. However, the GRC has no problem attracting top talent from every form of motorsport. For instance, Steve Arpin drove NASCAR, Scott Speed drove F1, and Tanner Foust drives everything. The Red Bull GRC has also made its presence known internationally, attracting more traditional European Rallycross sensations like Liam Doran and Sverre Isachsen to wow fans on a regular basis.

Photo by Megan Green

9. The Sponsors

There is an old saying: “The only way to make a large fortune in racing is to start with a bigger one.” It is no secret that motorsports are expensive, and that we have sponsors to thank for making these things happen. It is clear that the Red Bull Global Rallycross is having no problem building a strong fan base. With serious OEM partners and an excellent TV deal we can expect to enjoy GRC racing for years to come.

Photo by Megan Green

10. The "Cool Factor"

There is no doubt that the Red Bull Global Rallycross delivers a motorsport experience unlike any other form of four-wheel racing. Let's let Red Bull GRC series President and CEO Colin Dyne elaborate on the GRC “Cool Factor”:

If you can’t make it out to the Red Bull Global Rallycross Los Angeles Presented by Subaru Tecnica International on September 12th and 13th in person, be sure to catch all the action on NBC.

Photo by Megan Green