This weekend was the 50th anniversary running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, and the race brought out an incredible assortment of talent to compete in both the Daytona Prototype and GT classes. It was a “who’s who” of international road racing, and Speed TV deserves credit for its non-stop coverage of the event.
There was another, lesser-known race over the weekend, which pitted both amateur and pro rally drivers against one another in some of the worst imaginable conditions. The Rally America series kicked off its 2012 season this weekend, with the 38th annual Sno*Drift rally in Atlanta, Michigan. Conditions were treacherous, with road surfaces ranging from gravel to glare ice. Since the Rally America series doesn’t allow studded snow tires, the race was more about smoothness and driving style than it was about horsepower.
David Higgins and co-driver Craig Drew took the win for Subaru Rally Team USA, followed by the Rockstar Energy team of Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard. For the first time in series’ history, the event was streamed live over the Rally America website, and the series even used night vision cameras to capture the in-the-dark stages.
Next up is Missouri’s 100 Acre Wood rally on February 25 and 25th. If you’re interested in attending (or watching the live stream), head on over to the Rally America website for details.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
