About Idaho Rally Group.
The Idaho Rally Group was established in late 2010 by local rallyist Dick Rockrohr and a small group of enthusiasts. The vision of the group is to assemble locals with the similar passion for Rally and grow the sport. To that end we have developed the Idaho Rally International into an internationally recognized event as well as a local Rallycross series that has allowed pro's and amateurs to compete together in a great family friendly environment.
History
The Idaho Rally was first run in 2007. Rallydrift Inc. designed a concept to establish a new rally event in the United States. The preparation for this inaugural race took almost a year. The first event was an all tarmac rally. The roads in and around Bruneau and Grand View were somewhat challenging but very fast. Eleven teams came out to play. Bruce Davis and Jimmy Brand took home the green Idaho Rally Champion shirts and got bragging rights to win Idaho’s first Rally event. The following year new roads were chosen in the Mountain Home area. The new dirt roads were of world class quality and plentiful. Nineteen teams showed up to race, and the team of Brian Scott and John Dillon took home first place. The quality of the event had improved dramatically and the participants felt they had a perfect hosting partner. The United States Rally Championship and America’s oldest rally championship, the California Rally Series, had set foot in Idaho and promised to be back. 2009 was a year to remember. A two-wheel drive car took first place ahead of several four-wheel drive competition vehicles and made national history. The team of Laughlin O’Sullivan and Karen Wagner slid their way all the way up the podium, staying 2:14 minutes ahead of 2nd place. The impressive field of 38 car and 4 rally bike entries made the event one of the biggest in the United States.
In 2010 the promoter decided to move the headquarters to Boise, Idaho. The 2010 Idaho Rally totaled about 150 stage miles over two and half days of racing. The mountain roads in Elmore County, where the Rally was held in 2008 and 2009, had been deemed by the rally teams as the best in North America. This was also the longest dirt stage rally held in the U.S. and Canada. The first place winners that made it to the podium for 2010 were, Wolfgang Hoeck putting on an impressive race. In 2010 we added a “super special stage” held at the fairgrounds, where drivers raced next to each other on a closed course. We also added roads in Boise County that went through the mountains near Idaho City, Horseshoe Bend and Garden Valley.
In 2011 the event was taken over by the newly formed Idaho Rally Group, this not for profit group was specifically formed to promote and run the Idaho Rally. Running all the stages in Boise County where the roads are even better than previously used stages, and using a centrally located service area, we made the event more driver friendly and had over 40 cars, 5 UTV’s, and 4 Rally Bikes. The team of Williams and Hakala beat out the O’Driscolls by just over a minute. In 2012 the team of Garth and Blattner won with a three and a half minute lead. In 2013 Derick Nelson managed to keep ahead of the O’Driscoll’s and win with a 30 second margin. In 2014 Dave Henderson led the 60 competitors to take first place. Due to low turn out 2014 was also the last year the Rally Bikes were run at Idaho Rally.
In 2015 due to speed compatibility we changed the start order system to allow the UTV’s to run with the cars instead of as a separate group. This allowed the UTV’s the same kind of conditions as the cars and put them in the running for 1st overall. That year with 49 competitors running, Byron Garth barely edged out Jeff Seahorn for first by 2 seconds. In 2015 Matthew Binczewski whose first rally ever was the Idaho Rally in 2013, won by 13 seconds over Jason Copt and a field of 55 competitors. The 2017 season Idaho rally had more entrants than the previous three California Rally series events combined and more than double any of the NASA Rallysport events held in the US and Canada. Derek Nelson won out over Ryan Millen by a little over a minute.
The Rally for 2018 will be located in Boise County in the mountains north of Boise. The Main service, Pro Services, and meals will be held on Main Street in Idaho City. The Harris creek stage has become one of the Drivers most favorite stages in the US.
Our Team
The Idaho Rally Group makes this event happen. Their experience in event promotion maintains quality relationships with event partners, local and state government entities, city authorities, and Convention & Visitor Bureaus. They work side by side with Rally organizations that are part of an International Championship Series. They interview and recruit to fill all-important positions.
We use a Rally Director to oversee and coordinate all sporting activities during the event. Our Rally Director selects the course and meets with local government entities to secure the roads and create safety plans. He ensures and maintains the highest safety standards working closely with the emergency response coordinators, law enforcement, and start and finishing controls.
The Volunteer Coordinators typically work on a 3 to 6 month schedule to recruit, train, and retain hundreds of volunteers to assist with safety, marshaling the course, service areas, rally campus, start to finish locations, timing, scoring, stewarding, entertainment, and many other jobs during the sporting activities throughout the event. An online data system is used to keep track of volunteer information, schedules, contacts and coordination to ensure high event quality. The system prevents over-scheduling, contact lost, helps with re-recruiting and is a perfect communication tool.
Our Graphic Artist team is responsible for creating each event’s signature logo and original artwork used on T-shirts and marketing materials. They design and create components on the events 20-30 page race programs and spectator guides. These artists are involved in consistently branding each event. They ensure that the partner’s features and hosting city’s attractions are included in the web design and on the race T-shirts, hats, trophies, tickets, advertisements, and other promotional materials.
In addition to Idaho Rally Group members, experienced subcontractors are hired periodically to supplement the event’s staffing needs and volunteers are signed up to help execute a safe, positive, race friendly environment.
Contacts:
Directors:
Director:
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TEXT: 208-371-2413
ASST-Director:
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208-965-6618
Treasurer:
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Secretary: