KWRC Rallycross #2: The View from the Shutter

Rallycross #2 (Part 1): The View from the Shutter.

The weekend of Saturday June 13th was originally circled on the Ontario rally calendar as a monumental double-header. The plan was simple: the Kitchener Waterloo Rally Club (KWRC) would host its second official championship rallycross event on Saturday at our favorite dirt playground—Eagles Nest MX Park in Ohsweken—followed immediately by the Maple Leaf Rally Club (MLRC) running their regional event on Sunday.

But as any loose-surface competitor knows, the weatherman always holds the final veto.

Saturday arrived under a scorching, sun-baked sky, blessing KWRC with intense heat and perfect visibility. Sunday, however, promised heavy, track-destroying downpours. To save the surface and ensure a fair fight, MLRC organizers made the tough but responsible call to postpone their half of the weekend. The MLRC event has been rescheduled for July 12th, and the organizers have been closely shadowing KWRC's infrastructure to ensure an equally electric experience. 

But back to Saturday.

The Physics of Dust and a Flow Redefined

With no rain to bind the soil, the Eagles Nest surface was bone-dry and fundamentally defined by one word: dust.

Through the opening complex of corners, the track became notably rough, punishing 
suspensions and forcing drivers to hunt for smoother, hard-packed lines. The remainder of the 
track held up remarkably well, though stewards had to strategically place cones throughout the
day to steer aggressive drivers away from emerging track hazards.




To completely change up the flow from previous events, the organizers elected to shift the 
entire competitive paradigm. They abandoned the traditional two-lap, clockwise format in favor 
of a single-lap, counter-clockwise configuration.

    [Old Format]                       [New Format]
    2 Laps • Clockwise             1 Lap • Counter-Clockwise
    (Familiar Lines)                  (Fewer Ruts per Run, Sharp Flow)

The single-lap format is brilliant on paper: it keeps the track surface cleaner for longer and theoretically allows teams more attempts at the clock. In practice, however, frequency is always at the mercy of the red flag. The sweep and recovery crews were kept on their toes all day, frequently hitting the track to extract disabled or structurally unhappy cars.

The blistering ambient temperatures quickly became the enemy of mechanical endurance. Several cooling systems began to protest, and a specialized Cross Kart spent the day fighting a losing battle with its rear suspension geometry under the rough cornering loads.

The Grid: From Commuter Cars to Eclectic Iron

A massive field of 33 drivers turned out, bringing an incredibly diverse array of machinery ready to play in the dirt.

The paddock featured the expected, highly capable sea of Subaru Imprezas and Ford Fiestas. However, a highly noticeable trend this season is the growing presence of Nissan Sentras—proving to be an accessible, front-wheel-drive platform for grassroots dirt racing. 

On the highly eclectic end of the spectrum, spectators were treated to the high-revving Cross Kart, a Porsche navigating the ruts, and a beautifully out-of-place 1972 Volvo 1800 ES wagon sliding through the dust.

As the sun beat down, the heat took its toll on cars, competitors, and the brave track stewards who spent hours volunteering inside the dust clouds. Yet, as drivers figured out the counter-clockwise flow, the lap times steadily fell. Early morning benchmarks in the mid-1:20s were systematically demolished.

By the end of the day, two-wheel drive completely flipped the script on the all-wheel-drive establishment:

The Giant Killer: Storme Wroblewski pulled off an absolute masterclass in car control, setting the fastest single lap of the day at a blistering 1:15.3. Competing in the 2WD class, Storme managed to eclipse the next five fastest drivers—all of whom were piloting 4WD machinery.

 

The only other competitor to dip into the 1:15 bracket was Daren Mayes, stopping the clocks at a phenomenal 1:15.8 to secure 2nd overall. Spectacular driving from both men.

Overall Top 10 Results

The full, comprehensive timing and scoring breakdown can be viewed at the official [KWRC Results Link].

Gallery: Through the Lens at Eagles Nest

Below is a collection of the top shots from trackside, capturing the raw mechanical strain, lifting wheels, and the massive dust plumes of KWRC #2.

Rallycross #2 (Part 2): Inside Car #32

I have been active in the Ontario rally scene since 2003. Over those 23 years, my time has been defined by the meticulous, calculated world of navigational rallies—constantly swapping between the driver’s seat and the map light—or capturing the action through a camera lens. But eventually, you have to sweep the typical "life gets in the way" excuses aside. It was time to put the camera down, strap in, and finally step up to the plate for my first official rallycross.

If you ever want a case study in why the rally community is one of the most welcoming, inclusive subcultures in motorsport, look no further than my grid entry. I didn't arrive with my own vehicle or a support crew. Instead, the incredible father-and-son duo of Mark and Alton Gonslaves graciously offered up their 2009 Subaru Impreza for me to drive for the day. To top it off, overall event winner Storme Wroblewski provided a helmet for the day.

[The Community Equation]: 
Mark & Alton's Subaru + Storme's Helmet + Unmatched Camaraderie = Car #32 is Ready.

To the Gonslaves family, Storme, and the entire paddock: I cannot thank you enough. You embody the exact spirit that makes this sport great.

The Reality of Shared Machinery

While the new single-lap format was designed to maximize seat time, a 33-car field means the schedule is tight, and running a single car across three different drivers throws you headfirst into a brutal game of thermal management.

[3 Drivers] × [Single-Lap Sprints] × [Scorching Ambient Heat] = Zero Time for Thermal Recovery

The Impreza was being asked to perform back-to-back-to-back competitive stints with almost no recovery time in blazing ambient heat. By midday it became painfully obvious that the car was succumbing to the heat.

My single DNF (Did Not Finish) of the day happened right on the exit of Turn One. The engine simply cut out, heat-soaked and protesting. For a terrifying few seconds, my number one baseline rule—do not destroy Mark and Alton’s car—flashed before my eyes in jeopardy. Thankfully, the engine fired back to life. Realizing we were pushing our luck with the cooling system, I elected to return to the track, camera in hand to help protect the vehicle.

Chasing the Limit (And Finding the Pivot)

When you are piloting borrowed hardware, your psychological approach to the limit changes. My objectives for the day were crystal clear, ranked in strict order of operational priority:

1. Do not destroy the car.

2. Do not crash or collect cones.

3. Don't finish dead last (dependent entirely on rules 1 and 2).

My strategy was to start highly conservative, feel out the counter-clockwise weight transfer of the Impreza on the loose Ohsweken dirt, and incrementally work my way up to the limit.

On my final run of the day, I found that limit—and it reminded me exactly who was boss.

Coming hot into the final chicane, a flash of driver doubt crept in. Unsure if the tires would bite and turn in time, I lifted off the throttle a fraction too aggressively.

[Aggressive Lift-Off] ──> [Sudden Forward Weight Transfer] ──> [Rear Traction Loss] ──> [180° Spin]

The sudden liftoff-oversteer sent the Subaru into a long, slow, graceful spin. Time slowed down as I steered through the dust, praying I wouldn't hear the plastic thump of a cone or the harsh crunch of the dirt pile lining the outside of the bend.

When the dust settled: no cones hit, completely avoided the dirt barrier, zero damage to the car. Just a lost timeslip, a slightly bruised ego, and some fresh skid marks "on the track". 

Beyond the Adrenaline

Because the car stayed in one piece, Goal Number Three took care of itself. When the final timing sheets dropped, I managed to claim 6th overall in class.

Goals accomplished!

Looking back at the entire weekend, I had an absolute blast. If I have any true regret from my first official weekend in the dirt, it’s remarkably simple: I should have done this long ago.

But what struck me even deeper than the adrenaline rush of a well-executed slide was the sheer human element of the paddock. When cars began to falter under the heat—including Alton’s Subaru and Satyan's hard-fighting Cross Kart—it wasn't a closed-door garage affair. Competitors from completely different classes immediately dropped their tools, walked over, and pitched in to diagnose problems, swap advice, and get their rivals back on the line.

As I continue to report on the Ontario rally scene for Dust & Diagrams, I cannot stress this enough: there is far more to these events than revving engines,flying dirt, and pure adrenaline. Teamwork, community spirit, and genuine camaraderie abound. It is a community of volunteers and competitors from every imaginable walk of life, and it is fiercely inclusive.

Find a local event, get involved, and get on the entry list. You won't regret it.