Quote:
Originally Posted by goodhart
If rally cars raced door to door and not just time trial style, then it would be fun to watch. 
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That's European Rallycross.
Back before Mark Lovell died in a race in 2003 and everybody became safety (and more honestly, litigation) aware overnight, stage rally here in the US was actually quite entertaining to watch. Open class was incredibly fast with a very eclectic group of cars and technology from around the world.
I remember back in 2002, at OFR spectating by Chad's yump and having full factory race cars flying past my head (literally 10 feet away) at speeds in excess of 110mph, getting pelted by stinging gravel and red-hot exhaust gas. The concussion of the antilag pounding you in the chest and trail of flame and sparks as the cars would rip by at eye level... the air putrid with the hanging residue of 110 race fuel...
To this day I have yet to spectate a format of racing that is so viciously organic.
But yea, now spectating rally here in the states kinda blows, as spectators are herded into tiny control zones, a super long way away from the stage.