ARC Anounces 2021 Championship Schedule
After a 2020 season full of new events and rally cancelations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Atlantic Rally Cup is back and looking for more consistency in 2021.
Sandblast Rally 2020
The last event before the rally world shut down for COVID-19
“Sandblast was our only ‘normal’ event in 2020. Right after Sandblast ended in February, we started working diligently on the inaugural Bristol Forests Rally in Tennessee. But with news of the new COVID-19 global pandemic, we decided to cancel that event and enter a holding pattern on rallies. It was a difficult time not knowing when we’d be able to get back to racing, but when organizers saw the first opportunity to hold a “COVID Protocol” event at the CUP Rally in Michigan, they took it.” - David Matheson, Organizer of the Bristol Forests Rally
The ARC was quick to adapt to the new rallying environment. Using the NASA Rally Sport - Rally Checkpoint Android app, ARC officials were able to completely score events with no transfer of time cards or physical contact between volunteers and competitors.
“The Checkpoint App was developed about 5 years ago to aid organizers in scoring events. Using the app, time control, start, and flying finish data can be sent directly from the control to the NASA Rally Sport scoring database. Then you’re just a few clicks away from publishing the scores. It was created to decrease the time and effort of scoring a rally, but it turns out that it’s also pretty useful as a tool for non-contact time controls!” - Anders Green, ARC Series Promotor and Owner of NASA Rally Sport
With these new COVID Protocols in place, the hope is to start the season off as usual at Sandblast Rally in March. Following that will be an all new ARC round in Kentucky, Rally Kentucky, before heading back to the first event canceled in 2020, the Bristol Forests Rally.
“I’m very excited to finally get to run this event. We worked hard to make it happen on a short notice last year, but the extra organizational time has been welcome. We have a very fun but difficult rally planned for May!” - David Matheson
From Bristol the ARC heads north for two rounds in Michigan, but sandwiched between them will be the second running of the Plenty of Tarmac Rallye in Whitesburg, KY.
“We’re ready to put on a great season for our competitors, volunteers, and fans. I’m very excited to kick it off in less than two months at the 25th running of Sandblast Rally!” - Andrew Frick, Organizer of Sandblast Rally
