2013 Global RallyCross season will see Dodge fielding two teams

SRT Motorsports has just announced that there will be two Dodge Dart rally cars competing in the 2013 Global RallyCross season on a full time basis with Travis Pastrana being joined by Bryce Menzies for all of the events this season. Pastrana will be back in his familiar #199 Red Bull Racing/Discount Tire Dodge Dart while Bryce Menzies will be driving the #99 Red Bull/America’s Tire entry.

“At Dodge, racing is an integral part of our heritage and embodies our competitive spirit, so we’re very excited to have Travis Pastrana back in the Dodge Dart for the 2013 season,” said Reid Bigland, President and CEO – Dodge Brand. “With a 0-60 time of less than 2-seconds, the Global Rallycross series is the perfect platform to showcase the Dart and the Dodge brand’s passion for performance on and off the track.”

The odds are good that if you follow the world of Mopar racing, Bryce Menzies is a name that you will recognize. In addition to being a championship TORC off road truck driver, Menzies also ran twice in the 2012 Global RallyCross schedule in Pastrana’s backup car. He first ran at the 2012 X Games in Los Angeles, finishing a disappointing 14th along with filling in for Travis after his shoulder surgery at the 2012 GRC final where he finished 8th. Those are particularly impressive outings but considering how little experience he had last season in both the Dart and the GRC format, we couldn’t very well expect him to climb into the car and win.

On the other hand, Travis Pastrana was regularly one of the faster drivers in the 2012 GRC season but due to mechanical gremlins, a separated shoulder and some cheap driving maneuvers by Toomas Heikenen and Andy Scott, Pastrana failed to finish on the podium more than once last season. However, when things went well for Travis and his team at the New Hampshire event in 2012, he won the race handily. Provided that he can avoid any injuries or mechanical problems, Pastrana should be among the front runners all season.

“Travis Pastrana exemplifies what action sports activities are all about and he fits perfectly with the Dodge brand and the SRT Motorsports team,” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO – SRT Brand and Motorsports. “There is no doubt that Travis’ personality and driving skills will continue to bring energy and excitement to this season.”

The 2013 Global RallyCross season kicks off later this month when the teams had to Foz do Iguaçu for X Games Brazil. The first 2013 GRC race on US soil will take place at New Hampshire Motor Speedway as part of the NASCAR weekend on July 13th. While having two teams in the lineup for each event should improve the SRT Motorsports teams chances of success, they will not come easy. In addition to last year’s top drivers including Tanner Foust, Brian Deegan, Ken Block and Marcus Gronholm, the GRC expects to see more European rally champs trying their hand at the US-based events in the 2013 season. Driver’s like Euro rally superstar Sébastien Loeb could make their presence more well known for 2013 and Loeb’s runaway win at the 2012 X Games in LA could be a sign of what is coming for the American rally drivers in the 2013 season.

Along with the announcement of two full time teams for the 2013 Global RallyCross season, Pastrana Racing put together the short video below showcasing the new Dodge Dart rally car that includes some awesome Days of Thunder lines and a whole lot of Dart rally car hoonage. Enjoy!

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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