Global Rallycross – Opportunities for Future Growth

Red Bull Global Rallycross has some of the most exciting road racing out there. But what can take this series to the next level of fan and team support?

On weekends where the major races are over by Saturday night, a void is often left for racing fans as they try to find some entertainment on Sunday. Some fans may turn to other sports like baseball, basketball, or soccer to fill in the gap. Others, however, seek out alternative motorsports entertainment. Enter Red Bull Global Rallycross into the picture.

Rallycross has been a very popular form of motorsport, primarily though in Europe. Its emergence in the United States can be tied closely to ESPN’s X Games project, with rave reviews of the rallycar exposition at the games in 2010. This led to the start of the Global Rallycross series in 2011 at five events tied generally to NASCAR tracks. Today, however, GRC races everywhere from big NASCAR ovals to street courses, with a variety of surfaces at each.

GRC has grown steadily since its founding six years ago, but could there be more opportunities to become bigger? Certainly, the series has acquired top talent in their racecars with Tanner Foust, Scott Speed, and Steve Arpin. They all also race for big name teams with many IndyCar owners joining the field. But what if there is more out there for them?

Perhaps the current schedule is an area to look for improvement for the GRC series. With a schedule that has changed more in the last six years than any other racing division, GRC is looking at a double-edged sword. While they are certainly expanding their product’s visibility by going to various parts of the country, they also lack the consistency that traditional motorsports try to stick to.

So what can be done to improve the GRC schedule? Perhaps using their connections with their teams could help. With IndyCar teams making up a large portion of the field, Global Rallycross could become a partner with the open wheel ranks and offer support races on select weekends. After all, wouldn’t it make sense for teams like Rahal Letterman Lanigan and Andretti Autosport race in Indianapolis on the same weekend as the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing?

The other opportunity comes with the addition of new teams to the grid, making the series more visible to more fans. While many IndyCar fans are likely aware of GRC thanks to working with teams in that series, what about NASCAR? The only team to field cars in both GRC and stock car racing was Chip Ganassi Racing, which left rallycross at the end of 2016. With the relatively low overhead costs compared to other series, what if teams like Roush Fenway Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing raced there too?

Must Read: Former MotoGP Champion Nicky Hayden Passes Away

No matter what direction GRC takes into the future, the racing has been fantastic and hopefully will continue. If you’ve never seen the exciting high-flying action from Red Bull Global Rallycross, be sure to tune in on June 3rd and 4th on NBC for all the action from Thompson Speedway in Connecticut.