What is The Rally Blog?

The Rally Blog is a longtime project. After several years of covering both the national and international sport, Editor Ryan Watkins saw the need for a central resource for North American fans of the sport to discuss rumors, news and to share their experiences on the stages.

So an idea was born. The Rally Blog promises to be your go-to reference for all things rally in the United States, Canada and beyond.

Our Contributors

Ryan Watkins (Editor – Atlanta, Georgia – mrwatkins83) has covered rallying for more than five years. Starting as an intern with RallyWorld Magazine, he later moved up the ranks and eventually became the Content Editor for the official publication of the FIA World Rally Championship.

During that time, he went on to manage WRC.com, the official website of the WRC, providing daily updates and live event coverage. He’s interviewed some of the sport’s biggest names, including Sebastien Loeb, Marcus Gronholm, Mikko Hirvonen, Jari-Matti Latvala, Petter Solberg, Chris Atkinson, Travis Pastrana, and Ken Block.

Due to a tough economic climate, RallyWorld Magazine shut its doors in late 2008, and he’s been working on The Rally Blog since.

Karen Wagner (Contributor – San Diego, California – WagsCA) went to her first rally, Rim of the World, in 2003 and started crewing in 2004. She was hooked instantly and decided early on she wanted to co-drive and drive a rally car.

In 2006 she completed the Primitive Rally School and then started co-driving regionally in Rally America events. Also 2006 she competed in my first Targa Newfoundland event and finished 1st in class with the Chrysler backed team.

2007 marked the first time Wagner co-drove for Doug Shepherd where they finished 1st in 2wd and G5 at LSPR rally. She was fortunate to continue to team up with him in various Rally America events in 2008 as well (Sno Drift, 100 Acre Woods, Ojibwe, and LSPR). She won the Rally America 2wd and G5 National Championships in 2008 thanks to great finishes with Doug, Don Jankowski (Olympus), and John Conley (STPR). She also competed in all of the Max Attack events and finished 2nd in the Jake Himes Cup that year. Wagner had the opportunity to race again in the Targa Newfoundland rally with the Chrysler team, this time in a Sublime Green 2009 Challenger.

So far in 2009 she has been very fortunate to compete in all of the CARS National events in Canada and plan to do the entire series. She and Frank Sprongl teamed up at Perce Neige where she was schooled on going lightening fast in the snow. Until a car fire that took them out of the event on the last stage, they had a podium finish in sight.

Then another major milestone occurred at Rally Idaho where Lauchlin O’Sullivan and Wagner scored her very first National win in a 2wd SRT4! This proved to be one of the most exciting (broken skid plate and half shaft) events of her career. Looking towards the rest of 2009 she plans on contesting in the rest of the CARS National events, and in the US in select Rally America, USRC, and CRS events.

We’re always looking for contributors. If you have a passion for rally and an eye for writing, please contact us.