This is the Statt Mann Baby!!  Time to Scatt a little bit.

The new World Rally Championship launched tonight in Monaco with a reception for the teams and sponsors.  The actual event starts Thursday.

Six manufacturer teams will compete in the championship, including newcomers Suzuki.  That might be more than any other international series anywhere.

Yeah, rallying: real cars on real roads driven by real people you can talk with.

This year’s championship will be 15 events on five continents including Jordan, that’s the Mideast if you’re not aware.  Snow, ice, gravel, asphalt and desert: real cars on real roads.  No wonder the manufacturers are returning to the series.

The millions of fans who will watch many of the events won’t hurt either!

The Rally America championship also opens this week on snow and ice in Michigan's Sno*Drift rally.

Rally America is another series in a growth mode.  All those action sports guys are getting older and enjoying a roll cage and extra set of tires around them.  They're bringing new sponsors and new fans.  More growth!

You're not seeing that in every motorsports discipline these days are you?

Peace.