Well I said i’d like to learn to snowboard this year so with some time off work I finally got the chance to give it a try, so I booked myself in for a 50 minute taster session at the Northwest largest indoor snowdome Chill Factore.

I didn’t end up on the big ass slope to the right frankly as i’d be fairly scared im sure even though its a modest 15 degree’s incline I managed a few runs down the nursery slope without falling over once so I was pretty happy with that. Had a fantastic time so I think i’ve found a new hobby for 2009, hopefully i’ll be able to get some more tuition in the new year.

So i’m nearing the end of my top ten cars of the year as I get closer to the top its increasingly difficult to make a choice but this car really doesn’t need much of an introduction. Securing the 2008 Time Attack championship this car has proven what WRC level engineering and the total package can do in the face of lairy aero and huge turbo’s.

Affectionetly nicknamed “The Gobstopper” this Impreza from Roger Clark motorsport represents two years worth of refinement using a WRC base shell each component compliments the others enabling the car to excel in Time Attack, Drag racing and even Gymnkhana style track action. And its all still road legal

Whilst most cars have canards this car makes do with a deep rear diffuser with the large diffuser and undertray at the front.

The car always attracts attention and has needed very little changes throughout the year surely favourite to take the 2009 title as well.

Spied this shot on a random Livedoor blog on a Rev Speed Time attack shoot I love how clean this looks with just a set of rims and the mirrors it’s kinda reminded me how little the car needs externally to look fantastic. And that the car doesn’t need lairy aero and canards, i’ve spent all day looking into brake pad options which are pretty limited, hopefully next year i’ll be able to get the suspension sitting a little lower.

I’d love to know more about this car, i’m still trying to find the Rev Speed Time Attack entry from this year if anyone has that, hit me up!

This one is a shared one in my top ten countdown, and this entry is more about what the car and team has done for the sport and less so about the car. Rallying in the USA has had its ups and downs with varying levels of manufacturer support its not taken so easy to the states as other forms of motorsport.

With the passing of Colin Mcrae the sport’s lacked similar characters guys who are really passionate about the sport on and off track Ken Block and Travis Pastrana have really impressed me this year both in their driving and their passion for the sport.

Usually corporate sponsorship stifles a sport most rally drivers are publicity shy but the guys from Subaru USA are really pushing the sport forward.

The new shape STI’s joined the series replacing the older versions part way through the season and I think they look really fantastic, this is what the STI was conceived to do.

I love the paintschemes on both cars especially on Ken’s makes such a change from the standard issue blue with yellow swooshes.

Both Ken and Travis have really pushed the sport in a new direction in the states tapping into the extreme sports market through Ken’s company DC Shoes. Both the guys spend more time in the air than on the ground though LOL

Travis went on to take gold at X Games 14 the monster jump in the stadium took no prisoners all the cars looked fairly battered by the finish.

You just wouldn’t bother if you had any sense, various UK Police forces and now starting to take delivery of the new Evo X FQ360. Why run?

So we reach car 5 in my top ten cars of 2008, ive always been an Evo guy much to the dismay of my Dad who’s always been into Subaru’s ! and I really love the X. The car looks hard stock yet Jun managed to refine what’s already a potent package with their legendary engineering. Jun managed to steal a march on the other tuners presenting their Jun Evo X at the Tokyo Auto Salon now nearly a year on Jun have developed a slew of engine upgrades to match the exterior’s aggressive lines.

The ground hugging front diffuser and Advan RG wheels give the car a mean stance, the diffuser in particular enhancing the aggressive lines of the nose. Painted in Jun’s trademark yellow

Jun quickly developed a full aero package with an integrated front and rear diffuser resulting in a 6 second improvement over the standard car round Tsukuba.

I’ve seen a lot of really nice X’s this year and the car is very much at the beginning of its lifecycle I think Mitsubishi really nailed the Evo Ten changing it very little from the initial concept car and i’m confident we’ve more to come from both the platform and the engine.

Well this one is particularly prominent i’d supported Suzuki in the WRC since late last year watching the car develop as a Suzuki owner myself I felt it was an important stepping stone in Suzuki’s emergence as a global brand, and not just a K-car manufacturer.

Developed in house by Suzukisport and Monster Sport under the guidance of Monster Tajima 2008 was the first full year for the car. After a steady start with a shaky period mid season by Rally Japan the Suzuki had started to pull in some solid results.

Both PG Andersson and Toni Gardemeister showed pace with the car, PG in particular having his first full year in the WRC stepping up from the JWRC. Toni Gardemeister has never had the best of luck having been with several manufacturers over the years but with a lack of works seats in 2009 this might be end of PG’s career for the moment.

I’m really a fan of the car the rear wing and muscular stance really transform whats ordinarily a fairly mundane soft roader its a real shame to see the cars out for 2009 hopefully some privateers can pick up the car for use at national level. The Skoda Octavia, Seat Leon, Skoda Fabia and even the Mitsubishi Lancer WRC have all found a place in Ireland.

After Suzuki’s announcement, Subaru are also ending their WRC programme citing the economic downturn as justification whilst the WRC program amounts for just 20% of Prodrive’s operations its a sad end for this long standing partnership. With the introduction of the new super2000 plus rules for 2010 it was bound to happen.

The new rules don’t really seem to suit Subaru’s marketing department along with the requirement for a suitable 2 litre NA base model.

RIP Subaru

I’m coming round to the Super2000 formula its certainly worked in the WTCC and the addition of turbo’s should make the cars more interesting, maybe this could be a new era for the World Rally Championship?

So on to day two, the day starts very early in Resolfen Forrest after a spirited drive over some real Welsh touge despite doing my best Takumi impression it was rather icey. Having already lost my friend Kim on the way into stage after a hefty walk the sun came out which made a change from the rain and mud of the first day.

Griotti suffered a puncture on the Resolfen stage after stopping to change the wheel the battery went flat thankfully some spectators were on hand to get the car going again, could you see this happening in F1?

Its funny how a set of gravel wheels really make the STI look like a rally car with auxiliary lighting this recce car looked hard just sat in service.

Suzuki Swift Sport Cup competitor Gordon Nichol nearly didn’t make the event budget constraints and a redundancy nearly put paid to his entry but some offers of help and he was able to compete managing to complete the event on a single set of tyres!. Its a testament to the build quality of the MSE cars that the Swift made it through three full days at WRC level.

Crew 39 wont be restarting under Super-Rally rules after this off Piste excursion on Resolfen.

Steve Perez heading out of service in his late model Ford Focus WRC with Kick Energy drink sponsorship. Perez is the founder of Global Brands a multi million pound drinks distributor and manufacturer and has a pretty vast stable of rally cars.

Youngster Tom Cave (only 17) having recently passed his driving test put in a storming performance during the weekend eventually ending in 37th place.

Darren Jones was back to tackle Wales Rally GB for the second time in his Skoda Felicia his total budget pales into comparison with that of the works teams with the car still having two years worth of homolgation left at WRC level. The additional cost of the HANS device will likely put an end to a few clubman. Darren did really well considering the conditions go check his blog out at : http://darrenjones.shorturl.com/

Why have two Skylines when you can have three? not content with owning a Bee*R324 Nissan Skyline GTS, a Nissan Skyline GTR, Bmw 3 series touring and a kitcar (used loosely I think its still being used as a tool rack). Bryn’s added a new Nissan Skyline GTS with a lurid yellow paintscheme it’ll be summer ever day in deepest darkest Wales.

Wrapped in T&E Vertex aero with Dmax fenders the car’s equipped with an RB25 conversion and t04 turbo. Bryn’s cars always end up being epic engineering projects with amazing attention to detail i’ve no doubt he’ll have something in mind for this.

I can now call him Bryn “got three Skylines me” at least for the time being, not sure where he’s travelling here maybe to buy another Skyline? we’ll just never know.