Red Bull Global Rallycross reportedly shuts down

Red Bull Global Rallycross reportedly shuts down

Rallying

Red Bull Global Rallycross reportedly shuts down

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The Red Bull Global Rallycross series appears to have ended 2018 operations and reportedly has ceased operations.

Lancaster National Speedway & Dragway, which was set to host GRC in June, announced on its website that it was informed by GRC management “that the Red Bull Global Rallycross organization has ceased operations for the 2018 season.”

Several tracks report the series owes thousands of dollars in vendors bills. Autoweek reports Rockcliffe Flying Club, which hosts GRC Ottawa, is owed $20,000, Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park in Connecticut is seeking $29,000 in unpaid revenue from last June. Officials in Michigan are threatening legal action against GRC if the series doesn’t pay a nearly $76,000 fee for a July 2015 event on Belle Island, the Detroit News reported Monday.

“They have a reputation of not paying their bills and taking advantage of smaller facilities, like ours,” Thompson Speedway owner Jon Hoenig told Autoweek. “It’s not so much about the money they still owe us but the opportunity we lost to open the track to other customers.

“We trusted them because of their initial reputation and their partnership with Red Bull. We thought they were reputable. They promised us a five-year deal with this revenue split.”

Dyne did not respond to Autoweek’s response for comment.

According to the Detroit News, Dyne blamed “dismal” Belle Isle ticket sales on the state failing to close the island to those without admission. He also claimed he was forced by the state to make concessions to accommodate two previously booked events on the island – a wedding and a 5K/10K run – that cost him an additional user fee of $100,000, $60,000 for additional equipment and $30,000 on NBC commercials.

The chief of parks and recreation for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said the state never forced GRC to make specific provisions for the 5K/10K run.

IMG, organizer of the FIA World Rallycross Championship, recently announced the creation of an inaugural four-round Americas Rallycross series, which added Ken Block and Steve Arpin.

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