TOPEKA, Kan. (Oct. 21, 2017) -- The 2017 SCCA® DirtFish RallyCross® National Championship got underway Friday at Heartland Park Topeka in Kansas with what looks to be nearly 125 racers entered from around the United States. The weekend promises epic racing across all nine classes.

This 11th annual National Championship is shaping up to be fantastic. Previous weather forecasts of severe rain have been revised and are now calling for a cloudy but warm Saturday with a chance of thunderstorms later in the day.  And Sunday is now looking to be completely dry and wonderful.

After a day or course walks and test runs, a delicious catered dinner awaited participants Friday night, followed by the annual Town Hall session dedicated to addressing developments in the world of SCCA RallyCross. Topics discussed included ways to engage younger RallyCross enthusiasts, windshield rules, creation of the new Open Class for 2018, and some possible changes to the 2018 RallyCross National Challenge program.

As with all discussions regarding race management and rules, there were differences of opinion. But as RallyCross Board member Stephen Hyatt pointed out, “RallyCross rules are member-driven and we welcome all input.” Hyatt also mentioned that the 2018 RallyCross rules will be voted on in a couple weeks, so be sure to check out forums at www.sccarallycross.com to make your voice heard.

Keith Lightfoot, a member of the RallyCross Board, summed up the mood of the event best by stating, “This race just keeps getting better and better every single year. We started with humble beginnings 11 years ago, reached capacity this year, and next year the only direction we’ll go is up.”

Competition begins Saturday at 8:30 a.m. and runs until 6 p.m., followed by a second day of competition Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Follow all the action with live scoring at sololive.scca.com.  Live audio commentary is also available online.