Sports Car Club of America® members know RallyCross® – it’s autocross on grass and mud, right? That’s a fair definition – but RallyCross can be so much more. Take Detroit Region, for example, which began hosting “Tarmac RallyCross” this year at Milan Dragway.

The Region previously hosted mixed surface events, running from pavement to off-road and back again, but an ownership change nixed those plans over concerns of grass repair – and thus Detroit Region’s Tarmac RallyCross was born.

The venue Detroit Region uses is unique, with two very distinct sections. The first half is on a skid pad and looks like a traditional autocross course. The second half follows a road course section with three sweeping turns, a small straight, a chicane, and a 90-degree turn that crosses over the far end of the drag strip. The configuration means that there are a few opportunities to drop a wheel and cut the corner. And since it’s RallyCross and not autocross, all run times count toward your overall score.

“What makes it work as a RallyCross venue is that the pavement is not particularly grippy,” Matt Wolfe, event organizer, said. “The aggregate is well worn asphalt chip. Combine that with the undulations of the road course section, and it makes for a very wild ride. The character of the course is nothing like anything I've ever experienced at a Solo. A well-prepped Street Prepared car, for example, would be far too stiff to be ideal for this venue, which is part of what makes it great for our RallyCross crowd who usually have machines that are much more softly sprung.”

But it’s more than just the layout that makes it work as a RallyCross. In Michigan, the traditional autocross season comes later in the spring, but Detroit Region’s RallyCross, tarmac or not, works in January through as late as April. Even if the snow has melted, sites are reluctant to host traditional RallyCross events in the rainy months of March and April. While wet conditions make for great photos, it’s also terribly damaging to the dirt.

Detroit Region’s March event began with three inches of snow on the pavement, but by midday had melted to leave three to six inches of standing water on the surface in places.

“That gave competitors a very unique experience and also made for some truly spectacular event pics,” Wolfe said. “But had we not been on pavement, there's no way we would have been able to host an event successfully that day.”

And it has been successful, not just locally but across the area.

“The reception from our members has been overwhelmingly positive,” Wolfe said. “When we first announced that we were going to host a RallyCross solely on pavement, I think a few of our regulars were a bit skeptical. But any of that faded away after their first parade lap when they realized just how much fun and challenging the course was.

“The attendance numbers are also reflecting good overall interest in these events. We ended up raising the cap for our April event to 80 competitors because we had so much demand. We're also seeing folks come up from neighboring Regions now because they've either seen video or heard good things about our events here.”

So while it’s not an easy process, the answer is often waiting for those willing to try something new.

“One of the hallmarks of Detroit Region's RallyCross program is that we've always been willing to push the envelope and be innovative with our courses and site selection,” Wolfe said. “We've made changes to how we layout courses here from our event back in January, for example, so don't be afraid to try new things even if they seem a little unconventional.”

Interested in RallyCross, either as a participant or an event organizer? Maybe you’re looking to pick someone’s brain about vehicle setup, or perhaps you’re trying to solve an issue with your event format? Join other enthusiasts in the RallyCross Facebook group.

Want to know what Detroit Region’s Tarmac RallyCross is like from behind the wheel? Check out this YouTube video.

Photo by Mario Sanchez Armas