Phase one complete. Actually, we’re a couple of phases in. If DirtFish wasn’t the world’s most exciting website and it was, in fact, a rocket (most likely a rocket based just down the road and across a bit from Seattle in Cape Canaveral) we would have done the ignition bit.
And, I think we can agree that we’ve proceeded through lift off.
We’re now in the next phase which, I think has something to do with jettisoning and main engines being switched off (or on).
A brief aside here… I thought I’d be clever and write a column comparing DirtFish’s rocket-like elevation towards rallying’s upper atmosphere, so I set about the internet researching the stages of rocket launch. Minutes later I found myself considering power to thrust ratios and propulsive efficiency in reaction engines.
That all made my head hurt. All I wanted was a like wiki page saying this happens, then this happens and then this. And if you write all of the above, it’ll be like you paid attention in physics.
Unfortunately, turns out rocket science is nothing like as straightforward.
Back on point, since DirtFish.com took off on January 20, we’ve achieved a fair bit.
We’re now ready for phase two.
And that’s all about breathing life, colour and some extraordinary McKlein pictures into our words.
You might have noticed, things are slightly skewed with the world at the moment. We’re not, for example, three races into this year’s Formula 1 world championship. And we’re not a fortnight and a day away from Rally Argentina. Things aren’t really what you’d call normal.
And we’re not exactly sure when normal will be back. Until normal’s return, what we can do is provide you with some of the finest, most imaginative and ground-breaking rally content on the internet.
So that’s what we’ll do.
We’ve got a big long list of cool stories, amazing memories, fabulous features and jaw-dropping yarns all coming your way in the next few months. You might have noticed we’re 25 years on from 1995. It’s fair to say, 1995 was a pretty special season in the world of rallying. And it was special across the whole of planet earth. A genuine legend was created in 1995 and we’re going to give it the celebratory airtime it deserves.
Another brief aside, stick with me, this one’s briefer and involves fewer rockets.
I write a lot of words and a lot of sentences referencing ‘McRae’ and ‘1995’ and I always feel a little bit badly for big Al. It wasn’t, you see, just the one McRae that did well and won stuff 25 years ago. While his oldest bro was smashing the main stage, Alister McRae was busy winning the British Rally Championship title in a Nissan Sunny GTI. We won’t be forgetting you in our 25th anniversary celebrations AMac.
By now in ’95 CMac was running sixth in the championship standings. The gloom of a brace of retirements from rounds one and two was lifted by a Portuguese podium. But three rallies in and McRae’s Subaru team-mate Carlos Sainz was 15 points clear at the top of the table.
We’re going to review those first three rallies in the coming days, then pick 1995 up at the Tour de Corse and run with it as a ‘live’ season. We’re doing the job properly, with pre-event previews, rally reports, interviews from key players, social, podcast and video content.
If you want the inside line on 1995, welcome to DirtFish.
Beyond that, we’re going to be unveiling a few more big signings to the team. Yes, we’ll have some more drivers, but the person who’s going to get most folk talking is the shiftiest of shady characters. He’s our secret co-driver. You’ll meet him this weekend.
If you like quizzes, we’re thinking about running some in the format of a three-day rally (stretch then use your imagination…), we’ll have some corking films and stories coming in from VHS Rallies, folk’s favourite stages and a good look at the most important moments in the time of sport.
And here’s the best bit, all of that will be brought to life through the lens of Colin McMaster and Reinhard Klein.
Nobody knows when lockdown’s done. Until then, and for rallying and rallycross content, DirtFish has your back.
Lift-off complete, we’re going ballistic.
Join us.
