NRS Firsts

Credit where credit is due, right? At NASA Rally Sport, we're proud of the innovations we've delivered. Here are some of the things we've pioneered as an American rally sanctioning body. You want to know what we've been up to, here it is! And of course, more new stuff is waiting in the wings, so get ready!

Innovation is about coming up with new ideas. Evaluating the existing scenario and imagining creative new solutions. Hours of 'what if?' and 'could we?'. And when you're full of innovation, you end up with a lot of firsts.

  • First. Naturally aspirated AWD class. Yup, way back in 2004 when we put out our first ever rule book, this was called "Prototype 2". At the very beginning NRS realized that this is a great place for affordable grassroots racing.
  • First. Rule books optimized for the web. Not everyone had high bandwidth back in 2003. We squeezed that first rule book down to about 2 meg.
  • First. High level stock class. Years before other super high production classes, in 2005 NRS recognized that STis and EVOs in stock-ish form needed their own place to play.
  • First. Tarmac rally. The first full length, multi-day, all tarmac stage rally in the US showed up in TN in 2005.
  • First. Motorcycles. 2007. If they can race in Dakar and call that rally, we can do it here too. To date, in the US this has been the most quantifiably successful program at getting new racers into rally, ever.
  • First. Online payment for license/membership payment. Put that together back in 2008, because geez, if we can't have flying cars can't we at least pay online? It's the 21st century after all!
  • First. Live video broadcast to the internet of the rallies. We did this in 2009.
  • First. Comprehensive rally history of all American competitors. Goes all the way back to the year 2000. Online in 2009.
  • First. Mass SMS / text messaging system to inform spectators, volunteers, and racers about what's happening in the 800 square miles of rally. It's been a big hit ever since we rolled this out in 2010.
  • First. Volunteer signup/ management system for all rallies that run with NRS. First used in 2009. Continuously upgraded since, and it remains the most advanced rally sign up database available.
  • First. Online scoring system available to all rallies that run with NRS featuring remote data entry. Online in 2010.
  • First. Replacing the avalanche of insurance paperwork at registration with a simple signature. 2010.
  • First. Virtual online licenses for folks that travel to other countries. Hello 2010.
  • First. Comprehensive document and execution package for new organizers. RallySprint In A Box debuted in 2011. We're hard at work actually making new rallies happen.
  • First. Umbrella girls at a rally. Really, it took this long? 2011.
  • First. Broadcasting stage-side live video. 2011.
  • First. Broadcasting live in-car video from rally stages. 2011.
  • First. Press release distribution system for racers. 2011 blew the this wide open.
  • First. Database driven spectator guide system keyed together with event registration. This technology enables super fun things like massive, over 70 page spectator guides loaded with driver bios. 2011
  • First. Stepped away from unusable paper-based appendixes in the rule book. Converted our main appendix to an online resources that were actual usable by organizers instantly and printable from our web site. 2011.
  • First. QR codes for smartphones integrated into posters, spectator guides, road books, and banners. 2011.
  • First. The RallySolo program allowed drivers to tackle the rally stages with no codriver to usher in a new group of racers. 2012
  • First. Smart phone app. This Android app lets spectators time the rally cars in the middle of the woods. 2012.
  • First. Broadcast live in-car footage for a single racer covering over half of that racer's entire rally. 2012.