Dusty Times - Issue 02

Staying Grounded

If you believe the well-worn comparison, man’s greatest achievement is apparently sliced bread. We’re not so sure. We’re not sure that four wheels and a motor shouldn’t replace that tired old test of the ‘greatest thing.’ Since it’s conception, the car has fascinated, delighted, tested, and provided us with a platform to push the limits of our abilities; our abilities to go the fastest, farthest and (let’s face it) loudest.

But while mankind has progressed–and newer, more advanced ways to go far and fast have surfaced–none of them seem to compare to the gutteral bliss that comes from putting tires to earth and pushing dirt and stone as we challenge man’s relationship with speed and power. It’s a triumphant feeling to conquer immobility while not rejecting our connection with the earth but, in fact, celebrating it.

It’s why we don’t trade the wheels for wings or the steering wheel for joysticks. It’s why we champion the demigods that conquer it best, and first, and with the most style. It’s why we seek out stories of impossible gain from minimal expectation.

And it’s why we continue to strive to bring the stories in this book to our readers. We’re stoked to bring you Issue 02 of Dusty Times and hope that it continues to illustrate, illuminate, and inspire a life in the dirt.

Contributors

CHRISTOPHER THOMS

Photographer - Overland Origins

MARTY FIOLKA

Writer - Juxtaposed

Born and raised in Germany, now based in Southern California, Chris is an Exterior Car Designer for Mercedes Benz, Photographer and off-road enthusiast. He combines his passion for design, adventure and the outdoors in his photography. As a designer he has worked for brands like Audi, VW, Bentley and Lamborghini but loves every car with a history and a story to tell.

A lifelong enthusiast of off-road motorsports, Marty Fiolka raced his first Baja 1000 in 1992.

A graduate of University California at Long Beach, he founded The Rennsport Group in 1995 to execute public relations programs for Nissan, Infinity, Exxon, Mitsubishi, SCORE International and later became the Editorial Director for Dirtsports Magazine. Fiolka is a current contributor to Racer Magazine and Racer.com, as well as the promotional agency for Crandon International Raceway and the National Off Road Racing Association (NORRA). Fiolka was also a 2014 Inductee to the Off Road Motorsports Hall of Fame (ORMHOF), the Associate Producer of the original Dust to Glory documentary film, author of 1000 Miles to Glory and The Big Blue M: The History of McMillin Racing.

THE SEATBELT RETRACTED AND LOCKED AGAINST MY CHEST.

The OEM sensors have detected what must seem like an impending impact. The driver speaks cryptic notes in quick bursts of absolute certainty while executing deliberate inputs on the steering wheel. Never changing his instant corner “grading” he confidently calls instructions, not a hint of indecision his eyes remain laser-focused on the road ahead.

The mostly stock Subaru sedan is gaining more and more momentum as he declares a “flat” here, a “no cut” there, then “six minus tightens five plus”. He clicks an odometer button on the wiper stalk with increasing frequency, each time resetting a small digital readout velcroed to the dash. The co-driver furiously records the instructions in his own special shorthand notes to be read back later. Suddenly the road ahead is strewn with softball size stones and the unflinching pilot plows the Subie “Recce” car into an unfortunately placed rock knocking out the power steering with a sickening bang, my seatbelt tightens yet again. He calmly mentions the loss of steering function and slows to a reasonable pace while remarking what shit the road is, like a driver with decades of driving experience yet this comes from a teenager only recently granted a legal driver’s license for the road. Equal parts brash and aloof, Oliver Solberg is the Swedish seventeenyear-old offspring of 2003 World Rally Champion Petter Solberg and he has invited me to ride along (in the back seat) for a reconnaissance run.

We are in the woods of New Hampshire for a private test to shakedown the two Vermont Sportscar fielded Subaru WRX STI rally cars in preparation for the sixth stop on the American Rally Association’s series, the New England Forest Rally. Oliver joined the Vermont team at the beginning of 2019 and he claims that despite there being more “pure rally” fans in Europe, the rabid Subaru fanatics in America are impressive. The significance of Oliver driving a Subaru with the bright yellow and blue livery carried by his famous father for nine years is not lost on him or those of us old enough to remember the elder Solberg’s one point

upset over Citroen’s Sebastian Loeb for the 2003 world title.

Despite his strong DNA Oliver admits motorsport wasn’t his first choice of youth sports. Tennis, hockey and even dance were tried before he arrived at competing in Crosskarts where he would win 3 championships in 7 years. He only started his rally career in 2017 but has already gathered several overall victories in European stage rally events and a championship in Nordic RallyX. Oliver currently sits fourth in ARA standings with two event victories including the recent overall victory at Susquehannock. While the

career of one Solberg is just beginning, father Petter’s current year in WRC is rumored to be his last. According to Oliver, his father’s guidance through the world of rallying and professional motorsport will always be appreciated lessons. Near constant travel and celebrity status make normal teenage schooling difficult. In fact, he attends a specialized school in France for budding young racecar drivers. Upon hearing of this exclusive institution I immediately envision some sort of Harry Potter-like campus with racing wizards for instructors and students drifting

exotics cars around its historic campus. In reality, it is made up of young Motorsport talent like Oliver, most whom undoubtedly can speak in a half dozen languages and fly into classes by jet, not broom handle.

The shakedown of both Oliver and teammate David Higgins’ car goes without incident despite the power steering loss in the “recce” car and the relentless rain falling during the short runs. With all the mechanic’s tests completed and driver’s setups realized, the team packs up and retreats from the forest.

Rather than guess which of the many dirt roads lead to the highway we decided to follow one of the team vehicles departing the test area. During the several mile drive we begin to notice the large black Chevy Tahoe we are following becoming harder to keep pace with. Each time we get the blacked-out rental car within sight it would take a corner at a remarkable speed losing us again. Finally, we reach the intersection to the paved road where the Tahoe now covered in mud sits with turn signal flashing seemingly waiting for us to come into view. As we approach the SUV it throttles away throwing dirt at us and turns onto the highway burning rubber for a dozen or so feet before disappearing into the distance. Later we realize it was not young Oliver driving, but his chaperone and Mother, Pernilla Solberg, herself formerly one of the leading female rally drivers. According to Oliver, they are “the world’s biggest motorsport family” and suddenly the thought of Oliver Solberg playing tennis, ice hockey or any other sport besides racing, seems inconceivable.