Afternoon update from GRC DC

Patrick Sandell won semifinal B earlier today at DC Global Rallycross

It's about 2:20 p.m. here at RFK Stadium. The Red Bull Global Rallycross Supercars just wrapped up their two semifinal races with Patrik Sandell and Nelson Piquet Jr. taking the checkered flags. The Supercar Last Chance Qualifier was supposed to start at 2:10 but some track repairs have delayed matters here in the Nation's Capital. GRC Lites will have their LCQ after the Supercars.

As many of you know, my typical beat is the Verizon IndyCar Series. Over the past three days, I've been compiling a list of observations from the event here. I'm not sure how exactly I will share them, but suffice to say the vibe here is a little different than IndyCar, NASCAR or other more traditional forms of racing. While there are many examples of this, one such illustration is on my way over to the media center a few minutes ago, I found myself dodging a group of skateboarders. I can 100% say that has never been a problem at IndyCar races.

Ken Block

On the track, it's been something of a testy weekend here amongst some of the drivers. Sebastian Eriksson for one, was none too pleased with series-points leader Ken Block's driving after the second heat race. The Swede made his way down to Block's very elaborate and ostentatious Hoonigan Racing Division area to have a work with the colorful Block. Block invited the Swede, who sits second in the standings, into his hauler to chat away from the rather large crowd gathered. Eriksson left shortly thereafter, without anything escalating, as it seems the two at least arrived at some sort of resolution on the matter.

Block, reportedly, was not himself pleased with Piquet. However, I did not see what precipitated that matter. But after two days of seeing GRC up close, this is undoubtedly a contact sport.

In the GRC Lites division, it’s been a tough weekend for Collete Davis. The 21-year-old Daytona native drives the #07 River Racing Bryan Herta Rallysport entry and currently sits ninth in the series standings. She's endured something of a difficult weekend as she only had five total laps yesterday due to a broken flywheel bolt, which lodged in the clutch. While that might have been a routine procedure the tool used to replace the bolt broke. A special tool was needed to replace that, and reverse the downward spiral. The team got Davis' car ready for the semifinal earlier, but she stalled at the start. Davis will try to make it through to the final in the upcoming LCQ.

Gabby Chaves is working with Collete Davis this weekend

Davis is also receiving some driver-coaching this weekend from Bryan Herta Autosport IndyCar driver Gabby Chaves. This is the first weekend the 2014 Indy Lights champion is working with Davis, who will also be at the remaining GRC weekends to help Davis. One of the key things Chaves is doing is helping Davis work through the data and see where she can improve her driving.

I asked Chaves if he would be interested in driving Rallycross and he said, "definitely, on my IndyCar off-weekends."

I also ran into 2004 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Rice who is here working with Dreyer and Reinbold Racing, which fields a GRC Lites effort, for Miles Maroney and Alex Keyes. I asked Rice if he had any plans to make a run in next year's 100th Indy 500, and he simply said "I don't know."

We'll have more later.

Brian C. reporting for AutoRacing1