Raleigh, North Carolina -- The Atlantic Rally Cup is off to a quick start. The inaugural event, Sandblast Rally, had fifteen percent of the available slots taken during the first forty eight hours of entries being open. Last year saw Sandblast Rally at capacity as well, and this trend looks to continue.

Renamed for the 2008 season, the Atlantic Rally Cup replaces the Eastern States Rally Championship. All of the events participating in the Cup are sanctioned by NASA Rally Sport. Competitors will visit a now familiar set of four states ranging up and down the East coast of the United States. Conditions will include sand, gravel, and tarmac to truly test the teams' abilities on all surfaces. The events and their dates are:

Sandblast Rally - Cheraw, SC - February 9
Rally Tennessee - Linden, TN - May 24
Rally West Virginia - Elkins, WV - August 2
Black River Stages - Harrisville, NY - September 27

Rally Tennessee, NASA Rally Sport's only tarmac event on the East coast, will screech into town on Memorial Day this year. Combined with host town Linden's local festival and graduation ceremonies, the whole county should be alive with excitement that weekend. With the event headquarters, spectating areas, and service parcs being just a short drive from heavily populated Nashville, the town has been increasing its infrastructure in anticipation, with a new hotel opening just next to the headquarters.

The youngest event on the calendar, Rally West Virginia, is the largest in scope of the Series, spanning two days of gravel adventure through the hilly roads of the Appalachian Mountains. Organizer Mark Bowers has reported that even more roads have been scouted in preparation for the coming season. Last year saw the arrival of the Max Attack! two wheel drive championship which saw fantastic levels of competition develop on the back roads.

Black River Stages is coming off a big year with the largest fields in its history this past season. Organizer Greg Healey said,"2007 was a great year for Black River, and I think the event is really gaining some momentum with the competitors. The town is behind it one hundred percent, and that really comes out in the whole feel of the rally."

The Atlantic Rally Cup is the only rally series on the East coast of America offering competitors a varied mix of surfaces to prove their mettle. NASA Rally Sport offers its competitors a diversity of rally racing, from short sprints to multi-day events with reconnaissance.

Note to Editors:

• Sandblast Rally (sandblastrally.com) will take place in and around the towns of Cheraw, Patrick, and Chesterfield, South Carolina.
• Series information available on NASARallySport.com.
• NASA Rally Sport is a sanctioning body in America focused on the growth of the sport of rally.

For media support, please contact Anders Green.