{
  "id": 16875630,
  "title": "What is World Rally Championship? Knoxville lands its historic US return",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/what-is-world-rally-championship-knoxville-lands-its-historic-us",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-28T09:05:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/world-rally-championship-knoxville-lands-090509309.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) is an international motorsport series where drivers and co-drivers compete on various terrains, such as gravel roads, forests, and mountainous areas. The 2027 season will feature 15 rounds across the globe, with Rally US being the 11th round, taking place in Knoxville, Tennessee from August 26-29, 2027.\n\nKnoxville was chosen as the host city due to its favorable road quality, logistics, and strong community support. Major brands of WRC sponsors are based in Tennessee or neighboring states, and the official tire sponsor, Hankook Tire, has its North America headquarters in Nashville and a manufacturing plant in Clarksville. Local tourism and hospitality industries also contributed to Knoxville being selected.\n\nThe event will feature stages stretching from the Appalachian Mountains to the Cumberland Plateau, covering more than 15 counties in Tennessee and Kentucky. In addition to the racing competition, World's Fair Park will be transformed into a fan festival with music, driver appearances, and other activities. The event coincides with Tennessee football's 2027 season opener against Georgia Tech at Neyland Stadium.\n\nTicket sales for the 2027 Rally US are not yet open to the general public. However, fans can sign up for priority ticket access and updates on the official Rally US website (wrcrallyus.com). Organizers are also seeking volunteers to help stage the event, with opportunities at competition stages, the WRC Arena, and fan zones. Interested individuals can register through the Rally US volunteer page.",
  "summary": "World Rally Championship racing will stretch from the Appalachian Mountains to the Cumberland Plateau. Knoxville will be at the center of the action.",
  "key_points": [
    "FIA World Rally Championship is international motorsport series",
    "2027 season includes 15 rounds, Rally US is 11th round",
    "Knoxville, Tennessee hosts 2027 Rally US from August 26-29"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}