I have never, ever looked at a Chevy Astro van and thought, “Someone should rally this.” But that’s what Team O’Neil Rally School is here for!
Wyatt Knox is the one at the wheel, and he knows what he’s doing here. He’s a former 2WD rally champion here in the United States.
The vehicle in question is a 2000 Chevrolet Astro AWD, which means that it doesn’t have any of the modern-day stability controls to interfere. In fact, Knox says that it sort of handles a lot like a Subaru or something with earlier, all-wheel-drive capabilities, such as a small truck.
There’s adequate power to be had, but it’s tricky because the more angle you put into sliding the thing, the more road you take up. The van is huge. Honestly, it sounds terrifying. Plus, the van is tall. Not exactly the feel you want during hard cornering.
Miraculously, though, the Astro can indeed rally, though there were a few butt-clenching moments. I would have rolled it early on for sure. But Knox didn’t die while running it through the snowy course, so good on him. He’s a slightly better driver than I am. But only slightly.