| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | November 8, 1982 |
HOUGHTON, Michigan -- The 34th annual Budweiser Press On Regardless PRO Rally was rough and tough and long (just like the organizers promised), it was also icy and snowy and cold and mean. John Buffum and Doug Shepherd were up to it, though and for the eighth time in nine events brought the awesome Audi Quattro home a winner. The duo finished atop a field of over 70 teams from the U.S., Canada, France, Belgium, and New Zealand at the 580 mile two night Sports Car Club of America PRO Rally. Second, four minutes behind, were New Zealander Rod Millen (who now lives in Costa Mesa, California), and R. Dale Kraushaar of Tigard, Oregon. Third were Jon Woodner of Washington, D.C. and Ginny Reese of Chelsea, Michigan in a Peugeot 504 Coupe.
Larry Schmidt and Canadian Production Champion Niall Leslie fought the battle of the Dodge Colts all weekend. They swapped leads, charged hard, and in general put on a great show for the large crowds that braved the sub-zero weather to watch the rally. In the end, Leslie spun on the final stage, insuring Schmidt's fourth place finish with Leslie fifth, less than a minute behind.
Production Class honors went to the husband/wife team of Sandy and Linda Liversidge of Jericho, Vermont, in a Saab 99. This was the third win of the season for this private team who drive their race car to events. Second in Production went to Guy Light of Midland, Michigan, and Jim Brandt, Lake Odessa, Michigan, in an Oldsmobile Omega. Third in Production went to the current points leaders in Production Class, Steve Nowicki of New Berlin, Wisconsin, and Brian Berg of Brown Deer, Wisconsin. Nowicki had put his Plymouth Fire Arrow off the road for 12 minutes the first night of the rally only to come back to within three minutes of the winner for the finish.
The event was marred in the early going by a fatal accident. Larry Newland of Muskego, Wisconsin, died when his car hit a tree at high speed on one of the rally's high speed stages. Co-driver Ed White was hospitalized with fractures and internal injuries where he remains in stable but guarded condition. This was the first fatality in the 34 year history of the rally.
In all, 40 of the original 71 starters finished the Budweiser Press On Regardless which is the 11th in the 13 event Sports Car Club of America PRO Rally Championship worth more than $100,000. The last two events on the 1982 schedule are:
December 4-5 Sno*Drift Grayling, Michigan
Joe Andreini, Organizer (313)294-0271
December 10-12 Reno International Reno, Nevada
Cam Warren, Organizer (702)323-7446
SCCA CONTACT: Tim Cline (203) 453-1742, T. Michael Moreland (303) 770-1044
EVENT: Budweiser Press On Regardless EVENT CONDUCTED BY: Detroit Region, SCCA
LOCATION: Houghton, Michigan LENGTH: 574 miles, 28 stages, 183 stage miles
DATE: November 5-7, 1982 WEATHER: Snow, icy
ENTRANTS: 71 FINISHERS: 40 TERRAIN: Rolling hills, forests
FIN. CHAMP. MEG.
POS. DRIVER/CO-DRIVER/HOMETOWN CAR SCORE POINTS POINTS
1. John Buffum, S. Burlington, Vt. Audi Quattro 150.18 20 20
Doug Shepherd, Livonia, Mich. 20
2. Rod Millen, Costa Mesa, Calif. Mazda RX-7 154.27 15 15
R.Dale Kraushaar, Tigard, Oreg. 15
3. Jon Woodner, Washington, D.C. Peugeot 504 168.75 12 12
Ginny Reese, Chelsea, Mich. 12
4. Larry Schmidt, Rochester, Mich. Dodge Colt 169.82 10 10
Joe Andreini, St. Clair Shores, MI 10
5. Niall Leslie, Mississauga, Ontario Dodge Colt 170.70 8
Pete Gladysz, Sterling Heights, Mich. 8
6.(1P) Sandy Liversidge, Jericho, Vt. Saab 99 173.71 6 6
Linda Wilcox, Jericho, Vt. 6
7. Mike Purzycki, Fenton, Mich. Jeep CJ-8 175.89 4
Ken Middleton, Holly, Mich. 4
8.(2P) Guy Light, Midland, Mich. Oldsmobile 176.43 3
Jim Brandt, Lake Odessa, Mich. Omega 3
9.(3P) Steve Nowicki, New Berlin, Wis. Plymouth 176.80 2
Brian Berg, Brown Deer, Wis. Arrow 2
10.(4P) Jon Davis, Houghton, Mich. Ford Escort 179.45 1
Harry Ward, Toledo, Ohio 1
PRODUCTION CLASS WINNERS
1. Sandy Liversidge, Jericho, Vt. Saab 99 173.71 20 20
Linda Wilcox, Jericho, Vt. 20
2. Guy Light, Midland, Mich. Oldsmobile 176.43 15 15
Jim Brandt, Lake Odessa, Mich. Omega 15
3. Steve Newicki, New Berlin, Wis. Plymouth 176.80 12 12
Brian Berg, Brown Deer, Wisc. Arrow 12
UNITED STATES RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS AFTER ELEVEN EVENTS
DRIVER (Current Car) PRODUCTION DRIVER (Current Car)
1. John Buffum, Audi 120 1. Steve Nowicki, Plymouth 112
2. Rod Millen, Mazda 105 2. Sandy Liversidge, Saab 102
3. Jon Woodner, Peugeot 73 3. Gene Henderson, AMC 78
CO-DRIVER PRODUCTION CO-DRIVER
1. Doug Shepherd 120 1. Linda Wilcox 102
2. R. Dale Kraushaar 105 2. Brian Berg 85
3. Ginny Reese 54 3. Jim Kloosterman 78
MANUFACTURER PRODUCTION MANUFACTURER
1. Audi 160 1. Plymouth 150
2. Mazda 150 2. Saab 137
3. Peugeot 94 3. AMC 88