Budweiser Press On Regardless 1982


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 8, 1982

BUFFUM & QUATTRO BUDWEISER PRESS ON REGARDLESS PRO RALLY VICTORS

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


SCCA NATIONAL PRO RALLY, CHAMPIONSHIP



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


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