| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | June 14, 1982 |
WELLSBORO, Pennsylvania -- John Buffum continues the amazing superiority of his driving and the awesome Audi Quattro. Buffum and co-driver Doug Shepherd completely dominated the competition at the 250 mile Susquehannock Trail PRO Rally in this northern Pennsylvania resort community, leading from the opening stage and finishing an incredible 23 minutes ahead of the next car.
It was the fourth consecutive win for the Quattro team and moved Buffum, Shepherd, and Audi into the lead in the points standings. So complete was their victory that one observer suggested that there was no need to score in seconds anymore, just whole minutes or hours.
Behind the winners, however, an incredible race was going on. Rod Millen, the current U.S. Champion, set out to push the Quattro and was staying very close until a puncture cost him 2.5 minutes on the seventh stage. MilIen would suffer more tire problems and eventually withdraw when too many punctures and too few spares cost him too much time. He immediately hopped a plane back to New Zealand to continue his practice for the Motogard World Championship Rally being held later this month.
With Buffum way out front and Rod out, three drivers began to put on a super show for the very large crowds that gathered to watch the all night rally.
Canadian Champion Randy Black, in his Team Canada Datsun 510, won the three way battle by 4.92 seconds over Jon Woodner in his Datsun 510. Weodner was teamed with Jim RolIer, assistant producer of the popular "Motorweek Illustrated" TV show. Roller was running his first PRO Rally ever--not a bad start!
In fourth, just over a minute behind Woodner, was the Production Plymouth Arrow of Steve Nowicki, who has now won that class three times in succession and is drawing out into a commanding lead in the series standings.
In the early morning fog and mist, Nowicki and Black had several miles of bumper to bumper racing on the stages. When asked why he was nearly beaten by a Production car, of all things, Woodner just shrugged and said, "It's the kind of thing that you try not to let happen.
Behind Nowicki was yet another Privateer in a Production car, Sandy Liversidge in his Saab 99. The finish gives Liversidge a firm hold on second place in the Production standings. It also put his co-driver, Linda Wilcox, in the lead in that catagory. Third in the class was current Canadian Production Champ Niall Leslie who said that the next time he will call the B.F.Goodrich people for advice on what kind of tires to use at the wet and slippery Susquehannock Trail.
Larry Schmidt, Bruno Kreibich, and Eric Jones proved that you don't have to be a kid or have brand new fancy equipment to go fast as they finished 6th, 8th, and 9th respectively, while the husband/wife team of Mike and Teresa Prosser moved up from 48th to finish 10th for their best PRO Rally showing ever.
Notable among the non-finishers were Jon Davis, whose Escort developed carburetor trouble on the first stage; Guy Light , whose Oldsmobile Firenza lost its clutch about the same time; and Gene Henderson whose AMC Eagle developed terminal electric trouble and dropped out at the halfway point. The Production cars are proving to be more fragile than last season when they had a finishing percentage of near 100.
The PRO Rally tour now takes a break for the summer so everyone can lick their wounds and get ready for the fall. Except, of course, for those who are planning to run the PRO Rally Class at the Pikes Peak Hill Climb over July 4th. The word is on the street don't bet against J.B. and the Quattro
SCCA CONTACT: Tim Cline (203) 453-1742, T. Michael Moreland (303) 770-1044
EVENT: Susquehannock Trail EVENT CONDUCTED BY: Finger Lakes Region, SCCA
LOCATION: Wellsboro, Pennsylvania LENGTH: 235 miles, 13 stages
DATE: June 12-13, 1982 WEATHER: Cool, wet, scattered rain and fog
ENTRANTS; 72 FINISHERS: 37 TERRAIN: Forest trails, low mountains
FIN. CHAMP. MFG.
POS. DRIVER/CO-DRIVER/HOMETOWN CAR SCORE POINTS POINTS
1. John Buffum, S. Burlington, Vt. Audi Quattro 164.44 20 20
Doug Shepherd, Livonia, Mich. 20
2. Randy Black, Mississauga, Ont. Datsun 510 187.86 15 15
Tom Burgess, Tampa, Fla. 15
3. Jon Woodner, Washington, D.C. Datsun 510 188.68 12
Jim Rooler, Atlanta, Ga. 12
4.(1P) Steve Nowicki, New Berlin, Wis. Plymouth Arrow 189.85 10 10
Brian Berg, Brown Deer, Wis. 10
5.(2P) Sandy Liversidge, Jericho, Vt. Saab 99 193.19 8
Linda Wilcox, Jericho, Vt. 8
6. Larry Schmidt, Rochester, Mich. Dodge Colt 193.91 6 6
Joe Andreini, St. Clair Shores, Mich. 6
7.(3P) Niall Leslie, Mississauga, Ont. Datsun 200SX 194.25 4
Peter Gladysz, Sterling Heights, Mich. 4
8. Bruno Kreibich, Ridgewood, N.J. Porsche 911 194.52 3
Ed Rachner, Wilmington, Del. 3
9. Eric Jones, Columbus, Ohio Datsun 510 195.38 2
R.L. Sieling, Columbus, Ohio 2
10. Michael Presser, Dayton, Ohio Mazda RX-2 202.95 1
Teresa Presser, Dayton, Ohio 1
PRODUCTION CLASS WINNERS
1. Steve Nowicki, New Berlin, Wis. Plymouth Arrow 189.85 20 20
Brian Berg, Brown Deer, Wis. 20
2. Sandy Liversidge, Jericho, Vt. Saab 99 193.19 15 15
Linda Wilcox, Jericho, Vt. 15
3. Niall Leslie, Mississauga, Ont. Datsun 200SX 194.25 12 12
Peter Gladysz, Sterling Heights, Mich. 12
UNITED STATES RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS AFTER SIX EVENTS
DRIVER (Current Car) PRODUCTION DRIVER (Current Car)
1. John Buffum, Audi 80 1. Steve Nowicki, Plymouth 70
2. Rod Millen, Mazda 70 2. Sandy Liversidge, Saab 55
3. John Woolf, Peugeot 52 3. Gene Henderson, AMC 38
4. Jon Woodner, Datsun 45 Guy Light, Oldsmobile 38
5. Steve Nowicki, Plymouth 21 5. Bill Brooks, Audi 35
CO-DRIVER PRODUCTION CO-DRIVER
1. Doug Shepherd 80 1. Linda Wilcox 47
2. R. Dale Kraushaar 70 2. Brian Berg 40
3. Grant Whittaker 52 3. Jim Brandt 38
4. Linda Wilcox 20 Jim Kloosterman 38
5. Brian Berg 18 5. Bill Banger 35
Dave Poston 18
Ginny Reese 18
MANUFACTURER PRODUCTION MANOFACTURER
1. Audi 8O 1. Plymouth 80
2. Mazda 70 2. Saab 70
3. Peugeot 52 3. AMC 48
4. Datsun 50 4. Audi 41
5. Toyota 22 5. Oldsmobile 38