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The Maine Forest Rally first appeared as the final event of the 1991 season
through the efforts of John Buffum to bring back a "winter rally" to the ProRally
calendar. Mother Nature responded with near blizzard conditions and "winter" rallying
in the USA was back!
The annual awards banquet was hosted by Maine Winter Rally 1991-1995, 1997 on Saturday night after the rally adding to the festive atmosphere. Starting in 1994 the Maine Summer Rally was added, first running as a 60% National/Divisional and as a full National starting in 1995, to give the competitors a chance to run the great roads of central Maine without snow. In 1996 an in-town spectator stage was added to the summer event to the delight of the locals. Always a favorite of competitors, the Maine Forest Rally has had the highest number of starting cars in the ProRally series since 1999. The 1999 event saw 1984 World Rally Champion Stig Blomqvist drive the late Carl Merrill's Ford Escort Cosworth to victory over 83 National and Divisional teams. Merrill's co-driver Lance Smith sat with Blomqvist in the car he had competed in with Merrill until his untimely death in 1998. Carl Merrill was a major force behind the Maine Forest Rally and is sadly missed by all who knew him. The 2001 event, with 121 National and ClubRally starting teams, broke the 111 car starting record held by the 2000 Maine Forest Rally. The Maine Forest Rally was voted SCCA's ProRally of the year for the second time in 2001. The first time the event received this honor was for the 1992 Maine Winter Rally. This year the rally will be Round 5 of the Rally America National Rally Championship. The Rally committee consists of Ted Goddard - Chairman, John Buffum - Rallymaster and a small group of loyal friends. The philosophy of the event is "We always enjoy ourselves". Come and join us! |