Event website: www.rallyracingnews.com/Maine
15. With so many new open class cars in the field for this event, you might been able to guess who is in the top five, but I defy anyone to have correctly guessed the top ten as it unfolded Friday night. In case you haven't seen it, here it is:
Pos Car# Time Class Driver/Co-driver Car
1 1 19.53 O Noel Lawler/Charlie Bradley Hyundai Tiburon
2 179 19.93 O Tom McGeer/Mark Williams Subaru Impreza1
3 962 20.22 O Keith Townsend/Ian McEwen Mitsubishi Evo4
4 2 20.34 O Paul Choiniere/Jeff Becker Hyundai Tiburon
5 4 20.92 O Garen Shrader/Michael Fennell Misubishi Evo 4
6 61 21.01 O Karl Scheible/Russ Hughes Mitsubishi Evo5
7 115 21.01 N Seamus Burke/Frank Cunningham Mitsubishi Evo4
8 304 21.50 O Lon Peterson/Bill Gutzman Subaru Impreza
9 6 21.53 N Henry Krolikowski/Cindy Krolikowski Subaru WRX STI
10 3 21.67 O Jon Kemp/Gail McGuire Audi Quattro
16. Of that group, Choiniere had the most problems, with two right side flat tires on stage #3, which everyone agreed was equal to a Rim of the World stage or even the roughest-of-rough Prescott Forest Rally. He didn't lose time changing tires on the stage, but it slowed him down both on #3 - when he had the flats, and #4 because he had no spares. As a matter of fact, Paul had to borrow one of the spares from the Doug Shepherd/Ralph Beckman Hyundai Elantra. Shepherd is still running despite a broken half-shaft on stage #3.
17. Two fast Canadians - the McGeer/Willams Subaru Impreza and the Townsend/McEwan Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 4 - are second and third, followed by Choiniere/Becker. Another fast Canadian, another victim to the rough terrain, was the Frank Sprongl/Dan Sprongl Ford Escort Cosworth, which became an early DNF with an oil pan puncture.
SCCA ProRally
Maine Forest Rally, Rumford, Maine
Press Notes - Page Three
July 29, 2000 - 12:15 AM EST
17. The only real accident of the day, which saw most of the DNFs due to rough roads - was car #379 of Jonathan Ryther/Nick Taylor - a Subaru Impreza - which spun and had its rear end hit a tree. The drivers are okay, but the car is finished for the weekend. Here are the DNFs as we know them:
Frank Sprongl/Dan Sprongl
Ford Escort Cosworth - oil pan
Lauchlin O'Sullivan/Paula Gibeault
Mitsubishi Eclip - engine
Steve Gingras/Bill Westrick
Eagle Talon - Transmission
Pat Richard/Ben Bradley
Subaru Impreza - transmission
Chris Havas/Eric Tremblay
VW Golf - axle
Jonathan Ryther/Nick Taylor
Subaru Impreza - accident
Jeremy Butts/Kurt Winkelmann
Ford Mustang - oil pressure
Gerry Brinkman/Wil Sekella
Audi 4000 - Tires
Jose Vicente/Eduardo Besada
VW Fox - ran out of gas
Oliver Muldoon/Damian McAleer
Eagle Talon - head gasket
18. The Perry King/Bob Martin Production class Hyundai Tirburon is cranking along in the actor's maiden voyage as a rallyist. He told us he has to forget everythiing he has learned in his extensive road racing career, and concentrate on doing the things he learned Thursday in Tim O'Neil's driving school. He couldn't believe how rough it was, or how much pounding the car took and survived. He currently sits 7th in the Production class.
19. At the top of the field, Noel Lawler's Hyundai Tiburon did not suffer ills from the rough stages, but he "heard the car creek and rattle" during his run. The Libra crew will do through the car during the night to make sure all the parts are still tightly attached.