Press Notes
by Ed Jacobs
MEDIA ALERT
Event:
Ojibwe Forests ProRally; Round 7 of the 1999 Michelin SCCA Pro Rally
Championship. ProRally cars from across North America will race on the
demanding forest roads of northern Minnesota -- both in daylight and
at night. Ojibwe Forests ProRally is sanctioned by the Sports Car Club
of America (SCCA) and also is part of the North American Rally
Championship.
When & where:
August 26-28, 1999; Bemidji, Minnesota
Headquarters:
Northern Inn; Route 2; Bemidji, Minnesota; (218) 751-9500
Schedule:
Thursday, August 26
6:00-11:00 p.m. Triple Caution Rallycross; Bemidji Speedway;
Sunnyside Rd. (County Road 407); Bemidji, Minn.
Friday, August 27
9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Registration; Northern Inn; Bemidji
9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Scrutineering; Chalet Center Car Wash; Bemidji
1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. ClubRally school; Northern Inn
3:30 p.m. Worker meeting; Northern Inn
5:30 p.m. First car starts Ojibwe Forests ProRally; Bemidji;
first car starts Paul Bunyan's Ride ClubRally
following last car in ProRally
Saturday, August 28
12:30 a.m.-2:00 a.m. Pizza party for teams, workers, media
By appointment Registration for 10,000 Lakes ClubRally; Northern Inn
Scrutineering; Chalet Center Car Wash
12:30 p.m.-2:00 p.m. Parc Expose (rally cars on display); Northern Inn
2:00 p.m. First cars starts second day of Ojibwe Forests
ProRally; Bemidji; first car starts 10,000 Lakes
ClubRally following last car of ProRally
10:00 p.m.-2:00 a.m. Awards buffet; Northern Inn
Format:
Events in the Michelin SCCA ProRally Championship consist of
flat-out racing, in any weather, on challenging forest, mountain or
desert roads. No practice is allowed. Competitors generally see the
course for the first time as they race it. Racing takes place only on
"stages," demanding roads closed by local authorities for the event.
"Transits" connect racing sections and are driven at normal highway
speeds, with teams fully subject to all traffic laws.
ProRally vehicles are production-based cars (and some trucks)
from manufacturers around the world. They compete both for the overall
victory and wins within a class structure that groups together
vehicles with similar performance. Each vehicle carries a driver and a
co-driver/navigator. Using a detailed route book and a sophisticated
rally computer, the co-driver keeps the team on-course and advises the
driver of any hazards ahead. This role is as critical as the driver's
skill, since the team is traveling at full racing speeds over roads
they have never before seen, in any type of weather.
Selected entries (driver/co-driver):
* Seven-time US champion Paul Choiniere and multi-time co-driver
champion Jeff Becker; Susquehannock Trail winners in an Open Class
Hyundai Tiburon
* Canadian national champions Frank and Dan Sprongl, in an Open Class
Audi quattro S2
* Overall points leaders and Wild West winners Noel Lawler and Charlie
Bradley, in another Open Class Hyundai Tiburon
* Rim of the World winners Garen and Doc Shrader, in an Open Class
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV World Rally Championship-type supercar
* Midwest hotshoes Steve Gingras and Bill Westrick, in an Open Class
Eagle Talon
* Group 5 points leaders Ralph Kosmides and Joe Noyes; class winners
at Rim of the World and Wild West in a Toyota Supra Turbo
* Sno*Drift, STPR and Maine Forest Group 5 winners Henry and Cindy
Krolikowski, in a Dodge Shadow
* Midwest Group 5 fliers Jim Anderson and Martin Dapot, in a Honda
Prelude
* Doo Wop and Wild West Production GT winners Gail Truess and Pattie
Hughes, in a Mazda 323 GTX
* Rim of the World Production GT winners Lee Shadbolt and Claire
Chizma, in a Subaru Impreza
* Maine Forest Group 2 winners Bill Malik and Christian Edstrom, in a
Volvo 240
* Sno*Drift, STPR and Wild West Production Class winners Karl Scheible
and Gail McGuire, in Volkswagen New Beetle
* Maine Forest Production Class winners Evan Moen and Tom Young, in a
Plymouth Neon ACR
* Production Class challengers Peter Malaszuk and Darek Szerejko, in a
factory-backed Daewoo Nubira
Additional news interest:
A 60-car rallycross will be held at Bemidji Speedway on the evening of
Thursday, August 26, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Many of the ProRally's top
cars will participate.
Event rank:
Ojibwe Forests is a full-points round of the Michelin SCCA ProRally
Championship.
Interviews:
Drivers, co-drivers and crewmembers will be accessible throughout the
event, including the 7:00 p.m. Thursday evening rallycross at Bemidji
Speedway.
Visuals:
Prior to the event, media will have the opportunity for exciting video
and photographic action of rally cars at speed at the Thursday evening
rallycross. During the event, action photography and video will be
possible from special viewing areas set up along the rally course, as
well as other sites.
Media rally car rides:
Media can experience the intense excitement of ProRally cars at speed
during the rallycross at Bemidji Speedway, 7:00 p.m. Thursday evening.
Media information:
Media relations will be able to provide driver and co-driver
interviews, event results and other information via telephone, fax and
Email.
Contact: Ed Jacobs - Michelin SCCA Pro Rally Championship
330.644.7774; 330.645.2045 Fax (USA Country Code: 1)
Press room in rally headquarters; Northern Inn (218)
751-9500
Email: windrivr@ix.netcom.com
Time zone: Central Daylight Time
Web sites:
SCCA ProRally: http://www.sccaprorally.org/
Ojibwe Forests ProRally: http://www.scca-lol.org/rally/ojibwe/
Round 7
1999 Michelin SCCA ProRally Championship
Bemidji, Minnesota
August 27-28, 1999
Press Notes #1
1.) The torpid sunrise ushered in the largest field of entrants in
Ojibwe Forests ProRally history. More than 40 cars are entered in the
ProRally, Round 7 of the Michelin SCCA ProRally series. At least 20
cars, and possibly more, will be entered in the companion ClubRally
events, Paul Bunyan’s Ride and the 10,000 Lakes. Bemidji is
experiencing a late-summer heat wave, with temperatures expected in
the mid-80s. Organizers are planning to watch competitors and workers
carefully for signs of heat exhaustion.
2.) We will have three people posting notes throughout the course of
this event: Ojibwe’s own press officer, Sarah Lenz, who is doing most
of this initial batch of reports; Bowie Gray, who has assisted so well
previously at STPR and Maine; and series media liaison officer Ed
Jacobs.
3.) An early withdrawal from the event is Jeff Becker, long-time
co-driver for seven-time ProRally Paul Choiniere. Family obligations
have kept him from his annual trip to Northern Minnesota. John Buffum,
the 11-time national champion, will fill in. That makes 18 national
championships worth of experience sitting in the Hyundai Tiburon.
4.) Again this year, the eventual winners of the three rallies will
take home hand-sculpted trophies that are the work of local artist
Stuart Lenz. This year Lenz has crafted three-dimensional tall pines,
symbolic of our Northern Minnesota forests, for the Ojibwe Forests
ProRally winners. Paul Bunyan’s Ride and 10,000 Lakes winners will
receive oak trees and small pine trees, respectively. Lenz’s work is
available in Minnesota at The Artisans in Calhoun Square, Minneapolis,
and The Art Dock, in Dewitt-Seitz Market, Duluth.
5.) After 10 years of putting on the Ojibwe Forests ProRally and
related events in the Bemidji area, relationship with local county
authorities are good! Former rallymaster Randy Hoffa was approached
this morning by a county public works official from a nearby county,
who volunteered a series of county roads for the Year 2000 event! For
competitors who think they’ve seen it all, this will be a welcome
change.
Maine Forest ProRally
Press notes
Page 2
6.) The Daewoo-sponsored team of Peter Malaszuk and Derek Szerejko
withdrew from competition in transit from Connecticut. The official
reason stated is transportation problems. More information on this
later, as it becomes available. Another in-transit withdrawal was the
Tacoma, Washington, team of Eric Eaton and Kenny Almquist, whose tow
vehicle expired en route.
7.) A full start order and entry list will be posted later. However,
Noel Lawler and Charlie Bradley will start first-on-the-road for the
third time this year in their factory Hyundai Tiburon. They drew the
first slot in a special seeded draw for just the FIA drivers, which
was held at registration this morning. Canadian champions Frank and
Dan Sprongl will start second in their Audi quattro S2. Paul Choiniere
and John Buffum will start third. (The seeded draw for everyone else
took place at the end of last week.)
8.) There are several interesting entries in this event that could
surprise a lot of people. One of them is the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III
of Kyoichi “Tony” Takaori and Ken Cassidy. Takaori is a respected
surgeon from Japan who also is a very quick rally driver. He keeps the
car here in the US and flies in for events. On this trip, he flew from
Osaka to San Francisco, then to Minneapolis, and finally on to
Bemidji. His is the only front-running car running on Falken tires,
which has an executive at the event observing.
9.) Doo Wop winner Lauchlin O’Sullivan is here this weekend, but not
in his Open Class Audi quattro. Instead, he has rented a Production GT
Mazda 323 GTX from the Tabor family, who run several cars in Pacific
Northwest events. Current PGT points-leading co-driver John Dillon
will handle the navigating.
10.) Jamaican hotshoes Dean Panton and defending ProRally co-driver
champion Mike Fennell are in a Hyundai Elantra prepared by TAD
Motorsports. They ran together last month in Maine Forest, but had
mechanical problems and retired. So their potential has yet to be
seen.
11.) The real dark horse entry in the field, though, may be Bill
Morton and Mike Busalacchi, in a Lancer Evo IV. Earlier this year,
Morton won overall victories in two ClubRallies in Texas – as a Seed 6
driver. More recently, he won Black River stages by about a
five-minute margin, against stiff competition, some of which is
running again here this weekend. Both Morton and Busalacchi work as
technicians at TAD Motorsports.
Ojibwe Forests ProRally
Press notes
Page 3
12.) For most people, a clerical slipup labeled the previous page of
notes as being from Maine Forest. We apologize for the error.
13.) Odd coincidences happen now and then. Our headquarters hotel, the
Northern Inn, is situated on US Highway 2. If you drove east from here
on US2 for two days, you would come to the headquarters for the
previous event.
14.) One car we won’t be talking about this weekend is the famous Team
Tangerine Mazda 323 GTX of Production GT points leader Gail Truess and
Pattie Hughes. They’re here and rallying, but the car is not. It was
too heavily damaged in Maine. A replacement is under construction, but
isn’t ready. So they’ve rented another 323, which has been fitted out
with their seats and equipment, and set up to suit their style.
15.) In addition to a different car, Truess and Hughes have a new
sponsor, Capco Abrasives. Capco is one of several related,
automotive-oriented companies whose CEO, Paul Burzynski, is here with
the team, getting an up-close look at the sport. Tomorrow, he’ll
follow some of the action from a helicopter. All indications are that
he will have two excellent weather days for his introduction to
performance rallying – bright blue skies during the day, with a nice
breeze and moderating temperatures, and clear, cool evenings.
16.) Jim Anderson and Martin Dapot are looking for a better time here
than they had in Maine, where shock failure spoiled their event. Since
then, they’ve installed new JRZ front shocks and changed the spring
rates on the StockCharts.com Group 5 Honda Prelude VTEC.
17.) Jim Dale and Robert Logue are making their return to performance
rallying in an ex-Rod Millen Group 5 Mazda Rx-7. This follows a hiatus
of six years for Dale and three for Logue.
18.) Andrew Havas and Scott Slingerland are here in another Group 5
Rx-7 that’s likely to draw some attention. Havas passed up Maine when
he couldn’t get the car finished in time, then spent numerous
all-nighters getting it completed and here for its debut.
19.) Team Honda Research’s Bryan Hourt and Brian Shanfield have a new
drivetrain in their Group 2 Civic, and feel that they should be much
quicker. They’re involved in the tightest points battle in the series,
and are just one point out of the class lead.
Ojibwe Forests ProRally
Press notes
Page 4
20.) Bryan Hourt’s mom, Moni, is a photographer who has been attending
rallies for years taking pictures of Bryan. This year, she is taking
official driver and co-driver “headshots,” (informal portraits) that
will be used for publicity purposes. In addition, she will have a
large assortment of photos of all competitors available for sale
during and after the event, as will several other photographers.
21.) Many of the women who organize and staff the Ojibwe Forests
ProRally can be seen walking round sporting T-shirts bearing the saucy
motto “girls kick butt,” which always appears on the back of the
Truess/Hughes Mazda 323 GTX. Event press officer Sarah Lenz reports
having been personally waylaid twice in downtown Bemidji with queries
of how to get the shirts – and figures that they present a great
opportunity to recruit for motorsports participants.
22.) Prior to the start, current Group 5 co-driver points leader Joe
Noyes stopped by with a social note. Well-known Pacific Northwest
organizer, driver and all-around rally figure John Forespring turns 60
on Monday. Happy Birthday, John!
23.) Early reports from the forest reveal a bunch of happy campers.
Noel Lawler, who’s first on the road in one of the factory Hyundai
Tiburons, is enjoying a dust-free run.
24.) The Sprongls’ Audi S2 quattro is “fab.”
25.) Heat and dust are a factor for some. Lee Shadbolt and Claire
Chizma also remarked about the great fun they were having in their PGT
Subaru Impreza.
26.) Jim Anderson reports that the new suspension in his Group 5 Honda
Prelude is doing great.
27.) Ralph Kosmides’ Toyota Supra Turbo has a warm interior but is
running well. A bent hood (cause unknown at this point) obscured his
view, so he left the Akeley service area without it.
`28.) Bill Malik, in a Group 2 Volvo 240, commented on the dust and the
heat, but otherwise is doing fine.
29.) Early retirements include Mike Hurst and Rod Bohn’s Group 5 Mazda
Rx-7. They will need a transmission replacement.
30.) Mark Utecht and Diane Sargent hit a tree 0.3 miles into Stage 3
in their Group 5 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo and were unable to continue.
31.) Reports suggest that Tony Takaori’s Mitsubishi Evo III may have
been having trouble with its electronic control unit.
Ojibwe Forests ProRally
Press notes
Page 5
32.) Group 5 points leader Ralph Kosmides has switched his Toyota
Supra Turbo over to Hella HID (High Intensity Discharge) lighting and
is clearly very surprised by the magnitude of improvement. He says he
knew that HID types were better, but had no idea how much better until
he could see the difference first-hand.
33.) ClubRally competitors Alex Timmermans and John Golden (Group 2
Datsun 510)caught the John Zoerner/Greg Reno Group 5 Dodge Omni GLH-T
on Stage 1, and that’s where both teams’ days ended. Zoerner/Greg
moved over to let them by, got onto a very soft shoulder and went
partially down an embankment. Timmermans and Golden pulled over to
help and also became terminally stuck. They’ll be back for tomorrow’s
ClubRally.
34.) Gail Truess and Pattie Hughes had an off on Stage 6 and got
high-centered, losing a considerable amount of time. However, another
team pulled them free and they’re back in action. Along the way, they
have been discovering just how well-suited their previous car was to
Gail’s driving style.
35.) In addition to the new sponsorship from Capco Abrasives mentioned
earlier, Truess and Hughes also have acquired Klein Tools as an
associate sponsor. Klein logos also can be see on the Team Kool Green
cars in CART IndyCar racing
36.) One of the early returnees to rally headquarters was Steve
Gingras, who stopped by to talk about his adventure. It seems that,
due to fatigue, he struggled through the first three special stages.
After the service break he was better rested and the Eagle Talon flew
through stage 4. Two and half miles into stage 5, though, with the
tail out and the boost full on, Gingras hit a “watermelon-sized” rock
protruding from the side of the bank. The car spun and, like Arte
Johnson on the tricycle in “Laugh In,” slowly toppled over, to be
followed by a Blues Brother-like roof spin. Gingras and navigator Bill
Westrick were able to drive the car back to Bemidji, and will run
tomorrow’s ClubRally if a new windshield can be found.
37.) Bill Morton and Mike Busalacchi rolled their Evo IV hard on Stage
5 and are out. It reportedly took some time for sweep vehicles to
retrieve the car.
38.) The problem with the Takaori/Cassidy Evo III turned out to be
loose wiring on the throttle position sensor. It was repaired
following Stage 2 and the car is flying again.
Ojibwe Forests ProRally
Press notes
Page 6
39.) Shortly after Steve Gingras’ visit, Mark Utecht gingerly limped
in with co-driver Diane Sargent to tell their story. A third of a mile
into Stage 3, on a blind, sweeping, downhill right-hander he got into
some loose gravel at about 70 mph. The left-rear corner tagged a tree,
which snapped the car around. They hit another tree and stopped
virtually instantly, broadside to oncoming traffic and blocking the
road. They had no electrics, therefore no lights. Sargent got out, ran
up the course and stopped the next cars. Because Utecht was
experiencing considerable back pain, medical assistance was summoned
and the stage was halted. Utecht was checked over and released, and
made it back here in time for the pizza party – albeit feeling pretty
sore. Sargent got only a tasteful set of seat-belt bruises that pretty
well matched Utecht’s.
40.) Doug Davenport and Al Kintigh (Group 2 Volkswagen Golf GTi)fell
off the road at well-known Brett’s Corner and did a slow, gentle roll
about 30 feet down an embankment. The only damage was a broken window.
They’ll be back tomorrow.
41.) Colin McCleary and Jeff Secor are “having a blast” in their Group
5 Ford Sierra. They stopped in to pass along special thanks to the
crew of the Jim Buchwitz/Charles Rudstrom Group 2 Ford Escort, who
welded up a crack in their rear suspension at the evening’s final
service.
42.) Seamus Burke and Tom Lawless suffered a burst intercooler pipe on
their Production GT Mitsubishi Galant VR4 earlier in the evening, but
it has been fixed and the car is said to be running well again.
43.) Surprise Production GT leaders Bryan Pepp and Jerry Stang (Eagle
Talon) had a big slide on one stage, and have had a hot-running engine
and some pronounced wheel-shake over the course of the day.
44.) Garen and Doc Shrader had a spin on Stage 2 in their Evo IV. They
also noted the dust and heat earlier in the day.
45.) Bill Malik and Christian Edstrom are reported to be going like
men possessed in their Group 2 Volvo 240, but they also are said to be
overheating.
46.) Dean Panton and Mike Fennell had recurring alternator problems
with their Hyundai Elantra. Ultimately, it put them out of the event,
as they ran out of power before they could reach service.
Ojibwe Forests ProRally
Press notes
Page 7
47.) Jim Anderson and Martin Dapot hit a rock hard and cracked the
skidplate on their Group 5 Honda Prelude VTEC. They hope that it will
last to the end of the event, but are seeking a TIG welder to make
repairs.
48.) Scores for day one will not be posted this evening. They will be
made available in the morning.
49.) At the end of the first day Noel Lawler and Charlie Bradley were
all smiles, just as they were at Wild West, which they won. Running
first-on-the-road, they had no issues with the sporadic dust that
hounded people behind them. Lawler figured that the great duel they
had with the Sprongls in Maine brought both teams up a notch. They had
a great battle all evening. The gap is about a minute back to the
Sprongls’Audi.
50.) The Sprongls had very little drama. Their thermostat failed and
the car ran a bit hot, but they took care of that by flipping a manual
fan switch. They, too, made the switchover to HID lighting and are
very pleased with the big improvement.
51.) The flower in the New Beetle this weekend is a yellow gladiola.
The organizers brought navigator Gail McGuire a single long stalk of
gladiolas prior to the start. She selected a nice bloom, put it in the
Beetle’s bud vase and put the remainder in water for day two.
52.) McGuire and driver Karl Scheible are doing very well. They’re
leading Production by about a minute over Jay Kowalik and Carl
Lindquist in the Honda Civic HX, the only car in the rally with a
continuously variable transmission.
53.) The drama Andrew Havas had getting his new Mazda Rx-7 ready for
this event continued through the long tow from North Carolina and
right into the parking lot of headquarters. The crew was still
completing last-minute items just a couple of minutes before the
start. Fortunately, things went relatively well once Havas and Scott
Slingerland left the start.
54.) Bob Nielsen and Brenda Corneliusen had a bit of an adventure as
they started Stage 5. Their Group 2 Volkswagen Golf GTi suddenly lost
its driving lights about a mile into the stage. They proceeded with
the stock headlights, but then the fuse panel began sparking. Neilsen
pulled a fuse to check it and dropped it. Then it was totally dark.
Cornieliusen leaped out of the car, ready to set out their hazard
triangles, but Neilsen installed a new fuse got them underway again in
about a minute.
Ojibwe Forests ProRally
Press notes
Page 8
55.) Eager rally enthusiasts following Ojibwe Forests probably are
wondering about the lack of press notes concerning former national
champions Paul Choiniere and John Buffum, who are together this
weekend in Choiniere’s Hyundai Tiburon. Returning to headquarters
after the first night of competition, Choiniere jokingly remarked that
“it was completely boring”…just as teammate Noel Lawler walked up
behind him and loudly said, “except that I’m going much faster than
Paul, of course.” Choiniere and Buffum had no offs and the car is
running great.
56.) Production Class leader Karl Scheible reports that the Light
Performance Works crew has gotten so good at suspension work on the
new-style Beetle that they were able to switch the springs and shocks
on all four corners in just 14 minutes.
57.) Eric Burmeister and Mark Buskirk are going to have to baby their
Group 2 Volkswagen Golf GTi today. The clutch began slipping halfway
through Friday’s activities. Now, they’ll have to rely on the
Coke-and-flour trick to keep things moving. Eric’s father, Art, and
co-driver Randy Moore withdrew from the event earlier in the week when
Eric’s grandfather had a mild stoke. He is doing well now.
58.) While we’re on clutch problems, Andrew Havas stopped by to say
that he’s lost the throwout bearing in his Rx-7 and will have to run
day two without using the clutch.
59.) Kunihiko “Ken” Shimizu from Falken Tires is here this weekend
observing the rally with the Tony Takaori/Ken Cassidy team (Mitsubishi
Lancer Evo III), the lone Falken-shod entry in the field. Mr. Shimizu
is the technical field service manager for Falken.
60.) Jim Anderson has been making a strong showing this weekend, and
credits his new motor and suspension for it. This has made for a close
race in Group 5, with the top 3 teams within 2 minutes of each other.
61.) We haven’t given any background on where the event is taking
place, so here goes: The rally running in both the Paul Bunyan and
White Earth State Forests. These forests are both very close to Lake
Itaska, which is the start of the Mississippi River. The event
organizers have a great relationship with the local park service and
hope to run here for many years to come.
Ojibwe Forests ProRally
Press notes
Page 9
62.) Due to a road blockage, Stage 3 on Friday has been thrown out for
ClubRally competitors. The effect on ProRally competitors has not yet
been issued.
63.) The Group 5 Rx-7 of Mike Hurst and Rob Bohn that broke a
transmission in day one is back up and running for day two. The team
was able to find a transmission locally and installed it in time to
take the start for the second day’s festivities.
64.) Brian Scott and David Watts’ PGT Eagle Talon retired on the way
to Stage 1 today, when their spare alternator expired. They had been
looking forward to a fun day and were quite disappointed to be out
before the day really got going.
65.) Richard and Brian Pilczuk rolled their Volkswagen Golf GTi about
halfway through today’s first stage. The car was unable to continue,
but not too badly damaged.
66.) Near the end of Stage 1 the Audi quattro of Robert and James
Burtis hit a dip at high speed and smashed an intake pipe on their
turbo. This stalled the car immediately. With the assistance of
several spectators who helped push the inoperable car several hundred
feet up the hilly road they were able to finish the stage. They then
pieced the car back together well enough to drive it back in, but
unfortunately their day was done.
67.) Several teams that returned early have commented on the dust,
saying it has been worse today than it was yesterday, causing them to
slow up in places.
68.) The Group 5 Mazda Rx-7 of Jim Dale and Robert Logue lost both
fuel pumps on Stage 1 and was unable to continue. They were towed out
and fixed the car, but at that point it was too late for them to
continue.
69.) Seamus Burke’s PGT Mitsubishi Galant broke on its way out of the
service stop and withdrew. More information later.
70.) The international team of Tony Takaori and Ken Cassidy is out.
They got airborne on a jump, left the road and hit some massive rocks
on Stage 2, destroying both rims on the left side of the car. They
stopped and put the spare on and then finished the stage on one flat,
but the crew was unable to get to them with another spare before they
were time barred.
71.) The Honda Civic of Jay Kowalik and Carl Lindquist broke early
into the day’s action and has withdrawn.
Ojibwe Forests ProRally
Press notes
Page 10
72.) Steve Gingras and Bill Westrick were able to acquire a windshield
for the Eagle Talon and get it installed this morning. They then
registered for the Saturday ClubRally, the 10,000 Lakes. There was
some speculation last night that there might be trouble with the
turbo. This indeed proved to be the case, as they retired at the
service break in Osage.
73.) Stage 1 of today’s rally turned into a real car-eater. There were
reports of at least four cars off. At this time, we believe that among
those eaten by the swamp or trees are the Jay Kowalik/Carl Lindquist
Production Class Honda Civic CVT, the Richard and Brian Pilczuk Group
2 Volkswagen Golf GTi, the Jim Dale/Robert Logue Group 5 Mazda Rx-7,
and the Adam Burney/Emily Burton-Weinman (“Mad Mike” Halley-owned)
Dodge Ram 50.
74.) Happy Birthday to Bob Burtis who turns 42 today! The Burtis boys,
James and Robert, are returning to Minnesota in a new-to-them Audi
quattro. They’ve moved from a Rabbit into this far more sophisticated
ride and it’s a big learning curve for them. James mourned the
discontinuation of the Gold Rush Rally, which used to be held in their
back yard. Ironically, the event is the victim of prosperity. As more
wealthy people build homes in the Westcliffe area there are fewer
roads still suitable for ProRally.
75.) The Osage service area was the scene of some interesting culinary
possibilities. The little café where the service took place was
somewhat overwhelmed with the hundreds of folks wanting cheeseburgers
all at once. Ice cream cones were very popular and generated widely
varying price comparisons, with a single-scoop cone ranging from 46
cents to 91 cents. Some crews planned in advance for more elegant
fare. The Czyzio/Carlson team enjoyed grilled walleye and potatoes
baked on the exhaust manifold.
76.) The Gail Truess/Pattie Hughes team (PGT Mazda 323 GTX) got
high-centered last night and lost a lot of time, but is running great
today. The back of their rented car sports the motto “girls kick
butt,” a phrase being sported on the bosoms of many women from age 10
upwards this weekend. The event chair, Beryl Ann Burton, will
consider a reorder of the commemorative T-shirts if critical mass
develops.
Ojibwe Forests ProRally
Press notes
Page 11
77.) Bryan Pepp and Jerry Stang (Production GT Eagle Talon) blew a
tire three miles from the end of Stage 2 and drove on it until they
could change it on a transit. There was no lost time. At that point
they were leading PGT by 1.22 seconds.
78.) The Group 2 Volkswagen Golf GTi of Doug Davenport and Al Kintigh
has no exhaust system, and flattened a front tire on Stage 3. They
drove on and wrecked the rim. They also took on water at the crossing
on Stage 2 and stumbled for a bit.
79.) J.B. Niday and J.B. Lewis (Group 2 Volkswagen Golf GTi) also
suffered water logging at the water crossing at the end of Stage 2 and
killed the engine for a while.
80.) Group 5 leaders Henry and Cindy Krolikowksi continue to hold
Ralph Kosmides/Joe Noyes at bay. The Krolikowski Dodge Shadow is
running flawlessly. The Toyota Supra Turbo continues to run without
the hood, which got bent up last night and obscured Kosmides’ vision.
81.) A broken camber plate on top of a shock tower caused suspension
failure for the Honda CRX Si of Charles Sherrill and Mark Rea, time
barring them from further official competition. Despite their hard
luck, they like Minnesota and believe they’ll be back in the spring
for the Land O’Lakes Region’s Headwaters ClubRally.
82.) The terrific battle that went on Friday between Lawler/Bradley
and the Sprongls is continuing full-force today. They are trading fast
times, and the margin between them on each stage is tiny – as small as
0.01 minute (0.6 second).
83.) Paul Choiniere is a bit off the pace, partially because he has
not rallied for two months. However, he still has not fully recovered
from the effects of the inner-ear infection that put him on the
sidelines at Maine Forest. He is driving conservatively and shooting
for third place following the event’s final major service.
84.) West Coast hotshoe Lauchlin O’Sullivan and PGT co-driver points
leader John Dillon are having a good event, considering that the deal
to rent this PGT Mazda 3232 GTX didn’t come together until Monday. Or
considering that the car had been run several events without an
extensive going-through…and was 2000 miles from the rally. They’ve
fought with a recalcitrant computer both days, and have it pretty well
under control; but a bent control arm and a dragging skidplate have
complicated their lives through today’s first four stages.
Ojibwe Forests ProRally
Press notes
Page 12
85.) At the Osage Service, Eric Burmeister and Mark Buskirk report
that the coke-and-flour trick is working just fine on the clutch in
their Group 2 Golf GTi. Only two more stages to go, but the final one
is more than 20 miles long.
86.) The Group 5-leading Krolikowskis have been really flying. When
questioned about the car looking a little nervous – fishtailing
slightly much of the time – Cindy said they figured it was just due to
their being the first two-wheel-drive car, and that not all of the
loose gravel had been swept away by the all-wheel-drives ahead of
them.
87.) Gail Truess and Pattie Hughes are having a good rally in their
leased PGT Mazda 323 GTX, but they realize that there is no way that
they can make up very much of the seven minutes they lost yesterday
when they were high-centered.
88.) Dan Sprongl says that they broke the right-front strut on their
Audi quattro S2 about three miles into Stage 1 today, after hitting an
unmarked washout. They were able to continue on until repairs could be
made without losing a lot of time.
89.) Alex Erisoty and Ben Greisler had to change the left-rear strut
on their Audi 90 quattro at the Osage service. Greisler said they
weren’t sure whether it actually came apart on the last stage or on
the transit. However, he did add that they apparently did the entire
Maine rally with a broken front strut. (They finished ninth overall,
and Erisoty was then a Seed 6 driver!)
90.) Jim Anderson and Martin Dapot (Group 5 Honda Prelude) got a big
scare from the TV-sized rock that they forgot lurks on today’s second
stage. Anderson says that it’s not some little 14-inch portable, it’s
a 19-incher; but they still eluded it. Other than that, they love the
many jumps on this rally’s stages. Their new suspension is working
well, but they’d still like to tweak the adjustments a bit.
91.) Bill Malik and Christian Edstrom had a real adventure on today’s
final two stages – and you should be able to see it on TV. Early on
Stage 5, just as they got into fourth gear, the shift lever broke off.
So they had to do the remainder of the stage in fourth. Prior to
starting the 21-mile final stage (and with the help of Group 2 rival
Bryan Hourt), they jury-rigged a four-way lug wrench onto the stub of
the shifter, and did the whole stage with Edstrom holding the lug
wrench in place while Malik drove. The in-car camera caught it all. So
watch for the Speedvision broadcast.
Ojibwe Forests ProRally
Press notes
Page 13
92.) We’ve just found out that on the Wednesday after Maine Forest
Ralph Kosmides and his wife had their first child. The vital
information is: Nicholas Kosmides; 7 lbs. 4 oz.; 19 inches. For those
who wondered why Ralph and Joe Noyes were not at Maine, that was the
reason. Congratulations and best wishes from the whole ProRally family
to the Kosmides family.
93.) Speaking of Kosmides, he and Noyes lost some time during the
first day due to overheating, but still felt that they had some great
stages. Today they broke a rear brake rotor on their Group 5 Toyota
Supra Turbo on Stage 1, but carried on to the Osage service without
much lost time.
94.) Well, the different-winner-every-event streak has ended, but not
without some pretty high drama. Noel Lawler and Charlie Bradley have
won Ojibwe Forests, and they did it as if they were playing out some
Hollywood script. A hundred yards into the 21-mile final stage they
broke a halfshaft. Instead of going to two-wheel drive, the car went
to one-wheel drive. They soldiered on as hard as they could – knowing
that Frank and Dan Sprongl were charging full-blast in their Audi
quattro S2 trying to close the gap that existed by then. The Sprongls
did make up a lot of ground, but still came up short despite their
furious effort. The actual difference was about 30 seconds, but a
one-minute road penalty made the gap about a minute and a half. Paul
Choiniere and John Buffum were third overall in the other factory
Hyundai Tiburon, two minutes further back. Garen and Doc Shrader were
fourth in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV; and Jon Kemp and Rod
Hendricksen were fifth in their Audi 4000 quattro. Ironically, even
though there was shuffling of positions during the event, the top five
cars finished in the same order that they started.
95.) Henry and Cindy Krolikowski and “Sparky,” their trusty Dodge
Shadow were the Group 5 winners, sixth overall. They finished two
minutes ahead of Ralph Kosmides and Joe Noyes (Toyota Supra Turbo),
who were ninth overall.
96.) Bryan Hourt and Brian Shanfeld gave Team Honda Research the Group
2 win in their Honda Civic, after a close, rally long battle with Bill
Malik and Christian Edstrom, in a Volvo 240. They finished about 30
seconds ahead after helping their rivals make repairs to their car
prior to the start of the final stage.
97.) Jim Anderson and Martin Dapot rounded out the top 10 and took
third in Group 5 with their Honda Prelude.
Ojibwe Forests ProRally
Round 7; 1999 Michelin SCCA ProRally Championship
Bemidji, Minnesota
August 27-28, 1999
Official Results
OA Pos Driver/Co-Driver Car Time Class
1 Noel Lawler/Charlie Bradley Hyundai Tiburon 2:24:56 1 Open
2 Frank Sprongl/Dan Sprongl Audi quattro S2 2:26:35 2 Open
3 Paul Choiniere/John Buffum Hyundai Tiburon 2:28:41 3 Open
4 Garen & Floyd "Doc" Shrader Mitsubishi Evo IV 2:30:50 4 Open
5 Jon Kemp/Rod Hendricksen Audi 4000 quattro 2:35:23 5 Open
6 Henry & Cindy Krolikowski Dodge Shadow 2:35:41 1 Group 5
7 Bryan Hourt/Brian Shanfeld Honda Civic 2:36:28 1 Group 2
8 Bill Malik/Christian Edstom Volvo 240 2:37:07 2 Group 2
9 Ralph Kosmides/Joe Noyes Toyota Supra T. 2:37:31 2 Group 5
10 Jim Anderson/Martin Dapot Honda Prelude 2:38:36 3 Group 5
11 Bryan Pepp/Jerry Stang Eagle Talon 2:39:22 1 PGT
12 Karl Scheible/Gail McGuire VW New Beetle 2:40:07 1 Prod.
13 Alex Erisoty/Ben Greisler Audi 90 quattro 2:40:51 6 Open
14 Lauchlin O'Sullivan/John Dillon Mazda 323 GTX 2:41:11 2 PGT
15 Andrew Havas/Scott Slingerland Mazda Rx-7 2:41:26 4 Group 5
16 Chris Czyzio/Eric Carlson Mitsubishi Eclipse 2:42:28 3 PGT
17 Lee Shadbolt/Claire Chizma Subaru Impreza 2:45:33 4 PGT
18 Rod Dean/Nichole Dean Plymouth Laser RS 2:46:29 5 PGT
19 Colin McCleery/Jeff Secor Ford Sierra 2:47:45 5 Group 5
20 Paul Dubinsky/Yvon Dubinsky Eagle Talon 2:48:57 6 PGT
21 Bob Nielsen/Brenda Corneliusen VW Golf GTi 2:49:46 3 Group 2
22 Eric Burmeister/Mark Buskirk VW Golf GTi 2:50:31 4 Group 2
23 Gail Truess/Pattie Hughes Mazda 323 GTX 2:51:30 7 PGT
24 Ted Grzelak/Chris Plante Mazda Rx-7 2:54:12 6 Group 5
25 John Rek/Piotr Modrzejesdki Audi S2 2:56:16 7 Open
Steve Gingras/Bill Westrick Eagle Talon DNF
Kyoichi Takaori/Ken Cassidy Mitsubishi Evo III DNF
Dean Panton/Mike Fennell Hyundai Elantra DNF
Bill Morton/Mike Busalacchi Mitsubishi Evo IV DNF
Mark Utecht/Diane Sargent Dodge Omni DNF
Mike Hurst/Rob Bohn Mazda Rx-7 DNF
Jay Kowalik/Carl Lindquist Honda Civic CVT DNF
Seamus Burke/Tom Lawless Mitsubishi Galant DNF
Richard Pilczuk/Brian Pilczuk VW Golf GTi DNF
Robert Burtis/James Burtis Audi quattro DNF
Evan Moen/Tom Young Plymouth Neon ACR DNF
Dariusz Bosek/Mariusz Malik Eagle Talon DNF
Jim Dale/Robert Logue Mazda Rx-7 DNF
Doug Davenport/Al Kintigh VW Golf GTi DNF
Brian Scott/W.David Watts Eagle Talon DNF
Wiktor Biegalski/Daiusz Peszko Mitsubishi Eclipse DNF
Charles Sherrill/Mark Rea Honda Civic CRX DNF
Ojibwe Forests ProRally
Round 7; 1999 Michelin SCCA ProRally Championship
Bemidji, Minnesota
August 27-28, 1999
Stage scores
CAR DRIVER 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 TOTAL
2 N Lawler 944 1321 1168 269 920 1224 352 631 1549 1472 898 600 611 2535 0 144.94
141 F Sprong 960 1352 1182 291 926 1224 360 632 1550 1467 891 611 637 2476 100 146.59
3 P Choini 986 1374 1191 296 949 1268 356 641 1561 1497 963 645 648 2494 0 148.69
14 G Shrade 1001 1408 1217 281 948 1280 368 662 1637 1501 919 631 671 2560 0 150.84
80 J Kemp 1006 1434 1246 286 977 1288 389 670 1614 1530 936 640 676 2847 0 155.39
44 H Krolik 1049 1453 1330 306 984 1314 380 664 1703 1554 942 656 691 2543 0 155.69
71 B Hourt 1086 1482 1330 291 966 1330 403 675 1675 1562 948 658 693 2549 0 156.48
10 B Malik 1061 1475 1285 286 966 1314 381 694 1712 1570 967 668 730 2603 0 157.12
7 R Kosmid 1076 1520 1312 298 985 1310 377 671 1686 1582 960 667 703 2606 0 157.53
111 J Anders 1088 1490 1330 307 1011 1339 389 693 1740 1597 975 636 688 2578 0 158.61
94 B Pepp 1092 1511 1281 314 1002 1321 398 694 1736 1632 981 671 713 2591 0 159.37
61 K Scheib 1102 1430 1330 303 1001 1322 389 693 1776 1626 998 695 729 2619 0 160.13
175 A Erisot 1097 1562 1330 319 1031 1377 382 695 1728 1569 976 655 693 2672 0 160.86
90 L O'Sull 1131 1518 1330 302 1013 1334 384 687 1818 1613 962 663 699 2665 0 161.19
188 A Havas 1160 1565 1330 318 1022 1393 385 688 1770 1560 958 656 699 2640 0 161.44
21 C Czyzio 1106 1554 1320 305 1030 1387 392 691 1832 1613 997 665 700 2656 0 162.48
35 L Shadbo 1106 1539 1330 321 1042 1424 428 724 1828 1617 1030 689 758 2719 0 165.55
19 R Dean 1148 1606 1330 322 1051 1410 410 716 1817 1653 1045 661 707 2773 0 166.49
555 C McClee 1143 1562 1330 314 1066 1447 402 726 1829 1713 1018 677 731 2818 0 167.76
97 P Dubins 1168 1612 1330 328 1080 1425 418 710 1846 1695 1024 681 735 2743 100 168.95
98 B Nielse 1113 1537 1330 340 1228 1407 400 724 1858 1664 1033 689 724 2931 0 169.78
42 E Burmei 1128 1565 1330 319 1074 1412 403 720 1828 1658 1019 696 738 2762 400 170.52
16 G Truess 1091 1550 1329 319 974 2124 421 752 1829 1681 995 671 722 2693 0 171.51
158 T Grzela 1183 1653 1330 337 1120 1438 442 742 1963 1755 1050 715 749 2944 0 174.21
59 J Rek 1178 1622 1330 322 1081 1475 491 754 1938 1968 1071 693 747 2857 100 176.27
6 S Gingra 1018 1447 1228 286 DNF
53 K Takaor 1052 1885 1239 275 929 1278 359 646 DNF
120 D Panton DNF
105 B Morton DNF
83 M Utecht 1081 1476 0 DNF
82 M Hurst 1083 1583 DNF
67 J Kowali 1097 1518 1330 315 996 1335 397 700 DNF
115 S Burke 3002 1695 1330 295 994 1361 385 684 DNF
66 R Pilczu 1089 1498 1330 298 987 1310 401 669 DNF
132 R Burtis 1227 1657 1330 355 1162 1520 459 791 DNF
36 E Moen 1103 1506 1330 329 DNF
147 D Bosek 1176 1629 1330 344 1095 1497 DNF
103 J Dale 1194 1678 1330 355 1141 1530 446 770 DNF
56 D Davenp DNF
192 B Scott 1152 1654 1330 319 1077 1574 420 758 DNF
194 W Biegal 1102 1531 1330 316 1009 1506 DNF
69 C Sherri 1243 1731 1330 369 1365 1570 465 787 DNF
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Lawler Ends the Streak, Becomes First Two-Time 1999 Winner
BEMIDJI, Minnesota — There were no happier people on the planet
following the end of the Ojibwe Forest ProRally this weekend than Noel
Lawler and Charlie Bradley. After a hard-fought, two-day seesaw battle
with the Canadian National Champions – and a very large dash of drama
on the event’s final stage – they emerged victorious in round even of
the Michelin SCCA ProRally Championship. They also became the first
two-time winners this season.
Despite the best efforts of Canadian champions Frank and Dan
Sprongl (Audi quattro S2); and their own teammates, seven-time US
champion Paul Choiniere and 11-time champion John Buffum (Hyundai
Tiburon); and Rim of the World winners Garen and Doc Shrader
(Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV), Lawler and Bradley would not be denied.
Not even a broken halfshaft at the start the final, 21-mile stage
could keep them from taking the win. The Sprongls finished second.
Choiniere and Buffum were third, and the Shraders were fourth overall.
European veteran Lawler called it his greatest win. The victory
put both Lawler and Bradley into comfortable leads in the driver and
co-driver championship standings, respectively, with only two events
remaining. Even a so-so showing in either rally would give them the
titles.
Sixth overall and the Group 5 win went to low-flying Henry and
Cindy Krolikowski, in their Dodge Shadow. Ralph Kosmides and Joe Noyes
were second in their Toyota Supra Turbo.
Close behind the Krolikowskis were Group 2 winners Bryan Hourt and
Brian Shanfeld, in a Honda Civic. In a gesture of great sportsmanship,
Hourt and Shanfeld helped rivals Bill Malik and Christian Edstrom
repair the broken shifter in their Volvo 240 just before the start of
the rally’s final 21-mile stage. The two teams finished the event only
about 30 seconds apart.
Brian Pepp and Jerry Stang pushed hard in their Eagle Talon to
get the Production GT win, a solid 11th overall. They were two minutes
ahead of the PGT runners-up, Lauchlin O’Sullivan and John Dillon, who
hadn’t even seen the car they competed in until the day before the
rally. It was nearly 2000 miles from the rally site on Monday, when
the rental was arranged.
Karl Scheible and Gail McGuire clinched the driver and co-driver
championships, respectively, in the Production Class. The victory in
their Volkswagen New Beetle was their third class win in the car this
season, and came on top of a victory in a rented Volkswagen Golf GTi
at the beginning of the season. Despite having already secured their
class crowns, Scheible and McGuire have said that they will compete in
the year’s final two rallies.
The next round of the Michelin SCCA ProRally Championship will be
the Prescott Forest ProRally, which will take place in Prescott,
Arizona, on the weekend of October 1-2.
— WRG —
OF-0002
82999
Ojibwe Forests ProRally
Round 7; 1999 Michelin SCCA ProRally Championship
Bemidji, Minnesota
August 27-28, 1999
Official Results
OA Driver/Co-Driver Car Time Class
1 Noel Lawler/Charlie Bradley Hyundai Tiburon 2:24:56 1 Open
2 Frank Sprongl/Dan Sprongl Audi quattro S2 2:26:35 2 Open
3 Paul Choiniere/John Buffum Hyundai Tiburon 2:28:41 3 Open
4 Garen & Floyd "Doc" Shrader Mitsubishi Evo IV 2:30:50 4 Open
5 Jon Kemp/Rod Hendricksen Audi 4000 quattro 2:35:23 5 Open
6 Henry & Cindy Krolikowski Dodge Shadow 2:35:41 1 Group 5
7 Bryan Hourt/Brian Shanfeld Honda Civic 2:36:28 1 Group 2
8 Bill Malik/Christian Edstom Volvo 240 2:37:07 2 Group 2
9 Ralph Kosmides/Joe Noyes Toyota Supra T. 2:37:31 2 Group 5
10 Jim Anderson/Martin Dapot Honda Prelude 2:38:36 3 Group 5
11 Bryan Pepp/Jerry Stang Eagle Talon 2:39:22 1 PGT
12 Karl Scheible/Gail McGuire VW New Beetle 2:40:07 1 Prod.
13 Alex Erisoty/Ben Greisler Audi 90 quattro 2:40:51 6 Open
14 Lauchlin O'Sullivan/John Dillon Mazda 323 GTX 2:41:11 2 PGT
15 Andrew Havas/Scott Slingerland Mazda Rx-7 2:41:26 4 Group 5
16 Chris Czyzio/Eric Carlson Mitsubishi Eclipse 2:42:28 3 PGT
17 Lee Shadbolt/Claire Chizma Subaru Impreza 2:45:33 4 PGT
18 Rod Dean/Nichole Dean Plymouth Laser RS 2:46:29 5 PGT
19 Colin McCleery/Jeff Secor Ford Sierra 2:47:45 5 Group 5
20 Paul Dubinsky/Yvon Dubinsky Eagle Talon 2:48:57 6 PGT
21 Bob Nielsen/Brenda Corneliusen VW Golf GTi 2:49:46 3 Group 2
22 Eric Burmeister/Mark Buskirk VW Golf GTi 2:50:31 4 Group 2
23 Gail Truess/Pattie Hughes Mazda 323 GTX 2:51:30 7 PGT
24 Ted Grzelak/Chris Plante Mazda Rx-7 2:54:12 6 Group 5
25 John Rek/Piotr Modrzejesdki Audi S2 2:56:16 7 Open
Steve Gingras/Bill Westrick Eagle Talon DNF
Kyoichi Takaori/Ken Cassidy Mitsubishi Evo III DNF
Dean Panton/Mike Fennell Hyundai Elantra DNF
Bill Morton/Mike Busalacchi Mitsubishi Evo IV DNF
Mark Utecht/Diane Sargent Dodge Omni DNF
Mike Hurst/Rob Bohn Mazda Rx-7 DNF
Jay Kowalik/Carl Lindquist Honda Civic CVT DNF
Seamus Burke/Tom Lawless Mitsubishi Galant DNF
Richard Pilczuk/Brian Pilczuk VW Golf GTi DNF
Robert Burtis/James Burtis Audi quattro DNF
Evan Moen/Tom Young Plymouth Neon ACR DNF
Dariusz Bosek/Mariusz Malik Eagle Talon DNF
Jim Dale/Robert Logue Mazda Rx-7 DNF
Doug Davenport/Al Kintigh VW Golf GTi DNF
Brian Scott/W.David Watts Eagle Talon DNF
Wiktor Biegalski/Daiusz Peszko Mitsubishi Eclipse DNF
Charles Sherrill/Mark Rea Honda Civic CRX DNF
Wind River Group, Inc.
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