Round 3 of the 1996 SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally Series
SOU'WESTER DIVISIONAL RALLY
WILD WEST DIVISIONAL RALLY
THE EVENT
The WILD WEST Rally is part of the SCCA PRO Rally Championship.
The SOU'WESTER and WILD WEST Divisional Rallies are sanctioned by the NORTHWEST REGION of the SCCA.
The Divisional events qualify for the 1996 NORPAC and the 1996 NORTHWEST REGION Divisional Championships. The events will adhere to 1995 National and Divisional Rally Rules and Rules for Organizers.
ENTRY
Entry to the event requires a paid entry fee, valid state drivers license, valid SCCA National PRO Rally or Divisional PRO Rally license for both co-driver and driver, vehicle liability insurance, valid vehicle registration, and a completed entry form.
The entry fee for the WILD WEST National PRO Rally is $375.00 through March 18, 1996, $425.00 on the 19th of March.
The entry fee for the SOU'WESTER and the WILD WEST Divisional rallies is $225.00 through March 18, 1996, $275.00 on the 19th of March. The entry fee is for one or both rallies. Competitors wishing to enter the National and Divisional Rallies should add $25.00 to the National entry fee.
Checks should be made payable to NORTHWEST REGION, SCCA and mailed to BOB GRASS, 24529 13th PLACE SOUTH, DES MOINES, WA. 98198.
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
CO-CHAIRMAN BOB GRASS (206) 872-9696 DAYS CO-CHAIRMAN JOHN FORESPRING (360) 943-2191 DAYS REGISTRAR NAVONNE WATERHOUSE (360) 427-6907
EVENT DESCRIPTION
The WILD WEST RALLY will use the normal stage format utilizing FISA signs and control procedures. The National Rally will run fifteen stages, all of which will be scored. The two Divisional rallies will include all the National stages. The event will have 135 stage miles and a total of 315 miles. All stages will be on gravel.
HEADQUARTERS HOTEL
The headquarters hotel for the WILD WEST Rally will be the West Coast Tyee Hotel, 500 Tyee Drive, Olympia, Washington 98512. Telephone for reservations 800-386-8933 or for information (360) 352-0511. The hotel is located at the Trosper Road exit from I-5 (Exit 102). Discount rates for rallyists are available.
REGISTRATION AND SCRUTINEERING LOCATION
Registration and Scrutineering will be at SOUTH PUGET SOUND COMMUNITY COLLEGE, 2001 Mottman Road SW, Olympia, Washington 98512.
SCHEDULE
April 11, 1996 18:30 Close of Entry
15:00 - 18:30 Registration & Scrutineering
19:00 Welcome Party
April 12, 1996 12:00 - 15:00 Registration & Scrutineering
17:00 - 18:00 Parc Expose
18:00 Start Day One
24:00 Finish Day One
April 13, 1996 08:00 - 09:00 Parc Expose
09:00 Start Day Two
18:00 Finish
20:00 Post Scores
21:00 Awards
AWARDS
Awards will be presented for the first, second, and third places in each National class and for first, second, and third overall. Awards will be presented for first place in each Divisional and first, second, and third places in each Regional class.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION-- PHONE BOB GRASS @ (206) 872-9696, FAX ENTRIES (206) 872-3458.
For Immediate Release Contact: Andy Schupack
(360) 352-0511
Rm. 236
SCCA/MICHELIN RALLY RACERS COME TO NORTHWEST FOR FIRST NATIONAL EVENT
OF THE SEASON; CHOINIERE OPENS TITLE DEFENSE WITH '96 HYUNDAI ELANTRA
OLYMPIA, Wash. -- April 10 -- Last year, Paul Choiniere, of Shelburne,
Vermont, shook and rattled his new Hyundai Elantra to a slim victory
over Carl Merrill and Henry Joy as his new car survived teething problems
to score the '95 Wild West PRO Rally win.
This year, with Joy skipping the event, it will be Choiniere in yet
another new car - a 360 horsepower 4WD '96 Elantra - who will be trying to
hold off Merrill's 400 horsepower Ford Escort Cosworth to claim Round #3
of the SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally series while will run through the Capitol
State Forest and the Simpson Lumber Company logging roads south of Olympia
April 12 - 13. .
In a PRO Rally, each team consists of a driver and a co-driver (or
navigator), and the exact course is kept secret until just before the
event - different from World Rally, where practice is allowed. The cars
start at one-minute intervals and race against the clock over 6 - 15
stages which range in length from four to 25 miles. Most of the rallies
include night stages, making it necessary for competitors to adjust their
driving style. Speeds of more than 120 miles-per-hour could be reached on
long straight-aways, with the team achieving the fastest combined times
winning the event.
Besides Choiniere, who won the opening round this season with a 14-second
win over Merrill in South Carolina in March, the other Open class
contender is the Hyundai Elantra of Tom Ottey, of Columbus, Ohio. Ottey,
whose wife Pam McGarvey is his co-driver, is driving the Elantra driven at
Wild West three years ago by rally legend Rod Millen.
Local attention will be focused on Sam Bryan, a Boeing engineer from
nearby Kent, who will be debuting a new factory-sponsored, Group 5 class
Saab 900 turbo. The new Group 5 class, the two-wheel-drive version of the
Open class (cars over 2.4-litres adjusted displacement, but with open
engine, transmission and suspension options), are not quite as fast as the
Open cars, but will finish well overall in this event. As Bryan has just
finished assembling his car this week, the Wild West PRO Rally will be his
national debut.
His main competition in Group 5 is also a factory-sponsored effort. The
Toyota Supra of Ralph Kosmides, which was a fine third overall in the
recent Doo Wop rallies and was first overall when you combined all four
Doo Wop event results, has more road time than Sam's car, but is not quite
as fast.
The other top contenders are in the Production GT class, which allows
turbocharging and four-wheel-drive, but limited suspension and almost no
engine modifications. Recent Doo Wops winner Selcuk Karamanoglu, from
Bath, Maine, leads the list of contenders with his Eagle Talon, but the
fastest woman racer in the field - Janice Damitio from Montesano - hopes
to give Selcuk a run for his money in her Toyota All-trac. Roger Hull, a
former national champion from Prescott, Ariz., hopes to be competitive in
his Eagle Talon, as does Dennis Chizma in his Mitsubishi 3000GT.
The event starts Friday afternoon at 4:30 PM with a display of cars at
the Little Creek Casino in Shelton, with the cars leaving for the first
stage at 5:50 PM. Spectator information will be available starting
Thursday afternoon at the Tyee Hotel in Olympia, or at the Little Creek
Casino.
The SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally series is not only a contest of who is the
best driver on forest roads, at high speed in the middle of the night, but
also a competition between car preparers and manufacturers. He or she
whose car is sturdily built and who can avoid damaging off-course
excursions into trees or ditches, stands a chance of winning.
Besides the fastest, overall competitors, there are less exotic cars
running in different classes which allow less modifications. The cars
mentioned above are all four-wheel-drive, turbocharged, highly-modified
racers, while various Production classes allow very few changes to the
stock vehicles driven on the street. All PRO Rally cars have safety
equipment including aircraft-style safety harnesses, roll cages, and fire
extinguishers.
Tires play an important part in a winning rally effort. They must be
equally reliable on many driving surfaces; the asphalt of the transit
roads that rallyists traverse to get to the competition stages, as well as
varying conditions on the competition stages themselves. Stages, many of
which are unpaved, can change from sandy to clay to gravel in the space of
a few hundred feet. Sometimes rain will turn a perfectly ordinary dirt
road into a quagmire within minutes.
Most of the top competitors will be using specially constructed Michelin
XGT Rally tires, which not only come in various compounds for different
road surfaces, but have rugged carcass and sidewall designs to resist
puncturing under the stressful rally conditions. The tire company is
using its three-year agreement with the Sports Car Club of America to
promote one of the fastest growing motorsports in the country as well as
its XGT line of street tires.
The 1996 SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally Series consists of eleven events, and is
sponsored by Michelin Tire Corporation, and sanctioned by the Sports Car
Club of America. The 1996 Wild West PRO Rally is presented by the
Northwest Region of the Sports Car Club of America.
# # #
MEDIA_ALERT
Event: 1996 Wild West PRO Rally, round #3 of the 1996 SCCA/Michelin PRO
Rally Series. Race cars from around the country will compete at
high speeds on the challenging forest roads through the Capitol
Forest and the Simpson Timber Company southwest of the
Olympia/Aberdeen areas of Washington State.
When: Friday and Saturday, April 12 and 13, 1996
Schedule
Thursday (all times Pacific Daylight)
3:00 PM - 8:00 PM - Registration and tech inspection
South Puget Sound Community College
2011 Mottman Road S.W.
Olympia
Friday
9:15 AM - Media stage; members of the working media will
gather at Tyee Hotel, 500 Tyee Drive (off I-5 at
exit 102 in Olympia) to caravan into the woods for
rides at speed in a leading rally car.
11:00 AM - 3:00 PM - Registration and tech inspection
South Puget Sound Community College
2011 Mottman Road S.W., Olympia
4:30 PM - Parc Expose (display of cars for the public)
Little Creek Casino, Shelton, Wash.
5:50 PM - First car starts - one minute intervals,
Wild West PRO Rally
Little Creek Casino, Shelton, Wash.
11:28 PM - First car finishes - Day One
Little Creek Casino, Shelton, Wash.
Saturday
8:00 AM - Parc Expose (display of cars for the public)
Downtown Shelton, Wash.
8:30 AM - First car starts - Day 2 - Wild West PRO Rally
Downtown Shelton, Wash.
6:45 PM - First car finishes - Day 2
Little Creek Casino, Shelton, Wash.
Where: Rally headquarters will be the Tyee Hotel, Olympia. Rally
information and instructions on where to view the event will be
available in the Press Room - Room 236 - starting Thursday, April 11
at 3:00 PM.
Duration: 130 stage miles, 305 total miles, 15 stages (combined two days)
Rank: Full national PRO Rally (run in conjunction with a coefficient 3
and a coefficient 2 divisional PRO Rally) awarding full national
points towards the 1996 SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally series national
championship. Presented by the Northwest Region of the Sports Car
Club of America. The National PRO Rally series is sponsored by
Michelin Tire Corporation and is sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of
America.
Interviews: Drivers will be available at the rally headquarters and the
parc expose per the schedule above. Call Andy Schupack in the
media center (360) 352-0511, Room 236, April 11 - 14.
Expected Top National Entries: Paul Choiniere - defending five-time overall
national champion - won this rally last year - in his new '96 Hyundai
Elantra; Carl Merrill - 400 HP Ford Escort Cosworth - fastest car on the
circuit - was fastest here in '94, but was disqualified for speeding on a
transit; Tom Ottey - finished in the top five several times last year - in
his Open class Hyundai Elantra; Selcuk Karamanoglu - Turkish rally champion
now living in Maine -won Doo Wop Rally here last month in an Eagle Talon;
Rui Brasil - Open class Audi 4000 Quattro - won the divisional class here
last month - 300 hp; Ralph Kosmides - new Group 5 Toyota Supra - currently
leading this new class after class victory last month; Sam Bryan, from
Kent, Wash. - fastest local competitor - Boeing engineer with new factory-
supplied Group 5 Saab 900 turbo; Janice Damitio, from Montesano, Wash., -
only woman entered in national event - in a Toyota Celica GTS 4WD - narrowly
missed being the first woman to win a rally championship last year.
Visuals: There will be escorts to take photographers and video crews onto
the course on Saturday.
Media Info: We will provide phone-ins on event information, driver
interviews, and results. We will fax stories and agate
Saturday and Sunday. We have B-roll available for TV.
Contact: Andy Schupack - SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally Series
national media liaison:
(401) 739-5677 - before April 11 and after April 14
(360) 352-0511, Rm. 236 - April 11 - 14
# # #
HOW A PRO RALLY WORKS:
Each team consists of a driver and a co-driver (or navigator), and the
exact course is kept secret until just before the event - different from
World Rally, where practice and course notes are allowed. The cars start at
one-minute intervals and race against the clock over 15 stages (competition
course consisting of closed public roads) which range in length from four to
25 miles. Most of the rallies include night stages, making it necessary for
competitors to adjust their driving style. Speeds of more than 120 miles-
per-hour can be reached on long straight-aways, with the team going the
fastest over the competition course winning the rally.
# # #
Round #3 - 1996 SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally Series
Wild West PRO Rally - Olympia, Washington
Preliminary Entry List - April 9, 1996
Start Car Driver/ Co-Driver/ Make/Model/Class/
Pos. No. Hometown Hometown Division
----- ---- ------------------ ----------------- -------------------
1 Paul Choiniere Jeff Becker Hyundai Elantra/Open
Shelburne, VT Great Neck, NY National
3 Carl Merrill John Bellefleur Ford Escort Cosworth/Open
Ogunquit, ME Thornhill, ONT National
33 Tom Ottey Pam McGarvey Hyundai Elantra/Open
Columbus, OH Columbus, OH National
Rui Brasil Carlos Tavaras Audi Quattro/Open
San Jose, CA San Jose, CA Nat./Div.
Sam Bryan Rob Walden Saab 900 Turbo/Group 5
Kent, WA Seattle, WA National
Selcuk Karamanoglu Yorgi Bittner Eagle Talon/PGT
Bath, ME Plain City, OH National
17 Janice Damitio Amity Trowbridge Toyota Celica GTS/PGT
Montesano, WA Seattle, WA Nat/Div.
16 Ralph Kosmides Joe Noyes Toyota Supra/Group 5
Newport Beach, CA Seattle, WA Nat/Div.
39 Mike Whitman Kevin Linville Datsun 510/Group 2
Farmington, NM Durango, CO Nat./Div.
Bill Malik Renn Phillips Volvo 240/Group 2
Burbank, CA Del Mar, CA Nat./Div.
21 Lon Peterson Bill Gutzmann Kia Sephia/Production
Victorville, CA Ontario, CA Nat./Div.
Roger Hull Ken Cassidy Eagle Talon/PGT
Prescott, AZ Tempe, AZ Nat./Div.
30 Gary Caffroy Carolyn Russell Mazda RX-3
North Bend, WA North Bend, WA Divisional
41 Monty Horn TBD Datsun 510
Olympia, WA Divisional
32 Kirk Simons Mike Jones Dodge GLH Turbo
Kent, WA Kirkland, WA Divisional
John Pizzagalli Eric Hauge Mitsubishi Galant/PGT
S. Burlington, VT Napa, CA National
42 Neville Green David Joynt Merkur XR4Ti
Lynnwood, WA Kirkland, WA Divisional
Vic Harvey Tony Latham Mazda 323GTX
Prince George, BC Vancouver, BC Divisional
87 Larry Furst Mike Fenter Datsun 210
Gresham, OR Canby, OR Divisional
86 Jack Horn Eric Shild Mazda GLC
Ranier, OR Tacoma, WA Divisional
72 Jack Broadhead TBD Toyota FX16
Hoquiam, WA Divisional
Pete Lahm Jimmy Brandt Datsun PL 510/Group 2
Phoenix, AZ Lake Odessa, MI National
John Sparks Don Schroeder Toyota Corolla
Portland, OR Olympia, WA Divisional
Dennis Chizma Ben Bradley Mitsubishi 3000GT/PGT
Simi Valley, CA Portland, OR National
Jim Breazeale Cristy Breazeale VW Rabbit
Seattle, WA Seattle, WA Divisional
Todd Hartmann Kirk Knestis WV Golf GTI
Issaquah, WA Divisional
William Nation Erik Thompson Mazda RX-7
Los Angeles, CA Portland, OR Divisional
# # #
Wild West PRO Rally, presented by the Little Creek Casino
Olympia/Shelton, Washington
Round #3 - SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally
April 12, 1996, 1:00 PM
Press Notes #1
1. Welcome to Olympia, Washington, and round #3 of the 1996
SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally series. With the two 60 precent
rallies now completed (Selcuk Karamanoglu winning the Doo
Wops PRO Rally here last month in his Eagle Talon and
Paul Choiniere winning the Sand Hills event in South
Carolina in his Hyundai Elantra), this is the first
full national event. The weather forecast calls
occaisional rain tonight with lows in the low 40's,
Tomorrow, it should be overcast in the morning, but
partly sunny and warmer in the afternoon, with the highs
near 60 degrees.
2. Although registration is still open, with the start of
the rally scheduled at 5:50 PM PST this afternoon, it
looks like a 30-plus car field. The top Open class cars
competing for the overall win include defending champion
(and last year's Wild West winners) Paul Choiniere/Jeff
Becker in a new '96 Hyundai Elantra, the Carl
Merrill/John Bellefleur Ford Escort Cosworth, the Tom
Ottey/Pam McGarvey Hyundai Elantra, and the Rui
Brasil/Carlos Tavares Audi Quattro.
3. Some pre-event events of note:
--The Selcuk Karamanoglu/Yorgi Bittner Eagle Talon, fresh
from its victory at Doo Wops last month, was headed for
organizer Ray Damitio's house for storage until this
event when the clutch let go. Selcuk spent this week
repairing the car, and he is ready to lead a strong
field of Production GT cars.
--John Sparks, expected to run his Toyota Corolla in the
divisional event, was forced to withdraw due to
illness.
--Ditto for Bill Nation, from Los Angeles, who bad back
has forced him to withdraw his Mazda RX-7 from the
divisional.
--The Sam Bryan/Rob Walden Saab 900 turbo, being built at
Walden's shop in Seattle with the help of T.A.D.
Motorsports' Murray Thomas, is going right down to the
deadline to enter this event. The team, which is
Saab's first factory-sponsored racing effort since
1984, took delivery of their drivetrain components only
a few weeks ago, is struggling to get the car finished
and make the 3:00 PM deadline for registration and
tech.
# # #
Round #3 - 1996 SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally Series
Wild West PRO Rally - Olympia, Washington
Final Entry/Start List - April 12 - 13, 1996
Start Car Driver/ Co-Driver/ Make/Model/Class/
Pos. No. Hometown Hometown Division
----- ---- ------------------ ----------------- -------------------
1 3 Carl Merrill John Bellefleur Ford Escort Cosworth/Open
Ogunquit, ME Thornhill, ONT National
2 1 Paul Choiniere Jeff Becker Hyundai Elantra/Open
Shelburne, VT Great Neck, NY National
3 33 Tom Ottey Pam McGarvey Hyundai Elantra/Open
Columbus, OH Columbus, OH National
4 23 Selcuk Karamanoglu Yorgi Bittner Eagle Talon/PGT
Bath, ME Plain City, OH National
5 25 Rui Brasil Carlos Tavaras Audi Quattro/Open
San Jose, CA San Jose, CA Nat./Div.
6 17 Janice Damitio Amity Trowbridge Toyota Celica GTS/PGT
Montesano, WA Seattle, WA Nat/Div.
7 16 Ralph Kosmides Joe Noyes Toyota Supra/Group 5
Newport Beach, CA Seattle, WA Nat/Div.
8 17 David Peterson Greg Chaloupka VW GTI/Group 2
Aspen, CO Aspen, CO Nat./Div.
9 22 Lon Peterson Bill Gutzmann Kia Sephia/Production
Victorville, CA Ontario, CA Nat./Div.
10 11 Jon Pizzagalli Eric Hauge Mitsubishi Galant/PGT
S. Burlington, VT Napa, CA National
11 77 Roger Hull Ken Cassidy Eagle Talon/PGT
Prescott, AZ Tempe, AZ Nat./Div.
12 111 Bill Malik Renn Phillips Volvo 240/Group 2
Burbank, CA Del Mar, CA Nat./Div.
13 39 Mike Whitman Kevin Linville Datsun 510/Group 2
Farmington, NM Durango, CO Nat./Div.
14 24 Pete Lahm Jimmy Brandt Datsun PL 510/Group 2
Phoenix, AZ Lake Odessa, MI National
15 12 George Plsek Mark Ratham Saab 99 Turbo/Group 5
Sylmar, CA Del Mar, CA Nat./Div.
16 13 Douglas Shrenk Mike Fenter Saab 900/Group 2
Lynnwood, WA Canby, OR Nat./Div.
Divisional
17 119 Tim Paterson Joel Wright Mazda 323GTX
Redmond, WA Burien, WA Divisional
18 65 Dennis Chizma Ben Bradley Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4
Simi Valley, CA Portland, OR Divisional
19 117 Todd Hartmann Kirk Knestis VW GTI
Issaquah, WA Seattle, WA Divisional
20 19 Scott Trinder Robert Trinder Suzuki Swift
Vancouver, BC Vancouver, BC Divisional
21 30 Gary Caffroy Carolyn Russell Mazda RX-3
North Bend, WA North Bend, WA Divisional
22 40 Pete Shelton Carl Hillman Mazda RX-3
Seattle, WA Seattle, WA Divisional
23 41 Monty Horn Scott Simons Datsun 510
Olympia, WA Olympia, WA Divisional
23 89 Dave Heinz Rick Heinz Mazda RX-3
Tacoma, WA Port Orchard, WA Divisional
24 32 Kirk Simons Tim Dutton Dodge Omni GLH
Kent, WA Kirkland, WA Divisional
25 84 Vic Harvey Tony Latham Mazda 323GTX
Prince George, BC Vancouver, BC Divisional
26 86 Jack Horn Eric Shild Mazda GLC
Ranier, OR Tacoma, WA Divisional
27 72 Jack Broadhead Cable Rhodes Toyota FX16
Hoquiam, WA Prescott, AZ Divisional
28 81 Jonathan Blunt Jason Coakley VW Rabbit
Victoria, BC Victoria, BC Divisional
29 85 Jim Breazeale Cristy Breazeale VW Rabbit
Seattle, WA Seattle, WA Divisional
30 79 Trevor Donison Gary Cox Mazda 323GTX
Vancouver, BC Portland, OR Divisional
31 91 James Unger Kara Unger Toyota All-trac
Gresham, OR Gresham, OR Divisional
Saturday_Only
90 Justin Gladden Brett Ineson Datsun 510
Vancouver, BC Vancouver, BC Divisional
75 Debbie Sjodin David Treen Plymouth Arrow
Lynnwood, WA Seattle, WA Divisional
# # #
Wild West PRO Rally, presented by the Little Creek Casino
Olympia/Shelton, Washington
Round #3 - SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally
April 12, 1996, 7:00 PM
Press Notes #2
4. The Sam Bryan/Rob Walden Saab 900 turbo will have to wait
until Rim of the World in May to debut. The team was
unable to get the car running until late this afternoon,
with the fuel injectors being the culprit. The team is
still trying to get to the start of tomorrow's event in
order to do some testing, but there might be too many
tasks to complete to get the car to the rally at all.
5. Here is a round-up of the classes:
--The Open class should be a battle between the "big
four" - the Choiniere/Becker Hyundai Elantra; the
Merrill/Bellefleur Ford Escort Cosworth; the
Ottey/McGarvey Hyundai Elantra; and the Brasil/Tavares
Audi Quattro. Choiniere won the opening event of the
series in South Carolina, beating Merrill by 14
seconds, but it wasn't a particularly strong event for
either car. Ottey is making his season debut in his
Hyundai after having turbo problems at the car's first
event in Michigan last year. he expected to make the
South Carolina rally in March, but an unrelated turbo
problem before the event kept the team home in
Columbus. Brasil ran well at the Doo Wops, finishing
second to Selcuk Karamanoglu overall.
--In the new Group 5 class, with the Sam Bryan DNS, the
Ralph Kosmides/Joe Noyes Toyota Supra is the clear
favorite, with only the Saab 99 turbo of George
Plsek/Mark Ratham to challenge them. Kosmides, whose
Supra is basically stock with suspension, exhaust and
brake modifications, has already run and finished six
divisional events in the car, including his class win
at the Doo Wops last month. In fact, the Ruby's Diner
team was the overall winner of the four-rally Doo Wops
series.
--Although the Group 2 will be missing champion Sam
Bryan, Sam's championship car - the Saab 900 turbo - is
still in the class, being driven this weekend by Doug
Shrenk/Mike Fenter. Dave Peterson/Greg Chaloupka's VW
GTI, Mike Whitman/Kevin Linville Datsun 510, Pete
Lahm/Jimmy Brandt Datsun PL510, and Bill Malik/Renn
Phillips Volvo 240 (the Doo Wops Group 2 winner) should
all provide a good challenge for Shrenk. This might be
the closest class of the weekend.
--Production GT should also be a good battle, with Selcuk
Karamanoglu/Yorgi Bittner's Eagle Talon running as well
as it ever has off its win at Doo Wops here last month.
John Pizzagalli will be debuting his Vermont Sports
Car-constructed (of Dick Corley fame) Mitsubishi Galant
and veteran co-driver Erick Hauge will help him in the
navigator's seat. Roger Hull, a former national
champion, with co-driver Ken Cassidy, should give chase
in an Eagle Talon, while Janice Damitio, who has Amity
Trowbridge in the navigator's seat, won the class last
year in her Toyota All-trac.
The Dennis Chizma/Ben Bradley Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4 was
also expected to compete in this class, but brake
rotors that did not conform to the Production GT rules
pushed Chizma into a divisional-rally-only weekend.
--In the Production class, the Lon Peterson/Bill Gutzmann
'96 Kia Sephia stands to gain another win - its second
of the season - as none of the big guns from the East
Coast (Bob Elliott's VW GTI, Jim Anderson and Greg
Trepetin's Honda Preludes, or Tad Ohtake's Ford Escort
GT) made the trip. Peterson, who won the class last
month at Doo Wops, is the lone class entry.
--Both the Group A and Rallytruck classes have been
discontinued for 1996.
6. 32 cars took the countdown at the Little Creek Casino in
a light, but steady rain in Shelton, Washington. The
cars will run approximately 40 stage miles and 6 stages
this evening, followed by 8 stages and 90 stage miles on
Saturday.
# # #
Wild West PRO Rally, presented by the Little Creek Casino
Olympia/Shelton, Washington
Round #3 - SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally
April 13, 1996, 7:00 AM
Press Notes #3
7. Almost immediately after the start of the event,
competitors felt the effect of the steady rain which had
pelted the area for the past two days. Group 2
contenders Bill Malik/Renn Philips, at a disadvantage in
the slippery conditions in their 2WD Volvo, slipped off
the course on stage #1 and got stuck in a ditch, and
became the events' first DNF. Malik said he hoped to
start the divisional event today.
8. After one stage, the top national teams had the following
scores:
Driver/co-driver Car Class Time (hrs:min:sec)
Choiniere/Becker Hyundai Elantra Open 4:29
Merrill/Bellefleur Escort Cosworth Open 4:40
Ottey/McGarvey Hyundai Elantra Open 4:41
Karamanoglu/Bittner Eagle Talon PGT 4:44
Brasil/Tavaras Audi Quattro Open 4:56
Pizzagalli/Hauge Mitsubishi Galant PGT 5:01
Hull/Cassidy Eagle Talon PGT 5:06
Whitman/Linville Datsun 510 Group 2 5:13
Kosmides/Noyes Toyota Supra Group 5 5:13
Damitio/Trowbridge Toyota All-trac PGT 5:14
Peterson/Gutzmann Kia Sephia Production 5:18
Peterson/Chaloupka VW GTI Group 2 5:19
Lahm/Brandt Datsun 510 Group 2 5:42
9. If the above times look normal, all hell broke loose over the
next two stages, and the service area that followed. Janice
Damitio hit a water crossing too hard on stage 2, soaking the
Toyota's distributor and causing the whole electrical system
to sputter until she could get to service. The
Damitio/Trowbridge effort took another hit later in the
evening (stage #5) when they had a flat tire.
10. Stage #3 bit the Ottey/McGarvey Hyundai, as Tom drove off the
course into "the Grand Canyon of ditches," breaking a wheel
bearing and forcing the car out of the event. The pair plans
to enter Rim of the World event in California in three weeks.
11. Other DNFs included:
--The Todd Hartmann/Kirk Knestis VW GTI (crash)
--Vic Harvey/Tony Latham Mazda 323GTX (exhaust/ignition)
--George Plsek/Mark Ratham Saab 99 (mechanical)
# # #
Wild West PRO Rally, presented by the Little Creek Casino
Olympia/Shelton, Washington
Round #3 - SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally
April 13, 1996, 8:00 AM
Press Notes #4
12. Although his Mitsubishi Galant VR4 is the result of
several years of development by carbuilder Lance Smith
at Vermont Sports Car, John Pizzagalli was a newcomer to
all-wheel-drive, and went off the course several times
before becoming wedged between rocks. Although he and
co-driver Erick Hauge were able to free themselves, they
are dead last heading into Saturday's action.
13. The fortunes of the top three drivers changed
dramatically on stage three, as the Libra Racing Hyundai
broke a motor mount - a new aluminum mount contructed to
save weight. Because of the rocking of the engine, the
turbo hose pulled off, and then the drive shaft pulled
out of the front. Driver Paul Choiniere limped into
service, where John Buffum and the Libra crew scrambled
to fix the problems. Besides the time lost when the car
was down on power, Choiniere incurred 16 minutes of
penalty time for staying too long in service, and fell
back to 10th overall.
14. The national scores after three stages:
Driver/co-driver Car Class Time (hrs:min:sec)
Merrill/Bellefleur Escort Cosworth Open 24:53
Karamanoglu/Bittner Eagle Talon PGT 24:57
Brasil/Tavaras Audi Quattro Open 26:11
Peterson/Chaloupka VW GTI Group 2 27:12
Kosmides/Noyes Toyota Supra Group 5 27:33
Hull/Cassidy Eagle Talon PGT 28:06
Damitio/Trowbridge Toyota All-trac PGT 28:35
Peterson/Gutzmann Kia Sephia Production 30:11
Choiniere/Becker Hyundai Elantra Open 41:14 (with 16
min. pen. pts).
Pizzagalli/Hauge Mitsubishi Galant PGT 53:44
15. Selcuk Karamanoglu, who won the Doo Wop PRO Rally here last
month, is running so much faster this year due to the
discovery of a faulty boost guage just before the start of the
season. It turns out his HKS turbo was showing 17 PSI, but
his actual boost was only stock factory spec. Now he has
fixed the problem and turned up the boost, he estimates he has
20 more horsepower.
# # #
Wild West PRO Rally, presented by the Little Creek Casino
Olympia/Shelton, Washington
Round #3 - SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally
April 13, 1996, 9:00 AM
Press Notes #5
16. One of the new features on Carl Merrill's car in a hand-
brake release, which kicks the rear wheels out of gear
and locks them up for quick, sharp turns. He tested the
unit before he came to the rally, and used it on the
press stage, but is being cautious with it at speed
until he has mastered the technique.
17. The Rui Brasil/Carlos Tavares Audi Quattro ran a good
part of the Friday event with only two-wheel-drive as
the team broke a rear half-shaft. Although Rui was
third overall on Friday night and won the divisional
event, his Audi has lots of miles and and crashes on the
current car, and will be building an Adui S-2 for 1997.
18. The national scores at the end of Friday evening
(six stages)
Driver/co-driver Car Class Time (hrs:min:sec)
Karamanoglu/Bittner Eagle Talon PGT 50:36
Merrill/Bellefleur Escort Cosworth Open 51:20
Brasil/Tavaras Audi Quattro Open 54:10
Schrenk/Fenten Saab 900 turbo Group 2 54:42
Kosmides/Noyes Toyota Supra Group 5 54:55
Peterson/Chaloupka VW GTI Group 2 56:51
Hull/Cassidy Eagle Talon PGT 57:22
Peterson/Gutzmann Kia Sephia Production 1:00:34
Damitio/Trowbridge Toyota All-trac PGT 1:04:34
Choiniere/Becker Hyundai Elantra Open 1:08:29
Pizzagalli/Hauge Mitsubishi Galant PGT 1:21:45
19. The Doug Shrenk/Michael Fenten Saab 900 turbo, originally
entered in the divisional event only, did pay at the last
minute to enter the national, and is giving the ex-Sam Bryan
championship car quite a ride, leading Group 2 and running
fourth overall. The team had some small problems last night,
losing their wipers for two stages and having shaking
electrics after hitting a water hole.
# # #
Wild West PRO Rally, presented by the Little Creek Casino
Olympia/Shelton, Washington
Round #3 - SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally
April 13, 1996, 10:30 AM
Press Notes #6
20. 29 cars, including 11 national competitors, took the
countdown this morning from downtown Shelton and headed
for the Simpson Timber Company forest roads. The rally
will finish at approx. 7:00 PM tonight at the Little
Creek Casino in Shelton.
21. In the Sou'Wester Divisional event on Friday night, the
Rui Brasil/Carlos Tavares Audi Quattro continued his
divisional winning streak (both Doo Wops last month and
now this event) here. Shrenk/Fenten were second, and
Kosmides/Noyes were third. The 56:54 turned by the
Dennis Chizma/Ben Bradley Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4 -
fourth in the divisional - would have been seventh
overall in the national standings and second in
Production GT.
22. Paul Choiniere, who is now 17 minutes behind the
leaders, is torching the rest of the field on the
opening stages here Satuday. He beat Merrill by 45
seconds on stage #7, and 33 seconds on stage #8.
Meanwhile, Carl Merrill has erased the 44 second
lead Selcuk Karamanoglu had after Friday night, and now
leads the overall event by 13 seconds. Both Carl and
Selcuk have put distance between themselves and third
place Rui Brasil, who is now five minutes behind
Merrill.
Doug Shrenk continues to lead Group 2 and run in fourth
place, while Lon Peterson is winning production and
Ralph Kosmides Group 5.
# # #
Wild West PRO Rally, presented by the Little Creek Casino
Olympia/Shelton, Washington
Round #3 - SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally
April 13, 1996, 2:00 PM
Press Notes #7
23. Here are recent rally home pages that have crossed our
desk:
Internet:http://www.li.net/~sandman/msports.html - Bob
Sanderson's page - many photos
Internet:http://www.susquehanna.com/susq - Ken Beard's page
Internet:pz@customeline.com - New England Region SCCA home
page
Internet:http://www.ozemail.com.au/~nrm/hrs.html -
Australian-based world-wide rally news for Hyundai
Internet:http://www.av.qnet.com/~teamhke/rim> - Rim of the World
home page
Internet:http://pubweb.acns.nwu.edu./~harrier/prelude/hmpg.html
Honda Race and Rally News home page
Internet:http://www.saabusa.com - Saab's home page - rally
info part of site
24. Here are the scores after ten stages (four stages to go):
Driver/co-driver Car Class Time (hrs:min:sec)
Merrill/Bellefleur Escort Cosworth Open 2:04:07
Karamanoglu/Bittner Eagle Talon PGT 2:04:43
Brasil/Tavaras Audi Quattro Open 2:12:06
Hull/Cassidy Eagle Talon PGT 2:17:02
Choiniere/Becker Hyundai Elantra Open 2:18:08
Peterson/Chaloupka VW GTI Group 2 2:21:38
Peterson/Gutzmann Kia Sephia Production 2:21:47
Damitio/Trowbridge Toyota All-trac PGT 2:22:38
Kosmides/Noyes Toyota Supra Group 5 2:27:58
Pizzagalli/Hauge Mitsubishi Galant PGT 2:39:27
25. Doug Shrenk/Michael Fenten's Saab 900 turbo blew its engine
on stage #9 and could not continue. Also a DNF was the Todd
Hartmann/Kurt Knestis VW GTI with a broken spindle.
26. The Toyota Supra Group 5 car of Ralph Kosmides/Joe Noyes went
off on stage #8 and risked a DNF, but the Mitsubishi Galant
team of Pizzagalli/Hauge pulled them out and kept the team in
the race.
27. Dave Peterson/Greg Chaloupka, the only car still running in
Group 2, broke a strut on stage #9, but replaced it in
service, and their VW GTI is on its way.
# # #
For Immediate Release Contact: Andy Schupack
(360) 352-0511
Rm. 236 through Sunday 4:00 PM
(401) 739-5677
after 4/14/96
TWO MEN FROM MAINE FINISH ONE-TWO IN WASHINGTON; MERRILL, KARAMAMOGLU
TOP TWO AT SCCA/MICHELIN PRO RALLY; ROUGH ROADS TAKE TOLL ON FIELD
OLYMPIA, Wash. -- April 13 -- Carl Merrill, from Ogunquit, Maine, with co-
driver John Bellefleur, ran a flawless event in their 400 horsepower
Ford Escort Cosworth to win the Wild West PRO Rally by 59 seconds.
Merrill, who was disqualified two years ago here after apparently winning
the rally, and was cheated last year when a flat tire put him out of
contention, felt that it was his turn to win the SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally
event in the Northwest.
"We have always run well here on the Capitol State Forest and the Simpson
Timber Company roads, but have never come away with the win. After some
muddy roads last night, we were able to stretch out today on the drying
gravel to secure the win," said Merrill, who, with his second place in
South Carolina earlier this season, now leads the SCCA/Michelin PRO
Rally series.
Second overall and winner of the Production GT class was the Eagle Talon
of Selcuk Karamanoglu, of Bath, Maine, with co-driver Yorgi Bittner.
Despite the more than 100 horsepower deficit to Merrill, Selcuk was
leading the event overall by 44 seconds after the first night, but Merrill
turned up the boost and kept him a bay for the remainder of the rally.
Defending champion Paul Choiniere, from Shelburne, Vermont, with co-driver
Jeff Becker, was the fastest car at the rally, besting the field by more
than four minutes on Saturday, but broken motor mounts led to a torn turbo
hose and a broken drive shaft Friday night which put Paul out of
contention for the win. Choiniere/Becker finished fourth, two minutes
behind third place Rui Brasil/Carlos Tavares in an Audi Quattro.
In the classes, besides the Karamanoglu/Bittner Production GT win,
Lon Peterson, from Victorville, Calif., with co-driver Bill Gutzmann, won
the Production class in a Kia Sephia; Ralph Kosmides, from Newport Beach,
Calif., with co-driver Joe Noyes, took their Toyota Supra to victory in
Group 5; and Dave Peterson with co-driver Greg Chaloupka, both from Aspen,
Colo., won Group 2 in their VW Golf GTI.
In a PRO Rally, each team consists of a driver and a co-driver (or
navigator), and the exact course is kept secret until just before the
event - different from World Rally, where practice is allowed. The cars
start at one-minute intervals and race against the clock over 6 - 15
stages which range in length from four to 25 miles. Most of the rallies
include night stages, making it necessary for competitors to adjust their
driving style. Speeds of more than 120 miles-per-hour could be reached on
long straight-aways, with the team achieving the fastest combined times
winning the event.
Top local finishers included Janice Damitio from Montesano, with co-driver
Amity Trowbridge from Seattle, won the divisional class on Saturday, and
were third in Production GT and sixth overall. Ms. Damitio, who is trying
to become to first woman ever to win a PRO Rally national
driving title, lost time on Friday with a flat tire and a bad distributor.
Sam Bryan, a Boeing engineer from nearby Kent, was scheduled to debut a
new factory-sponsored, Group 5 class Saab 900 turbo, but the team could
not finish building the car in time for the event. Bryan's car should
debut at the Rim of the World PRO Rally in Palmdale, Calif., May 4 - 5,
1996.
The 1996 SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally Series consists of eleven events, and is
sponsored by Michelin Tire Corporation, and sanctioned by the Sports Car
Club of America. The 1996 Wild West PRO Rally was organized by the
Northwest Region of the Sports Car Club of America and presented by the
Little Creek Casino in Shelton, Washington.
# # #
Round #3 - 1996 SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally Series
Wild West PRO Rally - Olympia, Washington
Final National Results - April 12 - 13, 1996
Finish Car Driver/ Co-Driver/ Make/Model/Class
Pos. No. Hometown Hometown Time (hrs:min:sec)
----- ---- ------------------ ----------------- -------------------
1 3 Carl Merrill John Bellefleur Ford Escort Cosworth/Open
Ogunquit, ME Thornhill, ONT 2:45:28
2 23 Selcuk Karamanoglu Yorgi Bittner Eagle Talon/PGT
Bath, ME Plain City, OH 2:46:27
3 25 Rui Brasil Carlos Tavaras Audi Quattro/Open
San Jose, CA San Jose, CA 2:55:22
4 1 Paul Choiniere Jeff Becker Hyundai Elantra/Open
Shelburne, VT Great Neck, NY 2:57:45
5 77 Roger Hull Ken Cassidy Eagle Talon/PGT
Prescott, AZ Tempe, AZ 3:02:21
6 17 Janice Damitio Amity Trowbridge Toyota Celica GTS/PGT
Montesano, WA Seattle, WA 3:05:22
7 22 Lon Peterson Bill Gutzmann Kia Sephia/Production
Victorville, CA Ontario, CA 3:06:58
8 17 David Peterson Greg Chaloupka VW GTI/Group 2
Aspen, CO Aspen, CO 3:13:59
9 16 Ralph Kosmides Joe Noyes Toyota Supra/Group 5
Newport Beach, CA Seattle, WA 3:14:05
10 11 John Pizzagalli Eric Hauge Mitsubishi Galant/PGT
S. Burlington, VT Napa, CA 3:22:08
Did_Not_Finish
33 Tom Ottey Pam McGarvey Hyundai Elantra/Open
Columbus, OH Columbus, OH
111 Bill Malik Renn Phillips Volvo 240/Group 2
Burbank, CA Del Mar, CA Nat./Div.
39 Mike Whitman Kevin Linville Datsun 510/Group 2
Farmington, NM Durango, CO Nat./Div.
24 Pete Lahm Jimmy Brandt Datsun PL 510/Group 2
Phoenix, AZ Lake Odessa, MI National
12 George Plsek Mark Ratham Saab 99 Turbo/Group 5
Sylmar, CA Del Mar, CA Nat./Div.
13 Douglas Shrenk Mike Fenter Saab 900/Group 2
Lynnwood, WA Canby, OR Nat./Div.
# # #
1996 SCCA/MICHELIN PRO RALLY SERIES
(Three of 11 events completed)
OVERALL
DRIVER POINTS CO-DRIVER POINTS
CARL MERRILL 31.0 JOHN BELLEFLEUR 31.0
SELCUK KARAMANOGLU 29.0 YORGI BITTNER 29.0
PAUL CHOINIERE 24.0 JEFF BECKER 24.0
RUI BRASIL 23.0 CARLOS TAVARAS 23.0
ROGER HULL 14.8 JOE NOYES 11.2
RALPH KOSMIDES 11.2 KEN CASSIDY 10.0
BILL MALIK 8.0 AMITY TROWBRIDGE 8.0
JANICE DAMITIO 8.0 RENN PHILLIPS 8.0
LON PETERSON 7.8 BILL GUTZMANN 7.8
RENY VILLEMURE 7.2 MIKE VILLEMURE 7.2
OPEN
DRIVER POINTS CO-DRIVER POINTS
CARL MERRILL 31.0 JOHN BELLEFLEUR 31.0
RUI BRASIL 29.0 CARLOS TAVARAS 29.0
PAUL CHOINIERE 26.0 JEFF BECKER 26.0
RICK BESON 9.0 TIM SARDELICH 9.0
RENY VILLEMURE 7.2 MIKE VILLEMURE 7.2
KEITH KREISLER 6.0 CHRIS ERNEY 6.0
DEAN FRY 4.8 DONALD KENNEDY 4.8
GROUP 5
DRIVER POINTS CO-DRIVER POINTS
RALPH KOSMIDES 34.0 JOE NOYES 34.0
HENRY KROLIKOWSKI 12.0 CINDY KROLIKOWSKI 12.0
GEORGE PLSEK 11.0 MARK RATHAM 11.0
LESLEY SUDDARD 9.0 ANNE THOMAS 9.0
PRODUCTION GT
SELCUK KARAMANOGLU 34.0 YORGI BITTNER 34.0
ROGER HULL 24.2 KEN CASSIDY 17.0
JANICE DAMITIO 14.0 AMITY TROWBRIDGE 14.0
JON PIZZAGALLI 12.0 ERIC HAUGE 12.0
DENNIS CHIZMA 9.0 TERRY STONECIPHER 9.0
PRODUCTION
DRIVER POINTS CO-DRIVER POINTS
LON PETERSON 34.0 BILL GUTZMANN 34.0
JIM ANDERSON 12.0 MARTIN DAPOT 12.0
GREGORY TREPETIN 9.0 SONIA TREPETIN 9.0
GROUP 2
DRIVER POINTS CO-DRIVER POINTS
DAVE PETERSON 22.0 GREG CHALOUPKA 22.0
BILL MALIK 14.0 RENN PHILLIPS 14.0
KURT THIEL 12.0 GEORGE THOMPSON 12.0
MIKE WHITMAN 11.0 KEVIN LINVILLE 11.0
SERGUEI BELOUSSOV 9.0 STEVE ROURKE 9.0
# # #