Colchester, Vermont -- Eleven-time US National rally champion John Buffum, driving a Vermont Sports Car prepared 1998 Mitsubishi Evolution V, co-piloted by car owner and builder Lance Smith, won the Rallye Auto Charlevoix this past weekend in La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada.

Defeating Frank and Dan Sprongl in their super-powerful Audi Quattro S-2 by 22 seconds, Buffum and Smith posted their second win in as many weeks having recently won the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Lake Superior PRO Rally.

"The competition was very close for the entire rally," stated Lance Smith at the awards ceremony held on Sunday morning, "but we were fortunate to have no mechanical failures and the conditions along the course were excellent. We really want to thank the rally organizers and Export A (rally title sponsor) for putting together such a fun event and the volunteers for working the many stages."

Buffum/Smith led for the entire rally after the second stage, although the Sprongl's gained time on the tarmac stages whereas Buffum/Smith gained time on the gravel stages. Heading into the last two tarmac stages in La Malbaie, Buffum/Smith were leading by just over 34 seconds. The Sprongl's were able to cut 12 seconds off Buffum and Smith's lead on the tarmac, but it wasn't enough to steal victory from the two rallyists from Colchester, Vermont. Up to this event, the Sprongl's had gone undefeated in the Canadian National Rally Championship in 1999 having won the previous seven Canadian rallies.

For more information and a complete listing of final results on the Rallye Auto Charlevoix, please check the following web site for details: www.rallye_charlevoix.com.

For more information on John Buffum and Libra Racing: http://members.aol.com/LibraRally
For more informatin on Vermont Sports Car and Lance Smith: http://www.vtcar.com