FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 20, 2013 |
For more information, Contact: Antoine L’Estage Coyote Rallye Media Services 514-825-4332 E-mail: alestage@coyoterallye.com Website: http://www.coyoterallye.com/ |
MONTREAL, QUEBEC — Reigning Canadian and North American Rally Champions Antoine L'Estage (of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Qc) and Nathalie Richard (of Halifax, Nova Scotia) will contest the final two rounds of the Rally America series in an Open Class 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, via support from Subaru and John Buffum's Vermont-based Libra Racing shop. The Rockstar Energy Rally Team will make their first appearance in the car, an ex-Subaru Rally Team USA car last used by the team in 2010, this week at Minnesota's Ojibwe Forests Rally, and again at the Lake Superior Performance Rally in Michigan this fall.
« After our big accident in the WRC Lancer a few months ago, we were left without a car and looking for something competitive with which we could finish the Rally America series » exclaimed Quebec driver Antoine L'Estage. « The opportunity arose to drive a Subaru at the final two rounds and Subaru stepped up with support to make it happen. We're grateful for their assistance and I'm really looking forward to driving this car. We've had really great seasons for the past few years with amazing results. This year started off with a win at the SnoDrift Rally in January and we were hoping that it was a sign of another great season ahead. That didn't happen in the Rally America series but we always worked really hard and we've now been presented with this great opportunity to finish off the year in a competitive car with the help of Subaru » he adds.
L'Estage will drive the Rockstar Subaru WRX STI in the last two rounds of the 2013 Rally America series. The car will be serviced by John Buffum's Libra Racing with technical assistance from Subaru technical-partner Vermont SportsCar.
The Ojibwe Forests Rally, based out of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, is making a return to the Rally America calendar after a several year absence. L'Estage and Richard will be competing in the 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI for their very first time and both are eagerly looking forward to the opportunity « It's been somewhat of an anomaly for us to encounter so many challenges in one championship, in the same year. We won the last Canadian event at the end of June and we're now hoping to finish off the Rally America series on a high note » shares Rockstar Energy co-driver Nathalie Richard. The duo currently leads the 2013 North American Rally Cup and good results at these last two events would help increase their lead.
Antoine L'Estage holds five North American championship titles (2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012), five Canadian titles (2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012), one American title (2010), and thirty-nine overall victories in Canada and the US. Nathalie Richard holds eight overall national championship titles (2004, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012 in Canada and 2004, 2005, 2010 in the US), as well as forty-five overall rally wins on both sides of the border. She also holds a record eight North American Co-Driving Championship titles (2004 - 2012, excluding 2006).
Antoine L'Estage and Nathalie Richard participate in the 2013 Rally America and Canadian Rally Championships with the support of Rockstar Energy Drink, Subaru, Fenetres Concerto, Yokohama Tires, Drenth Motorsport Gearboxes, Énergie Cardio, Formica Group, Alpinestars, VP Racing Fuels, Exe-Tc Suspensions, Driver's Edge Autosport, and Libra Racing.
For more information on the team or on rallying in general, visit antoinelestage.com.
2013 Canadian Rally Championship Calendar | |||
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Date | Event | Location | |
February 2 | RALLYE PERCE-NEIGE | Maniwaki, Québec | DNF |
June 29-30 | RALLYE BAIE-DES-CHALEURS | New Richmond, Québec | 1st |
September 6-7 | RALLYE DÉFI | Ste-Agathe, Québec | |
October 4-5 | PACIFIC FOREST RALLY | Merritt, British Columbia | |
November 2 | ROCKY MOUNTAIN RALLY | Invermere, British Columbia | |
November 30 | RALLY OF THE TALL PINES | Bancroft, Ontario |
2013 Rally America Series Calendar | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date | Event | Location | |
January 25-26 | SNO*DRIFT RALLY | Atlanta, Michigan | 1st |
February 22-23 | 100 ACRE WOOD | Salem, Missouri | DNF |
May 3-4 | OREGON TRAIL | Portland, Oregon | DNF |
May 31-June 1 | S.T.P.R. | Wellsboro, Pennsylvania | Absent |
July 26-27 | NEW ENGLAND FOREST RALLY | Bethel, Maine | DNF |
August 22-23 | OJIBWE FORESTS RALLY | Detroit Lakes, Minnesota | |
October 18-19 | LAKE SUPERIOR PRO RALLY | Houghton, Michigan |