Grand Rapids, Michigan -- Team Yo! Rallysport is nearing final preparation for its first ever entry into the Sports Car Club of America's (SCCA) ClubRally event, the Cherokee Trails ClubRally to be held March 25th in Cleveland, Tennessee. The team consists of driver Jerry Brownell of Grand Rapids, MI, co-driver Jim Windsor of Ft. Wayne, IN, and crew chief Greg McConiga, Service Manager for O'Daniel Olds-Jeep in Fort Wayne.

"We are really behind the 8-ball at this point," says Brownell. "Up until February 15th we were planning on April 15th as the date of the race, but someone realized that it conflicted with turkey season in Tennessee, so they moved it up three weeks. I guess they didn't feel that 300 hp cars screaming through the woods was compatible with turkey hunting. We are just going to have to compress our preparation plans." Windsor agrees, but is determined to get it done. "I don't want to sit out this one. Let's 'press on regardless'," he says.

Rally racing is currently the second largest spectator sport in Europe and is gaining popularity in North America. Technically, it is called "performance rally". Quite simply, it is a flat-out race over closed sections of rural roads by modified production automobiles. Competitors race one car at a time against the clock, usually at one-minute intervals. Flat-out racing is done primarily on dirt roads and two-tracks blocked off from civilian traffic, rather than on prepared tracks. Events are usually several hundred miles long, often lasting for two days. Each car has a driver and a co-driver (or navigator).

Their car will be one of the most recognizable on the ClubRally circuit and should prove to be quite competitive. It is a 1983 Chevy Citation (most cars in ClubRally are small imports) with a Buick 3.8L engine and a great "pedigree". It was built by Guy Light in 1988 for Gail Hoult (Truess) and last raced in 1997. Guy Light has built many other successful and unique rally cars, including the 1999 Production Class Championship winning VW New Beetle. Gail Hoult Truess is the 1999 Production GT Class champion, and first ever female National class champion in ProRally (the National version of ClubRally). Gail drove the car to a runner-up finish in the Central Division ClubRally Championship, and won the Jamaican National Rally with it. The car is very strong and durable and has finished nearly 90% of the races entered. Only 50% to 70% of the cars entered in a race typically finish.

The car will be entered in "Group 5", which is open to two wheel drive modified cars with adjusted engine displacement under 5.1L. There are also divisions for Production, Production GT, Group 2 (modified, under 2.3L) and an Open class, where virtually anything goes.

Plans for the remainder of 2000 include two races in Minnesota, one in Munising, Michigan, and one in Houghton, Michigan.

To find out more about ProRally/ClubRally, visit the SCCA website at www.sccaprorally.org. For more on the Cherokee Trails ClubRally, visit http://usrally.com/sediv/cherokee.cfm.

Information:
Team Yo! Rallysport
1567 Coit N.E.
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
Phone 616-361-2516
E-mail: brownell@benteler.com