VANCOUVER, BC -- A new team will be appearing on the rally scene at Cochrane, Alberta, this weekend.

The eye-catching purple and white Subaru Justy is a rally team with a difference. Instead of seeking financial sponsorship, Martin Wilson (Driver) and Dennis Wende (Navigator) have chosen to use the car to promote awareness and raise funds for the ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) Society of B.C., a registered charity which supports persons affected by this rapidly progressive, neuromuscular disorder*.

The Justy will be quite a change for Martin, who was last seen driving Taisto Heinonen’s 1980 championship winning Toyota Corolla in 2001. "While it may not be the fastest car on the straight, it’s a very manouevrable, affordable 4 wheel drive car" says Martin, "demanding just as much from both driver and navigator as an Open Class car". With neither of them being new to the sport, Martin and Dennis are expecting to be very competitive in the P1 class, and will be contesting the 2002 Western Regional Championship.

The Justy or "ALSmobile" as it is being called, will be busy - not only participating in six rallies this year, but also appearing on display at ALS fund raising events, starting with the charity’s 5 km run in Vancouver on April 7, where it will be filled with balloons and participants will have to guess the number to win various prizes.

Will all that helium make the car float? "We don’t know for sure", Martin replies, "but I have every intention of making it fly".

Look out for more news on the flying Justy at www.rallyequipment.com/alsrally/.

*For more information on ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease), and volunteer opportunities, visit www.alsbc.ca.