VANCOUVER, BC -- They rocked. And then they rolled. Two stages away from a Production GT win at this weekend's Rocky Mountain Rally, Rocket Rally Racing rolled its Subaru Impreza RS. The B.C.-based team ended up finishing the Alberta event 15th out of 29 cars.

Before the roll, the team had been locked in a tight battle for 1st place in Production GT - and 5th overall - with the Eagle Talon of Brian Scott and David Watts of Michigan. "We swapped the lead several times," said Ian McCurdy, Rocket Rally Navigator. "With the Talon's power advantage, Scott and Watts were faster on the uphill stages. But we were faster on the downhill stages." Rocket Rally Racing managed to eke out a 12-second lead right before the last two stages of the event: an 18-kilometre run downhill and then the same run uphill. But they knew that small lead wouldn't secure the win.

"We knew Scott and Watts would take about 10 to 15 seconds on the uphill stage, so we needed to do well on that downhill stage. Five seconds was all we needed. We went all-out, I wanted to win. In retrospect, I wasn't thinking about the championship," explained Pat Richard, Rocket Rally Driver.

About two kilometres from the end of the downhill stage, the car rolled on a 3rd gear left and hit a tree. After about 20 minutes, the team - with the assistance of the Subaru team of Dave Kozegi and Todd Patola, of Port Alberni, B.C. - put the car back on its wheels and finished the event.

"Thankfully, the damage was minimal: just some basic bodywork and a few wheels out of alignment," explained Crew Chief Dave Clark, of Dave Clark Motorsports. "The car will certainly be ready for the team's next race, Rallye Baie des Chaleurs in Quebec on July 7."

Despite the roll, the team still leads the Production GT standings in the 2000 Subaru Canadian Rally Championship and the North American Rally Cup. Rocket Rally Racing is supported by Specialty Subaru of North Vancouver, Drummond Motor Sport and Dragon Eyewear.

Rocky Mountain Rally will be televised several times on TSN and RDS, starting June 18.

For more information contact:
(East Coast)
Nathalie Richard, Rocket Rally Boss
media@rocketrally.com
Phone 416-922-9222

(West Coast)
Patrick Richard, Rocket Rally Driver
info@rocketrally.com
1409 Pendrell Street
Vancouver, BC V6G1S3
Phone 604-803-6095
Fax 604-803-6095