Prescott, Arizona USA -- Team Havspeed wrapped up their west coast "swing" in great style today, winning their class, besting the two-wheel drive field and finishing 5th overall amidst a strong group of four-wheel drive cars. Driver Andrew Havas teamed up again with co-driver John R. Allen, and service crew chief Frank de Kat.

The event was truly an adventure, as competitors encountered some of the roughest terrain imaginable on Friday night. On Saturday's final stage runs along a breathtaking ridge into the old mining town of Jerome, crews first encountered heavy rains, then a freak ice storm that left two inches of accumulation in it's wake!

As in the Wild West ProRally last month, the team's run was an exercise in overcoming obstacles. Friday's night stages were done with only partial auxiliary lighting due to an electrical gremlin, Saturday the team suffered another ruptured oil cooler. Havas was struggling physically with a broken rib sustained the week before preparing the car, which made the going tough on the twisty and rough roads with no power assisted steering. In the end, the team's hard work paid off with the good fortune of a strong finish. "I have to thank my crew, and Dave Clark Motorsports for helping with our new DMS front suspension, and the use of his shop to prepare the car for this brutally rough event. Without the DMS, I'm sure we would have been out the first night, conditions were so tough. In the end, I think we were a bit lucky to finish... Our poor Mazda has been through hell on this mission, and we really made it in on a 'wing and a prayer'! "

The team will most likely skip the last round of the SCCA ProRally series in Michigan, to concentrate on preparing the car for the prestigious FIA Rally International Charlevoix, in Quebec, Canada.

http://www.havspeed.com is currently under construction, but check in soon for the new site and improved updates, event photos, and television and press exposure.

Team Havspeed is supported in part by Orange Auto Electric, Bosch, EarlsIndy.com, Panasport, and DMS. Photo courtesy of TeamR-3.com. Visit the Prescott Forest event website for official results at http://www.prescottforestrally.com

Andrew Havas
Havspeed International Racing
http://www.havspeed.com