WELLSBORO, PENNSYLVANIA -- Despite last-minute ignition troubles and wet weather, the MGB GT of the RallyRhybuddRacing / Team Paradox made a good showing at the Susquehannock Trail ProRally on June 2, 2001. Improving upon past years’ performance at STPR, the Team finished 6th out of twelve Group 2 finishers, and was 39th overall of 51 competitors completing the rally. A total of 90 cars started this 25th running of the rally.

The Team’s technical troubles were summed up by driver Phil Smith,"We arrived in Wellsboro fully prepared and fully confident, but were surprised by a failure of the car’s ignition system during the practice stage on Friday. Fortunately, part of our service crew arrived in my road-going MGBGT, and between that car and parts borrowed from local MG enthusiast Ed Woodruff, we were able to put together a less-than-ideal but functional ignition in time for the Saturday rally start."

With the last-minute changes being made, the Team’s stage times over the first seven stages were not as good as hoped for. However, the final five stages were in the rain, and here the Team’s performance improved relative to the competitor field. Co-driver Dallas Smith commented, "The roads really got greasy, but in our low-horsepower rear drive car, being loose on the road is our usual modus operandi. So the muddy conditions didn’t slow us quite as much as other competitors." The Team’s stage times improved to mid-pack status over the last four stages. One particular highlight of the early stages, though, was the famed water crossing at the end of the first stage. Team Paradox was one of the few teams to smoothly make the twelve inch deep crossing without stalling or assistance.

The Susquehannock Trail ProRally was round 5 of the 2001 SCCA ProRally series. The rally has been run annually for the past 25 years. Since the beginning, it has been headquartered in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, and features the roads of Tioga State Forest. It has a reputation of a fast and challenging rally over well-surfaced and highly crowned narrow roads.

The RallyRhybuddRacing program was launched in 1997 by dedicated MG enthusiasts Phil and Dallas Smith, aka Team Paradox, to campaign an MG in the SCCA Performance Rally series. Two years were required to find and prepare a 1968 BGT for the rigors of Performance Rally. After obtaining their rally licenses at the Ski Sawmill Performance Rally school, Team Paradox made their ProRally debut at the Susquehannock Trail ProRally in 1999. As the Team’s rally skills and car preparation knowledge increases, a more aggressive rally schedule has been pursued each year, and participation in most of the eastern ProRally events is planned for 2001.

For further information about RallyRhybuddRacing, Team Paradox, and the rally MGBGT, check out their website at www.rhybudd.com. Information about the SCCA Performance Rally series can be found at www.scca.com.