DETROIT, MI -- The Burmeister Rallysport team of Eric Burmeister and Mark Buskirk will be heading to Chattanooga, Tennessee later this week for the first running of the International Cherokee Trails Rally. This televised event will be host to many accomplished rally teams from across the nation and around the world with international, national, and regional classes of competition being represented.

Burmeister and Buskirk will be competing in the Group 2 national ProRally class, a class for 2 liter, 2 wheel drive machines. The team is off to a great start for 2001 with a win at the first round in Atlanta, Michigan in January and hopes to extend their lead in the SCCA ProRally Championship for Group 2. The Michigan event, Sno*Drift ProRally, will be aired on Speedvision on March 19th at 8:00pm and again at midnight.

"This rally (Cherokee Trails) is a lot different than any other on the series," explained Burmeister. "Since it is being run under international regulations, it allows for reconnaissance. That's where we get to practice the roads at slow speeds and make our own notes instead of relying on provided instructions. It should allow us to go a lot faster."

In addition to Eric's father, Art Burmeister, the team will be joined by a new force to help with servicing the car at the rally. Colin McCleery, driver and car builder for Sierra Motorsports, will be on hand to insure the success of the team in the service areas as service time is much shorter than usual at this event.

Remarked Eric, "I'm glad to have such an experienced crew. I thank both Colin and my dad for sitting out this event so I can benefit from their knowledge and abilities."

The car has undergone numerous changes thanks to Sierra Motorsports and Sachs Race Engineering since the first round and testing went well this past weekend in West Michigan. The pair practiced making pace notes for the first time and found it eye opening, but encouraging.

The SCCA ProRally series is a "stage" or "performance" rally series that stretches across the nation. Sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America and televised on SPEEDVISION, this form of motorsport is growing by leaps and bounds in the United States. Competitors race flat out against the clock for hundreds of miles on a course of backroads closed to public usage. A co-driver or navigator tells the driver where every jump, dangerous turn or other obstacle is to the hundredth of a mile.

Watch for Sno*Drift on Speedvision on March 19th and Cherokee Trails on April 9th.

For information on the SCCA ProRally series, check: http://www.sccaprorally.org

For information on the International Cherokee Trails Rally, go to: http://www.cherokeetrailsrally.com/

Burmeister Rallysport can be reached at: (313)792-2397 or e-mail Eric Burmeister at: lurch3@prodigy.net

Sierra Rallysport can be reached at: http://rallysport.net/SierraRallySports/

Quaife America can be reached at: http://www.quaifeamerica.com/

Sachs Race Engineering can be reached at: http://www.sachs-ag.de/english/motorsports/index.htm