STACY, MINNESOTA -- It’s a new season, a new car, and a new class for Mayhem Racing in 2001. The team that took the Sports Car Club of America ProRally Group 5 Championship in 2000 will be back, but aboard an all-wheel drive 1992 Mitsubishi Eclipse, and in the Production GT category. The first event for the new car will be the Sno*Drift ProRally in Atlanta, Michigan, on January 27th.

The Eclipse GSX is turbocharged and all-wheel drive so it is a step up from the Dodge Omni GLH that we have run the past several years, said Utecht. The driving technique is a little different, so I am still learning how to get the most out of it.

Production GT is considered a stock class, allowing very few modifications other than for safety. The Mayhem Racing Eclipse has Sparco racing seats for driver and co-driver, Willans safety harnesses, a Mayhem Racing custom built roll cage, Auto Meter Gauges, a Terratrip rally computer, and a Terraphone intercom. Out front are Hella HID (high Intensity Discharge) Rally Lights in a custom pod, and for the icy roads of Sno*Drift the car will have Nokian Hakka Q tires. The only performance enhancement is the addition of a GReddy Profec Boost controller.

All-wheel drive will be a definite advantage on the icy roadways used for the Sno*Drift. To get some experience with AWD driving techniques, Utecht has recently been driving a modified Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX in ice races in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

In addition to the winning the Group 5 driver and co-driver titles in 2000, Utecht and Corneliusen were awarded the Jon Woodner Cup, presented to the most successful two-wheel drive competitors in the series. The pair were also given the SCCA Land O’ Lakes Region Rally Driver and Rally Co-driver of the Year trophies at the region’s annual awards banquet last Saturday (January 20).

There is one other change in the works for Mayhem Racing’s Brenda Corneliusen… a name change. In March she and Mayhem Racing Chief Mechanic J. B. Lewis will be getting married.

Mayhem Racing is based in Stacy, Minnesota, just north of the Twin Cities. Team manager is Mark's wife, Mary Utecht. J. B. Lewis, Brenda Corneliusen's fiance, is Chief Mechanic on the team's 1992 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX.

Sponsors of the Mayhem Racing ProRally effort include:

• ProGraphics - custom vinyl lettering for business and racing
• SpecialStage.com - on-line newsletter covering the sport of Performance Rallying.
• Warranty Solutions - warranty claims processing and consulting for automobile dealerships.