Houghton, Michigan -- Team Paradox and the RallyRhybuddRacing program ended a frustrating 2002 rally season in Houghton, Michigan at the ClubRallies accompanying the Lake Superior ProRally, October 18 and 19. A metaphor for the Team's entire season, the two day event saw their 1968 MG capture a surprisingly good finish in the Friday Ottawa ClubRally, only to be disappointed by being forced to withdraw with mechanical troubles well into the Saturday Keweenau ClubRally.

The weather on the Keweenau Peninsula in mid-October is always a factor at the Lake Superior ProRally event, and this year's rain and snow contributed to wet and unpredictable road conditions. With the difficult road conditions and poor visibility, the Team was very pleased with a large win in Group 2 and fourth Overall in the Ottawa ClubRally on Friday night. This resulted in a starting position for Saturday morning of 21st on the road, well into the front half of the field of competitors. Road conditions were somewhat drier, and the Team hoped to take advantage of their improved road position to turn in a good run in Saturday's Keweenau ClubRally. However, extremely rough road conditions on the early stages proved to be a major handicap for the low-slung MGBGT, and by the end of the first four stages, a major oil leak was evident. The Team initially hoped to at least limp through to the rally's end, but shortly into the next special stage, the popular Brockway Mountain, it was obvious that the oil leak was too severe. Adding more oil at the end of the stage, the car was barely limped into service, where the Team withdrew from the rally.

The 2002 season had started well for the RallyRhybuddRacing program, with solid finishes at the Sandblast ClubRallies. Having won the SCCA Central Division's Group 2 Championship in 2001, the Team next ran the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood, at the ClubRally National Championship, where they took a second in the Championship Group 2 competition, and the win in the sport's first Historic Class competition. Following these successes, the Team had been looking forward to a good rally summer, only to have hopes dashed by mechanical troubles forcing withdrawals at the Susquehannock Trail and Maine Forest ProRallies. The Lake Superior ProRally events were Team Paradox's final rallies for the 2002 season.

Team Paradox created the RallyRhybuddRacing program in 1997 to campaign a 1968 MGBGT in the SCCA Performance Rally series, and entered their first ProRally at Susquehannock Trail in 1999. Proponents of the newly created Historic Class, they encourage rallyists interested in vintage machinery to compete in the series. Further information about Team Paradox and the RallyRhybuddRacing program can be found at the Team's website, www.rhybudd.com

SCCA Performance Rally is the premier stage rally series in North America. Racing prepared production cars against the clock over closed forest roads, Performance Rally is an extreme test of man and machine in motorsports. Further information about SCCA Performance Rally can be found at the SCCA website, www.scca.org.