Colchester, Vermont, USA -- After capturing the inaugural Group N Championship as well as a second place overall finish in the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) ProRally Championship this season, the formidable team of Karl Scheible from Spencerport, New York and Russ Hughes from Leroy, New York, along with support from Vermont SportsCar, are headed to the Rally of the Tall Pines in Ontario, Canada this coming weekend hoping to capture their first-ever North American Rally Cup Championship.

"All Karl needs to clinch his first-ever Driver's title in the North American Rally Cup Championship this weekend is to start the event," stated Vermont Sportscar owner Lance Smith, "for Russ, the task is a bit more complicated - but not out of reach. If they can manage to score a third place overall finish at Tall Pines this weekend, that will be just enough to give Russ the Overall Co-Driver's title as well!"

With six class wins and two overall wins in the SCCA ProRally Championship to their credit this year, not to mention a second place overall finish behind Tom McGeer at the Rally of the Voyageurs in Perry Sound, Ontario, the New York state duo certainly knows how to deal with pressure and is eagerly looking forward to this weekend's challenging event.

"The main objective this weekend is for Russ and I to remain focused throughout the entire rally - this is what we've done all season and it's worked," stated Scheible, "We plan to drive our own race and let the chips fall where they may. There are nearly 60 teams entered this weekend and many of them have the ability to win the rally outright. We know we don't have to worry about the durability of our Mitsubishi Lancer, that's a given, we just want to drive smart and focus on a top-three finish. If we can manage that, we will have accomplished what we set out to do over eleven months ago - to capture the 2000 North American Rally Cup Championship."

The Vermont SportsCar North American Rally Team is based in Colchester, Vermont and receives corporate support from the following international corporations: Lazer Digital Services, Flower City Printing, Ohlins Suspension Systems from Sweden, Hella Lighting Systems, New England Racing Fuels & Sunoco Race Fuels, Stack Instruments, Aearo Peltor and MOMO Automotive Accessories.

For more information regarding the team of Scheible and Hughes or Vermont SportsCar, please contact Paul Giblin, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Vermont SportsCar at 603-383-4088 or via e-mail at paulgiblin@usa.net. Please visit the team's web site at: WWW.VTCAR.COM for the latest in rally news and sponsor information.

Vermont SportsCar
23 Hercules Drive
Colchester, VT 05446
Tel 802-655-3533
Fax 802-655-6693
E-mail info@vtcar.com
Web www.vtcar.com