Tuthill Wins First SCCA International Rally in 13 Years

Chattanooga TN: Richard Tuthill has overnight become the man to beat in SCCA ProRally. Driving a mature, well-calculated event that saw the vast majority of his challengers fall by the wayside trying to keep up, the young gentleman from the UK steadily expanded his lead each day, building a comfortable, yet never overwhelming, buffer over his nearest rivals in John Buffum and Seamus Burke.

Key Notes & Quotes: ¨ The event started to resemble an episode of 'Survivor' rather than a SCCA ProRally as more and more teams were 'voted off the island' through mechanical failures or mis-judgement of road conditions, leaving several cars daily high-centered on the berms or stuck in the ditches of the logging trails. Only 23 of the 61 starting ProRally entries were running at the finish. Other than Thursday morning's rain, the weather was not a major factor, with cool mountain temperatures and partly cloudy skies keeping dust minimal and the technically challenging roads fast and smooth.

¨ The International Cherokee Trails Rally is the SCCA's first 'toe in the water' as the Club prepares to bid for a future round of the FIA's World Rally Championship. With over 800 miles in the route book, including 180 miles of special stages, vehicle endurance, adapting to and successfully using pacenotes, and finding an race survivable, yet competitive team cadence were the real challenges - a tall order for many US based rallyists who aren't familiar with performance rallying on this grand scale. The internationally based or experienced entries in the event drove the point home, as did the handful of gritty American teams that survived this test - but also set an enviable yet attainable example for all in attendance to aspire to in the coming months.

¨ John Buffum: recognizing Hyundai Motor America CEO Finbarr O'Neill, and several other industry dignitaries in the audience, including Subaru R&D President Tatsuo Sakai, asked all those in attendance to 'recognize the change in the sport,' and work together to further the growth of SCCA ProRally, 'as the manufacturers who are investing in it already are.' Regarding Tuthill, the rally legend noted: "I simply couldn't catch him - a great young driver."

¨ Richard Tuthill: who publicly thanked his co-driver for keeping him on-pace and in check, and car-owner Julian Masters for the opportunity to drive in the event, was satisfied with the new venue, remarking at the awards ceremony "There is no question that in a few years, this can be the finest World Rally event in the Championship."

¨ Another young talent in the SCCA performance rally ranks, Andrew Havas secured a career best 5th overall and an easy Group 5 win when a hard-charging Bryan Hourt retired with terminal mechanical problems in the days first special stage.

¨ Lauchlin O'Sullivan made a triumphant return to the SCCA ProRally Championship after taking nearly a year off, with a solid 7th place finish overall, and a first in PGT.

¨ In Production, a Michael Halley constructed Dodge Shadow, driven by Jeff Field, beat a Michael Halley driven VW New Beetle, and a new Ford Focus, driven by SCCA ProRally newcomer Craig Peeper, in the tightest competition of the event, the trio separated by barely 7 minutes over the course of 3 days.

¨ The 'home team' of Randy Bailey and Will Perry from nearby Soddy Daisy, TN, made a solid charge up the leaderboard to take their first Group 2 win in their first SCCA ProRally event with an inspired drive that kept the fans happy and their competition busy. Their immaculately prepared 1988 Isuzu Impulse made for a curious rally car choice, but the team and the car got the job done, with a commanding 11 minute window over 2nd place Eric Burmeister and Mark Buskirk. The window might not have been so wide were it not for a broken steering rack knuckle on the VW Golf - which took some 15 minutes on-stage to repair according to a resourceful Burmeister, "with a large rock."

¨ For the first time in their SCCA ProRally careers Seamus Burke and Frank Cunningham lead (unofficially) the overall driver's and co-drivers championships with 28 points each. Tuthill and Paul Choiniere are tied at 22, and Buffum and Mark Lovell are tied at 17 a piece.

¨ Despite Tuthill's convincing drive, Hyundai will maintain its early season Manufacturers Championship lead by virtue of Tuthill's 1997 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV being ineligible for SCCA MFG Council points. Burke, finishing 3rd and driving a 2000 Evo VI, generated the points for the company. Henry Krolikowski, in the top finishing Subaru, brought home 3rd place overall points, and 1st place Group N points for the company. The Manufacturers Championship standings (unofficially) are now: Hyundai: 40, with Subaru and Mitsubishi tied at 27 points each.

¨ Round 3 of the SCCA ProRally Championship is the Oregon Trail Rally in Tillamook, Oregon, located along the state's spectacular northern shoreline. The event is scheduled for the weekend of April 7-8.