PRESS RELEASE: Driver change means Finn is going for a hat-trick

Last-minute entry as Finn goes for hat-trick


A last-minute switch of driver has added extra spice to the entry list for
next weekend¹s (September 15/16) Kumho Tyres Scottish Rally. Finland¹s Tapio
Laukkanen, winner of the event for the past two years, will line up at the
Dumfries start next Saturday morning in a Kumho Tyres backed Subaru Impreza,
aiming for his third successive win.

The 31-year-old Finn, who has been competing in rallies for ten years, will
be taking over the Subaru Impreza that was originally entered for Jarmo
Kytolehto. Kytolehto has had to withdraw to ensure he can get to New Zealand
in time for the world championship round.

Laukkanen came to prominence on the RSAC Scottish Rally in 1997 when he
finished second to Alister McRae, after a nail-biting finish on the last
stage when the two went head-to-head in their Volkswagen Golf GTis. His
first win north of the border came in 1999 in a Renault Megane Maxi, with a
repeat success last year in a Volkswagen Golf GTi.

Organised by the Royal Scottish Automobile Club (Motor Sport) Ltd, the Kumho
Tyres Scottish Rally is Scotland¹s biggest motorsport event. Sponsored by
Kumho Tyres, with financial and operational support from Dumfries and
Galloway Council, the rally starts from English Street in Dumfries at 8 am
on Saturday (September 15) morning.

After an overnight halt back in Dumfries, the restart is at 7 am on Sunday
(September 16) morning with the finish at lunchtime. The total length of the
route is around 375 miles of which 106 miles are in competitive sections in
some of the UK's best forest stages, where the competing crews will be timed
to a fraction of a second.

Commenting on Tapio Laukkanen¹s entry, Jonathan Lord, the RSAC's Clerk of
the Course Jonathan Lord said:
"Tapio Laukkanen¹s entry adds considerably to the interest in this year¹s
Kumho Tyres Scottish Rally and it will be fascinating to see if he can score
a hat-trick on this, the 56th running of the event. No-one has ever won
three years in succession before."

The Kumho Tyres Scottish Rally was due to run in June, but was postponed due
to the foot and mouth epidemic. The event will provide a welcome boost for
the Dumfries and Galloway region ­ previous year¹s estimates have put the
value of additional business resulting from the rally at around £1 million.

The organisers have renewed their plea to spectators to respect the problems
there have been with foot and mouth and to avoid crossing farm land or
contacting farm animals.

… The  Kumho Tyres Scottish Rally website is at
http://www.scottishrally.co.uk.

Notes:
1. High-res (1.5mb) photo of Tapio Laukkanen can be e-mailed on request.
2. Previous multiple winners of the RSAC Scottish Rally have been:
… Andrew Cowan ­ winner in 1962 and 1963.
… Roger Clark ­ winner in 1964, 1965, 1967 and 1968.
… Hannu Mikkola ­ winner in 1972, 1978, 1980, 1982 and 1984.
… Malcolm Wilson ­ winner in 1985 and 1994.
… David Llewellin ­ winner in 1989 and 1990.
… Colin McRae ­ winner in 1991 and 1992.
… Alister McRae ­ winner in 1998 and 1999.