SCCA ProRally - Final News and Results - Rim of the
World
04 May, 2002
SCCA® ProRallysm Championship - Round 4 - Rim of the World
Day Two Results and News
David Higgins makes it 3 for 3, Hyundai Extends Lead
PALMDALE, California Three consecutive wins with three different co-drivers
have marked Independent David Higgins as the man who has clearly set his mind
to conquering the series, but all three works teams are not about to make it
easy. Hyundai, who have now put most of their early development issues
behind them, dominated this event first with Choiniere, then with Mark
Higgins, but a front suspension problem late in the day put them
insurmountably behind. Subaru too was in the hunt, despite a big roll-over
with Mark Lovell on day one, also created at time loss that was more than the
team could make up.
Key Notes & Quotes:
¨ As is always the case at Rim, the punishing high-desert environment took
its toll on equipment, with 18 Pro series retirements over the 2-day rally.
Gratefully, only 2001 Overall Champion Mark Lovell's fully functional but
thoroughly wrinkled Subaru WRX looked the worse for wear at the conclusion of
the event, with nearly all retirements coming from equipment failures caused
by the pounding the cars take over the challenging and fiercely dusty Angeles
National Forest roads. Said Lovell at the finish: "We are lucky to be here,
and despite the less than perfect weekend for us, we really do enjoy this
event, and look forward to being here next year - the (organizing) committee
has made huge strides forward from last year, and the field of cars was truly
impressive."
¨ Visiting Subaru/Prodrive WRC driver Petter Solberg had the opportunity to
experience the Rim of the World roads firsthand, and agreed with what other
visitors to the event have said in the past - that the conditions here are
very similar to the Acropolis and Cypress rallys - two of the toughest and
most challenging rallys in the World Rally Championship.
¨ 2001 Group N Champion Karl Scheible, this time rallying in Open class
with father and series veteran Wayne Scheible co-driving had a terrific
welcome back to the Championship, taking the third place podium, and
announcing that he would also be at his home event and Round 5 of the
Championship, Susquehannock Trail, at the end of this month.
¨ The Overall Manufacturer's Championship has taken yet another interesting
turn, with Mitsubishi's DNF of both their Open class entries, forcing them to
give up their 2nd place position to Subaru, but both companys saw Hyundai
pull further away, aided by the resurgent teams solid 2nd place podium
position. Mitsubishi did have a bit of good luck however, with Lauchlin
O'Sullivans first place finish in Group 2, allowing them to extend their lead
over Eric Burmeister's Mazda by 7 more points. As the Championship heads
east, to roads that are much better known by the Burmeister Motorsports team,
this bit of points padding could prove to be useful insurance.
¨ The Drivers Championship as the series heads to its mid-year point, is
firmly in the hands of David Higgins, who at (unofficially) 67 points now has
a substantial margin over brother Mark Higgins at 50, and Mark Lovell, at 44.
Mark Nelson was this weekend's fast riser, earning 10 points, tying him with
Rhys Millen at 25 points. The Co-Drivers' Championship, by virtue of the
frequent co-driver changes at Subaru and with David Higgins (who has changed
co-drivers for the last three events) is a completely different story.
Hyundai's Michael Gibson in the lead at 50, Subaru's Steve Turvey in second
at 43, and Mitsubishi's Garry Cowan tied with Independent Charles Bradley at
25 for third.
¨ The SCCA ProRally Championship switches coasts for Round 5, heading to
the lush eastern forests in the Endless Mountains of north central
Pennsylvania for the oldest and fastest rally in the series - the
Susquehannock Trail Rally, on June 1.
Rim of the World - SCCA ProRally Championship - Round 4
03-04 May, 2002
Complete Leg Two Finish Order (unofficial)
times are in hours: minutes: seconds
Start Finish Car# Time Seed Class Driver Name Co-Driver Car
2 1 16 2:34:44 FIA Open David Higgins Daniel Barritt 02 Subaru WRX
3 2 5 2:35:57 0 Open Mark Higgins Michael Gibson 03 Hyundai
Tiburon
5 3 61 2:43:16 0 Open Karl Scheible Wayne Scheible 00 Subaru
Impreza
2 4 1 2:44:13 0 Open Mark Lovell Steve Turvey 02 Subaru WRX
9 5 110 2:46:02 1 Open Mark Nelson Charles Bradley 00 Mitsubishi
Lancer Evo 6
11 6 32 2:51:00 1 Open Paul Eklund Scott Huhn 02 Subaru WRX
21 7 374 2:54:13 3 Open Leon Styles John Dillon 91 Audi S2
32 8 259 2:57:06 4 Open Scott Trinder Robert Trinder 00 Subaru
Impreza 2.5 RS
30 9 88 2:57:28 4 N Doug Havir Scott Putnam 02 Subaru WRX
48 10 369 3:00:00 5 PGT Brian Scott Ed Wahl 92 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX
42 11 94 3:01:14 5 N Craig Peeper Ian Bevan 02 Subaru WRX
29 12 90 3:02:01 2 G2 Lauchlin O'Sullivan Aaron Laeng 02 Mitsubishi
Lancer RMR
31 13 79 3:05:02 3 P Jeff Field Dave Weiman 02 Toyota Celica GTS
15 14 52 3:05:29 1 G5 Doug Shepherd Peter Gladysz 02 Dodge Neon SRT
20 15 28 3:07:47 2 G2 Bill Malik Christian Edstrom 93 Volvo 240
59 16 382 3:08:07 5 PGT John Nelson M Samli 00 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS
45 17 77 3:09:38 3 PGT Bob Henderson John McArthur 02 Subaru WRX
28 18 207 3:10:23 3 G5 David Hintz Rick Hintz 88 Mazda RX-7 turbo
53 19 72 3:10:39 5 P Jon Hamilton Josh Westhoven 02 VW Golf TDi
30 20 42 3:10:57 3 G2 Eric Burmeister Eric Adams 01 Mazda Protégé MP3
14 21 22 3:11:44 1 N Ralph Kosmides Jimmy Brandt 99 Subaru Impreza
WRX-STi
46 22 220 3:12:18 5 PGT Bruce Davis Claire Chizma 91 Eagle Talon TSi
73 23 215 3:19:38 6 P Jamie Thomas John Reed 93 Subaru Impreza
49 24 377 3:24:01 6 PGT Sean McKenna Neal Kiley 91 Eagle Talon TSi
47 25 514 3:35:40 5 PGT Roland McIvor Bill Montgomery 96 Mitsubishi
Eclipse GSX
36 26 357 4:14:31 4 G2 Chris Burns David Hackett 92 Eagle Talon
Leading Day One ProRally Retirements - official 03-04
May, 2002
Start Car# Seed Class Driver Co-Driver Year Mfg Stage
Reason
6 4 0 Open Rod Millen Cal Coatsworth 02 Mitsubishi SS1
Suspension
17 48 2 Open Lon Peterson John Elkin 00 Subaru SS2 Alternator
10 107 1 Open Tim Paterson John Allen 97 Mitsubishi SS3
Alternator
7 13 0 Open Richard Tuthill John Bennie 97 Mitsubishi SS4
Electrical
16 37* 2 Open Tony Chavez Eddie Cardenas 91 Mitsubishi SS4
Alternator
1 6 0 Open Paul Choiniere Jeff Becker 03 Hyundai SS5 Driveline
13 34 1 Open Peter Lahm Tony Lumino 97 Mitsubishi SS6 Suspension
Leading Day Two ProRally Retirements - official 03-04
May, 2002
Start Car# Seed Class Driver Co-Driver Year Mfg Stage
Reason
18 275 2 Open Nat T-Stow Ben Bradley 02 Subaru SS7 Engine management
8 3 1 Open Rhys Millen Garry Cowan 00 Mitsubishi SS9 Front
differential, motor
9 2 1 Open Ramana Lagemann Brian Maxwell 02 Subaru SS9 Engine
19 51 2 G5 Jay Streets Janice Damitio 83 Volvo SS9 Rear Axle
26 103 3 N Wyeth Gubelmann Therin Pace 02 Subaru SS11 Undisclosed
25 124 3 N Peter Workum Alex Gelsomino 02 Subaru SS12
Undisclosed
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