MEDIA ALERT - SCCA ProRally - Ojibwe Forests
The press release text included below is also available in a formatted Word97-Word2000 document. If you would prefer to receive our press releases in that format, or if you wish to opt out of these distributions, please send your request to: sccaprorally@aol.com. For immediate release 12 August, 2002 MEDIA ALERT SCCA ProRally Championship Round #8 - Ojibwe Forests DENVER, CO: Eighth round (of ten) for the 2002 season. An impressive 77 car field of SCCA and FIA Performance Rally cars are slated to start the Ojibwe Forests SCCA ProRally; cars will compete on the fast and smooth, but often sandy state forest roads in the upper reaches of north central Minnesota. This performance rally event is sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). The SCCA ProRally Championship is presented by Hyundai Motor America, Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, and Subaru of America. The Ojibwe Forests Rally is presented locally by Bloomington Subaru, a Luther Dealership. When & Where: 16-17 August 2002; Bemidji, MN; approximately 180 miles (275 kilometers) northwest of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Headquarters Hotel - Friday/Saturday Press Room; Event and Media registration Northern Inn and Convention Center (Adjacent to Bemidji-Beltrami Airport; Bemidji, MN 56601) Hotel main phone: 218.751.9500 Media & Fan Receptions - Wednesday 14 August - Bloomington & Brooklyn Park, MN For the first time in the SCCA ProRally Championship, the Ojibwe Forest event will have two simultaneous media and fan receptions in the pre-event host metropolitan area surrounding Minneapolis, listed here in order of their starting times. Event #1: Hyundai Rally Team USA will be at Brooklyn Park Hyundai, 7875 Brooklyn Blvd., Brooklyn Park, MN. Call the dealership at: 713.424.4400 for additional information. Expected to be on-hand will be the team's new Tiburon rally cars, plus former multi-time SCCA ProRally Champions Paul Choiniere and Jeff Becker, with teammates Mark Higgins and Michael Gibson. The cars will be on display from 5:00 - 8:00 PM. Event #2: Bloomington Subaru, an authorized reseller of Subaru automobiles, will be hosting a reception for the media and performance rally fans at their dealership on Wednesday evening, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Meet the lead drivers, co-drivers, and view the top running Subaru automobiles in the SCCA ProRally Championship. The dealership is located at 7801 Lyndale Ave S. Call 952.887.0640 for additional information, or log onto www.subaru.net Scheduled to be on-hand will be the Subaru Rally Team USA Open class rally cars; current overall driver points leader, David Higgins and his AV Sport WRX; Doug Havir and his Prodrive Open Class WRX-STi, 2001 Production GT class champ, Mark Utecht with his Group N WRX. Also on hand will be the return of former PGT Champion, Steve Gingras debuting his brand new 2002 Subaru WRX; plus a host of others. Drivers, Co-drivers, and Teams will be taking questions, signing autographs, and letting folks know about rallying here in the States including guest speakers, Mark Lovell (car #1) of Subaru Rally Team USA and Tim O'Neil of Team O'Neil Rally School. Complete Event Schedule: (subject to change) Wednesday, 14 August 2002 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM Brooklyn Park Hyundai expo - Brooklyn Park, MN 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Bloomington Subaru RallyFest 2002 - Bloomington, MN Thursday, 15 August 2002 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Registration - all parties - Northern Inn Press Room 9:00 PM - 11:00 PM Welcome Reception - Northern Inn Friday, 16 August 2002 9:00 AM- 12:00 PM Registration: Northern Inn Press Room 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Scrutineering - Chalet Center Car Wash-703 Paul Bunyan Dr., Bemidji 9:30 AM - 2:00 PM Competitor Registration - Northern Inn 5:30 PM - 12:30 AM Leg 1: Ojibwe Forests ProRally & 10,000 Lakes ClubRally Approx. 12:30 AM - 2:00 AM Pizza Party and posting of Leg 1 provisional scores. Saturday, 17 August 2002 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Late Press Registration: Press Room - Northern Inn 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM Leg 2: Ojibwe Forests ProRally & Paul Bunyan's Ride ClubRally Approx. 8:00 PM - 2:00 AM Awards Party and Scores - Northern Inn Selected entries (driver/co-driver): · Current Overall Drivers Championship points leader David Higgins (103 points), 2002 Subaru WRX. · Current Manufacturer Championship Leaders (92 Points), Subaru Rally Team USA: Mark Lovell with Steve Turvey (#1 car), winners of last month's Maine Forest Rally, and Ramana Lagemann and Mike Kidd (#2 car) all in 2002 Subaru WRX's. · Hyundai Rally Team USA: Mark Higgins and Michael Gibson (#5), Paul Choiniere and Jeff Becker (#6), 2003 Hyundai Tiburons. · Mitsubishi Rally Team USA: Rhys Millen and Garry Cowan (#3) and current Group 2 Manufacturer Points Leaders, Lauchlin O'Sullivan and Matt Chester (#90). · 2001 Overall Driver's Championship runner up, Seamus Burke (#25) with Rory Kennedy, 2001 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI.5. · (Co-Driver) Doug Havir in the #88 Prodrive prepared 2002 Subaru WRX-STi. · Making a big swap in cars is Championship regular Bill Malik, who is stepping out of his Group 2 Volvo 240, and trying out all-wheel-drive for the first time, in a TMS Motorsport prepared Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI. · Notable local favorites: #44 Henry and Cindy Krolikowski, 2000 Group N Class Subaru WRX-STi; #50 Steve Gingras and Christian Edstrom, debuts his new 2002 Open Class Subaru WRX; Eric Burmeister and Eric Adams, 01 Mazda Protégé MP3; Mark Utecht and Jeff Secor; 2002 Group N Subaru WRX; and Doug Shepherd and Joe Andreini, 2002 Dodge Neon SRT 4. Additional news interest: · A win at Ojibwe for Mark Lovell could put him back in control of the Open Class Driver's Championship-that is if current class leader David Higgins doesn't finish. Either way this race is extremely crucial for both combatants, as there are only two additional rounds in 2002. Adding to the upset potential of this event, Ojibwe is historically a very good rally for Hyundai (sweeping all three podium positions in 2000), and Mitsubishi has spared no expense since Maine Forest getting the final gremlins out of Rhys Millen's Evo VII. · Adding some additional international flavor to this years Ojibwe is the arrival of a Group A Subaru Impreza via New Zealand, with a new to US rallying driver and co-driver team of John Lloyd and Pauline Gullick, both from the UK. Lloyd had rally experience from around the world, including the fabled Safari rally in Kenya, and Gullick is a former British Rally Championship winning co-driver. · The Group 2 Manufacturer's Championship can be decided for sure in Minnesota if Lauchlin O'Sullivan can score a 1st place finish in class and Eric Burmeister in his Mazda Protégé don't find themselves with a second place finish. Additionally, if O'Sullivan secures a top podium in Group 2 at this rally, then the Mazda would need at least a 3rd place finish to have a chance at this Driver's Championship. · Whereas fierce heat was a factor last year, this year's health threat is the outbreak of the West Nile Virus throughout much of the east and mid-western states. Spectators and Press are advised to dress with long sleeves and pants, and use plenty of insect repellent. Event Rank: This rally is a full points SCCA ProRally Championship event. Drivers earn points towards the national championship, and supporting manufacturers (Hyundai, Subaru, Mazda and Mitsubishi) earn points towards overall and class Manufacturers' Championships. Press Credentials, Visuals, Interviews & Media information:: Event Press/Photo credentials will be available at registration on Friday and pre-event Saturday morning. Access to press-only photo areas, and to the post event activities will require a press pass. Credentials are available only to members of the working registered press. Identification and/or work assignment required. Minors are not eligible for Press or VIP credentials. During the event, action photography will be possible from spectator and select press-only viewing areas along the rally course. Drivers, co-drivers and crew will be accessible throughout the event, including the Saturday afternoon service. Media relations will be able to provide driver and co-driver interviews, event results and other information via telephone and Email. Contact: Kurt Spitzner - SCCA ProRally Championship Director Pre-event: 303.967.9660; 303.694.3654 Fax (USA Country Code: 1) Email: sccaprorally@aol.com Time zone at event: Central Time (GMT - 6 hours) · SCCA ProRally: http://www.sccaprorally.org/ · SCCA Ojibwe Forest ProRally: http://www.ojibweforestsrally.com The SCCA ProRally Championship is presented by Hyundai, Mitsubishi and Subaru, and is televised in North America on SpeedChannel. Time and date listing information available at www.speedtv.com