Mitsubishi ProRally Team Sets Sights on 'Rim of the World'

CYPRESS, Calif., April 24 -- The suspensions are dialed-in, the tires chosen, the wicks turned up on the engines, and the drivers and team raring to attack some of the most grueling roads racers ever face. That's the status of Team Mitsubishi Motor Sports America as the premier ProRally team in the country counts down the days before the start of the infamous Rim of the World SCCA ProRally in the High Desert region of Southern California May 2-3.

Racing in hot weather over the rocky, dusty, rugged mountain roads of Rim of the World will be a dramatic change from Sno*Drift, the season opener in January that pitted cars and drivers against snow-and-ice-covered roads.

David Higgins, the defending SCCA ProRally Open Class champion, along with co-driver Daniel Barritt, drove their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution all-wheel-drive to the Overall Open Class victory.

Rim of the World, the second in a nine-event championship series is unique among US rally racing because of its twisty, rocky, torturous stages combined with intense heat and blinding dust.

These conditions closely resemble the renowned Cypress rally in World Rally Championship series. Adding to the drama, more than 50 of the 106 miles of racing stages will be contested at night.

Team Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions are based on the highly acclaimed all-wheel-drive, high-performance street sedans that arrived at dealerships earlier this year. These cars are Mitsubishi's performance flagship and have graced the covers of numerous major automotive enthusiast's magazine since March, receiving glowing accolades for their performance value for the dollar.

"Our Lancer Evolutions have been quickly embraced by American automotive enthusiasts thanks to the vehicle's amazing thrill-per-dollar ratio in the market place," says Pierre Ganon, chairman and CEO of MMNA.

"We're thrilled to be part of the SCCA ProRally and able to demonstrate the Lancer's tremendous performance capabilities to the world."

Mitsubishi has a firm points lead in the quest for the coveted SCCA ProRally Manufacturer's Championship coming into Rim. But a highly competitive field full of Subaru Impreza WRXs, a Ford Focus and several Mitsubishi Evolutions run by privateers will keep the heat on Team Mitsubishi.

Higgins, and teammate Lauchlin O'Sullivan, the defending 2WD driver of the year and Group 2 national champion, both feel their red-and-silver Lancer Evolutions are ready for Rim and the challenges that come with such a prestigious and demanding event.

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is responsible for all North American operations of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation. As a single company consolidated on January 1, 2003, MMNS and its subsidiaries manufacture, distribute, finance, and market Mitsubishi brand coupes, convertibles, sedans and sport utility vehicles through a network of 700 dealers in the United States.

Mitsubishi Motors sold its first vehicle in the U.S. in 1981 and began building cars here in 1988 at its manufacturing facility in Normal, IL.