Mitsubishi ProRally Team On a Fast and Furious Pace; Team Mitsubishi Motor Sports America Unbeaten in ProRally

WELLSBORO, Pa., June 8 -- David Higgins and co-driver Daniel Barritt sprayed the victory circle crowd with champagne then turned and doused the hood of their hot Team Mitsubishi Motor Sports America's Lancer Evolution that has brought Mitsubishi Motors North America their third SCCA ProRally Championship Series win in as many events.

Team Mitsubishi arrived in rural Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, for the Susquehannock Trail ProRally, the third in the nine-event series, with one simple mission: To exploit the enormous performance capabilities of their race-tuned version of the new high-performance Lancer Evolution sport sedan in the race for the SCCA ProRally Manufacturer's Championship.

It didn't take long for this season's race-winning pattern to repeat.

Early on, Higgins took the lead on rain-slicked forest roads and never looked back. More than twelve hours and 120 racing stage miles later, he'd locked up another victory for Mitsubishi.

Three consecutive wins yes, but this one wasn't easy.

"The stage speeds are very, very fast, with trees close to the road and little margin for error," said Higgins half-way through the grueling event. "Fortunately our all-wheel-drive Lancer Evolution is extremely comfortable to drive in these situations. Throughout this season I couldn't ask more from a race car."

Mitsubishi teammates Lauchlin O'Sullivan and co-driver Christian Edstrom also started strong. After both works Subaru's retired early in the day, Higgins and O'Sullivan were running one-two, and giving the fans a real show.

But in rally racing, fate can deal an unexpected hand at any moment.

While O'Sullivan was maintaining his rapid pace and holding competitors at bay with his Lancer Evolution in the fading Saturday light, he went off the road trying to avoid a deer crossing his path. The incident knocked the team's number two car out of the event.

Still, with Higgins' win, Mitsubishi Motors has stretched the lead in the Manufacturer's Championship race over rival Subaru.

Team Mitsubishi Motor Sports America has begun to build their legacy on US soil just as Mitsubishi has excelled in the World Rally Championship over the last decade. Now, with the street legal Lancer Evolution rapidly gaining stronger than expected sales momentum, and the ProRally Lancer Evolutions growing points lead in the SCCA ProRally Championship, Mitsubishi enthusiasts have a double dose of true Evolution performance.

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, MMNA 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.