RALLY: Lake Superior ProRally press notes
23 October 1999
D&N Bank Lake Superior ProRally Round 9 1999 Michelin SCCA ProRally Championship Houghton, Michigan October 22-23, 1999 Press Notes #1 1.) Good afternoon and welcome to the D&N Bank Lake Superior ProRally, the ninth and final round of the Michelin SCCA ProRally series. A big field of 68 cars is set to challenge the rally long known as the oldest, meanest and toughest on the circuit. True to that reputation, Mother Nature is ready and waiting for them -- and she definitely is having a "bad hair" day. 2.) When teams got up this morning they were greeted by gray, sullen skies, driving rain threatening to change to snow, temperatures in the 30s and very strong winds. In fact, at about 2:00 a.m. today the winds were so strong that they were noticeably shaking the upper stories of the headquarters hotel, where the press room is located. 3.) In recent years, the weather for this event has been comparatively mild to downright warm. However, the Weather Channel's forecast makes it sound as though we will have the sort of conditions that old-timers always expected -– and generally got -- from this rally. Temperatures are supposed to be in the 30s, with angry, relentless winds gusting to well over 50 mph, and rain changing over to snow this evening. Accumulations of one or two inches are expected, all south of Houghton -– where virtually everything takes place today. 4.) The "s" word in the forecast has several teams pretty concerned, either because they feel that they don't have the right tires with them or because they feel that their cars will be at a distinct disadvantage in the snowy conditions predicted. 5.) We will be getting reports from several sources in the field today and tomorrow. These include Kevin Ericson, the rally's press director; Jeff Burmeister, who helped us so well at Prescott; and SCCA Rally/Solo marketing manager Kurt Spitzner. 6.) Also out and about and scouting for us is former series media relations rep Dr. Tim Cline, who sort of got the itch to come back and see everyone. He figures that it has been eight or nine years since he's been able to get to a ProRally. It's good to see him back on the scene.