Real Cars, Real Roads,
Real Fast
Rocky Mountain Rally
May 28-29, 1999
Media Alert
Event: Rocky Mountain
Rally, Round 4 of the Subaru Canadian Rally
Championship. Rally teams from across Canada and the US will be racing through the Porcupine Hills forestry area southwest of Calgary.
When:
May 28-29, 1999
Organization:
Organized by the Calgary Sports Car Club and sanctioned by the Canadian Association of
Rallysport (CARS).
Schedule:
Thursday May 27
11:30 am to 2:00 pm Press Event; Symon's Valley BBQ Ranch
6:30 to 11:00 pm Worker training, competitor welcome BBQ;
Calgary Sports Car Club
Friday May 28
15:00 to 19:00 Registration and Technical Inspection; Subaru of Calgary
Saturday May 29
7:00 am Introduction of Officials; Hospitality Inn
10:00 am Stage 1 Starts in Porcupine Hills
Spectator access to stages controlled.
7:00 pm Stage 12 completed
10:00 pm Awards Dinner; Hospitality Inn
Format:
Events in the Subaru Canadian Rally Championship consist of
flat-out racing -- in any weather condition -- on challenging forest, mountain or
desert roads. No practice is allowed. Competitors generally see the course for the first time as they race it.
Pro Rallies consist of roads designated
"stages" and "transits." Racing takes place only on the stages -- demanding roads closed by local authorities for the event. Transits connect racing sections and are driven
at normal highway speeds, with teams fully subject to all traffic laws.
Pro Rally vehicles are production-based cars (and some
trucks) from manufacturers around the world. They compete both for the overall victory
and wins within a class structure that groups together vehicles with similar performance. Each vehicle carries a driver and a co-driver/navigator. Using
a detailed route book and a sophisticated rally computer, the co-driver keeps the team on-course and advises the driver of any hazards noted in the
route book. This role is as critical as the driver's skill, since the team is traveling at full racing speeds over roads they have never before seen,
in any weather.
Selected Entries:
Frank and Dan Sprongl, Current series leaders with 2 wins in the Quebec winter events in their Audi Dealer Team Castrol - Audi S2 Quattro. Trying
for a record 6th Canadian Championship
Tom and Trish McGeer, Subaru Canada's entry in a Subaru Imprezza WRX. 3 times Canadian champions should be the best challenge to beat the
Sprongl's.
Sylvain Vincent/ Dominique Cyr from LaPlaine, Quebec. Currently 2nd in the
1999 series with excellent finishes in the Quebec events. Driving an Eagle
Talon in production GT class.
Gord and Kathy Olsen from Brooks Alberta in a Volkswagen Golf. Most competitive local team and have won the last 2 Regional events in Alberta.
Eric Tremblay and J-Francois Guite from Quebec in a new Subaru Imprezza RS
Jean-Marc Alcarez/Shirley Normandin in a very quick Mazda 323 GTX
Lee Shadbolt and Claire Chizma from Oregon in another Subaru Imprezza RS
Paul Westwick / Andrew Dobric from Vancouver in a Toyata Celica AWD
Interviews:
Driver's, Co-drivers, Event Organizers and Series Sponsors will be available at the media event on Thursday may 27.
Visuals:
The Media event will provide excellent opportunity for exciting video and photographic action of the rally cars at speed. During the event, rally
cars will pass the spectator point 10 times.
Media rally-car rides:
Media members will have the opportunity to experience the excitement of a rally car in action during the media event.
Results:
Final results will be available by fax and email following the event finish late on Saturday evening.
Contact:
Shawn Bishop
Phone/Fax (403) 277-6291
Cell: (403) 701-RALY (7259)
Email: shawn@bishop.ab.ca
Website: http://www.bishop.ab.ca/CSCC/rocky
CARS Website: http://www.sympatico.ca/rally.cars
Breaking News
Sprongls' First, McGeers'
Second
At Rocky Mountain Rally
30 May 1999 Calgary, Alberta. 25 cm of heavy wet snow followed by more
snow, rain and deep mud all factored into the Rocky Mountain Rally in the
Porcupine Hills SW of Calgary.
Seventeen teams from across Canada and one US Team started the 4th Round of the
Subaru Canadian Rally Championship jointly sponsored by Yokohama Tires on
Saturday May 29, 1999.
Tom and Trish McGeer in their Subaru Impreza WRX had an early lead overall and
in the open class, followed by the Sprongl's Audi S2 Quattro and the Quebec
stars Jean-Marc Alcarez and Shirley Normandin in their Mazda 323 GTX.
Frank Sprongl, likely the most focused driver on the North American rally
circuit, fought back, whittling away at the McGeers' times to regain the lead by
the half way mark. In full stride, Frank and Dan Sprongl were
winning every special stage by small margins to complete the course in 1 hour 56
minutes 33 seconds for 1st overall. McGeers' Subaru was second, a little
more than 2 minutes off the pace on the 176 km of special stages.
The big battle of the 99 Rocky Mountain Rally shaped up between two Quebec
teams. Jean-Marc Alcarez in a Mazda GTX mounted a strong challenge against
Sylvain Vincent and Dominic Cyr in the Eagle Talon. At the finish when the
snow stopped and the mud settled, Alcarez had edged out Vincent by a scant 33
seconds for 3rd overall. Vincent and Cyr finished fourth and claimed first
in the Production GT class.
Top finishing Alberta driver was Jeff Smith from Edmonton, with Bob Burtonof
Regina in the co-driver's seat. Smith and Burton placed 6th overall in a
Subaru RX.
The Brooks, Alberta crew of Gord and Kathy Olsen had an early retirement
with a blown head gasket on the 5th special stage. Olsen was running an
outstanding race beating many of the all wheel drive cars in his 2 wheel drive
Volkswagen GTI. Olsen was in 5th position overall when the car died.
Finishing Positions
# TEAM CAR HOMETOWN CLASS FINAL
1 Frank / Dan Sprongl Audi Quattro S2 Mississauga, ON Open 1:56:33
2 Tom / Trish McGeer Subaru WRX Georgetown, ON Open 1:58:46
3 J-M Alcaraz / Shirley Normandin Mazda 323 GTX Quebec, QC Open
2:08:42
4 Sylvain Vincent / Dominic Cyr Eagle Talon La Plaine, QC GT
2:09:15
5 Barry/Sandra Latreille Eagle Talon Cornwall, ON Open 2:12:08
6 Jeff Smith / Bob Burton Subaru RX Edmonton, Alta GT 2:17:52
7 John / Clark Paynter Subaru Legacy Sackville, NS GT
2:20:07
8 Eric Tremblay/ J.F. Guité Subaru RS Quebec, QC GT 2:21:08
9 Dave Sharp / Dwight Heck Maxda RX 7 Edmonton, Alta GT 2:28:36
10 Lee Shadbolt / Claire Chizma Subaru Impreza Tigard, Oregon GT 2:28:41
Rocky Mountain Rally Organization Summary
Organizer/Rallymaster: Shawn Bishop, Calgary Sports Car Club
Co-organizer/Course Opening: Jonathan Gardiner, Calgary Sports Car Club
Chief Marshal/Course Closing: David Palmer, Calgary Sports Car Club
Senior Steward: Don MacDougall, Edmonton
· 176 km of special stage racing in the Porcupine Hills.
· Heavy wet snow on rally.
· Snow and mud covered roads.
· Rally started on time; volunteer marshals leaving Calgary at 6 AM to man the
course.
· Calgary Amateur Radio Association (CARA) provided radio net for rally
communications and safety.
· President of Canadian Association of Rallysport (CARS), Sanctioning body for
performance rallys, Terry Epp, Stouffville, ON present at rally.
For further information contact:
Shawn Bishop 277-6291 or Jonathan Gardiner 280-5464
END
