Maine Forest SCCA National PRO
Rally
July 30-31, 1999
Rally Team Stories
Anders Greens Adventure Just
to clear this up....
We only went off a bridge the first day. Bridge in the middle of an S, starts to
the right. Too fast, laid on the brakes, slide off the bridge, took one long
plank of the bridge with us, and broke off three more. Smoothly transferred from
on the wheels to on the driver's side, and
only dropped about six feet. Impacted mostly drivers front quarter panel. My
brother Henrik and I went back down there, got it back on the wheels, and for
kicks, I tried the key. Fired right up. And no bent control arms either! We only
left the bridge at about 20 mph.
Second day, we were running third (in Club, in class) for all three stages we
completed. We finished 50 of the 60 miles of the rally that day. One corner came
up too fast, fooomp! Off we went. We were doing about 50 mph at the time. We had
found another embankment to go down: this one ended up being about 15-20 feet
down. A rear wheel caught and flipped us tail over front, so that we landed on
the roof facing the other way, and then we continued to slide down, making
another quarter turn onto the drivers side.
I'd like to add that after the second crash (which is just a funny phrase in
itself) I had the biggest smile on my face and I just sat in the seat for half a
minute. (hands still on the wheel) Not because crashing is funny, but because
Jeff and I had had a great day of racing, and this corner just got the better of
us.
Experience / Lessons learned: The first days crash was due to poor team
communication and computer troubles. Not interested in discussing that. The
second, however, was exceeding the limitations of the truck / driver
combination. We joked at the time that we should find places to crash that would
make it easier to extract the vehicle.
A few days later we both had the same realization: we _had_ "crashed"
earlier on that second day, and it was so extractable that we just drove right
out of it. There were a
couple instances where I took turns too fast and wide and scrubbed some brush,
or had to lay on the brakes, then back up to get through a T. And then the time
where we almost
killed the Speedvision guy. (an exaggeration... )
What we should have realized at the time is: "Hey, we're crashing. We need
to take it down a notch." It wasn't till the final one that we got a chance
to reflect on this. And we are seeing now how much a difference experience
makes. Ask anybody, I don't think I'm a great driver (compared to other race
drivers) and I know I have a lot to learn. Last weekend I learned the symptoms
of going _too_ fast, you can bet I'll recognize them next time.
I'd love to hear about other things that "only experience can teach
you", although, of course, since you're telling me, I won't believe you. ;)
Or, I'll say I understand, but I really won't. ;)
Anders Green
Reminds me a an old saying "To finish
first, first you must finish" JRN
Wink's observations on Maine Forest
ProRally '99:
My brother Jerry and I rented the cheapest vehicle we could find, a Ford Ranger
pickup, only $19.95/day (before taxes and other B.S.). It turned out to be
a pretty decent deal as it had 4WD and A/C, and the little mini-doors for easy
access to the area behind the seats, which made it a perfect vehicle for beating
around the stage roads. We even used it to tow Chris Havas' VW out of the woods
after the engine (crankshaft damper) gave up on SS3. After all the added
charges, the Ranger rental was really about $50 a day.
One of our first stops was for food (of course). We decided to attempt
McDonald's Lobster Roll, only $3.99. It was pretty tasteless, but not
terrible.
On our way to Rumford, while driving through the town of Gray, we spotted a
Datsun 510 wagon painted in camouflage with the license plate "JUNKBOX".
It was also seen in Rumford on Saturday. Sister-in-law Linda (Mike's wife)
noted that the driver looked an awful lot like Jerry, or maybe how Jerry will
look in a few more years. I agreed.
Jerry and I decided to create fashion statements. Friday was
"Hawaiian shirt day"; Saturday was the day we sported our new
"Comic Ozzie Auto Sport Troupe" t-shirts with "Krasch and Bjern"
across the back.
Back to food for a moment: Jerry and I lunched at the Hotel Rumford, both choosing
the Hotel Burger. The meat patty was one of those frozen things, and the
"special sweet and sour sauce" tasted suspiciously like Western
Dressing.
Our (well, my) first assignment was a hairpin corner on stages 3 and 4, which
was the same road run twice. A few observations from there:
= We heard Bill Driegert's Subaru come to a stop on SS4 amid the sounds of brush
being crushed, reverse gear, then start moving again. Moments later the car
appeared with branches draped around the driving lights (see photo at www.rallysport.net/comicozzie/).
= Jens Larsen's Mazda looked like the suspension was set up more for autocross
than for rally. Mighty low.
= When car #100 (forgot the name, but it was a Mazda 323 GTX painted to look
like an Irish flag) came through on SS4, their aluminum skid plate - apparently
the one for the rear diff - was left behind. When we returned it the
following morning, the driver did not even know that it was missing.
On our way to find the spot to shoot photos on Stage 7 (1st stage on Saturday),
we followed the course opening car into the stage so he would know where we were
parked. Course opening was a Lancia Delta HF Integrale. Jerry
pointed out that the next car down this road would be a Ford Escort Cosworth
piloted by Stig Blomqvist. A rental Ford Ranger pickup is just not in the
same league.
It was dusty, I don't care what anyone else says. Charlie Bradley told me
that Friday night was WORSE than this year's STPR. It was so bad that they
had to come to full stop because they could not see beyond the hood of the car.
While the dust may not have had a major slowing effect on all the drivers, the
spectators came out of the woods looking like ghosts.
When Garan Shrader's engine blew at the finish line of the final stage, brother
Mike seemed to recall that Lugs Harvey (Stroker Ace's mechanic) once said,
"That engine lasted just as long as it needed to."
I don't believe I saw it in any of the notes, but this was Stig Blomqvist's
SECOND SCCA ProRally appearance... and his second win. The first came at
La Jornada Trabajosa in 1977 (or maybe it was 1978) in a Saab 99. His
co-driver that time was John Buffum. That Saab had a factory
homologation-special 16-valve head. It was purchased last year from John
Buffum by the Saab Car Museum in Trollhattan, and was shown at the last summer's
Saab Owners' National Convention in Hilton Head, SC, before being shipped to
Sweden.
In the post-rally celebration at The Madison, Stig fell in with Pam McGarvey,
Gail Truess and other female rallyists. It was reported that Stig was
later seen riding around Rumford in "a convertible full of blondes".
Earlier in the evening, at the post rally banquet in the Sons of Italy hall, Pam
McGarvey approached a short of stature, graying gentleman and asked, "Are
you Stig?" Walt Kammer got a good laugh out of being mistaken for the
well-known Swede. Apparently the ruse was set up by Henry Krolikowski, who
also got a good laugh out of it. There is little doubt that Walt will
forever after carry the nickname of "Stig".
I'm sure there will be more....
Tim Winker
Don't be a "weemp!"
As long as we're telling Maine stories, here's
one I heard: At the "driver's meeting" at the start of stage 6 (later
called a communications problem), certain drivers were complaining of the dust
and visibility. One was complaining louder than the others. It was reported that
Stig looked at him and said "Don' be a weemp, poot your foot down."
That's the way I heard it later that night.
--Phil Barnes
Rested and Ready
I am now rested up and clearing my in-box of
emails, being back from Maine. What a great event! I have to congratulate my
driver on a fabulous ride and drive. Alex Erisoty took his Audi 90 Quattro and I
to a 9th overall finish in what is only his third rally EVER!
Alex brought his car out to Ski Sawmill Rally Right school to gain his license,
which he did. The car wow'ed the crowd as it is a true Group A car with all the
correct "bits" on it. The car has seen an interesting life and it
shows the signs of a well used race car.
Alex and I paired up at STPR where due to a clerical error, we were marked as
finishing 22 overall. We had a great race there and had a very respectable
finish in the second divisional.
Joining forces again, we hit the Maine roads to go moose watching (he saw two,
but I was busy dozing during the transit. Oh well.) Alex was on his game and we
moved up though the pack. The start of the second day had us discover a right,
front strut housing completely cracked through and pumping oil out from the
opening. After the decision to replace the strut was found to be faulty due to a
lack of time before the start, we loaded ourselves into the car and hit the
routes.
At the end we found ourselves 9th overall, having started 53rd on the road! We
were only 2 hundredths of a minute behind the 8th place team of Jerry Sweet/StuartSparks.
In the divisional we placed second overall and first in class. The seemingly
unbeatable Krolikowskis took the first overall from us (when will they be seed
FIA :-) ?)
The end of stage 8 (the BIG one) gave us a scare as Alex was hit with dizziness.
After spending some time laying down at the end of the stage, he got some water
into him and a Powerbar to help boost his plummeting blood sugar. I got him
loaded into the Audi and I drove us back to the MTC. (Sidebar: What a neat car
to drive!)
At the end of the break Alex was refreshed and feeling 100% better. We also
found out that almost half the field slid wide at the same turn we did and
performed some off road antics. We had through we done major damage to the
suspension, but a run to the Oquasic (sp?) gas station to remove the mud from
the tire bead, made everything right in the world.
Alex and I want to thank the event organizers and workers. We had a great time
and from the looks of it, everyone else did also!
Ben Greisler
The downtown stage at Rumford brought the
rally to the spectators. Estimated about 2000 showed up. While many were
crew and family members, there were plenty from the neighborhood. That's a
large percentage of the local population, and the rent-a-cop I spoke to said he
had recommended to a couple of members of the local council that they should do
more to promote and benefit from the rally.
Tim Winker
I agree Tim...they should do more....maybe a
raffle to the public to co-drive during the parade....maybe more vendors out
there selling food and t-shirts......maybe drivers and co-drivers getting their
sponsors there to promote....maybe providing a local shuttle for spectators to
and from the stages? It is an incredible opportunity for everyone...once
people realize how incredible and generous this sport is...it would be
impossible for the sport not to explode. I for one was pretty pumped (and
driver Mike White as well) driving the downtown stage hearing all of the
spectators over the noise of the engine and tire squeal. I cant belive
that ANYONE, driver, co-driver, organizer, worker, or sponsor, is not excited
about this sport
growing. For those people who dont want to see the sport expand, hang up
your helmets and watch it 6 weeks later when its on Speedvision.
-Mike Ronan-
Very vocal Co-Driver
Team 199
Go Saab GO!!
Maine was a Blast!
Maine was a blast, even though we only
finished the first day. The heat/humidity was really bad, but having the
A/C on during the transits certainly helped. As I get older the heat is
more of a factor for me. I, and my co-driver, attended the awards dinner,
but for most of it I stayed outside, because I was getting sick from the heat.
What I learned was my wheels just aren't up to the task. They were fine at
STPR, but the rocks in Maine bent ALL FOUR of my wheels. One was bent so
badly that it lost air on the final transit the first day that we lost the tire
on the way back to our hotel.
The European style metal rally number plates are really cool, and a nice touch.
I particularly liked that the said "...PRO RALLY..." and not
"ProRally" :-)
Incase you're interested.... I might be finished for this year.
Renting tow vehicles, trailers, and paying for service crew, has been very
expensive. Rather than run Black River Stages I might just wait and
purchase a truck/trailer, and get my car in better shape for next year
rather than constantly running half-baked. I expected the exhaust system
to be the weak link for Maine, but had hoped it would make it to the end....
STPR and Maine cost me a lot of money. I'd rather spend the money and
finish, than spend the money with nothing to show for it. (Of course all
of this is dependent upon my software consulting contract(s) being
extended, etc.)
Jens "wasn't going to run any Pro-rallies until next year, anyway"
Larsen
********************************
Jens A. Larsen
