ProRally: Cherokee Trails - 15-17 March

SCCA ProRally Championship Round 2
FIA International Cherokee Trails Rally

DENVER, CO - Second round of ten for the 2001 season. A total of over 80 SCCA and FIA Performance Rally cars from across North America and the world will compete on hard-packed dirt and gravel roads within the Ocoee/Hiwassee District of the Cherokee National Forest, east of Chattanooga. The event marks the much-anticipated return of FIA Internationally listed rallying to the SCCA ProRally Championship.

This televised event is sanctioned by the FIA (Federation Internationale de l' Automobile) and by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) through its Chattanooga Region. The event is organized by the Knoxville, TN based Rally

Promotions, and presented by Shamrock Building Systems, of Atlanta, GA.

<pre> When & Where: * March 15-17, 2001; Chattanooga, TN; approximately 100 miles (160km) north of Atlanta, GA * Time zone at event: Eastern Standard Time (same as New York)

Headquarters Hotel and Event Press Room Location: * Radisson Read House Hotel & Suites, 827 Broad St, Chattanooga, TN 3 7402 423.266.4121 (switchboard)

Schedule Monday, March 12th * 7:00AM - 8:00AM Rally HQ Open for Recce Registration * 8:00AM - 5:15PM Reconnaissance * 9:00AM - 9:00PM Rally HQ Open * 9:00AM - 9:00PM Press Room Open

Tuesday, March 13th * 6:00AM - 7:00AM Rally HQ Open for Recce Registration * 8:00AM - 5:15PM Reconnaissance * 9:00AM - 9:00PM Rally HQ Open * 9:00AM - 9:00PM Press Room Open * 7:00PM - 9:00PM VIP Welcome Party (invitation only)

Wednesday, March 14th * 9:00AM - 9:00PM Rally HQ Open * 9:00AM - 9:00PM Press Room Open * 11:00AM - 3:00PM Press Stage (invited team only - open to all credentialed press and VIPs) * 1:00PM - 10:00PM Scrutineering, Kelly Subaru, Chattanooga o Sealing of spare turbos and transmissions (FIA only) during scrutineering

Thursday, March 15th * 7:00AM Publication of Crews eligible to start Leg 1 Rally HQ * 7:30AM Leg 1 Podium Start Downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee Aquarium * 9:00AM - 9:00PM Rally HQ Open * 9:00AM - 9:00PM Press Room Open * 7:00PM Leg 1 Finish Downtown Chattanooga at CricKet Pavilion

Friday, March 16th * 7:00AM Publication of Crews eligible to start Leg 2 Rally HQ * 8:00AM Leg 2 Start Downtown Chattanooga, CricKet Pavilion * Noon - 9:00PM Rally HQ Open * 9:00AM - 9:00PM Press Room Open * 7:00PM Leg 2 Finish Downtown Chattanooga at CricKet Pavilion

Saturday, March 17th * 7:00AM Publication of Crews eligible to start Leg 3 Rally HQ * 8:00AM Leg 3 Start Downtown Chattanooga, CricKet Pavilion * Noon - 9:00PM Rally HQ Open * 9:00AM - 9:00PM Press Room Open * 4:00PM Leg 3 Podium Regroup at CricKet Pavilion * 4:30PM Podium Finish, Tennessee Aquarium * 8:00PM-10:00PM, Awards Banquet; Chattanooga Conference and Trade Center

Sunday, March 18th * Noon Rally Headquarters Closes

</pre> Format:
All events in the SCCA ProRally Championship consist of flat-out racing, in any weather, on challenging forest, mountain or desert roads. SCCA Performance Rally events follow a format similar to that used around the globe. However, most events do not allow for on-course practice (recces) or pacenotes. Competitors generally see the course for the first time as they race it. The International Cherokee Trails Rally is the first recced and pacenoted SCCA ProRally Championship event in over a decade. At-speed competition takes place only on "special stages," using demanding back roads closed by local authorities for the event. "Transits" connect the "special stage" sections together and are driven at posted speeds, with teams fully subject to all traffic laws. SCCA Performance Rally vehicles are production-based cars and 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 capabilities. Each vehicle carries a driver and a co-driver/navigator. Using a detailed route book and a specially designed rally computer, the co-driver keeps the team on-course and advises the driver of any hazards ahead. This role is as critical as the driver's skill, since the team is traveling at full racing speeds over roads they have not seen, in any type of weather.

Selected entries (driver/co-driver):

* 11-time SCCA ProRally Overall Driver Champion and US Rally legend John Buffum with Neil Wilson; SCCA Open Class 2000 Hyundai Tiburon

* 1999 SCCA ProRally Overall Driver/Co-Driver champions Noel Lawler and Charles Bradley; SCCA Open Class 2000 Hyundai Tiburon

* 1999 Production Class and 2000 FIA Group N Driver Champion Karl Scheible with Brian Maxwell; FIA Gr N4 2000 Subaru Impreza WRX-Sti.

* 1997 European Rally Champion Krzysztof Holowczyc with Macie Wiskawski FIA Gr N4 2000 Subaru Impreza WRX Sti

* 1999 SCCA Group 5 Champions and 2000 FIA Group N runnerups Henry and Cindi Krolikowski FIA Group N 1995 Subaru Impreza WRX-STi.

* Garen Shrader and 1998 Overall Co-Driver Champion Michael Fennell, 1997 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV

* 2000 High Performance Showroom Stock Pikes Peak International Hillclimb Champion Rhys Millen, (co-driver TBA) 2000 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI

Event Rank:

* The FIA International and SCCA ProRally competition is held over the course of three days, and follows FIA rally conventions.

* The SCCA ProRally portion of the Cherokee Trails event is a full-points round for SCCA Driver & Manufacturer Championships.

* On days two and three, there will also be SCCA ClubRally competition for regionally based rally teams, that will follow SCCA operational conventions (no pacenoting or recce)

Visuals:
Prior to the event, action photography and video will be obtainable at the press stage. During the event, action photography and video will be possible from viewing areas set up along the rally course, as well as other sites. A first-come, first serve Press/VIP van will be available (weather permitting) for credentialed media transport to and from these sites for those without transport of their own.

Media information:

* Credentialed Media and Industry VIP's will be given the opportunity to experience the intense excitement of ProRally cars at speed during the Wednesday press stage.

* Drivers, co-drivers and crew will be accessible throughout the event, including the Wednesday press stage and at the Parc Expose prior to the start of the each day's activity. The service areas are open to credentialed press at all times of the event.

* Media relations will be able to provide driver and co-driver interviews, event results and other information via telephone, fax and Email.

National Media Contact:

* Kurt Spitzner - SCCA ProRally Championship Director 303.779.6622; 303.694.3654 Fax (USA Country Code: 1) mobile: 303.204.0375 Email: kspitzner@scca.org

Regional Media Contact:

* Pre-Event: Kendall Russell - Rally Manager 865.671.1133 phone krrally@cs.com email

* During Event: Oran Sands - 423.266.4121 (hotel switchboard - will transfer to Press Room)

-Werace4u