ProRally: Doo Wop ProRally Press Notes 3

Crazee Espresso Doo Wop ProRally Press notes Page 3

15.) The drivers' meeting is held outdoors and, naturally, just as it starts rain begins to fall. The forecast is for hazy skies, but the Weather Channel's time-lapse doppler radar for the area suggests that people in that part of the state should start looking for their waterproof boots, rain slickers -- and canoes. 16.) At the drivers' meeting, crews are told that the snow has melted on Stage 1, but that it still may be wet. 17.) Crews also are advised that there was some apparent confusion about road-closure dates in one area. As a result there was active logging taking place on Stage 2 earlier today. However, that situation has been fixed. 18.) Drivers are advised that Stage 3 will be the fastest of the event, and that the very fast flying finish is downhill. This admonition is doubly important in the slippery conditions, because Stage 3 will be re-run as Stage 6. 19.) Corrections to the start order released earlier: Rui Brasil's car number is 92, not 2. David Watts is the co-driver with Guy Light in car 9, not Dave White. 20.) Following the end of Stage 1, the Group 2 Lancia Scorpion of Marc Thielke and John Allen retires with a damaged radiator. 21.) Chris Kouba and Cindy Beckman went off on Stage 1 in their Group 5 Mazda RX-7, ending up in a ditch. However, they were pulled out and are continuing. 22.) Greg Lingelbach and Steve Andrews withdrew their Mitsubishi Starion after Stage 2 with head-gasket failure. First to go was a radiator hose. About 20 seconds later the head gasket let go and they were finished. 23.) Late entrants Neville Green and Chuck Wiles had a big off in their Merkur XR4ti about 1.5 miles into Stage 2, but were able to get themselves out and continue. 24.) The Kouba/Beckman RX-7, which had been off on the previous stage, went off again on Stage 2. This time they were stuck in such away that people were calling for a chainsaw to get them out. However, the sweep vehicle was able to wiggle them free. 25.) Since this is a comparatively short, all-daylight event, there will be no re-seeding. 26.) By the time that Stage 3 is run, it is drizzling, but there is no wind. 27.) On Stage 3, the Group 5 Mazda RX-3 of Robert and Tammy Reeves gets crossed up in the mud and slides off into a berm. The co-driver's side is heavily crunched, but no one is injured. As they are trying to get their warning triangles out, the John Lane/Scott Huhn Group 5 Volvo 262 arrives on the scene and slides into the back of the Mazda. Everyone is okay and both cars eventually continue.