ProRally: Lake Superior Notes, Results

D&N Bank Lake Superior PRO Rally The Ottawa Divisional PRO Rally The Auto Value Keweenaw Challenge Divisional PRO Rally Round #8 - 1998 Michelin PRO Rally Championship October 23-24, 1998 10. For those who are following the rally details on-line, there will be gaps in the submissions as we cover the event in the field. Our last set of notes today - Friday - will probably come in the early afternoon as we will be going into the field for the evening stages. We will file Friday standings and stories very early Saturday morning. On Saturday, we will file in the morning, and then again in the late afternoon as the rally comes to a close. There will probably be a quick results story by 6:00 PM, with the final results and details coming either very late Saturday night - after the final awards banquet - or early Sunday morning. If there is a need of more up-to-date information, you can call Andy Schupack on the cell phone (917) 864-8767 anytime during the event.

11. WOLV-FM, 97.7 FM on the dial ("The Wolf FM") will have hourly updates on the rally once the event begins. The updates will run at :35 minutes past the hour while the event is running.

12. Auto Value Parts Stores will be sponsoring the rally's only tailgate party Saturday at the start of the Delaware Mine stage, where the rally cars will be going by at 10:51 AM and 2:17 PM. Auto Value will be serving free hot dogs and soda for all starting at 11:00 AM.

13. The speculation that David Summerbell would try to find another car to compete in today came true as good guy Henry Joy has given David his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution II to run for the title. David will also take Henry's co-driver - and David's regular co-driver, Michael Fennell, to sit in the navigator's seat. Because the both Summerbell and Joy had to withdraw their cars, and then Summerbell had to re- enter as a late arrival, David is bumped to the back of his seed position. In reality, however, he only loses two places as, with the withdrawal of both cars, Summerbell's new entry will start 4th, right behind Noel Lawler.

14. Chris Griffin, who was originally scheduled to co-drive with Summerbell, will not have his navigator talents wasted as he will help Woodner Cup hopeful Bill Malik in the Group 2 Volvo 240. Malik's regular co-driver, Christian Edstrom, is here, but has taken sick. Right now, Malik is trying to catch Ralph Kosmides, who has a 16-point lead for the overall 2WD cup.

15. The Lee Shadbolt/Paul Eklund Subaru Impreza, which is leading the Production GT championship by a single point, will not make it to this event because of the lack of vacation time and budget. Driver Shadbolt could have come, but co-driver Eklund and service crew would not have been available. This means, with the two points he will garner from this afternoon's start, that Steve Gingras will clinch his second PGT title in as many years with his Eagle Talon. Lynn Dillon, who is co-driving for Arthur Odero-Jowi, and Eric Carlson, who is co-driving for Chris Czyzio, both have an outside chance to catch Eklund for the co-drivers title, but both co-drivers would have to win the event. 16. 48 cars left the Dee Stadium hockey rink in Houghton to start the 1998 D&N Bank Lake Superior PRO Rally. Three additional divisional cars have entered Saturday's divisional, for a total of 51 cars.

17. It didn't take long for attrition to kick in, as the Arthur Odero- Jowi/Lynn Dillon Mitsubishi Eclipse broke its transmission on the way to stage #1. The team will try to affect repairs overnight and enter the divisional on Saturday.

18. The Tom Ottey/Pam McGarvey Mazda 323GTX, which had turbo problems during the press stage, broke an oil line on stage #1 and had a small engine fire, causing a DNF.

19. Also, on stage #1, the Craig Kazmierczak/Diane Sargent Mazda RX-7 went off the road and bent the front suspension, causing a DNF.

20. The Garen Shrader/Doc Shrader Ford Sierra Cosworth also didn't survive the first stage, sliding off the road and hitting a tree - busting a wheel and unable to continue.

21. Right after the Shraders went out, the Ken Steward/Jim Dale Chevy S-10 pickup lost its engine - a DNF.

22. Even those who are still running after the first night were having their problems with the fast course:

--The Mike Whitman/Paula Gibeault Ford Sierra Cosworth lost a turbo hose, suffered through an engine miss, and some brake problems before changing to Performance Friction 83 pads.

--The Steve Gingras/Bill Westrick Eagle Talon had two flats and broke both right-side wheels hitting a rock, lost the brakes because of a brake line leak (solved with a thumb tack), and hit a deer.

23. The Ralph Kosmides/Joe Noyes Toyota Supra twin turbo clinched the Jon Woodner Cup for overall 2WD finishers when the Bill Malik/Chris Griffin Volvo 240 lost its clutch and DNFed. Kosmides is staying in the event to try to clinch the manufacturers title for Toyota.

24. David Summerbell has clinched the national drivers championship as the Paul Choiniere/Jeff Becker Hyundai Tiburon is a DNF after a wire pulled out of the alternator on stage #5. Paul lost his auxiliary lights, but kept the car going for two more stages before he was forced to quit. The Noel Lawler/Charles Bradley Hyundai Elantra currently leads the Summerbell/Fennell Mitsubishi Lancer Evo II by 11 second, and must finish if Hyundai is to win the manufacturers title. On the other hand, Summerbell must finish if Fennell is to overtake JeFF Becker for the co-driver title.

National Standings after 10 Stages (Fri. Night)

CAR # (DRIVER/CO-DRIVER) CAR SEED SCORE

16 D Summerbell/M Fennell Evolution 1 1:32:25 1 Open 18 Noel Lawler/C Bradley Elantra 1 1:32:36 2 Open 43 Mike Whitman/P Gibeault Sierra Cos 1 1:38:06 3 Open 83 Mark Utecht/B Corneliusen Omni GLh 4 1:39:34 1 Group 5 22 Gail Truess/Pattie Hughes 323 GTX 2 1:39:48 1 GT 23 Chris Czyzio/Eric Carlson Eclipse 2 1:40:09 2 GT 40 Richard Pilczuk/B Pilczuk VW Golf GT 6 1:40:40 1 Group 2 39 W Prochaska/A Prochaska VW Golf 4 1:42:28 2 Group 2 20 Mike Hurst/Rob Bohn Mazda RX7 1 1:43:23 2 Group 5 11 Ralph Kosmides/Joe Noyes Supra 1 1:43:36 3 Group 5 46 M Babinski/P Midrzeyewski Celica 4WD 6 1:44:22 4 Open 15 H Krowlikowski/C KrowlikowsShadow 1 1:45:12 4 Group 5 6 Steve Gingras/B Westick Talon 1 1:45:33 3 GT 31 Evan Moen/Ronald Moen Ply Neon 5 1:45:48 1 Production 77 Bryan Hourt/Pete Cardimen Honda Civi 5 1:46:06 3 Group 2 19 Jay Kowalik/Michael Dunn Honda Civi 2 1:47:01 2 Production 82 Roland McIvor/B Bohan Sentra 5 1:47:08 3 Production 13 Bryan Pepp/Jerry Stang Talon 2 1:47:35 4 GT 51 Don Rathgeber/Jim Brandt 4 1:50:09 5 Group 5 36 Darek Bosek/K Pudelek Talon 5 1:51:28 6 Group 5 70 Scott Harvey, Jr/D Watts Dodge Colt 6 1:52:22 4 Group 2 44 D Davenport/A Kintigh VW GTi 6 1:54:28 5 Group 2 28 Kendall Russell/D White Shadow 5 1:54:36 5 GT 21 Trevor Donison/John Allen Ply Neon 6 1:59:15 4 Production 8 Bill Malik/Chris Griffin Volvo 1 DNF Clutch 14 Garen Shrader/F Shrader Sierra Cos 3 DNF Crash 29 C Kazmierczak/D Sargent Mazda RX7 5 DNF Crash 33 Tom Ottey/Pam McGarvey 323 GTX 1 DNF Oil Line 117 Ken Stewart/Jim Dale S-10 Pick 3 DNF Engine 49 Mike Bodnar/D.J. Bodnar Audi Quatt 6 DNF Mech. 30 John Daubenmier/S Rosen S-10 Pick 4 DNF Mech. 25 A Odero-Jowi/L Dillon Talon 6 DNF Transmission 1 Choiniere/Becker Hyundai Tib FIA DNF Alternator

16. 48 cars left the Dee Stadium hockey rink in Houghton to start the 1998 D&N Bank Lake Superior PRO Rally. Three additional divisional cars have entered Saturday's divisional, for a total of 51 cars.

17. It didn't take long for attrition to kick in, as the Arthur Odero- Jowi/Lynn Dillon Mitsubishi Eclipse broke its transmission on the way to stage #1. The team will try to affect repairs overnight and enter the divisional on Saturday.

18. The Tom Ottey/Pam McGarvey Mazda 323GTX, which had turbo problems during the press stage, broke an oil line on stage #1 and had a small engine fire, causing a DNF.

19. Also, on stage #1, the Craig Kazmierczak/Diane Sargent Mazda RX-7 went off the road and bent the front suspension, causing a DNF.

20. The Garen Shrader/Doc Shrader Ford Sierra Cosworth also didn't survive the first stage, sliding off the road and hitting a tree - busting a wheel and unable to continue.

21. Right after the Shraders went out, the Ken Steward/Jim Dale Chevy S-10 pickup lost its engine - a DNF.

22. Even those who are still running after the first night were having their problems with the fast course:

--The Mike Whitman/Paula Gibeault Ford Sierra Cosworth lost a turbo hose, suffered through an engine miss, and some brake problems before changing to Performance Friction 83 pads.

--The Steve Gingras/Bill Westrick Eagle Talon had two flats and broke both right-side wheels hitting a rock, lost the brakes because of a brake line leak (solved with a thumb tack), and hit a deer.

23. The Ralph Kosmides/Joe Noyes Toyota Supra twin turbo clinched the Jon Woodner Cup for overall 2WD finishers when the Bill Malik/Chris Griffin Volvo 240 lost its clutch and DNFed. Kosmides is staying in the event to try to clinch the manufacturers title for Toyota.

24. David Summerbell has clinched the national drivers championship as the Paul Choiniere/Jeff Becker Hyundai Tiburon is a DNF after a wire pulled out of the alternator on stage #5. Paul lost his auxiliary lights, but kept the car going for two more stages before he was forced to quit. The Noel Lawler/Charles Bradley Hyundai Elantra currently leads the Summerbell/Fennell Mitsubishi Lancer Evo II by 11 second, and must finish if Hyundai is to win the manufacturers title. On the other hand, Summerbell must finish if Fennell is to overtake JeFF Becker for the co-driver title.

National Standings after 10 Stages (Fri. Night)

CAR # (DRIVER/CO-DRIVER) CAR SEED SCORE

16 D Summerbell/M Fennell Evolution 1 1:32:25 1 Open 18 Noel Lawler/C Bradley Elantra 1 1:32:36 2 Open 43 Mike Whitman/P Gibeault Sierra Cos 1 1:38:06 3 Open 83 Mark Utecht/B Corneliusen Omni GLh 4 1:39:34 1 Group 5 22 Gail Truess/Pattie Hughes 323 GTX 2 1:39:48 1 GT 23 Chris Czyzio/Eric Carlson Eclipse 2 1:40:09 2 GT 40 Richard Pilczuk/B Pilczuk VW Golf GT 6 1:40:40 1 Group 2 39 W Prochaska/A Prochaska VW Golf 4 1:42:28 2 Group 2 20 Mike Hurst/Rob Bohn Mazda RX7 1 1:43:23 2 Group 5 11 Ralph Kosmides/Joe Noyes Supra 1 1:43:36 3 Group 5 46 M Babinski/P Midrzeyewski Celica 4WD 6 1:44:22 4 Open 15 H Krowlikowski/C KrowlikowsShadow 1 1:45:12 4 Group 5 6 Steve Gingras/B Westick Talon 1 1:45:33 3 GT 31 Evan Moen/Ronald Moen Ply Neon 5 1:45:48 1 Production 77 Bryan Hourt/Pete Cardimen Honda Civi 5 1:46:06 3 Group 2 19 Jay Kowalik/Michael Dunn Honda Civi 2 1:47:01 2 Production 82 Roland McIvor/B Bohan Sentra 5 1:47:08 3 Production 13 Bryan Pepp/Jerry Stang Talon 2 1:47:35 4 GT 51 Don Rathgeber/Jim Brandt 4 1:50:09 5 Group 5 36 Darek Bosek/K Pudelek Talon 5 1:51:28 6 Group 5 70 Scott Harvey, Jr/D Watts Dodge Colt 6 1:52:22 4 Group 2 44 D Davenport/A Kintigh VW GTi 6 1:54:28 5 Group 2 28 Kendall Russell/D White Shadow 5 1:54:36 5 GT 21 Trevor Donison/John Allen Ply Neon 6 1:59:15 4 Production 8 Bill Malik/Chris Griffin Volvo 1 DNF Clutch 14 Garen Shrader/F Shrader Sierra Cos 3 DNF Crash 29 C Kazmierczak/D Sargent Mazda RX7 5 DNF Crash 33 Tom Ottey/Pam McGarvey 323 GTX 1 DNF Oil Line 117 Ken Stewart/Jim Dale S-10 Pick 3 DNF Engine 49 Mike Bodnar/D.J. Bodnar Audi Quatt 6 DNF Mech. 30 John Daubenmier/S Rosen S-10 Pick 4 DNF Mech. 25 A Odero-Jowi/L Dillon Talon 6 DNF Transmission 1 Choiniere/Becker Hyundai Tib FIA DNF Alternator

lsprnat - LEG SCORES

STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3 STAGE 4

P.Choi 659 P.Choi 603 P.Choi 920 P.Choi 967 N.Lawl 681 3% N.Lawl 630 4% N.Lawl 961 4% D.Summ 988 2% D.Summ 688 4% D.Summ 635 5% D.Summ 973 5% N.Lawl 998 3% S.Ging 699 6% S.Ging 650 7% M.Whit 985 7% M.Utec 1039 7% B.Pepp 722 9% M.Whit 656 8% B.Mali 1012 10% W.Proc 1050 8% M.Whit 726 10% H.Krow 675 11% G.True 1057 14% H.Krow 1054 8% J.Kowa 728 10% B.Pepp 681 12% C.Czyz 1062 15% M.Whit 1058 9% M.Utec 731 10% G.True 684 13% W.Proc 1062 15% G.True 1067 10% H.Krow 731 10% R.Kosm 685 13% R.Pilc 1069 16% R.Pilc 1072 10% B.Mali 736 11% C.Czyz 688 14% R.Kosm 1086 18% C.Czyz 1079 11% G.True 744 12% M.Utec 695 15% M.Hurs 1089 18% B.Mali 1081 11% R.Kosm 747 13% B.Mali 697 15% M.Utec 1093 18% B.Pepp 1081 11% M.Hurs 748 13% W.Proc 697 15% E.Moen 1109 20% R.Kosm 1098 13% C.Czyz 753 14% M.Hurs 698 15% B.Hour 1115 21% E.Moen 1100 13% W.Proc 756 14% E.Moen 707 17% M.Babi 1115 21% M.Hurs 1119 15% E.Moen 772 17% R.Pilc 722 19% D.Rath 1130 22% B.Hour 1129 16% M.Babi 772 17% M.Babi 724 20% R.McIv 1134 23% R.McIv 1129 16% B.Hour 784 18% J.Kowa 725 20% D.Bose 1164 26% M.Babi 1130 16% R.McIv 784 18% R.McIv 735 21% S.Harv 1182 28% D.Dave 1147 18% R.Pilc 786 19% D.Rath 737 22% J.Daub 1198 30% D.Bose 1163 20% D.Dave 789 19% B.Hour 739 22% K.Russ 1215 32% D.Rath 1167 20% J.Daub 797 20% J.Daub 741 22% T.Doni 1264 37% J.Kowa 1181 22% D.Rath 830 25% D.Dave 754 25% J.Kowa 1340 45% S.Harv 1184 22% S.Harv 831 26% D.Bose 770 27% S.Ging 1580 71% J.Daub 1210 25% K.Russ 833 26% K.Russ 771 27% H.Krow 1734 88% K.Russ 1214 25% T.Doni 845 28% S.Harv 771 27% B.Pepp 1819 97% T.Doni 1279 32% D.Bose 852 29% T.Doni 810 34% D.Dave 1847 100% S.Ging 1359 40%

STAGE 5 STAGE 6 STAGE 7 Stage 8

D.Summ 1542 N.Lawl 968 N.Lawl 952 D.Summ 651 N.Lawl 1557 0% D.Summ 1005 3% D.Summ 962 1% N.Lawl 653 S.Ging 1575 2% S.Ging 1025 5% H.Krow 1027 7% S.Ging 693 M.Whit 1590 3% M.Whit 1050 8% M.Whit 1030 8% M.Whit 708 M.Utec 1594 3% B.Pepp 1054 8% G.True 1054 10% H.Krow 708 D.Bose 1606 4% H.Krow 1061 9% S.Ging 1056 10% C.Czyz 720 H.Krow 1623 5% R.Pilc 1076 11% B.Pepp 1058 11% G.True 720 R.Pilc 1625 5% M.Utec 1079 11% C.Czyz 1058 11% R.Kosm 723 C.Czyz 1627 5% C.Czyz 1084 11% R.Pilc 1062 11% R.Pilc 725 R.Kosm 1629 5% G.True 1088 12% M.Utec 1064 11% M.Utec 727 G.True 1633 5% W.Proc 1097 13% M.Hurs 1085 13% B.Pepp 739 B.Pepp 1639 6% M.Hurs 1122 15% W.Proc 1085 13% M.Hurs 742 M.Babi 1674 8% M.Babi 1122 15% J.Kowa 1097 15% J.Kowa 753 W.Proc 1686 9% D.Dave 1124 16% M.Babi 1104 15% M.Babi 753 B.Hour 1697 10% J.Kowa 1127 16% R.Kosm 1111 16% W.Proc 759 M.Hurs 1698 10% B.Hour 1139 17% D.Dave 1116 17% D.Dave 765 R.McIv 1698 10% E.Moen 1147 18% E.Moen 1116 17% R.McIv 767 E.Moen 1702 10% R.McIv 1147 18% B.Hour 1127 18% B.Hour 771 J.Kowa 1703 10% D.Rath 1192 23% D.Rath 1147 20% E.Moen 776 D.Dave 1714 11% D.Bose 1198 23% R.McIv 1150 20% D.Rath 803 P.Choi 1772 14% K.Russ 1205 24% S.Harv 1176 23% D.Bose 813 D.Rath 1784 15% S.Harv 1207 24% K.Russ 1189 24% S.Harv 823 K.Russ 1814 17% T.Doni 1271 31% T.Doni 1232 29% K.Russ 837 S.Harv 1826 18% R.Kosm 1307 35% D.Bose 1290 35% T.Doni 872 T.Doni 1929 25% P.Choi 2311 138% P.Choi 1340 40%

Stage 9 Stage 10

D.Summ 479 D.Summ 1319 N.Lawl 483 N.Lawl 1378 H.Krow 496 R.Pilc 1400 C.Czyz 500 M.Utec 1404 R.Kosm 505 S.Ging 1408 G.True 507 H.Krow 1412 S.Ging 511 B.Pepp 1426 M.Whit 528 G.True 1426 R.Pilc 530 C.Czyz 1444 M.Hurs 531 R.Kosm 1469 M.Utec 531 M.Whit 1480 M.Babi 531 J.Kowa 1493 B.Pepp 540 W.Proc 1497 E.Moen 552 M.Hurs 1507 D.Dave 554 R.McIv 1512 J.Kowa 556 M.Babi 1513 W.Proc 558 B.Hour 1543 D.Rath 562 E.Moen 1600 B.Hour 566 D.Dave 1638 S.Harv 590 S.Harv 1647 D.Bose 613 D.Rath 1663 K.Russ 634 D.Bose 1679 T.Doni 655 K.Russ 1749 R.McIv 658 T.Doni 1768

25. The D&N Bank Lake Superior PRO Rally is now over, and the Michelin PRO Rally Championship has a new national titleholder as Jamaican David Summerbell and co-driver Michael Fennell capped off a won both a national championship and the event here in the Upper Peninsula in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution II.

Summerbell/Fennell nipped the Hyundai Elantra team of Noel Lawler/Charles Bradley by 1:02 to clinch their second win of the season, and their first overall national championship. Summerbell, with co-driver Chris Griffin, won his other rally at Rim of the World in California in May. For Fennell, it was his second national championship as he co-drove with Jamaican Peter Moodie to the Group A championship in 1994.

For the John Buffum Libra Racing Hyundai team, it was a bittersweet weekend. The disappointment of the Paul Choiniere/Jeff Becker DNF with an alternator problem in their Hyundai Tiburon was tempered by the fine Lawler/Bradley performance and the winning of the manufacturers trophy for Hyundai. With a 15-point deficit in the standings coming into the event, Choiniere really lost his chance for a seventh straight title with his suspension problems in Prescott and subsequent 12th place finish earlier this month. Lawler and Bradley, with their second win of the season, also elevated themselves to the second position overall for the season points.

Finishing third overall - their fifth top five finish this year - was the Ford Sierra Cosworth of Mike Whitman/Paula Gibeault. Whitman survived a variety of problems during the weekend, not the least of which was a "foot locker-sized" rock which crunched the left front (co-driver side on the right hand drive Sierra) of the car. Whitman was 6-1/2 minutes behind Lawler.

Scoring the best national PRO Rally overall finish for a woman since Shannon Millen's fourth place at Rim of the World in 1991, Gail Truess and co-driver Pattie Hughes were Production GT winners and fourth overall in their Paul Truess-built Mazda 323GTX. Ms. Truess, a professional driving instructor and a member of the PPG CART Pace Car Team, cracked the top ten for the first time last August at Ojibwe, but this was by far her best PRO Rally finish. Ms. Hughes, whose father Scott - a former rallyist - was here to watch her perform this weekend, is also an SCCA IT racer.

Other class winners included the Mark Utecht/Brenda Corneliusen Dodge Omni GLH turbo (Group 5); the Wayne Prochaska/Annette Prochaska VW Golf (Group 2); and the Evan Moen/Ron Moen Plymouth Neon ACR (Production).