ProRally: Sand Hills schedule

MEDIA ALERT Event: 1996 Sand Hills Sand Blast PRO Rally, round #1 and the opening event for the 1996 SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally series. Race cars from all around the U.S. will compete at high speeds on the challenging roads of the Sand Hills State Forest near, Patrick, South Carolina. When: Saturday, March 16, 1996 Schedule Friday, March 15, 1996 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM - Early Registration and Tech Inspection - Inn Cheraw and Martin Pontiac, Cheraw, SC. 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM - Press demonstration rides and interviews - Michelin Laurens Proving Grounds in Mountville, South Carolina. 5:00 PM - Press demonstration rides and interviews - race cars and media will leave from the Inn Cheraw. Saturday, March 16, 1996 8:00 AM - 11:30 AM - Registration and Tech Inspection Inn Cheraw, Cheraw, SC. noon - 1:00 PM - Display of cars - Quincy Family Restaurant, Cheraw 1:01 PM - First car starts - Quincy Family Restaurant. 8:00 PM - First car finishes, Inn Cheraw. Where: Rally headquarters will be at the Inn Cheraw, Cheraw, South Carolina 1-800-535-8709, (803) 537-2011 Duration: 70 stage miles, 150 total miles, 11 stages Rank: Co-efficient 3 PRO Rally, with 60 percent points awarded to National drivers. The Sand Hills Sand Blast PRO Rally is presented by the South Carolina Region of the Sports Car Club of America. The National PRO Rally series is sponsored by Michelin Tire Corporation, sactioned by the Sports Car Club of America, and administered by the American Rally Association. The Sand Hills Sand Blast event is sponsored locally by Jonathan Corey, Ltd., of Pageland, South Carolina, makers of fine clothing for the imprinted sportswear market. Interviews: Drivers will be available by contacting the press room at the Inn Cheraw starting Friday, March 15. Any needs before then should be directed to Andy Schupack at the phone number listed below. Expected Top Entries: Paul Choiniere, from Shelburne, VT, five-time PRO Rally champion and winner of the Cheraw event the last two years, will debut his new 1996 Hyundai Elantra; Carl Merrill, from Ogunquit, ME, winner of two of the last three rallies in '95, in a 410 h Ford Escort Cosworth; Bruno Kreibich, from Queens, NY, oldest active rally driver (admitting to being "60 something"), in an Audi Quattro; Tom Ottey, from Columbus, OH, second place finisher in Cheraw last year, in an Open class Hyundai Elantra; Mike Hurst, from Pendleton, IN, debuting a Group 5 Porsche 911S; Jim Anderson, from Carrboro, NC, in a Production class Honda Prelude; Henry Krolikowski, former U.S. divisional rally champion, in a Dodge Charger; Kurt Thiel, from Rochester, NY, in a Group 2 VW GTI; Lesley Suddard, from Wilmingtn, DE, only woman racer in the event. Visuals: There will be maps to direct photographers and video crews onto the course during the daylight part of the rally on Saturday. Anyone requiring supplied photos or video should contact Andy Schupack in the press room starting March 15. Media Info: We will provide phone-ins on event information, driver interviews, and results. We will fax stories and agate Friday and Sunday. We have B-roll available for TV. Press room will be located at Rally Headquarters at the Inn Cheraw, Cheraw, South Carolina. Contact: Andy Schupack - SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally series media liaison: (401) 739-5677 (Before March 15 and after March 17) (800) 535-8709, Rally Headquarters (March 15 - 17) E-mail - 76456,2652@compuserve.com # # #