ProRally: Sno*Drift: Day one summary

Richard leads after seven stages at Sno*Drift.

Lewiston, Mich. (Jan. 29, 2004) -- Canadian Patrick Richard avoided the attrition plague that affected a sizable portion of Friday's early top 10, turned in a time of 37 minutes, 17.7 seconds, and holds the top overall position by 13 seconds in his Group N 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX after seven stages at Sno*Drift, the first round of the 2004 SCCA ProRally Championship.

Richard, and co-driver Brian Maxwell, leads Dennis Martin, of Green Bay, Wis., with Kim DeMotte, of Webster Groves, Mo., who started ninth on the road but put moved all the way up to second position in an Open Class 1997 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV, thanks in part to posting the fastest time on SS7 (the last stage of the day) by 22 seconds. Their final day one time was 37:30.6.

Seamus Burke, of Powder Springs, Ga., with Charlie Bradley, of Kennesaw, Ga., who started first on the road Friday, was steady in his 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and sits in third currently, five seconds behind Martin.

Virtually every competitor in the event made it through the first four Special Stages, but many competitors found the final three Special Stages much more challenging than the early portion of Friday's action.

Ramana Lagemann bowed out of the event with steering rack problems in his 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX. Mark Utecht went off into a snowy embankment in during the night stages, and Leon Styles' 1997 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution XII had to endure ice buildup on the inside of the windshield.

Travis Pastrana, the multi-time champion in motocross and freestyle motorcycle competition, found four-wheel life a bit rougher during his first day as a driver in the SCCA ProRally Championship as he surged 15 feet into Michigan snow about five miles into SS4 after coming downhill as he crested a hill. The gaff cost the 20-year-old driver about 20 minutes. Before then, he posted split times on SS1 and SS2 which would have placed him at least in the top 12.

2003 Overall 2WD and Group 5 Champion Doug Shepherd, with Pete Gladysz, leads Group 5 after the first day and is eighth overall. Shepherd's Mopar Dodge teammate Chris Whiteman, with Mike Paulin, is in front of the Group 2 pack and is 12th overall. Patrick Moro, with Neil Smith, leads the Production GT division and is 13th overall.

Day Two of Sno*Drift is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. when the first car is scheduled to leave the Atlanta High School. The event is scheduled to end at the Hillman Community Center in Atlanta when the first car is expected in at 7:00 p.m. (EDT) approximately.

{TB@} SNO*DRIFT PRORALLY 2004 UNOFFICIAL TOP 15 AFTER DAY ONE

Over Pos. Class Car No. Driver Country Co-Driver Country Time

 1 GN    54 Patrick Richard      CAN    Brian Maxwell         37.17.7
 2 Open 122 Dennis Martin        USA    Kim DeMotte       USA 37:30.6
 3 Open  25 Seamus Burke         IRE    Charlie Bradley   IRE 37:35.4
 4 GN    45 Shane Mitchell       IRE    Paul Donnelly     IRE 37:49.9
 5 GN    91 Jonathan Bottoms     USA    Carolyn Bosley    USA 38:18.3
 6 Open  80 Jon Kemp             USA    Ron Hendrickson   USA 38:57.9
 7 Open  20 Andrew Comrie-Picard CAN    Marc Goldfarb         39:01.7
 8 G5    52 Doug Shepherd        USA    Pete Gladysz      USA 40:09.8
 9 GN    44 Henry Krolikowski    USA    Cindy Krolikowski USA 40:37.1
10 Open 508 Tom Ottey            USA    Pamela McGarvey   USA 41:41.1
11 GN   565 Russell Hodges       USA    Mike Rossey       USA 41:56.9
12 G2   143 Chris Whiteman       USA    Mike Paulin       USA 42:18.4
13 PGT   59 Patrick Moro         USA    Neil Smith        USA 42:54.0
14 PGT  774 Otis Dimiters        USA    Peter Monin       USA 43:07.5
15 G5    53 Don Jankowski        USA    Ken Nowak         USA 43:25.1

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