ProRally: STPR Notes #3

Susquehannock Trail PRO Rally Round #5 - 1998 Michelin PRO Rally Championship Wellsboro, Pennsylvania Press Notes #3 - Friday, June 5 - 11:00 PM EDT

8. The practice stage which the organizer sets up near Morris always brings bad luck for at least one competitor, and this year it was the Ford Mustang GT of Martin Donnelly/Peter Cunningham. The car went off the road and rolled, blowing out all the glass and ending the team's rally weekend.

9. It looks like the Frank Sprongl/Dan Sprongl Audi Quattro S-2 will be in the fray tomorrow after spending the day waiting for a turbocharger. The same cannot be said for another veteran Audi competitor - Bruno Kreibich - who will miss STPR because parts for his car did not arrive on time.

10. It also looks like the Vinnie Frontinan/Frank Cunningham VW Corrado will also make the field. Vinnie was the 81st car registered in an 80- car field, but will take the empty slot created by the Mustang roll. Other late entries include the John Shirley/Phil Barnes Triumph TR-7 V-8; and the Scott Williams/Michael Niven VW GTI.

11. Here's the final breakdown - an amazing gathering of cars for a U.S. rally event:

80 cars; 19 Open-class entries; 15 Group 5 cars; 8 PGT cars; 14 Group 2 16 entries in the divisional runoffs. This is the first 80-plus field at STPR, and the first one in the U.S. since the 1989 Sunriser event in Ohio.

12. With all the battle going on (two divisionals, the divisional runoffs, and all the national classes), much of the attention will be focused on the overall battle for first place. Defending national champions Paul Choiniere/Jeff Becker had mechanical problems here last year in their Hyundai Tiburon, and fell further back when they went off the road on stage #7. They made a terrific comeback late in the rally, but could not catch the Carl Merrill/Lance Smith Ford Escort Cosworth. But those perennial favorites have some new competition - current series points leader David Summerbell, from Kingston, Jamaica, in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV. Summerbell, who finished third at Wild West and won Rim of the World to take the series lead, will also have to deal with the Sprongls, who are undefeated in their last four U.S. rally appearances dating back to 1996.

And several other Open class competitors can't be counted out of the top five from previous experience. The Noel Lawler/Charles Bradley Hyundai Elantra (an ex-Choiniere championship car), the Jon Kemp/Gail McGuire Audi 4000 Quattro (fifth overall here last year), and even Sakis Hajiminas' VW Fox Station Wagon Kit car (more on this later) will turn fast stage times.

# # # 1998 Susquehannock Trail PRO Rally Entry List Round #5 - 1998 Michelin PRO Rally Championship Entry/Start List (end of registration 6/5/98) Car Num. Driver/Home Town Navigator/Home Town Vehicle/Tires Class -------------------------------------------------------------------------

5 Frank Sprongl Dan Sprongl Audi Quattro S-2 Open Misissauga, ONT Mississauga, ONT Yokohama

3 Carl Merrill Lance Smith Ford Escort Cosworth Open Ogunquit, ME Colchester, VT Michelin

1 Paul Choiniere Jeff Becker Hyundai Tiburon Open Shelburne, VT Great Neck, NY Michelin

43 Mike Whitman Paula Gibeault Ford Sierra Cosworth Open Farmington, NM Ridgecrest, CA Michelin

77 David Summerbell Michael Fennell Mitsubishi Lancer Open Kingston, Jamaica Kingston, Jamaica Evolution IV/Michelin

6 Steve Gingras Bill Westrick Eagle Talon PGT Elk River, MN Orion, MI Michelin

33 Tom Ottey Pam McGarvey Mazda 323GTX PGT Columbus, OH Columbus, OH Michelin

10 Cal Landau Eric Marcus Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX PGT Coraopolis, PA Dayton, OH Michelin

19 Mike Hurst Rob Bohn Porsche 911 Group 5 Pendleton, IN Noblesville, IN Michelin

7 Bruce Newey David Payne Toyota Celica Group 5 Atlanta, GA Atlanta, GA Michelin

11 Ralph Kosmides Joe Noyes Toyota Supra Group 5 Newport Beach, CA Bothell, WA Michelin

20 Jon Nichols Mick Koch VW Golf GTI Group 2 Baie d'Ulfe, PQ Nepean, ONT BFGoodrich 34 Noel Lawlor Charles Bradley Hyundai Elantra Open Manchester, VT Ardmore, PA Michelin 25 Jon Kemp Gail McGuire Audi 4000 Quattro Open Attica, NY Avon, NY Michelin

22 Chris Czyczio Eric Carlson Mitsubishi Eclipse PGT Flushing, MI Oregon, WI Michelin

13 Bryan Pepp Jerry Stang Eagle Talon PGT Marquette, MI Marquette, MI Michelin

26 Rick Davis Ben Greisler BMW 318i Group 5 West Chester, PA Exton, PA Michelin

27 Jim Anderson Martin Dapot Homda Prelude VTEC Group 5 Dublin, OH Reston, VA Michelin

28 Chris Havas Eric Tremblay VW Golf Group 2 Richmond, VT StJean Chrysostone, PQ Michelin 8 Bill Malik Christian Edstrom Volvo 240 Group 2 Burbank, CA Los Angeles, CA Michelin

30 Sakis Hadjiminas Brian Maxwell VW Fox Kit Car Open Floral Park, NY Port Hope, ONT Michelin

31 Dean Fry Donald Kennedy Subaru Legacy Open Temple, PA Shillington, PA Michelin

32 Dean Panton David Watkins Hyundai Elantra Open Kingston, Jamaica Kingston, Jamaica Michelin

117 Ken Stewart Jim Dale Chevy S-10 Pickup Open Grove, OK Conway, AK Cooper

23 Greg Trepetin Dick Casey Honda Prelude VTEC Group 5 Gaithersburg, MD Fiarfax Station, VA Collway

35 Kurt Thiel George Thompson VW GTI Group 2 Rochester, NY Rochester, NY Michelin

15 Jay Kowalik Scott Embree Honda Civic VTEC Prod. London, OH Dublin, OH Michelin

83 Mark Utecht Paul Schwerin Dodge Omni GLH Turbo Group 5 St. Paul, MN Coon Rapids, MN Michelin

36 Mike Villemure Reny Villemure VW Beetle Group 5 Westland, MI Flat Rock, MI Michelin

38 Lesley Suddard Mark Goldfarb Dodge Charger Group 5 Wilmington, DE Atkinson, NH Michelin

39 John Daubenmier Stanley Rosen Chevy S-10 Pick-up Group 5 Dexter, MI Milford, MI

40 Walter Kammer Jackie Adams Datsun H510 Group 2 Williamsville, NY North Collins, NY Yokohama 41 Wayne Prochaska Annette Prochaska VW Golf Group 2 Lake Orion, MI Lake Orion, MI Michelin

29 Greg Healey John MacLeod Dodge Ram 50 Pick-up Div. 02 Saugerties, NY S. Easton, MA Michelin (start position)

42 Charles Langan Hughie Langan Ford Escort Prod Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia, PA Michelin

14 Garen Shrader Floyd "Doc" Shrader Ford Sierra Cosworth Open Memphis, TN Memphis, TN Michelin

45 Craig Kazmierczak Diane Sargent Mazda RX-7 Group 5 Ann Arbor, MI Saginaw, MN Bridgestone

46 Michael Curran Joe McGirl Eagle Talon Group 5 Yonkers, NY New York, NY Michelin

47 Eric Schroeder Jennifer Mynhier VW Jetta GLI Group 2 Indianapolis, IN Indianapolis, IN

48 Scott Kreisler Keith Kreisler Nissan 200-SX Group 2 Boyertown, PA Clifton Park, NY Michelin

49 Bill Driegert Hashin Shim Mitsubishi Esclipse PGT Arlington, TX Dallas, TX Michelin

50 Kendall Russell Lynn Dillon Dodge Shadow PGT Knoxville, TN Indianapolis, IN Michelin

71 Brian Hourt Brian Shanfield Honda Civic Group 2 Raymond, OH Hilliard, OH Michelin

68 Thomas Lawless Sean Devine Eagle Talon 0pen Maspeth, NY Maspeth, NY Michelin

51 Sylvester Stepniewski Adam Pelc Audi 4000 Quattro Open Keansburg, NJ Brooklyn, NY Michelin

52 James Kuhn, Jr. Jennifer Logel Audi 4000 Quattro Open Machias, NY Orchard Park, NY Michelin

54 Michael Burke Tony Lumino Audi 4000 Quattro Open Columbus, OH Westbrook, ME Michelin

56 Miroslaw Babinski Piotr Madrzejewski Toyota All-trac Open Chicago, IL Chicago, IL Michelin

58 Carlos Arieta, Sr. Carlos Arieta, Jr. Audi 4000S Quattro Open Alexandria, VA Falls Church, VA Michelin 59 Darek Bosek Kazimeerz Pudelek Eagle Talon Group 5 Arlington Heights, IL Chicago, IL Goodyear

24 Celcus Donnely Frank McAllister Mazda 323GTX PGT Bronx, NY Bronx, NY

16 Scott Naturale Richard Adelmann Mazda RX-7 Group 5 Morristown, NJ Sussex, NJ Michelin

60 Ted Grzelak Christopher Plante Dodge Shelby Charger Group 5 Clinton Township, MI Green Bay, WI Michelin

75 Robert Pao Thomas Brann VW GTI Group 2 Bridgewater, NJ Mahopac, NY Colway

61 Paul Kelbel Damon Meyers VW GTI Group 2 New York, NY Taunton, MA Michelin

96 Robert Wagner David Bruce Saab 96 Group 2 Brooklyn, NY New York, NY Hakkapelitta

62 Douglas Davenport Al Kintigh VW GTI Group 2 Indianapolis, IN Brooklyn Park, MN Michelin

44 Ken Kovach Mark Rinkel Ford Escort GT Group 2 Cleveland, OH Hinckley, OH Michelin

63 Ted Mendham Lise Mendham Nissan Sentra Prod. Lyndeborough, NH Lyndeborough,NH Michelin

64 Padraig Purcell Michael O'Sullivan Ford Escort Prod. Yonkers, NY Nanuet, NY Michelin

65 Brian Vinson Richard Beels VW GTI Prod. Ferndale, MI Ferndale, MI Michelin

66 Roland McIvor Brendan Bowan Nissan Sentra Prod. Ft. Myers, FL Hopewell Junction, NY Michelin

67 Damien Hynds Jimmy McGrath VW GTI Group 2 Yonkers, NY Yonkers, NY Michelin

21 Trevor Donison John Allen Plymouth Neon ACR Prod. Vancouver, WA Bainbridge Island, WA Michelin

18 John Shirley Phil Barnes Triumph TR-7/V-8 Group 5 Knoxville, TN Cortland, NY Michelin

# # #

1998 SCCA DIVISIONAL PRO RALLY National Championship Preliminary National Entry/Start List Car Num. Driver/Home Town Navigator/Home Town Vehicle/Tires Class -------------------------------------------------------------------------

6 Steve Gingras Bill Westrick Eagle Talon 04 Elk River, MN Orion, MI Michelin

11 Ralph Kosmides Joe Noyes Toyota Supra 02 Newport Beach, CA Bothell, WA Michelin

22 Chris Czyczio Eric Carlson Mitsubishi Eclipse 04 Flushing, MI Oregon, WI Michelin

26 Rick Davis Ben Greisler BMW 318i 02 West Chester, PA Exton, PA Michelin

28 Chris Havas Eric Tremblay VW Golf U2 Richmond, VT StJean Chrysostone, PQ Michelin 8 Bill Malik Christian Edstrom Volvo 240 U2 Burbank, CA Los Angeles, CA Michelin

117 Ken Stewart Jim Dale Chevy S-10 Pickup 04 Grove, OK Conway, AK Cooper

83 Mark Utecht Paul Schwerin Dodge Omni GLH Turbo 02 St. Paul, MN Coon Rapids, MN Michelin

36 Mike Villemure Reny Villemure VW Beetle 02 Westland, MI Flat Rock, MI Michelin

38 Lesley Suddard Mark Goldfarb Dodge Charger 02 Wilmington, DE Atkinson, NH Michelin

41 Wayne Prochaska Annette Prochaska VW Golf U2 Lake Orion, MI Lake Orion, MI Michelin

29 Greg Healey John MacLeod Dodge Ram 50 Pick-up 02 Saugerties, NY S. Easton, MA Michelin

48 Scott Kreisler Keith Kreisler Nissan 200-SX U2 Boyertown, PA Clifton Park, NY Michelin

49 Bill Driegert Hashin Shim Mitsubishi Esclipse 04 Arlington, TX Dallas, TX Michelin

62 Douglas Davenport Al Kintigh VW GTI U2 Indianapolis, IN Brooklyn Park, MN Michelin

66 Roland McIvor Brendan Bowan Nissan Sentra U2 Ft. Myers, FL Hopewell Junction, NY Michelin # # #

Divisional-Only Entry List (not entered in divisional runoffs)

69 Arthur Wojcik Maciej Salamon Mitsubishi Galant GSX 04 Middle Village, NY Flushing, NY Michelin

53 Bruce Haymann Greg Haymann Audi 5000 Quattro 04 Poughkeepsie, NY Pawling, NY Maxsport

70 Michael Zamikhovsky TBD Toyota Celica GT4 04 Watchung, NJ Colway

72 Martin Donnelly Peter Cunningham Ford Mustang 02 Woodside, NY Bronx, NY Michelin

73 Donald Taylor Norean Shephard Dodge Shelby CSX 02 Claremont, NH Cantley, QUE Michelin

74 Colin McCleery Jeff Secor Merkur XR4ti 02 Zeeland, MI Hudsonville, MI Michelin

57 Niall Donnelly Robert Barrall VW Scirocco U2 New York, NY Bethlehem, PA Michelin

76 John Rahill Sarah Gardescu VW GTI U2 Montpelier, VT Montpelier, VT Michelin

78 Patrick Lilly Mark McAllister Ford Escort U2 . New York, NY New York, NY Michelin

37 Art Burmeister Eric Burmeister VW GTI U2 Sterling, MI Zeeland, MI Michelin

79 Ilana Rosenshein Roger Sanderson Suzuki Swift GT U2 Waterloo, ONT Waterloo, ONT

80 Marvin Lummen John Atsma Dodge Omni U2 Grand Rapids, MI Grand Rapids, MI

81 Greg Gilfeather Dave Gartner Mazda RX-7 02 Jersey City, NJ Wilmington, DE Michelin

82 Evan Moen Ron Moen Plymouth Neon ACR U2 Clarkston, MI Clarkston, MI Michelin

55 Scott Williams Michael Nevin VW GTI U2 Michelin