RALLY: ProRally: Maine Forest previes

DENVER, CO: Sixth round (of ten) for the 2001 season. A record field of over 120 SCCA and FIA Performance Rally cars, the largest ever assembled in the history of the Championship; are slated to start the Maine Forest SCCA ProRally. The rally uses fast but often rocky dirt and gravel lumber roads of the Mead Paper Company, International Paper Company and Seven Islands Land Company in western Maine, near the New Hampshire border. This event is sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America.

When & Where: July 27-28, 2000; Rumford, ME; approximately 75 miles (115 kilometers) north of Portland, ME. <pre> Schedule: (subject to change) Thursday, 26 July 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM Early Entrant & Media Registration - Sunday River Ski Resort 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM Scrutineering - AutoTech Service Center - east of Linnell Motel, Rt 2

Friday, 27 July 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM Entrant & Media Registration at Linnell Motel Pavilion, Rt 2 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM Scrutineering - Rumford Town Garage - west of Linnell Motel, Rt 2 1:00 - 3:00 PM Parc Expose - downtown Rumford - River Street 3:00 PM Start of Maine Forest Rally Leg One - Parade & Spectator Stage 7:20 PM Approximate first car arrival - Finish of Leg One - Linnell Motel 8:00 PM Unofficial Leg One scores posted - Linnell Motel

Saturday, 28 July 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Press Room open, Late Press Registration - Linnell Motel 10:00 AM Restart of Maine Forest Rally - Leg Two - DOT Lot - Wilsons Mills** 12:00 noon Lunch Break and Service - Oquossoc 5:00 PM Approximate first car arrival - Finish of Leg Two - Sunday River Ski Resort 7:00 PM Cocktails and Buffet - Sunday River Ski Resort 9:00 PM Final results posting; Awards and Prize Giving -Sunday River Ski Resort

Event Rank: This rally is a full points SCCA ProRally Championship event. Drivers earn points towards the national championship, and supporting manufacturers (Hyundai, Mazda, Subaru and Mitsubishi) earn points towards overall and class Manufacturers' Championships.

SCCA ProRally Championship - Maine Forest

Selected entries (driver/co-driver): · Overall series points leader Mark Lovell will debut his third new car of the season, an SCCA Open class specification 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX, with Steve Turvey co-driving.

· 1999 Overall Manufacturer, Driver & Co-Driver Champions Noel Lawler returns with co-driver Charles Bradley; SCCA Open Class 2001 Hyundai Tiburon

· 2001 Sno*Drift & seven-time Overall SCCA ProRally Driver/Co-Driver Champions Paul Choiniere & Jeff Becker; SCCA Open Class 2000 Hyundai Tiburon

· 2000 Gr N Drivers Champion, and 2001 Group N points leaders, Karl Scheible and Brian Maxwell, FIA Gr N 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX.

· A strong contingent of Canadian Performance Rally stars will be at Maine, highlighted by Frank and Dan Sprongl, in their 1993 Audi S2, plus the appearance of Subaru of Canada's two-car team of Tom McGeer/Mark Williams in Open class, and Patrick Richard/Ian McCurdy in Production GT.

· The California-based Knight Racing 3-car independent team featuring Lon Peterson/Bill Gutzman, and Jonathan Ryther/Janice Damitio, and Steve Gingras/Bill Westrick all in SCCA Open Class 2000 Subaru Impreza Turbos.

· 1999 Rim of the World overall winner Garen Shrader with 1998 Overall Co-Driver Champion Michael Fennell; 1998 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV

Notes

· The Maine Forest ProRally is substantially revised this year, using a number of new roads, and no 'out and back' stages, which should improve the flow of cars considerably. The popular Saturday in-town 'street stage' has been replaced with a special Friday spectator stage at the Mexico Recreational Park, which is approximately 3 miles north of Rumford on Rt 17, and will take place immediately following the Parc Expose.

· Mitsubishi has confirmed that Rhys Millen, who's championship chances were stalled by budget issues, is now fully funded to contest all of the remaining events in 2001 for the automaker. This should come as good news for Mitsubishi fans in the US, as Millen's new funding is rumored to be tied to the possible launch of the Evo VII in this country next year.

· The SCCA ProRally Overall Drivers Championship points battle is the deepest and tightest in many years, if ever, with 10 teams having run every or all-but-one event in the championship season thus far. This event, however, will likely change the face of the championship points race. With the absence of Richard Tuthill, Rhys Millen's renewed effort, Mark Lovell's unproven all-new car, Maine's status as a strong event for champion Paul Choiniere (six wins at Maine), and consistent podium finisher Seamus Burke and Frank Cunningham in top form, every stage in this grueling all-daytime rally will be flat-out sprint rally competition at its most intense level.

-SCCA/SCCA ProRacing/ProRally-