“I’m so happy that we’ve done it,” exclaimed L’Estage, “The car was so good all season, and my family and sponsors have all been very supportive. I am so happy that I can show my appreciation by winning every rally title there is in North America.”

L’Estage and Richard have developed into one of the most dominant teams in North America, winning six of the last seven rallies they have entered, and earning the US title in their first full season south of the border. Until now, L’Estage’s development as a driver has been mostly through competition in the demanding Canadian Rally Championship.

Second place in both the event and the championship went to Craig Henderson and Lyne Murphy (New Richmond, QC) of Team Swap Shop. Known for clean and consistent driving, 2010 marks the first year the team have done the entire championship. Although happy for the strong finish, Henderson was happy to have the event finished, and with his second place, secured the manufacturer’s title for Subaru.

“Things were going ok this morning, but I started to get sick in the afternoon,” said Henderson. “For a while I thought I might need to stop, but I was determined to get to the finish.”

Bruno Carre and Yvan Joyal (Laval, QC), also of Team Swap Shop finished third after a variety of problems hampered their speed through most of the rally. The pair won the opening round of the 2010 season and led the points standings through the midpoint of the season.

“This was a really tough rally,” said Carre. “We had brake problems and driveline problems, but the team was always able to repair the car and keep us going.”

Pat Richard (Squamish, BC) and Alan Ockwell (Toronto) of Subaru Rally Team Canada retired late in the day after broken suspension caused the car to veer off the road.

“Congratulations to Antoine and Nathalie on their win,” said Richard, who won the title most recently in 2008 and 2009. “We’ve done so well in the past, it’s tough not to be able to continue that trend. This rally was really hard on us, and we wanted to win, but sometimes that’s just not how things go.”

Subaru Rally Team Canada entered a second car to help boost chances of securing the manufacturer’s title. Driven by 2003 Production World Rally Champion Martin Rowe (Whistler, BC) and co-driver Keith Morison (Calgary). The team suffered multiple mechanical problems but managed to claw back up the order and finish fourth.

Two wheel drive was dominated through most of the event by Simon Dube (Jonquiere, QC) and Pat Levigne (Montreal) in a VW Golf. The pair suffered a huge setback when they lost their power steering and alternator belt after driving through a water splash. Though they were able to make repairs and continue, they lost the top spot to local pair Martin Walter and Ferdinand Trauttmansdorf in a Nissan 240SX.

“I’m a big proponent of two-wheel-drive,” said Walter. “I think it’s really important to show people that you can have a great time rallying without having to spend big bucks on an all-wheel-drive car. We kept things clean all rally and have come out on top.”

The 2010 edition of the Rally of the Tall Pines marked the event’s 40th anniversary, making it one of the oldest events in the championship. Conditions are known to be unpredictable, and can change quickly, demanding the best of the teams.

“With the 40th anniversary this year, we’ve been focused on making this the best Tall Pines ever,” said Mike Koch, rally co-ordinator. “We were able to improve some of the roads over previous years to make things better for the competitors, and have continued to foster great spectating with changes to the super special and I am really happy with the results.”

The 2011 season of the Canadian Rally Championship starts in Maniwaki, Quebec, with the Rallye Perce Neige in February. As Canada’s only deep winter event, teams have a chance to enjoy the challenge of driving flat out on ice and snow covered roads.

The Canadian Rally Championship is comprised of six events held nationwide in a season that extends from February to November. The series is presented by Subaru Canada, supported by Yokohama Tire Canada and features contingency programs from Subaru Canada and Mitsubishi Canada. The Canadian Association of Rallysport (CARS) is the official sanctioning body for rallying in
Canada.

Rally car racing is often described simply as “real cars, real roads, real fast.” The all-season motorsport sees drivers and their co-drivers take modified road cars to the limit as they achieve blistering speeds over closed-road courses that typically cover more than 150 kilometers of gravel, dirt or snow-covered roads. Fans can get up close to the cars in the service areas and catch all the action from specially designated spectator points located at the best spots on the route.

Full coverage of the championship will air on RDS and TSN. Check local listings.

For more information: www.carsrally.ca or www.tallpinesrally.com

Rally of the Tall Pines Final Results
1. Antoine L’Estage – Nathalie Richard – one hour, 47 minutes 43 seconds
1. Craig Henderson – Lyne Murphy – 1:57:47
3. Bruno Carre – Yvan Joyal – 1:59:31
4. Martin Rowe – Keith Morison – 1:59:52
5. Nicola Narini – Massimo Narini – 2:00:10
6. Simon Losier – Brian Maxwell – 2:00:30
7. Ugo Desgreniers – Erik Kirby – 2:01:01
8. Steeve Hobbs – Jean-Mathieu Tremblay – 2:02:21
9. Peter Kocandrle – Alex Kihurani – 2:03:08
10. Marc Bourassa – Daniel Paquette – 2:04:46

Provisional CRC final overall standings (Driver)
1. Antoine L’Estage QC 98 points
2. Patrick Richard BC 75 points
2. Craig Henderson QC 75 points
4. Bruno Carre QC 66 points
5. Leo Urlichich ON 47 points
6. Hardy Schmidtke AB 28 points
7. Mathieu L’Estage QC 23 points
8. Ugo Desgreniers QC 22 points
9. Steeve Hobbs QC 20 points
10. Simon Losier QC 18 points
10. Marc Bourassa QC 18 points

Provisional CRC final overall standings (Co-Driver)
1. Nathalie Richard QC 100 points
2. Lyne Murphy QC 81 points
3. Alan Ockwell ON 75 points
4. Yvan Joyal QC 69 points
5. Adam Vokes AB 32 points
6. Yanick Nape QC 25 points
7. Eric Kirby QC 24 points
8. Jean-Mathieu T m QC 20 points
9. Daniel Paqu QC 19 points
10. Jody Zedril MB 16 points

Provisional CRC final overall standings (Manufacturer)
1. Subaru 100 points
2. Mitsubishi 99 points
3. Volkswagen 8 points

Photo Credit: Andrew Harvey Photography

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Subaru Rally Team Canada’s Pat Richard (Squamish, B.C.) and co-driver Alan Ockwell (Toronto) need to win to have a hope for repeating as Canadian Rally Champion driver and co-driver. The team is also leading the points standings for the manufacturers championship in their 2008 Subaru Impreza STI.

“The manufacturers title is our number one priority,” said Richard. “We have to approach this just like any other rally, and win again.”

Championship rivals Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard (Ste-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.) are in a slightly more relaxed position, with a second place finish netting the driver and co-driver titles. The pair campaign the Mitsubishi/Rockstar/Concerto EVO X.

“There’s still pressure on us,” said L’Estage, who also has a chance to clinch the North American Rally Cup with a solid finish at Tall Pines. “Competition will be tough, and I like this rally, but it can be very tricky.”

Brothers Frank and Dan Sprongl (Georgetown, Ont.) will be reunited in a car for the first time since 2006. Multiple Canadian and North American Champions, the two are sure to mix things up at the front of the pack. The team will be first on the road, driving a factory-backed Subaru Rally Team Canada Subaru Impreza STI.

“We’ve got nothing to lose, so there’s no pressure,” said Frank Sprongl, “It’s our first time back together, and Dan’s jumping in with both feet.” While they are not a factor in the driver’s championship, they could play a major role in the manufacturers standings by providing Subaru with an additional top-seeded entry.

Andrew Comrie-Picard (Toronto) and Jeremy Wimpey (State College, PA) will hope to secure the North American Rally Cup in their NOS Energy Drink Mitsubishi EVO X.

“We’ll need that delicate balance of speed, precision and reliability. Fortunately, the Evo is perfect for Pines,” said Comrie-Picard in regards to the thick competition.

More than 50 teams are on the start list for this event, including more than 20 two-wheel drive cars, and ten teams entered from the U.S. Zbigniew Szewczyk and Tomasz Karzynski (Calgary) will be pushing their Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart to the limit to secure the Group 5 Championship. They’ll have tough competition in the form of Martin Walter (North Gower, Ont.) and Ferdinand Trauttmansdorff (Ottawa) in their Nissan 240 SX. The teams are presently tied in the standings.

The storied Rally of the Tall Pines is an event that features some of the toughest driving challenges in North America, with conditions often referred to as “winter roads with summer ditches”.

The cold weather in the region at this time of year means the roads can become snow or ice covered, but drivers will not have the benefit of snow banks to keep them on the road. A small mistake can have big consequences at this event.

The Rally of the Tall Pines is one of the most spectator-friendly in the series, including a Super Special stage minutes from downtown Bancroft. The rally is held November 20-21, 2009, and includes more than 150 kilometers of competitive stages run in the Canadian Shield setting around Bancroft, Ontario.

Rally car racing is often described simply as “real cars, real roads, real fast.” The all-season motorsport sees drivers and their co-drivers take modified road cars to the limit as they achieve blistering speeds over closed-road courses that typically cover more than 150 kilometres of gravel, dirt or snow-covered roads. Fans can get up close to the cars in the service areas and catch all the action from specially designated spectator points located at the best spots on the route.

The Canadian Rally Championship is comprised of six events held nationwide in a season that extends from February to November. The series is presented by Subaru Canada, supported by Yokohama Tire Canada and features contingency programs from Subaru Canada and Mitsubishi Canada. The Canadian Association of Rallysport (CARS) is the official sanctioning body for rallying in Canada.

Full coverage of the championship will air on RDS and TSN. Check local listings.

For more information on the web: www.CARSrally.ca ; www.tallpinesrally.com

PHOTO 1: Frank and Dan Sprongl test their factory Subaru Impreza STI prior to the Rally of the Tall Pines. (Photo Credit: Warwick Patterson/Flatovercrest.com)

PHOTO 2: Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard in their Mitsubishi Evolution X are leading the championship race going into the final round. (Photo Credit: Andrew Harvey/Flatovercrest.com)

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Defending Canadian champions Pat Richard (Squamish, B.C.) and co-driver Alan Ockwell (Toronto, ON) come to Rallye Defi with a ten point lead in the championship. The two are in their second year competing together as the Subaru Rally Team Canada.

“We stabilized the development of the car at Rallye Defi last year,” said Richard about the level of preparedness within the team. “The car is ready to go, and so are we. A win will really help us towards wining the championship by getting a bigger points lead.”

Top competition for Richard and Ockwell come in the form of Antoine L’Estage and co-driver Nathalie Richard. L’Estage won this event three years straight from 2005-2007, but suffered a mechanical failure that took him out of the rally in 2008. Back with a new Mitsubishi Evolution X, the pair from Ste-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, consider this their home rally, and are confident about their chances.

“This is my home event, and I know the roads very well,” said L’Estage “We made a few more changes to the car this summer, and at our last event in Maine, everything was perfect. A win here will really help to close the championship standings.”

Andrew Comrie-Picard (Toronto, ON) will be joined by co-driver Robbie Durant (Oxford, UK) for the event. The pair have shown impressive speed since teaming up early in 2009, including finishing second at the Rocky Mountain Rally in May. Comrie-Picard and Durant will be competing in a Mitubishi Evolution X, and sit six points behind L’Estage and Richard in the standings.

“The car has been developing well, and we’re really confident about our level of performance,” said Comrie-Picard. “A win here could move us into second place in the championship.”

A number of crews will be on hand showing just how fast two wheel drive cars can be. Eric Grochowski and Leanne Junnila (Calgary, AB) will be making the long haul east to challenge the current class leaders, Jan and Jody Zedril (Winnipeg, MB). The young sensation Peter Koncandrle (Toronto, ON) and co-driver Jimmy Brandt (Lake Odessa, MI) in their diminutive Suzuki Swift will also be looking to improve on their current series standing. The Zedrils lead with 19 points, with Grochowski and Koncadrle chasing with 13 and 12 points respectively.

Sure to mix things up, Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino of Subaru Rally Team USA will be leaving the Impreza in the states and competing in a rear-wheel drive Ford Escort MkII. Block is an occasional competitor at Canadian events, having won the 2008 Rallye Baie des Chaleurs.

The fourth of six rounds, the Rallye Defi poses an endurance challenge for teams. With competitive stages getting longer on the second day of the event, competitors are forced to push faster just as they get more fatigued.

The event includes more than 150 kilometers of competitive stages run in the scenic Mont Tremblant region. One of the toughest events on the calendar, Rallye Defi is known to be hard on cars and crews alike.

Rally car racing is often described simply as “real cars, real roads, real fast.” The all-season motorsport sees drivers and their co-drivers take modified road cars to the limit as they achieve blistering speeds over closed-road courses that typically cover more than 150 kilometres of gravel, dirt or snow-covered roads. Fans can get up close to the cars in the service areas and catch all the action from specially designated spectator points located at the best spots on the route.

The Canadian Rally Championship is comprised of six events held nationwide in a season that extends from February to November. The series is presented by Subaru Canada, supported by Yokohama Tire Canada and features contingency programs from Subaru Canada and Mitsubishi Canada. The Canadian Association of Rallysport (CARS) is the official sanctioning body for rallying in Canada.

Full coverage of the championship will air on RDS and TSN. Check local listings.

For more information: www.CARSrally.ca ; www.rallyedefi.com

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Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., lead the championship after winning the season-opening Rallye Perce Neige in February. The pair will be in their new Mitsubishi Evolution X.

“We had a great start to the season,” said L’Estage. “We haven’t had a lot of time testing on gravel, but I’ve won Rocky twice before and I feel really confident.”

L’Estage and Richard will have to fight off defending Canadian Rally Champions Pat Richard of Squamish, B.C., and Alan Ockwell of Toronto. Last year, the pair debuted a new Subaru Impreza STI at the Rocky Mountain Rally and won the event despite brake issues.

“Every event is do-or-die in terms of the championship,” said Richard, who failed to finish the opening rally of the season. “We want to win, but we do need to finish to earn points.”

This event also marks the ten year anniversary of Richard’s first rally, when he debuted in a stock Subaru complete with snowboard roof rack! His current factory-backed Subaru will sport a new graphics package for this Rocky Mountain Rally.

Andrew Comrie-Picard of Toronto will be on hand in his Mitsubishi Evolution X, which is still in development. Comrie-Picard is fresh off two strong events in the U.S., and hopes to continue that trend with a strong finish at the Rocky Mountain Rally.

“We’re going to go as hard as possible,” said Comrie-Picard.

Nick Mathew of Calgary and sister, Kelly Mathew from Caledon, Ont., are coming to Rocky Mountain Rally for the first time as competitors. The pair won the most recent event on the Ontario Performance Rally series and have been working on improving their techniques.

A number of Calgary based teams will be contesting the event, including the two wheel drive entries of Zbigniew Szewczyk and Tomasz Karzynski in their Mitsubishi Lancer, and Eric Grochowski and Leanne Junnila in their VW Golf. Gord Olsen is always a threat for a top finish at this event in his Subaru Impreza STI, and relative newcomers, Hardy Schmidtke and co-driver, Adam Vokes will be aiming to repeat their top five finish from the Rocky Mountain Rally in 2008.

Held May 29-30, 2009, the Rocky Mountain Rally is the first gravel rally in the Canadian Rally Championship and takes place in the mountains that give the event its name. The higher altitude creates special challenges for the crews as engines struggle in the thin air.

Rally car racing is often described simply as “real cars, real roads, real fast.” The all-season motorsport sees drivers and their co-drivers take modified road cars to the limit as they achieve blistering speeds over closed-road courses that typically cover more than 150 kilometres of gravel, dirt or snow-covered roads. Fans can get up close to the cars in the service areas and catch all the action from specially designated spectator points located at the best spots on the route.

The Canadian Rally Championship is comprised of six events held nationwide in a season that extends from February to November. The series is presented by Subaru Canada, supported by Yokohama Tire Canada and features contingency programs from Subaru Canada and Mitsubishi Canada. The Canadian Association of Rallysport (CARS) is the official sanctioning body for rallying in Canada.

Full coverage of the championship will air on RDS and TSN. Check local listings.

For more information: www.CARSrally.ca; www.rockymountainrally.com

PHOTO: Andrew Harvey

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Round 2 – Rocky Mountain Rally

Quebec driver Antoine L’Estage and co-driver Nathalie Richard, both of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu (QC), will take to the start of Calgary’s Rocky Mountain Rally on May 29th and 30th. This is the second round of the Canadian Rally Championship, which is currently led by L’Estage and Richard following their victory at the Rallye Perce-Neige earlier this season. L’Estage and Richard, two-time Canadian and North American champions, will once again be at the wheel of their 2009 Rockstar/Royal Group Mitsubishi Evo X.

Already twice victorious at the Rocky Mountain Rally, an event renown for its fast gravel roads often covered in snow or mud, Antoine L’Estage arrives as the championship leader. “Nathalie and I know this rally well and we’re both very confident,” indicates the Quebec driver, who relies on a well-prepared car by rally legend John Buffum, as well as Yokohama tires specifically suited for these challenging conditions. “It’s a rally that’s always full of surprises. It could just as easily be warm and sunny as it could be cold with a foot of snow or muddy and hailing! I like the challenges that Mother Nature imposes on us and I perform well on difficult roads.” L’Estage adds, “I won’t be disappointed if it rains but the long-term forecast is calling for nice weather. We’re car number one and as first car on the road, we’ll be at a disadvantage as we sweep the thin layer of gravel for the teams behind us,” he confides.

The Rocky Mountain Rally starts at noon on Friday, May 29th at the Deerfoot Inn & Casino in Calgary, Alberta and concludes Saturday evening. This rally marks the end of the Canadian Rally Championship’s longest break of the year with almost three months since the Rallye Perce-Neige in February, an event that saw the L’Estage/Richard duo victorious in their Rockstar/Royal Group Mitsubishi Evo Lancer X’s maiden outing.

Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard participate in the 2009 Canadian Rally Championship with the proud support of Rockstar Energy Drink, Royal Group, Mitsubishi Canada, Yokohama Tires, Mobil, Energie Cardio, Libra Racing, OMP Racewear, and MBF Racing. For more details on the team or general rally information, please visit the Coyote Rallye Website.

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