22 two-wheel-drive rally cars battle for cash and glory at the season finale of the 2011 MaxAttack! Two Wheel Drive Series presented by Danza del Sol

The third and final round of the 2011 MaxAttack! Series, presented by the Danza del Sol winery, took place on October 15 and 16 in the copper country of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. This year the event returned to a traditional two-day format, and 22 teams faced 130 stage miles of the toughest and most challenging roads around the towns of Houghton, L’Anse, and Kenton. The weather for the Lake Superior Rally is frequently a factor, and this year was no exception. The rains pelted down on Friday night, and winds were blowing at 30mph with gusts over 50. The Beacon Hill and Bob Lake stages were particularly treacherous, between diabolically slippery mud on the former and huge ruts on the latter. Saturday was drier, but the winds continued to blow.

The winner of the MaxAttack! round at Lake Superior was the Mitsubishi Lancer of Canadians Jan and Jody Zedril. The brothers scarcely put a wheel wrong all weekend, and were rewarded with a victory of almost two minutes. Behind them, however, teams were challenged by the conditions. The Ford Fiesta of Joseph Burke and Alex Kihurani could not get warm air to blow out of their defroster all weekend, and while many teams were reporting fogging windshields, the problem was substantially more acute for the Ford team. They did persevere to claim the runner-up spot. Third-place finishers Billy Mann and Mary Warren, in a Honda Civic, hit something so hard on the Far Point stage that it moved the right front wheel back several inches. They installed a new control arm for Saturday’s stages, but the Honda was still not handling properly.

The Himes brothers, Silas and Matt, had a good run in their Honda Civic for a fourth place finish. Their drama for the weekend occurred on Stage 4, when they lost a wheel. They lost over ten minutes to their closest competitors, but managed to claw back to just 16 seconds behind Mann and Warren. The Volvo 240 of Chris Czyzio/Jeff Secor and the Nissan 240SX of Ian Seppanen and Daniel Clark both reported that rear-wheel-drive was a handful in the slop on Friday night, but the drier Saturday conditions were more to their liking and they finished fifth and sixth respectively. Behind them came first-time ralliers Steve Brockelman and Dustin Masters in a GMC Sonoma, who managed to make it through the weekend and had big grins on their faces at every service. The Ford Focus of Cameron Steely and Josh Buller survived brake, cooling and fogging issues, as well as an off, to survive the first night and ultimately finish the rally in eighth.

In true Press on Regardless fashion, the team of Daryn Chernick and Matthew Conte used great creativity to finish the event. They were caught out, like a lot of teams, on a “Right 5 over Kick” instruction on the Arvon Towers stage, and they rolled their VW GTI and smashed the windshield. Officials would not let the team continue with the car in that condition, so the team borrowed a windshield from Mitsubishi Evo driver Art Gruszka, and with copious quantities of duct tape were able to secure the Evo windshield to their VW and run the last five stages to record a ninth place finish.

Pre-event favorites Dillon Van Way and Jake Blattner, in a turbocharged Ford Fiesta, did not make it through Friday night. They were plagued for a while with a slipping clutch, but by the end of the evening the clutch failed completely and they were not able to finish. Transmission problems sidelined the VW Jetta of Matt and Andrew Bushore, and the Eagle Talon of Erik Hill and Oliver Cooper. Motor problems took out the classic Datsun 510 of Jim Scray and Colin Vickman, as well as the Plymouth Neon of Chris Greenhouse and Brian Johnson and the VW GTI of Kristofer Yahner and Tony Benusa. The crowd-favorite VW Beetle of brothers Mark and John Huebbe succumbed to distributor failure and was not able to finish.

The Top 5 finishers in the final round of the 2011 MaxAttack! series, and prize money won, were:

1. Jan Zedril/Jody Zedril, Mitsubishi Lancer ($1500)
2. Joseph Burke/Alex Kihurani, Ford Fiesta ($1200)
3. Billy Mann/Mary Warren, Honda Civic ($1000)
4. Silas Himes/Matt Himes, Honda Civic ($800)
5. Chris Czyzio/Jeff Secor, Volvo 240 ($500).

The winners of the coveted Jake Himes Cup for 2011 were driver Dillon Van Way and co-driver Jake Blattner in their Ford Fiesta. “They were really fun roads, really smooth, and the weather was great,” said co-driver Jake Blattner. He adds, “It’s always great to get in the car, but the championship adds meaning to the competition and brings out the best. I really think MaxAttack! is the best series out there right now.”

The 2011 MaxAttack! Rookie Co-Driver of the Year, sponsored by Alex Gelsomino of the Monster World Rally Team, was awarded to Mary Warren, who finished third at Lake Superior with driver Billy Mann in a Honda Civic. Alex generously donated the $500 cash prize that rewards the top-finishing MaxAttack! co-driver with five or fewer rally weekends of experience.

The Terra Firma Clothing Company awarded Max Improver awards to the two teams that improved the most from their starting position to their finishing position. The second place team was the VW GTI of Daryn Chernick and Matthew Conte. The winners were first-time ralliers Steve Brockelman and Dustin Masters in a GMC Sonoma, who started twenty-first but finished seventh.

The Rallysports Group of America would like to thank the organizers of the Lake Superior Performance Rally for their gracious assistance and support, all the volunteers, and Rally America.

The MaxAttack! Rally Series Presented by Danza del Sol consists of three events across the country, and each event features a $5,000 prize fund to be distributed among the top two-wheel-drive teams, as well as a season championship with the winners receiving coveted Jake Himes Cup. For more information about the MaxAttack! Series and the Rallysports Group of America, please visit http://www.max-attack.com.

The three events that made up the 2011 MaxAttack! Rally Series Presented by Danza del Sol were:
* Olympus Rally, April 30-May 1, Ocean Shores, WA, http://www.olympusrally.com
* New England Forest Rally, July 15-16, Bethel, ME, http://www.newenglandforestrally.com
* Lake Superior Performance Rally, October 14-16, Houghton, MI, http://www.lsprorally.com
The Olympus Rally and the New England Forest Rally were the west and east coast Qualifying events, and the Lake Superior Performance Rally was the central Shootout event.

About Danza del Sol Winery
Nestled in the rolling hills of the beautiful Temecula Wine Valley, Danza Del Sol Winery is a thirty-five acre estate winery located in Southern California’s Wine Country. While Danza Del Sol’s tasting room officially opened in February 2010, the winery itself already has a remarkable history. The estate was previously owned by Dr. William Filsinger and his late wife Katharine, who provided the Temecula Wine Valley with exceptional wines for nearly 30 years. Danza Del Sol is dedicated to producing a unique range of premium varietal and proprietary blended wines that are sure to exceed your expectations, at affordable prices. For more information, please visit http://danzadelsol.com/.

About Rallysports Group of America
Rallysports Group of America, Inc. (RSGA) was formed as an organization in 2006 to advance the sport of performance stage rally in the United States. By providing education on performance driving, car preparation and safety, and by fostering the growth of meaningful competition, RSGA seeks to provide a sustainable and competitive arena for the advancement of North American performance rally that promotes increased value for rally competitors, organizers, and sponsors alike. For more information, please visit http://www.max-attack.com.

About Rally America, Inc.
Based in Golden Valley, Minn., Rally America sanctions the premier performance rally series in the United States, the Rally America National Championship Series. In 2012, Rally America is conducting six National Championship events at venues across the country, from Seattle, Washington to Newry, Maine. Rally America competitors reach speeds of well over 100 mph in modified street cars on natural-terrain courses consisting of gravel, dirt or snow. More information about rally can be found at www.rally-america.com, and videos can viewed at www.youtube.com/rallyamericaseries.

Photos: WorldRallySport.com | Scott Rains

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The final round of the 2011 MaxAttack! Series, presented by the Danza del Sol winery, will roll into the Upper Peninsula Michigan towns of Houghton, L’Anse, and Kenton on October 15 and 16. Sanctioned by Rally America, and billed as the Longest, Toughest, and Meanest rally on the circuit, the Lake Superior Performance Rally will cover nearly 130 racing miles that will test rally teams on a variety of road surfaces, in an event where constantly changing weather conditions can significantly alter the outcome of the event. An excellent field of more than twenty two-wheel-drive rally cars will make the finale one to remember as they fight for a piece of the $5000 purse.

The event favorite has to be Louisiana youngster Dillon Van Way, teamed with Oregonian Jake Blattner in a Ford Fiesta. Their turbocharged Fiesta has proven to be quite a speedy ride, and a third-place finish at the New England Forest Rally should give the team all the motivation they need to go two spots better. Canadian brothers Jan and Jody Zedril are once again bringing their Mitsubishi Lancer south from Winnipeg, and they are no strangers to rallies in Minnesota and Michigan. This popular duo has already clinched the 2011 Group 5 title in the Canadian Rally Championship, and unlike last year their Lancer now boasts turbocharged power.

Joseph Burke, who is coming to the Upper Peninsula all the way from Georgia, will be teamed with Alex Kihuani in another Ford Fiesta, an R2 model that is normally-aspirated and will run in Group 2. Burke, the 2010 Rally America national Rookie of the Year, has most recently run a potent Open Class Mitsubishi Lancer, and finished on the national podium at the 2011 Sno*Drift Rally (also held in Michigan). Chris Greenhouse always goes well at Lake Superior; he is teamed with Brian Johnson in a Plymouth Neon. In a Honda Civic are Silas and Matt Himes, brothers of Jake Himes, one of the founders of MaxAttack! and in whose honor the championship trophy is named.

Older and rear-wheel-drive cars are always popular with spectators, and no exception is the 1970 VW Beetle of brothers Mark and John Huebbe from Missouri. Jim Scray and Colin Vickman are competing in a 1972 Datsun 510, and Lake Superior veterans Chris Czyzio and Jeff Secor have teamed up in a 1980 Volvo 242. Ian Seppanen and Daniel Clark will team up in a 1991 Nissan 240SX. Rotary is represented by locals Mychal Summers and Ryan DesLaurier, who run their 1987 Mazda RX-7 out of L’Anse, Michigan, where some of the event service stops will take place. Steve Brockelman and Dustin Masters represent the truck fans in their 1991 GMC Sonoma.

There are eleven manufacturers represented in the field, with Volkswagen being the must numerous at six entries. There are four Fords, including two new Fiestas, three teams running Datsun/Nissan products, and there are two Hondas. One car (or truck) will be seen from GMC, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Hyundai, Eagle, Plymouth, and Volvo.

The 2011 MaxAttack! series champion and prestigious Jake Himes Cup winner is decided in a “Shootout” fashion at this event. Dillon Van Way and Jake Blattner are the only Lake Superior entrants that ran one of the qualifying events, so all they have to do is finish to take home the Jake Himes Cup. But the question remains… Will Van Way and Blattner cruise to secure the season championship, or will they battle with the Zedrils, Burke, Greenhouse and others for the $1500 first-place check? Only time will tell.

Once again, Alex Gelsomino, co-driver of the Monster World Rally Team Ford Fiesta driven by Ken Block, is supporting the MaxAttack! series by presenting a $500 cash prize to the highest-finishing rookie co-driver in the championship. To qualify, a co-driver must not have done more than five event weekends prior to Lake Superior. Pascal Belperron, who placed seventh at the New England Forest Rally with Edward McNelly, is currently leading this chase. Pascal is not entered at Lake Superior, so with a number of novice co-drivers contesting the Lake Superior Rally, this generous award is still up for grabs.

The MaxAttack! Rally Series Presented by Danza del Sol consists of three events across the country, and each event features a $5,000 prize fund to be distributed among the top two-wheel-drive teams, as well as a season championship with the winners receiving coveted Jake Himes Cup. For more information about the MaxAttack! Series and the Rallysports Group of America, please visit http://www.max-attack.com.

The three events that will constitute the 2011 MaxAttack! Rally Series Presented by Danza del Sol are:
* Olympus Rally, April 30-May 1, Ocean Shores, WA, http://www.olympusrally.com
* New England Forest Rally, July 15-16, Bethel, ME, http://www.newenglandforestrally.com
* Lake Superior Performance Rally, October 14-16, Houghton, MI, http://www.lsprorally.com
The Olympus Rally and the New England Forest Rally are the west and east coast Qualifying events, and the Lake Superior Performance Rally is the central Shootout event.

About Danza del Sol Winery
Nestled in the rolling hills of the beautiful Temecula Wine Valley, Danza Del Sol Winery is a thirty-five acre estate winery located in Southern California’s Wine Country. While Danza Del Sol’s tasting room officially opened in February 2010, the winery itself already has a remarkable history. The estate was previously owned by Dr. William Filsinger and his late wife Katharine, who provided the Temecula Wine Valley with exceptional wines for nearly 30 years. Danza Del Sol is dedicated to producing a unique range of premium varietal and proprietary blended wines that are sure to exceed your expectations, at affordable prices. For more information, please visit http://danzadelsol.com/.

About Rallysports Group of America
Rallysports Group of America, Inc. (RSGA) was formed as an organization in 2006 to advance the sport of performance stage rally in the United States. By providing education on performance driving, car preparation and safety, and by fostering the growth of meaningful competition, RSGA seeks to provide a sustainable and competitive arena for the advancement of North American performance rally that promotes increased value for rally competitors, organizers, and sponsors alike. For more information, please visit http://www.max-attack.com.

About Rally America, Inc.
Based in Golden Valley, Minn., Rally America sanctions the premier performance rally series in the United States, the Rally America National Championship Series. In 2012, Rally America is conducting six National Championship events at venues across the country, from Seattle, Washington to Newry, Maine. Rally America competitors reach speeds of well over 100 mph in modified street cars on natural-terrain courses consisting of gravel, dirt or snow. More information about rally can be found at www.rally-america.com, and videos can viewed at www.youtube.com/rallyamericaseries.

Photo: WorldRallySport.com | Aaron Kathman

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“We broke an axle on the very first stage at BRS, and were retired. We had been setting a good pace, too, so that was a real disappointment.”

Last year at LSPR, Chris and co-driver Brian Johnson came up short of winning the Group 2 Regional Rally Cup, and settled for second place behind Jan and Jody Zedril of Winnipeg, MB Canada. They did, however, manage to secure fifth place in the MaxAttack! event, which is a 2WD-only series that combines all the 2WD entrants, including the high-horsepower turbo-powered Group 5 cars.

“I really wanted to win the Regional Championship, but couldn’t match [Jan] Zedril’s speed on the longer, faster stages. I won the 2009 Group 2 [Regional Rally] Cup and I want it back this year. And if we can place well in MaxAttack!, I’d be quite happy with that too.”

Chris, Brian and the Weasel RallySport Team would like to thank EBC Brakes, MadDog STS, Angry Sheep Motorsports, Silco Fire Protection, JayRacing.com, and EZAutoaccessories.com for their continued support.

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21 two-wheel-drive rally cars battled over the challenging Lake Superior Performance Rally stages on the scenic Upper Peninsula of Michigan; O’Sullivan/Wagner win Jake Himes Cup

The third and final round of the 2010 MaxAttack! Series, presented by the Danza del Sol winery took place on a surprisingly sunny and warm Upper Peninsula weekend on October 16th. Normally rain, fog and snow are hazards that teams have to face at this rally, but it was sunny and warm and dust actually turned out to be a problem later in the event. Twenty-one teams registered for the last MaxAttack! round of the season, once again with a wide range of machinery, and all but five made it to the end of the 90 stage miles.

The winner of the MaxAttack! round at Lake Superior was the Dodge Neon SRT 4 of Doug Shepherd and co-driver Karen Wagner. This was the same car in which Wagner and driver Lauchlin O’Sullivan dominated the New England Forest Rally. Shepherd and Wagner’s run was far from drama-free, however, as the team replaced the turbo just days before the rally, then bounced back from additional turbo problems and from hitting a tree that could have potentially ended their victory run. Hot on their heels all day was another SRT 4, this one piloted by Lauchlin O’Sullivan and Scott Putnam. O’Sullivan lost 37 seconds to Shepherd on Stage 4, however, when the SRT 4 punctured its left front tire. O’Sullivan also hit heavy dust later in the rally, leaving Shepherd and Wagner with a 57 second margin of victory despite that team’s tree and turbo incidents.

Following the initial four stages, just 23 seconds behind Shepherd, was a tremendous battle for second through sixth, with five teams separated by just 10 seconds. O’Sullivan’s flat meant that he was among that group, but he would pull away from this pack as the rally progressed, including setting a fast overall event stage time on Stage 6. The first of the pursuing pack to falter was the Honda CRX of Cody Crane and Billy Irvin. The duo, who had towed all the way out from Oregon, lost their transmission and coasted to a stop on Stage 5. Showing consistent speed all day, and ultimately finishing third, was the immaculate Mitsubishi Lancer of brothers Jan and Jody Zedril from Winnipeg, Manitoba. They finished 47 seconds behind O’Sullivan.

It was a close battle for fourth and fifth between the Plymouth Neon of Chris Greenhouse/Brian Johnson and the Mazdaspeed3 of Eric Burmeister/Dave Shindle. Burmeister is an alumnus of Michigan Tech University in Houghton, and has been attending this rally since he was a kid, so he considers Lake Superior his home rally. But Greenhouse, from Cincinnati, Ohio kept it close. When it was all said and done, despite some intermittent mechanical problems the Burmeister/Shindle Mazda edged out Greenhouse/Johnson by just 27 seconds.

The Top 5 finishers in the final round of the 2010 MaxAttack! series, and prize money won, were:

1. Dough Shepherd/Karen Wagner, Dodge SRT 4 ($1500)
2. Lauchlin O’Sullivan/Scott Putnam, Dodge SRT 4 ($1200)
3. Jan Zedril/Jody Zedril, Mitsubishi Lancer ($1000)
4. Eric Burmeister/Dave Shindle, Mazdaspeed3 ($800)
5. Chris Greenhouse/Brian Johnson, Plymouth ($500).

The winners of the coveted Jake Himes Cup for 2010 were driver Lauchlin O’Sullivan and co-driver Karen Wagner, the defending 2009 champions. It is interesting to note that Lauchlin and Karen competed together at the New England Forest Rally, then against each other at the Lake Superior Rally, yet both accrued enough points to repeat as series champions. Of additional significance is the fact that Karen Wagner has finished first twice, second, and fourth as co-driver in the four-year history of the MaxAttack! series.

The 2010 MaxAttack! Rookie Co-Driver of the Year, sponsored by Alex Gelsomino, was awarded to Lori O’Driscoll from Leadville, CO who accompanied her husband, Chris O’Driscoll, to 6th place at the Oregon Trail Rally and 16th at LSPR in a Honda CRX. This is the O’Driscoll’s first year of stage rally competition, and Lake Superior was just their fifth event weekend.

The Rallysports Group of America would like to thank the organizers of the Lake Superior Performance Rally for their gracious assistance and support, all the volunteers, and Rally America.

The 2010 MaxAttack! Rally Series Presented by Danza del Sol consisted of three events, which were:

- Oregon Trail, May 14-16, Portland, The Dalles, and Dufur, OR, http://www.oregontrailrally.com
- New England Forest Rally, July 16-17, Bethel, ME, http://www.newenglandforestrally.com
- Lake Superior Performance Rally, October 16-17, Houghton, MI, http://www.lsprorally.com
Oregon Trail and the New England Forest Rally were the qualifying events for the Jake Himes Cup, and the Lake Superior Performance Rally was the central Shootout event.

Each event featured a $5,000 prize fund to be distributed among the top two-wheel-drive teams, as well as a season championship. For more information about the MaxAttack! Series and the Rallysports Group of America, please visit http://www.max-attack.com.

Plans for the 2011 MaxAttack! Rally Series will be announced soon.

Photo: Doug Shepherd and Karen Wagner soar to MaxAttack! victory at the Lake Superior Rally. All photos by Jerry Winker.

About Danza del Sol Winery
Nestled in the rolling hills of the beautiful Temecula Wine Valley, Danza Del Sol Winery is a thirty-five acre estate winery located in Southern California’s Wine Country. While Danza Del Sol’s tasting room officially opened in February 2010, the winery itself already has a remarkable history. The estate was previously owned by Dr. William Filsinger and his late wife Katharine, who provided the Temecula Wine Valley with exceptional wines for nearly 30 years. Danza Del Sol is dedicated to producing a unique range of premium varietal and proprietary blended wines that are sure to exceed your expectations, at affordable prices. For more information, please visit http://danzadelsol.com/.

About Rallysports Group of America
Rallysports Group of America, Inc. (RSGA) was formed as an organization in 2006 to advance the sport of performance stage rally in the United States. By providing education on performance driving, car preparation and safety, and by fostering the growth of meaningful competition, RSGA seeks to provide a sustainable and competitive arena for the advancement of North American performance rally that promotes increased value for rally competitors, organizers, and sponsors alike. For more information, please visit http://www.max-attack.com.

About Rally America, Inc.
Based in Golden Valley, Minn., Rally America sanctions the premier rally racing series in the United States, the Rally America National Championship Series. In 2010, Rally America will conduct six National Championship events at venues across the country, from Olympia, Wash., to Bethel, Maine. Rally America competitors reach speeds well over 100 mph in modified street cars on natural-terrain courses of gravel, dirt or snow. In the Fall of 2010, Rally America will also introduce European-style wheel-to-wheel rally cross to North America. For more information regarding Rally America, Inc., the 2010 Rally America National Rally Championship or the new European-style rally cross events taking place at the New Jersey Motor Sports Park in the fall of 2010, please visit http://www.rally-america.com.

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More than 20 two-wheel-drive rally cars will contest the final MaxAttack! round for 2010

The final round of the 2010 MaxAttack! Series, presented by the Danza del Sol winery, will roll into Houghton, Michigan on October 16. Sanctioned by Rally America, the Lake Superior Performance Rally will cover 90 racing miles that will test rally teams on a variety of road surfaces, in an event where constantly changing weather conditions can significantly alter the outcome of the event. An excellent field of more than twenty two-wheel-drive rally cars from nine different marques will make the finale one to remember.

The battle for the $1500 first-place check and maximum championship points will be a fierce one. American rally legend Doug Shepherd and co-driver Karen Wagner will have to be considered one of the favorites going into the event. Shepherd has entered this rally many times over the years, and has a high-horsepower Dodge Neon SRT-4 that seems well-suited to the Michigan roads. But to make matters interesting, Lauchlin O’Sullivan also has an SRT-4 at his disposal, and he and co-driver Scott Putnam will be duking it out with Shepherd. Eric Burmeister also has a great deal of Upper Peninsula rally experience. The Michigan Tech alumnus will once again be behind the wheel of his potent Mazdaspeed3 at this event, with co-driver Dave Shindle.

Making his first visit to Michigan will be Oregon speedster Cody Crane in a Honda CRX. While down on power to some of the turbocharged cars, the lighter and nimbler Honda may have some advantages under braking and turning. He and co-driver Billy Irvin almost won the Oregon Trail round of MaxAttack!, but late-rally mechanical problems slowed them down. Also entering from Oregon is the duo of Brian Gottlieb and Patrick Darrow. They finished fifth in Oregon in a Toyota FX-16, but that car burned to the ground this summer. They have replaced it with the Honda Civic in which Andrew Havas claimed the 2007 and 2008 Oregon Trail MaxAttack! wins. In another CRX, Chris and Lori O’Driscoll are making the drive from Colorado to try and improve on their Oregon Trail MaxAttack! finish. And in another Civic are Silas and Matt Himes, brothers of Jake Himes, one of the founders of MaxAttack! and in whose honor the championship trophy is named.

There are a number of other entrants that could place well at this event. Canadian brothers Jan and Jody Zedril are bringing their Mitsubishi Lancer south from Winnipeg, and they are no strangers to rallies in Minnesota and Michigan. The brothers have already clinched the Group 2 class championship in the Canadian national rally series. Chris Greenhouse always goes well at Lake Superior, he is teamed with Brian Johnson in a Plymouth Neon. Co-Driver Ben Slocum, who won the Oregon round of MaxAttack! with Dillon Van Way in a Ford Focus, has teamed with Mike Merbach in a Volkswagen Jetta for the Lake Superior rally.

Older and rear-wheel-drive cars are always popular with spectators, and no exception is the 1970 VW Beetle of brothers Mark and John Huebbe from Missouri. Jim Scray and Colin Vickman are competing in a 1972 Datsun 510, and Lake Superior veterans Colin McCleery and Jimmy Brandt have teamed up in a 1985 Ford Sierra (Merkur XR4ti in the United States). Rotary is represented by the Mazda RX-7 of locals Mychal Summers and RyanDesLaurier, who run their Mazda RX-7 out of L’Anse, Michigan, where the first service stops will take place. The sole truck entered in the event is the Chevrolet S10 of Jim Cox and Dan Drury, from Minnesota.

The 2010 MaxAttack! series champion and prestigious Jake Himes Cup winner will be decided in a spectacular “Shootout” fashion at this event. The series points structure is such that the Lake Superior Round is weighted heavier than the qualifying events, so it is virtually impossible to win the championship without attending this rally. Lauchlin O’Sullivan, having won the New England Forest qualifying event in July, would have to be considered the favorite to repeat as series champion. Cody Crane, by virtue of his second-place finish in Oregon, is also among the favorites. This will be his first event outside the Pacific Northwest, so the learning curve may be steep, but he has demonstrated speed on a variety of roads. Eric Burmeister finished third in New England, and will definitely have his Mazdaspeed3 in with a chance of taking his second MaxAttack! crown. Other entrants with a mathematical chance of winning the Jake Himes Cup are Brian Gottlieb and Chris O’Driscoll, both of whom entered the Oregon Trail rally in May.

The 2010 MaxAttack! Rally Series Presented by Danza del Sol consists of three events, which are:

* Oregon Trail, May 14-16, Portland, The Dalles, and Dufur, OR, http://www.oregontrailrally.com
* New England Forest Rally, July 16-17, Bethel, ME, http://www.newenglandforestrally.com
* Lake Superior Performance Rally, October 16-17, Houghton, MI, http://www.lsprorally.com
Oregon Trail and the New England Forest Rally will be the qualifying events for the Jake Himes Cup, and the Lake Superior Performance Rally will be the central Shootout event.

Each event will feature a $5,000 prize fund to be distributed among the top two-wheel-drive teams, as well as a season championship. For more information about the MaxAttack! Series and the Rallysports Group of America, please visit http://www.max-attack.com.

About Danza del Sol Winery
Nestled in the rolling hills of the beautiful Temecula Wine Valley, Danza Del Sol Winery is a thirty-five acre estate winery located in Southern California’s Wine Country. While Danza Del Sol’s tasting room officially opened in February 2010, the winery itself already has a remarkable history. The estate was previously owned by Dr. William Filsinger and his late wife Katharine, who provided the Temecula Wine Valley with exceptional wines for nearly 30 years. Danza Del Sol is dedicated to producing a unique range of premium varietal and proprietary blended wines that are sure to exceed your expectations, at affordable prices. For more information, please visit http://danzadelsol.com/.

About Rallysports Group of America
Rallysports Group of America, Inc. (RSGA) was formed as an organization in 2006 to advance the sport of performance stage rally in the United States. By providing education on performance driving, car preparation and safety, and by fostering the growth of meaningful competition, RSGA seeks to provide a sustainable and competitive arena for the advancement of North American performance rally that promotes increased value for rally competitors, organizers, and sponsors alike. For more information, please visit http://www.max-attack.com.

About Rally America, Inc.
Based in Golden Valley, Minn., Rally America sanctions the premier rally racing series in the United States, the Rally America National Championship Series. In 2010, Rally America will conduct six National Championship events at venues across the country, from Olympia, Wash., to Bethel, Maine. Rally America competitors reach speeds well over 100 mph in modified street cars on natural-terrain courses of gravel, dirt or snow. In the Fall of 2010, Rally America will also introduce European-style wheel-to-wheel rally cross to North America. For more information regarding Rally America, Inc., the 2010 Rally America National Rally Championship or the new European-style rally cross events taking place at the New Jersey Motor Sports Park in the fall of 2010, please visit www.rally-america.com.

All photos courtesy of Jerry Winker.

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Teammate Ken Block Secures Third Place

Subaru Rally Team USA driver Travis Pastrana put an authoritative stamp on his fourth consecutive Rally America National Championship with a dominating win at the 2009 Lake Superior Performance Rally (LSPR). Pastrana, from Davidsonville, MD, mathematically won the 2009 Rally America Championship at the Ojibwe Forests Rally in late August. With nothing to lose and no pressure, Pastrana entered LSPR stating he was intent on simply driving to dominate, taking risks and putting on a proper show for the fans. He lived up to his claims by leading from the start at the wheel of his 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally car and finishing fastest on fifteen of LSPR’s seventeen stages. Pastrana, with co-driver Christian Edstrom, won by a comfortable margin of over four minutes. The win at LSPR is Pastrana’s 6th of the nine-event 2009 Rally America National Championship and caps the most successful season of his rally career. Pastrana’s Subaru teammate Ken Block, with co-driver Alex Gelsomino, finished in third position overall and won the Super Production class.

The Lake Superior Performance Rally is headquartered in Houghton, at the northern tip of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The rally is revered by rally drivers for its difficult conditions, which typically include high speeds on tree-lined roads with variable weather making stages a white-knuckled affair. Adding to the challenge are over seventy miles of night stages where visibility can be in short supply.

“I drove flat out, took some risks and had a lot fun,” explained Pastrana at the podium ceremony. “Christian [Edstrom] and I wanted to win as many stages as possible and really show how fast we can go, its definitely a different strategy when the points and the championship don’t matter!”

Pastrana’s goal of winning all of the event’s seventeen stages was interrupted only by former Canadian Rally Champion Antoine L’Estage who narrowly beat Pastrana on two stages on the first day of competition. Pastrana went on to win all eight competitive stages on the second and final day of LSPR cruising to a victory of over four minutes.

“It’s sometimes difficult to believe that Travis only began his rallying career a few short years ago,” said James Han, motorsports marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc. “In that time, he has really developed into a devastatingly quick and well-rounded driver who can also maintain a consistent pace and provide the team with sufficient feedback to maximize car set-ups. Achieving four consecutive Rally America national titles is quite a testament to Travis and his co-drivers, the strength of Subaru’s technical partner in Vermont SportsCar, and performance from our Subaru Impreza WRX STI.”

Pastrana’s Subaru teammate Ken Block entered LSPR in a Super Production (SP) Class 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI. The production-based, minimally modified, Subaru stood in as a replacement for Block’s usual Open Class STI rally car which sustained heavy damage in a crash at the Ojibwe Forests Rally. Block performed well to wring out all he could from the car and achieved a podium result, a rarity for a Super Production class car amongst the more powerful Open Class specification vehicles. In the latter stages of Day 1, Block found himself having to measure his pace as his car began showing signs of engine trouble. Block backed off considerably but was still able to handily win the Super Production class overall as well as finish in third position overall.

Subaru Rally Team USA is proudly supported by Subaru of America, Inc., Subaru Tecnica International (STI), Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT), DC Shoes, BFGoodrich Tires, DiRT2, RECARO, Vision X, Alpinestars, Motul, Exedy, GReddy, and Vermont SportsCar. For more information on Subaru Rally Team USA, as well as exclusive photo and video galleries visit rally.subaru.com and for the latest news follow the team on Twitter: twitter.com/srtusa.

Photos: Lars Gange | rally.subaru.com

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“This was a great rally for us,” said Pastrana. “It’s one of my favorites because it’s a more technical rally than some of the others on the circuit and it’s great to drive.”

Heading into this event, Pastrana had already secured the Rally America driver’s title for 2009 and said his objective was to earn as many stage wins as possible. With nothing to lose, he admitted he drove hard and took plenty of risks to win all but two stages – falling only about four seconds short of an outright sweep over more than 120 miles of racing.

In second place were Canadians Antoine L’Estage and co-driver Nathalie Richard. The team occasionally competes south of the border, largely in pursuit of the North American Rally Championship, which counts events from both Canada and the U.S. Despite a two-minute penalty for a jumped start on Friday, the team put in a consistent performance to land on the podium.

“I’m happy overall,” said L’Estage. “Now we’re going into the final Canadian event of the year leading the North American Rally Championship and that’s what we’re here for.”

In third place overall and taking the Super Production class win, despite an ailing engine, was the Subaru Rally Team USA crew of Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino. The duo have been running in a borrowed Super Production class car for the final rounds of the championship after a bad wreck that put their Open class Subaru out of commission.

“It’s been a horrible year for us,” said Block, who finished the season fourth in the points. “Blown turbos, car overheating, mechanical issues… I’ve been driving the best I ever have and I feel I just can’t get anything to go my way.”

The crowded Super Production class saw Heath Nunnemacher and co-driver Mike Rossey take second place, followed by Pat Moro and co-driver Ole Holter in third. The podium finish wasn’t enough for Moro to overtake Jimmy Keeney in the points for the 2009 class win. Keeney and co-driver Melissa Keeney finished fourth in class at this event to take the Rally America Super Production class championship for 2009.

A stroke of bad luck saw Piotr Wiktorczyk out of the hunt for the class title before the race could begin; his engine blew during practice.

The Polish team of Andi Mancin and co-driver Maciej Wislawski battled engine trouble at this event to finish in fifth-place overall. The result wasn’t what Mancin had hoped for, but it was enough to earn him runner-up status in the 2009 championship after challenger Andrew “ACP” Comrie-Picard and co-driver Jeremy Wimpey suffered a blown engine late on Day 1. ACP wound up third in the Rally America standings for 2009.

In two-wheel-drive, 17-year-old driver Dillon Van Way locked up the two-wheel drive Rally America title with a start here this weekend.

All results are considered informational pending official race processes.

The fall colors are brilliant in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula at this time of year. It was cold and drizzly on Friday as cars headed out for the opening stages, with snow reported in some areas. It was a picture-perfect autumn day when the rally finished Saturday.

As the season ender, this rally also plays host to the Rally America awards banquet, presented by BFGoodrich Tires, at the Rockhouse Grill & Tavern on Sunday. Awards for the season will be handed out at the Sunday ceremony.

Considered the extreme sport of automobile racing, rally car racing is often described simply as “real cars, real roads, real fast.” This all-season motorsport sees drivers and their co-drivers take modified road cars to the limit as they achieve blistering speeds over courses that cover more than 100 miles of gravel, dirt or snow-covered roads. Among the marques typically represented in Rally America events are Subaru, Mitsubishi, Dodge, Ford and Volkswagen.

Top teams in the Rally America National Championship series are also invited to compete in ESPN’s annual Summer X Games competition, the leading action sports event broadcast live on ABC and ESPN.

Rally competition resumes January 29-30 with the 2010 Rally America season opener, Sno*Drift, in Atlanta, Michigan.

Photo: Lars Gange

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The peak of Fall colors will be in full force providing a striking backdrop to rally cars tackling the tough gravel roads and the famous Brockway Mountain Stage, a perennial favorite among some the nation’s top rally drivers.

Leading up to LSPR, the 2009 Rally America Championship Series provided no shortage of memorable moments and LSPR promises to deliver even more spectacular stories. LSPR will see the return of many X Games superstars to the local area to compete for top honors and a final push for Championship points.

At LSPR, the most notable stories are:

- Subaru Rally Team USA driver, Travis Pastrana from Davidsonville, MD, mathematically won his 4th Rally America Championship in a row at the Ojibwe Forests Rally in lat August. However, his competitive spirit will not allow him to take it easy at LSPR as he seeks his 6th overall win this season.

- 2nd and 3rd place overall is still up for grabs at LSRP! Ken Block, Andi Mancin, and Andrew Comrie-Picard (all X Games rally car racing competitors) will battle it out for the final two podium spots.

- Only 20 points separate the top three drivers in the highly entertaining Super Production Class. 22 points awarded to first place will be all Jimmy Keeney, Pat Moro, and Piotr Wiktorczyk will need to secure the class win after a much deserved LSPR finish!

- Subaru Rally Team USA driver, Ken Block from Ranch Sante Fe, CA, typically competes in the top Open Class. However, due to complications at the Ojibwe Forests Rally in August he will return to compete in the Super Production Class car normally driven by Subaru Rally Team USA teammate and BMX legend, Dave Mirra. Ken used the same Super Production car at last month’s event, Rally Colorado, and won three stages despite driving a less powerful car and before his rally ended in a mechanical failure. Expect Ken to repeat his success at LSPR considering he won this event in 2008!

- 17-year-old, Dillon Van Way from Carencro, LA, in his first season as a national competitor showed enough talent and tenacity to be just 1 point away from winning his first-ever National 2 Wheel-Drive championship.

LSPR is one of the most revered rally events in the nation by competitors alike due to a great local organizing committee and extremely challenging roads. The mystique surrounding this event have been graced by many U.S. and international rally drivers, such as 11-time US rally champion John Buffum, Mark Lovell, Travis Pastrana, Ken Block and Mark Higgins.

The event is headquartered in Houghton, MI and competition will take place as far as Kenton and Copper Harbor. As the Fall season sets in over the Upper Peninsula, frigid Lake Superior temperatures have been known to bring unpredictable weather conditions ranging from rain, snow, and occasional sun breaks to complicate rally team strategies.

Fans will be given the opportunity to meet the drivers and take pictures of the cars at the two Parc Exposes, which take place on Friday, October 16th at the Country Inn & Suites in Houghton, and on Saturday, October 17th in downtown Calumet. More information can be found on www.lsprorally.com or http://rally-america.com/events/2009/LSPR/.

Rally America will also host the season ending National Championship Awards Banquet presented by BFGoodrich Tires at the Rockhouse Grill & Tavern on Sunday, October 18th from 9:00am – 12:00pm in Houghton, MI. Rally America will officially announce the Rally of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and the champions of each car class. The nation’s top rally teams and competitors will be on hand to receive their awards before going into the off-season. Ticket sales and more information can be found at www.rally-america.com.

Considered the extreme sport of automobile racing, rally car racing is often described simply as “real cars, real roads, real fast.” This all-season motorsport sees drivers and their co-drivers take modified road cars to the limit as they achieve blistering speeds over courses that cover more than 100 miles of gravel, dirt or snow-covered roads. Among the marques typically represented in Rally America events are Subaru, Mitsubishi, Dodge, Ford and Volkswagen.

Top teams in the Rally America National Championship series are also invited to compete in ESPN’s annual Summer X Games competition, the leading action sports event broadcast live on ABC and ESPN. Ten top teams were invited to this past August’s contest.

For more information regarding Rally America, Inc. or to reserve tickets for the 2009 Rally America National Rally Championship Awards Banquet presented by BFGoodrich scheduled for Sunday, October 18, 2009, call (763) 553-2742 or visit www.rally-america.com for details.

Photo Credit: Lorne Trezise/Rally America

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