Canadian rally driver Mark Jennings-Bates will be competing in the Western Canadian season opener on March 7th 2010 in Cochrane Alberta. This year, Jennings-Bates will be racing under the Rally4Life banner as he prepares to be Canada’s first driver to compete in the notorious Dakar Rally with the Bowler Offroad factory team.

Cochrane Rally however, will be a different challenge from the Dakar with slick icy roads, freezing weather and shorter “sprint” type stages. “It is a great event, a good challenge for car and team,” said Jennings-Bates, adding “this is an exciting year, where we start on home turf in Canada and finish up in another country competing in the Dakar.”

The Rally4Life project will be documented in a 6 part TV series, The Race 4 Life which will portray the training and race at The Dakar as well as the philanthropic work of the Rally4Life Foundation, working alongside JustADrop and FeViva. This year, the Foundation hopes to assist in projects in Sudan, Guatemala, Kenya and Haiti.

Jennings-Bates will pair up with Alberta rally driver Colin Armstrong for this event who himself is a very solid competitor behind the wheel, but will adopt the role of co-pilot for the Cochrane event. As the Kelowna based team prepares the 2004 Subaru Sti for the first event of the year, all eyes are on the weather which is notoriously fickle this time of year. “We can see anything from a typical Alberta deep freeze with temperatures well below zero, all the way through to a crazy Rockies Chinook which sends the mercury soaring and changes conditions in a few hours… tire choice ends up being a real factor in this event” stated Jennings-Bates.

The Rally4Life Canadian team is based in Kelowna, British Columbia and competes in the Western Canada Rally Championship and select events in the Canadian Rally Championship which is broadcast in High Definition on TSN and will be Canada’s first competitive car entry into the Dakar Rally.

Locally, the team is supported by Ksport USA, Aerius Engineering, BC Resort Homes, Big O Tires Westbank, AGAR Paint and Autobody, Wyatt Autoparts, Provision Data, Bell Racewear, Pinnacle Elite Athletes and Pinnacle Physiotherapy, K96.3FM and Castanet.net.

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Local rally driver, Mark Jennings-Bates will be sitting next to a new face in the co-drivers seat at the Big White Winter Rally and Snow Cross presented by Valley Mitsubishi on December 5th and 6th. That is because his regular co-driver, Jennifer Daly is the organiser of this event, a first for Kelowna and Big White.

Partnering Jennings-Bates at this event will be John Hall, a very experienced co-driver and Edmonton native. “John has a wealth of experience that should stand us in good stead. Unusually, it will be a very level playing field for all competitors because these stages have never been run before. Being a snow rally, it is likely to be very fast but also technical, a small mistake can lead to an expensive repair bill,” commented Jennings-Bates.

Daly has spent the past several months working with local authorities and Big White who have been very welcoming hosts to put together an event in the Western Canada Rally Association calendar that will be the only true snow rally of the year.

While Jennings-Bates and his fellow competitors are competing on closed forest stage roads which will have some access for spectator viewing, the general public can also enter the annual Big White Snow Cross event which is a timed event on an open course marked by cones and needs very little safety gear to compete in. “This type of an event is a great feeder for the rally series,” stated Jennings-Bates, adding “the public can really see what it feels like to drive technical road conditions in their daily driver without fear of harm to themselves or their car.”

Information about the event can be found at http://okanaganrally.wordpress.com/ where spectators and potential competitors can access all of the necessary information. Joining Jennings-Bates’s Prescribed Burn Rally Team again will be the Valley Mitsubishi sponsored vehicle of Craig Ross a local competitor who will be entering this as his second event after a strong finish in Merritt in October at Pacific Forest Rally. Fans can see the action up close and personal at the Happy Valley parking area on the Saturday and Sunday or in the forest stages on the Saturday.

On Sunday, Jennings-Bates will be displaying his car in the Village at Big White and signing autographs and talking about his upcoming fund raising program and entry into the 2011 Dakar Rally with Team Bowler Offroad and Rally4Life.

The Prescribed Burn Rally team is based in British Columbia’s Okanagan valley. Driver Mark Jennings-Bates and co-driver Jennifer Daly compete in an open class Subaru WRX STi, supported by service chief Dave Hood and a team of local volunteers. For 2009 the Prescribed Burn Team will be running the entire Western Canadian Rally series, as well as select Canadian National and Rally America events.

The Prescribed Burn Rally Team is supported by BCResortHomes.com, Agar Paint & Autobody, BigO Tire in Westbank, AERIUS Engineering, Pinnacle Elite Athlete, Pinnacle Physiotherapy, Wyatt Auto Parts, Kelowna Moving Centre, Provisiondata.com, K96.3FM, Castanet.net, The Great Canadian Oil Change and Bell Racing.

Photo Credit: Unique Photography and Design

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Last weekend, October 2nd and 3rd in Merritt, BC, Mark Jennings-Bates and co-driver Jennifer Daly were able to drive a measured event to achieve their best finish in a national event and also finish the day 2nd in the Western Canadian event taking a well deserved podium for the 1st time in their new 2004 STi rally car.

The rally went well for the duo from the night stages on Friday evening with the team settling into the new car and the confident handling characteristics provided by their KSport gravel suspension which was put through it’s paces at the event.

Friday night proved to be fast in the dark which was a theme for the weekend, with Pat Richard, Subaru Team driver destroying the stage record on Helmer at night also on the Saturday.

Conditions for the weekend were variable with the recce portion of the event being completed in mud, snow, fog and rain and what looked to be a possible challenging event from a tire choice perspective turned into one of the fastest events with the closest racing held in Merritt for some time.

The service crew for the PBR Team provided expert assistance which kept the team in the hunt for a strong finish, however the last 150 kilometers of the event were run without any power steering which was challenging for the team. “Now I will stop whining at my strength and conditioning coach, Leanne Manlove at Pinnacle Elite Athlete, about all the strength work she is making me do,” said team driver Mark Jennings-Bates. “I really needed to work hard to keep the car on the road for the last two stages, but thankfully we did not drop much time and gained a place in the process. I guess the training is paying off!”

Jennifer Daly was kept busy at the weekend as the stages were fast and timing of the delivery of the pace notes can be a real challenge. “We certainly came out of the first stage with a good pace,” said Daly, adding “on Saturday we hit a jump and seemed to be in the air for several seconds, it was thrilling. Thank goodness our service crew is always there to check the car over after that kind of a stage. They were awesome again this weekend, and a huge part of our success.”

New to the team this weekend was Craig Ross, who was partnered by John Hall from Alberta. Pacific Forest Rally was Craig’s first event, and the objective was to finish which he did after setting some very competitive stage times. A puncture and necessary tire change set Craig’s time back a little, but clearly Craig has demonstrated that he will be a force to be reckoned with in the future.

The next event on the calendar for the teams will be the all new Big White winter rally, which is currently in the planning stages and tentatively booked for the weekend of December 6th and 7th at the Kelowna ski resort.

Photo by Kurt Schantz

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On October 2nd and 3rd you will find Kelowna’s Mark Jennings-Bates throwing the 04 Subaru STi around the fast flowing stages of the Pacific Forest Rally in Merritt, BC.

With a freshly built engine after their disappointing showing at the Rocky Mountain Rally in May this year, where a terminal engine problem finished their race on the second stage of the day, the team will be gunning for a strong finish and hoping to maximise the potential of their new KSport Gravel dampers on the stages.

Mark, and his co-driver Jennifer are currently leading the Western Canadian Rally Championship Open Class series and will be working hard to maintain that lead at this event.

In between Canadian rallies Mark has been flying back and forth to the UK planning his 2011 assault on the world’s most grueling rally, The Dakar, where he will be driving a factory Bowler Nemesis and raising several million dollars for the Rally4Life Foundation which aims to reduce challenges with access to water in impoverished regions.

Spectators can find plenty of information at the events website, www.PacificForestRally.com and racing starts early on Friday evening with some thrilling downtown driving in Merritt under the inky black desert sky.

Joining the team this year will be newcomer Craig Ross who recently purchased an Eagle Talon that curiously was Mark’s first rally car. Craig has set a firm goal of completing his first ever rally and intends to celebrate a finish this weekend. Look out for the familiar blue and white talon both on the stages and in the service area.

Spectators can be assured of some fast and furious competition as Pat Richard and Antoine Lestage go head to head in what may be a decider for the national championship. Just behind them will be a battle royal for position with several very fast teams vying for a spot on the national podium.

With two events canceled on the Western Canadian Calendar this year, several volunteers, headed up by co-driver Jennifer Daly, on the Prescribed Burn Team are working on the organisation of a possible regional series rally in Kelowna this December which may end up being the only true winter rally in the Western series, and a treat for local BC rally fans

The Prescribed Burn Rally team is based in British Columbia’s Okanagan valley. Driver Mark Jennings-Bates and co-driver Jennifer Daly compete in an open class Subaru WRX STi, supported by service chief Dave Hood and a team of local volunteers. For 2009 the Prescribed Burn Team will be running the entire Western Canadian Rally series, as well as select Canadian National and Rally America events.

The Prescribed Burn Rally Team is supported by BCResortHomes.com, Agar Paint & Autobody, BigO Tire in Westbank, AERIUS Engineering, Wyatt Auto Parts, Kelowna Moving Centre, Provisiondata.com, K96.3FM, Castanet.net, The Great Canadian Oil Change and Bell Racing.

Photo by http://www.uniquephotoanddesign.com/

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What is the difference between “competing” and “completing” in a race like the DAKAR?

More than simply a letter in the alphabet – as rally duo Mark Jennings-Bates and Mick Extance recently came to find out. The difference is a complete change of focus for their 2011 attempt at the Dakar Rally; now that prestigious “Bowler Offroad” has offered them a factory team vehicle for the race.

“The opportunity of a lifetime” is how driver Jennings-Bates describes recent discussions with the international vehicle manufacturer. “Our co-driver (Extance) has always been keen to convey to Bowler the nature of our campaign and he was confident we could be working with them in some form of relationship.”

That relationship is now flourishing with the offer of a factory supported team attempt. “It means our strategy has changed radically to one of competing closer to the front of the pack then we ever envisioned; although the focus naturally remains on finishing”, stated Jennings -Bates

Drew Bowler, Founder of Bowler Off-Road is confident that with their factory support the team can achieve a solid finish. “We have known Mick for several years and seen his courage and determination as a motor bike entrant in the DAKAR. Mick’s experience along with Bowlers long standing reputation of finishing the event – means this team can push to the finish line.”

Jennings-Bates and Extance will be testing the Bowler Nemesis, a 500hp super-charged Dakar vehicle (that has a fearsome reputation) in early July, followed by an appearance with the Bowler Factory Team at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK July 3-5, 2009.

The Rally Team called “Rally4life”; is not only anticipating to be the first Canadian team to finish the DAKAR in a vehicle; they are also raising $4 million or more for two charities (Just A Drop.org and FeViva.org) through their own cause and website at www.rally4life.org. The charitable aspect of their journey plays an equal role of importance for the team.

“We are starting to garner national attention to the philanthropic side of this adventure. We recently partnered with a TV production company and are in the process of developing a two part television documentary with full multi-platform support – that will follow our progress before, during and after the Dakar and air in the United Kingdom and North America” added Jennings- Bates.

The team has also begun scheduling the “Rally4life Road Show” across Canada and the UK, spreading word about their DAKAR attempt and charitable goals through media interviews and speaking appearances.

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The Prescribed Burn Rally Team will be traveling to Alberta to compete in their first national event of the 2009 rally season, the epic Rocky Mountain Rally, taking place on the ranchland roads outside of Calgary May 28-30. This will be the second outing for the team’s new 2004 Subaru STi rally car, which has received suspension and brake upgrades since the team’s open class win at the Cochrane winter rally in March.

The Prescribed Burn Rally Team is aiming to improve upon their 2008 result of 6th overall. Driver Mark Jennings-Bates is looking forward to giving the new car its first hard drive on the fast, open Alberta roads: “We were happy with last year’s finish, but it was a learning experience for us. This year we are better prepared, with the right tires and more knowledge. We’re planning on pushing our limits from the very first stage, and staying in close battles with some of the eastern teams that finished just ahead of us last year.” Rocky is a particular challenge for co-drivers, because it is run on computer generated ‘Jemba’ notes, a vast difference from most events, where teams are permitted to generate their own pace notes. With a new rally computer in the car, co-driver Jennifer Daly is feeling confident: “Two years ago Rocky was the first event for Mark and I as a team, and we’ve come a long way since. The car is well-equipped and we are working well together; I think we’ll be able to push harder and use the Jemba notes more effectively than in the past.”

The Rocky Mountain National Rally will be broadcast on TSN this fall as part of the televised Canadian National Rally Series. The event draws rally teams from across Canada, including the 2008 championship winning Rocky Rally Team, lead by Patrick Richard. The 2009 Rocky Mountain Rally begins on stage roads familiar to the teams from other regional Alberta events, and features a head-to-head superspecial at the Race City Speedway on Friday night.

The Prescribed Burn Rally Team is sponsored by BCResortHomes.com, Agar Paint & Autobody, BigO Tire in Westbank, Aerius Engineering, Wyatt Auto Parts, Kelowna Moving Centre, Provisiondata.com, The Great Canadian Oil Change and Bell Racing. The team is supported by K96.3FM, Castanet.net, Green Couch Designs.

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