Local hotshoe bests two dozen other two-wheel-drive rally competitors to claim victory at the New England Forest Rally

The second round of the 2011 MaxAttack! Series, presented by the Danza del Sol Winery, witnessed a dominating performance by local hero Chris Duplessis and co-driver Karl Atkinson as they took a comfortable victory in their new Ford Fiesta R2. The duo rarely put a wheel wrong all weekend. For the efforts, Duplessis and Atkinson received a $1500 prize and are now tied for the lead of the quest for the prestigious Max Attack! Championship and the Jake Himes Cup.

Runners-up Andrew Comrie-Picard and Jeremy Wimpey continue to develop their Scion XD, and their finish certainly vindicates the potential of their Scion. The team faced a litany of problems, however, as a cracked oil pan and a cracked downpipe limited their speed on some of the stages. The top three was completed by Dillon Van Way and Jake Blattner, in a Ford Fiesta. Also receiving prize money from the MaxAttack! series were Kevin Turner and Robert Sockalexis in a Subaru Impreza with their fourth-place finish, and the crowd-favorite Datsun 280Z of Greg Healey and Cindy Krolikowski, who finished in fifth.

Behind the top five, the rough stages took their toll on both finishers and non-finishers alike. Martin Walter and Ferd Trauttmansdorff were running a solid fourth-place for most of the rally in their Nissan 240SX, but two flat tires on Stage 8 cost them almost 15 minutes. Later in the rally they collapsed the right front strut, and spent the last stages picking their way around the biggest of the rocks and bumps. It was also a fraught weekend for the Honda Civic of Brian Gottlieb and Patrick Darrow. They broke their skid plate early on, and their crew lashed together a replacement composed of polyethylene cutting boards purchased at a local store. Later the team cracked the Honda’s transmission case, and on the last stage center-punched a tree. They were able to limp to the end of the stage, and were flat-towed to the finish by good samaritans Walter and Trauttmansdorff.

The rough stages took their toll on a number of competitors, with dented skid plates and cracked oil pans being a common complaint, along with blown struts, bent wheels, and flat tires. Verena Mei and Keith Morison ended Verena’s debut rally as a driver with a soft rollover at the Errol Super Special. Pre-event favorites Doug Shepherd and Karen Jankowski broke a strut early in the rally and were among the first victims, a rare DNF for their Dodge SRT-4. Wyatt Knox and Ole Holter, winners of the Washington MaxAttack! round, were forced out of the rally with an engine fire, while local favorites Mike White and George Loef blew the head gasket in their SAAB 900. Kristin Pryzybysz and Meghan Roy damaged a wheel bearing, and later retired when their Subaru overheated. The Greasecar VW Rabbit of Justin Carven and Geoff Clark was slowed first by a gearbox oil leak, then an electrical short.

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 RallyCar, Inc.
Based in Golden Valley, Minn., RallyCar sanctions the premier performance rally series in the United States, the Rally America National Championship Series. In 2011, RallyCar is conducting six National Championship events at venues across the country, from Olympia, Washington to Newry, Maine. RallyCar competitors reach speeds of well over 100 mph in modified street cars on natural-terrain courses consisting of gravel, dirt or snow. Additionally, RallyCar sanctions the 2011 U.S. Rallycross Championship featuring rally cars racing door-to-door on tricky tarmac/dirt race tracks. More information about rally and rallycross can be found at www.rally-america.com, and videos can viewed at www.youtube.com/rallyamericaseries.

Comrie-Picard, Healey, Duplessis photos by Mat Janiak | WorldRallySport.com
Van Way photo by Melina Lamoureux | WorldRallySport.com

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Unfortunately on Saturday’s second stage, Mark and Robert sustained rear suspension failure half-way through. Despite this setback they continued on. The suspension progressively got worse until the final stage when the shocks went completely solid. This resulted in a two minute loss dropping them to second place regionally and in their class.

“Hey that’s rally!” said a relieved Mark Piatkowski at the end of the event. “I’m learning first hand, how quickly everything can change… that’s just the nature of this sport.”

Mark later added, “Looking at the big picture, I had an extremely successful weekend. Two fastest overall stage times; that’s an accomplishment in itself! Oh, and that’s all with seized rear suspension.”

“This whole season has been a major accomplishment. I started the year with loads of confidence coming in from 2010. I’m proud of my speed but even more so in my consistent finishes. With 2011 being a success I can’t help but look forward to 2012. Trust me, this is only the beginning.”

Mark and Robert would like to thank all of the event organizers and volunteers who put together, yet another professionally organized, New England Forest Rally. Furthermore he would like to thank his relentlessly hardworking crew who not only help him to prepare months in advance, but also take the time to come out to every event. Lastly he would like to thank all of his supportive fans/ media who cheer him on along the stages.

For more information please visit www.MAP-Rally.com and like “MAP Rally Team” on Facebook.

Written by Dana Ahern
Photos by Neil McDaid, Mat Janiak, Pete Kuncis

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The 26-year-old from Littleton, NH flawlessly campaigned a 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI with his father Terry as co-driver to a remarkable third place finish in the overall Rally America National Championship – a feat never accomplished before by a Production driver.

Hanson began making history and headlines at the opening round of the 2011 season when he became the first Super Production driver to ever claim an outright win in the National Series, defeating the factory-backed Subaru team, the privateer Rockstar Rally team, and a slew of fast Open Class cars at the Sno*Drift Rally. The under-sponsored crew of Hanson and Hanson immediately captured the hearts of fans and gained significant attention from the media with their story of underdog triumph. Hanson went on to control the points lead of the overall Championship well into the fourth round of the six-round Series, another first for a Super Production team, and clinched the SP Class Title by the fifth round.

Hanson capped off a perfect year standing third on the overall podium at the New England Forest Rally (NEFR), the sixth and final round of the Championship. Maine’s rough and rugged logging roads nearly put the privateer out of the event when he faced mechanical issues on the second day of the rally. Hanson battled Tom Lawless, a quick Open Class driver, throughout the race. He explained, “we had a lead of about one minute at the start of the second day, but with the troubles we had he [Lawless] steadily gained time. We pushed the car as hard as possible to the edge of overheating and in the end were able to beat him to the podium by only 7 seconds!”

Although their Subaru suffered overheating issues and a cracked oil pan at the final race, the Hansons managed to finish the rally at the top. “It was great to see the team pull together and get the car back on the road. I am so lucky to have such a skilled crew…without them my success wouldn’t have been possible,” he said.

Hanson displayed dynamic driving abilities he has developed over the span of his young career by consistently finishing in the top five overall on each event of the 2011 Series. J.B. Niday, director of the RallyCar Rally America Championship, recognized the progress Hanson has made in his five years of driving at the National level. Niday congratulated Travis and Terry for their outstanding season by saying, “Travis has shown us his speed in the past, but this year he was consistently fast and drove six clean rallies. He certainly took his game to another level this season.”

Hanson’s high level of success is not easily achieved by privateers in this sport. Hanson said, “we have run season-long with a tiny budget, which we made work with help and support from our sponsors, friends and family.” T. Hanson Motorsport is backed by Team O’Neil Rally School, Olson’s Auto Body, Exedy, Broken Motorsports and Dick Hannah Subaru.

Photo Credits:
Image 1- Mat Janiak – worldrallysport.com
Image 2- Pete Kuncis – onalimbracing.com
Image 3- Pete Kuncis – onalimbracing.com

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Slapdash Racing finished the first rally, the Mexico Regional, in seventh place out of 12 entries. But on Day Two, during the Errol Regional Rally, the Slapdash BMW suffered a huge hit from a buried rock roughly the size of George Washington’s head on Mount Rushmore.

“It was like we got hit by a truck from underneath the car,” said car owner and driver Kris Gove. “I’m still sore from the hit. We were able to finish the stage, but as soon as I shut the car down, it started bleeding Castrol. If we weren’t strapped in, we would have flown out of the car. It knocked me sideways in the seat, skewed our helmets so we were looking out the sides, my co-driver dropped the notes and the steering wheel ripped out of my hands.”

Taking care to avoid an outcropping of other giant Maine rocks, Gove maneuvered to the inside of a turn, hit a small yump and landed the oil pan squarely on Washington’s head. “It shattered the pan,” Gove said. “Despite having a substantial skid plate and a bash bar, like a roll cage just for the oil pan, Washington head-butted the car. There used to be six inches of clean air between the skid plate, bash bar and oil pan. Now, there are zero inches. Despite the obvious, the car held up really well and it’s bone stock, even the exhaust, except for heavy duty Bilsteins up front.”

Aside from the smash fest, Gove, a brand-new rally/racing driver, and his co-driver, Bill Hatem, also brand-new to rally, said they had a great time and are already planning for the next event. At one point, over the intercom, Hatem said, “What the hell are we doing here?”

“Bill did a great job,” Gove said. “By Day Two, we were starting to get the notes, which look like algebraic equations. I actually had the chance to start anticipating what was coming up and begin turns early. Through sweat-stung eyes, I looked at the speedometer once and saw 70 mph on one of the scariest roads I’ve ever seen. I never looked at the speedo after that.”

Slapdash Racing would like to thank its title sponsor, Cage This. Owner Bill Doyle, not only built a showpiece roll cage, skid plate, light bar and footrest for the Slapdash BMW, he provided countless hours of advice, education, and nerve-calming services to Gove, who was damn-near panic stricken in the minutes leading up to tech inspection.

“I really couldn’t have done it without Bill Doyle,” Gove said. “He even lent me his tow rig and trailer, a package he hasn’t even used yet. I spent many a 12-hour day at Bill’s house and he was the driving force in helping me finish the car and repairing everything I broke during the build process, and I broke a lot of stuff!”

Slapdash Racing would also like to thank the following people for their support, whether physical, technical, or advisory: Crew Chief Steph Gove, Payam Fahr, Matt Albie, Kyle Dwyer, Ryan Donaldson, Neal Liddle, Anthony Ricci, Bill Hatem, Eric Shea and FredK.

About Cage This:
Owned and operated by Bill Doyle, of Lynn, Mass., Cage This is a full service welding shop located just north of Boston specializing in designing, fabricating, constructing and installing roll cages built to the specifications of any sanctioning body’s rules, including the FIA, the SCCA, Rally America, Formula Drift, NASA and NHRA. For more information on Cage This, visit their web site at www.cagethis.com.

About Slapdash Racing:
Slapdash Racing, a fledgling, fly-by-night operation, started two years ago with the purchase of a vintage BMW and a lifelong dream to stage rally. Prior to NEFR 2011, owner and driver Kris Gove had no actual racing experience. For more information, visit Slapdash’s equally fledgling web site at www.slapdashracing.com.

Action photos by Claude Lamoureux/www.flagworld.com

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-5th Rally America title in past six years for Subaru Rally Team USA-

Subaru of America, Inc. Subaru Rally Team USA driver David Higgins has won the 2011 Rally America National Championship with a 2nd Overall finish at the season finale, the New England Forest Rally, this past weekend. In a hotly contested season Higgins and his co-driver Craig Drew piloted their BFGoodrich Tires-shod 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally car to three victories and two 2nd Overall finishes in the six-event Rally America National Championship. The 2011 driver’s title is the third for Higgins in the USA having won the SCCA ProRally Championship in 2002 and 2003. Higgins also won the British Rally Championship in 2004.

“It’s amazing and hasn’t really sunk in yet,” explained Higgins at the podium celebration. “The level of competition was really fierce all year, and it was a big challenge for me to come back to the USA after seven years away and adjust to new events, a co-driver I had never worked with before as well as new car. But everything meshed really well and our Subaru STI was a joy to drive fast. Driving for Subaru is every rally driver’s dream as the brand is so famous for rallying, so this is something really special for me.”

“Both David and Craig have done a stellar job the entire season extracting the utmost performance from their STI, supported by the solid car preparation by our team,” noted James Han, motorsports marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc. “With the championship comprised of only six rounds against defending titleholders Antoine [L'Estage] and Nathalie [Richard] with their experience on those events makes SRT USA’s successful effort in regaining the championship that much more special. The effort of our team members and supporting sponsors has been exceptional, and the superlative performance of our STI was properly showcased.”

Higgins joined Subaru Rally Team USA at the start of the 2011 season, replacing longtime Subaru team driver Travis Pastrana who had earned the Rally America National Championship from 2006 through 2009. A season-long rivalry quickly ensued between Higgins and Canadian rally ace Antoine L’Estage, the defending Rally America Champion and Canadian Rally Champion. Higgins and L’Estage were at each other’s heels at every rally with the rivalry coming to a dramatic head last month at the Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally where Higgins came from behind late in the event to beat L’Estage by a mere 1.3 seconds.

The victory last month in Pennsylvania earned Higgins enough of a points lead over L’Estage that Higgins only needed to finish fourth or better at the New England Forest Rally this weekend to secure the driver’s title. A tactical fight ensued in New England with Higgins maintaining a 2nd overall position behind L’Estage while driving just fast enough to keep the chasing pack comfortably behind him.

In addition to three event victories and the driver’s title in the Rally America series, Higgins recently won the re-born Mt. Washington ‘Climb to the Clouds’ Hillclimb. He smashed the course record by over 30 seconds, driving the same Subaru STI he utilized in the Rally America Championship. Higgins has little time to celebrate, earlier this month he was invited to compete at ESPN Summer X Games 17 in Los Angeles. He will compete in both the Rally Car Racing and RallyCross competitions taking place on July 30th and 31st respectively.

Follow the Subaru of America Facebook page and subaru_usa on Twitter

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

About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 600 dealers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. For additional information visit www.subaru.com.

Photos: Lars Gange | subaru.com/rally

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Story and Photos by Thomas Barker

Antoine L’Estage/Nathalie Richard (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X) finished their season as Rally America national champions with a repeat win in the New England Forest Rally. They were pleased to reach the final checkpoint with 48 seconds in hand over David Higgins/Craig Drew (Subaru Impreza WRX STI). But one can understand that they would have been happier at the awards ceremony if they had also repeated as champions. L’Estage was philosophical: “We’re competing against a factory team,” he said, “and getting nearly the same result for a fraction of the budget.” (Note: No, you don’t misunderstand. It was mid-July and this was the last of six rounds of the Rally America series.)

Higgins/Drew and the Subaru Rally Team USA squad had exactly the rally that they needed in Maine. After three event wins, they could lock up the title with a fourth or better overall. They shadowed L’Estage/Richard all weekend, content with second, rarely taking a fastest time on a special stage, and took home the championship trophies. (Higgins’ teammates Dave Mirra/Marshall Clarke were absent from New England. Mirra’s Subie was too badly worn after the Susquehannock Trail Rally to do another event without a rebuild. And at the time the crew was too busy preparing rallycross cars for Higgins, Mirra, and Travis Pastrana for the X Games, a mere two weeks later, as well as turning around Higgins’ Mount Washington Hillclimb winning car to take the rally series. Even champion mechanics have their limits.)

The son/father team of Travis and Terry Hanson (Subaru Impreza WRX STI) placed third overall and first in Super Production, surviving the engine’s large thirst for coolant and serious rock damage to the oil pan. (The service crew needed the entire 30-minute service break after the oil pan damage to repair and re-weld it.) They finished with seven seconds in hand over Tom Lawless/Alexander Kihurani (Open class Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8). Evan Cline/Grzegorz Dorman (Subaru Impreza WRX) were second in Super Production, but back in ninth overall, while rivals Ramana Lagemann/Christine Beavis (Subaru Impreza WRX STI) went out with a misfiring engine.

Chris Duplesis/Karl Atkinson (Group 2 Ford Fiesta R2) placed fifth overall and best among the two wheel drive cars – also winner of the MaxAttack! series (2WD) rally within the rally. 3-1/2 minutes back, Andrew Comrie-Picard/Jeremy Wimpey (Group 5 Scion XD) seemed satisfied with second in 2WD after suffering a broken clutch, failed third gear, broken shift cable, and exhaust pipe failure. Dillon Van Way/Jake Blattner (Group 5 Ford Fiesta) were third 2WD, almost five minutes further back, despite rock damage to the exhaust. On the other hand, some of the 2WD heavy-hitters went out early; Doug Shepherd/Karen Jankowski (Group 5 Dodge SRT-4) with a broken front strut and bent frame on Friday and Michael Reilly/Josh Benthien (Group 5 Ford Focus) with a broken driveshaft on Saturday morning.

The Ford contingent was one of the largest present, with four cars in the national and several more running the regional or MaxAttack events. They were split between the Focus entrants whom Ford had cultivated in previous years, and the Fiesta teams who are the (pardon the expression) focus of the blue oval company’s grassroots effort now, all looking very slick and well-prepared.

Jason Smith/Jared Lantzy won the regional Errol Rally, which included only the second day’s stages. Mark Piatkowski/Robert Maciejski placed second, two minutes back. Both of them were in Open Light class Subaru Imprezas. Also in a Light class Impreza, Tracey Gardner/Maureen Hascher placed twelfth, the best result for an all-woman team.

National Results:
1. Antoine L’Estage/Nathalie Richard (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10, Open class)
2. David Higgins/ Craig Drew (Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Open)
3. Travis Hanson/Terry Hanson (Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Super Production), engine consuming coolant, oil pan damage
4. Tom Lawless/Alexander Kihurani (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8, Open)
5. Chris Duplesis/K. Atkinson (Group 2 Ford Fiesta R2, Group 2)
6. Andrew Comrie-Picard/Jeremy Wimpey (Scion XD, Group 5), clutch, transmission, exhaust problems
7. Adam Yeoman/Jordan/Schulze (Subaru Impreza, Open)
8. Dillon Van Way/Jake Blattner (Group 5 Ford Fiesta), exhaust damage
9. Evan Cline/Grzegorz Dorman (Subaru Impreza WRX, Super Production)
10. Viorel Dobasu/Dominik Jozwiak (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10, Open)
11. Andrew Wickline/Steve Kurey (Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Super Production)
12. Brian Gottlieb/Patrick Darrow (Honda Civic, Group 2)
13. Justin Carven/Geoff Clark (Volkswagen Rabbit turbo diesel, Group 5)
DNF. Garry Gill/Benjamin Slocum (Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Super Production), oil
DNF. Wyatt Knox/Ole Holter (Mazdaspeed 3, Group 5), fire
DNF. Heath Nunnemacher/Mike Rossey (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8.5 MR, Open), off
DNF. Lauchlin O’Sullivan/Scott Putnam (Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Super Production), blown turbocharger
DNF. Tingwu Song/Yuseng Hao (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10, Open), oil problems
DNF. Cameron Steely/Josh Buller (Ford Focus, Group 2)
DNF. Ramana Lagemann/Christine Beavis (Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Super Production), misfire
DNF. Joseph Burke/Martin Brady (Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Open), turbocharger failure
DNF. Phillip McGee/Josh Dampier (Geo Metro, Group 5), clutch
DNF. Mason Moyle/Gary Barton (Subaru Impreza, Open), transmission

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Higgins and co-driver Craig Drew focused on getting to the finish having to place fourth or better here to secure the National Championship win. Higgins faced overheating issues on Day 1 and fuel pressure issues on Day 2, but eventually finished second overall to win the title back for Subaru. This victory marks the third American Championship title of Higgins’ rally career.

Rounding out the podium was Super Production (SP) class driver Travis Hanson and co-driver Terry Hanson. The privateer father/son team put the finishing touches on their flawless season by placing third overall in Maine and third overall in the National Championship. The Hansons dealt with severe overheating issues late in Day 2 while battling to stay ahead of Tom Lawless and co-driver Alex Kihurani. Hanson edged Lawless out of a podium spot by just 7 seconds. Hanson leaves NEFR with the SP class win and a dominant Super Production Championship title victory.

The New England Forest Rally is based in Newry, Maine and features approximately 100 competitive miles of fast, rugged logging roads. Heavy attrition caused by the rough and rocky stage road surfaces is expected, making NEFR one of the toughest events on the Rally America calendar. Retirements were in abundance this year, most notably Joseph Burke who blew his turbo on Stage 1 and Heath Nunnemacher who was in podium contention before crashing out on the famous Concord Pond stage.

Attrition also got the best of Super Production drivers Ramana Lagemann and Lauchlin O’Sullivan. Lagemann and O’Sullivan came to Maine with only one point separating them as they prepared to battle each other for second place in the SP Championship. Lagemann and co-driver Chrissie Beavis were put out of the event early on Day 1 with a misfiring engine; O’Sullivan and co-driver Scott Putnam DNF’d on Stage 4 with a blown turbo and a small engine fire.

Evan Cline and co-driver Greg Dorman scored their season best, finishing second in SP class and ninth overall. Andrew Wickline and co-driver Stephen Kurey also got their first class podium finish of the season, giving Wickline just enough points to take second place in the Super Production Championship ahead of Ramana Lagemann.

In Two-Wheel-Drive (2WD) competition, a fierce battle raged between more than 25 crews fighting for a piece of the $15,000 MaxAttack! Series prize money. Chris Duplessis and co-driver Karl Atkinson set a blistering pace from the beginning to finish well over three minutes ahead of second fastest 2WD crew of Andrew “ACP” Comrie-Picard and co-driver Jeremy Wimpey. Duplessis put his Ford Fiesta R2 in an astonishing fifth overall.

ACP’s rally almost came to an end when his Scion xD’s oil pan cracked late on Day 2, but he managed to finish second in class and sixth overall. Ford Racing’s Dillon Van Way and co-driver Jake Blattner successfully put a second Fiesta on the class podium and were the third 2WD crew to finish in the top ten overall.

Wyatt Knox and co-driver Ole Holter had a problematic weekend with fuel system issues on Day 1 causing their Mazda3′s engine to cut out several times. Knox limped the car late into Day 2 before an engine fire finally forced him to retire. Knox and Holter earned enough points in the season that their start at NEFR secured them the 2WD National Championship title.

Last Ditch Racing’s John Cassidy and co-driver Jennifer Daly won the Mexico Regional Rally on Day 1 of NEFR by 13.4 seconds over Jason Smith and co-driver Jared Lantzy. Martin Walter and co-driver Ferdinand Trauttmansdorff finished third, rounding out the Mexico Regional podium.

Smith and Lantzy also had a successful Day 2, winning the Errol Regional Rally in their Open Light class 1994 Subaru Impreza by over two minutes on MAP Rally Team’s Mark Piatkowski and co-driver Robert Maciejski. Kevin Turner and co-driver Robert Sockalexis placed third on the Day 2 Regional, piloting a 2WD Subaru Impreza to finish only 5 seconds behind Piatkowski.

About RallyCar
Based in Golden Valley, Minn., RallyCar sanctions the premier performance rally series in the United States, the Rally America National Championship Series. In 2011, RallyCar is conducting six National Championship events at venues across the country, from Olympia, Washington to Newry, Maine. RallyCar competitors reach speeds of well over 100 mph in modified street cars on natural-terrain courses consisting of gravel, dirt or snow. Additionally, RallyCar sanctions the 2011 U.S. Rallycross Championship featuring rally cars racing door-to-door on tricky tarmac/dirt race tracks. More information about rally and rallycross can be found at www.rally-america.com, and videos can viewed at www.youtube.com/rallyamericaseries.

RallyCar’s 2011 Rally America National Championship is proudly supported by Subaru of America, Inc., VP Racing Fuels, Best Buy, Grassroots Motorsports Magazine, Danza del Sol Winery, Ford Racing, Team O’Neil Rally School, RECARO USA, Hawk Performance Brakes, Exedy Racing Clutches, Racewatches.com and Rally-Tire.com.

Photo credit: Melina Lamoureux/WorldRallySport
Mitsubishi Rockstar’s Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard Wins NEFR 2011.

Photo: Mat Janiak/World RallySport
Travis and Terry Hanson Win the Super Production Class.

Photo credit: Mat Janiak/WorldRallySport
Chris Duplessis and Karl Atkinson Win the 2WD Class.

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Hot off of a Canadian Rally Championship victory just two weeks prior, Antoine and Nathalie set their sights on another victory with an ultimate goal of capturing the series title for a second year in a row. The duo immediately started the rally by winning stages but knew the odds were against them in terms of the championship. With nothing to gain and everything to lose, the Subaru USA factory team of David Higgins and Craig Drew were less likely to put up a battle for the event win, as explained by co-driver Richard: “When we lost the last US rally by only 1.3 seconds, it meant that we’d be coming to Maine with a ten point deficit instead of being tied for the series’ lead. Winning the New England Forest Rally wasn’t going to be enough for us to claim the title unless David and Craig finished lower than fourth.” Higgins and Drew eventually finished the event in second place, 48 seconds behind L’Estage and Richard.

The Rockstar Royal Group Mitsubishi Evo X was again flawlessly prepared by John Buffum’s Libra Racing shop and the Yokohama tires worked perfectly on the roughest rally surface in North America. Minor problems slowed L’Estage/Richard down a little but notwithstanding, the duo maintained a generally conservative pace throughout the entire weekend. “I’m very happy we won but I can’t say that I’m not disappointed about the championship. We are a private team and every member does way more than their fair share so that we can battle with the big manufacturers’ teams. Nathalie and I are grateful to John, Paul and Mathieu for everything they do,” confessed Antoine. “Having David and Craig in the series this year gave us some solid battles and it’s nice to compare myself with David, who has already accomplished so much internationally,” he added.

In 2010, Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard won the Rally America series, the Canadian Rally Championship, and the North American Rally Cup, collectively known as the Triple Crown. This year the team finished second in the Rally America championship and are currently leading the Canadian championship midway through its season. The duo also has a commanding lead of the North American Rally Cup, which could be locked up as early as the next Canadian Rally Championship event, Rallye Defi, September 9th & 10th.

Antoine L’Estage holds three North American championship titles (2007, 2008 and 2010), three Canadian titles (2006, 2007 and 2010), one American title (2010), and thirty overall victories in Canada and the US. Nathalie Richard holds six overall national championship titles (3 in Canada and 3 in the USA), as well as thirty-six overall rally wins on both sides of the border. She is also a six-time North American Co-Driving Champion (2004 – 2010, excluding 2006).

Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard participate in the 2011 Rally America and Canadian Rally Championships with the support of Rockstar Energy Drink, Royal Group, Yokohama Tires, Mitsubishi Canada, Drenth Motorsport Gearboxes, Garrett Turbos, Energie Cardio, Libra Racing, Driver’s Edge Autosport (OMP), VP Racing Fuels, Exe-Tc Suspensions, Seibon Carbon and Hawk Performance Brake Pads. For more information on the team or on rallying in general, visit antoinelestage.com.

Antoine L’Estage and Nathalie Richard jumping to victory at last weekend’s New England Forest Rally. Photo: Mat Janiak, World Rally Sport

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With over twenty-five two-wheel-drive rally cars entered, the eastern round of the MaxAttack! Series boasts a $5,000 event prize fund and valuable points towards the Jake Himes Cup

The second round of the 2011 MaxAttack! Series, presented by the Danza del Sol Winery, has received another strong entry, with teams from all over the United States and Canada converging at the Sunday River ski resort in Maine to contest more than 100 stage miles, over twisty and fast gravel stages, in both Maine and New Hampshire. Last year saw a classic battle for two-wheel-drive supremacy at this event, and this year the competition should be just as exciting.

The opening round of the 2011 MaxAttack! season took place at the historic Olympus Rally in Washington state. New Hampshire resident Wyatt Knox made the long trek west, and was rewarded when he and co-driver Ole Holter drove to the victory and a $1500 first-place check. Local teams finished second and third with brothers Tom and Don Burress (Washington) finishing runners-up in a turbocharged VW Golf, with Dave Henderson and Terry McDowell (Oregon) just behind them in their Mazda3.

The fight for the New England win should be a ferocious one, with any one of a number of teams poised to take victory. Past MaxAttack! event winner Doug Shepherd is making the journey from Michigan to Maine, and has again selected two-time MaxAttack! co-driving champion Karen Jankowski to handle right-seat duties in a very potent Dodge SRT-4; this team is considered one of the favorites. Wyatt Knox and Ole Holter are sure to challenge in their Mazda, as are Dillon Van Way and Jake Blattner in their Ford Fiesta. Another Fiesta, the R2 of local Maine hot-shoe Chris Duplessis and co-driver Catherine Woods, is bound to be part of the reckoning. The Scion of Andrew Comrie-Picard and Jeremy “Worm” Wimpey looks to improve on its Washington showing, and in ACP’s hands it should do just that.

Local Maine teams are once again out in force in 2011. Michael Reilly and Josh Benthien, from Cape Neddick and South Portland respectively, return to the New England Forest Rally in a Ford Focus. Driver Kristen Przybysz is from Raymond, and teams with Meghan Roy in a Subaru Impreza. They are one of two all-female teams entered in this year’s rally. Another Impreza, that of Kevin Turner, has Old Town’s Robert Sockalexis reading the stage notes. As mentioned, Chris Duplessis from nearby Mason Township will be a favorite in his Ford Fiesta, along with co-driver Catherine Woods. Mike White, from Camden, fields the Rallyho Saab 900 with co-driver George Loef. White is an experienced New England Forest Rally competitor, but this is a new rally car that will make its debut this weekend. And Edward McNelly, from Oxford, will drive a Group 2 VW Golf with Pascal Belperron in the co-driver’s seat.

Some other interesting two-wheel-drive cars are returning to the New England Forest Rally. The Volkswagen Rabbit TDi of Justin Carven and Geoff Clark is tuned to run on leftover cooking oil. The team had a great rally last year, finishing on the national rally podium. Greg Healey is bringing out his classic Datsun 280Z, and in a bid to return to a MaxAttack! money position he has enlisted the aid of veteran Michigan-based co-driver Cindy Krolikowski. Also returning to the New England Forest Rally after a strong run last year is the Canadian duo of Martin Walter and Ferd Trauttmansdorf in a Nissan 240SX. This team turned heads with their speed in last year’s Targa Newfoundland rally, but a visit to a ditch meant that they were unable to finish. A spectator favorite is bound to be the iconic British Mark II Ford Escort fielded by Michael Gillespie and Brian Kirby.

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 RallyCar, Inc.
Based in Golden Valley, Minn., RallyCar sanctions the premier performance rally series in the United States, the Rally America National Championship Series. In 2011, RallyCar is conducting six National Championship events at venues across the country, from Olympia, Washington to Newry, Maine. RallyCar competitors reach speeds of well over 100 mph in modified street cars on natural-terrain courses consisting of gravel, dirt or snow. Additionally, RallyCar sanctions the 2011 U.S. Rallycross Championship featuring rally cars racing door-to-door on tricky tarmac/dirt race tracks. More information about rally and rallycross can be found at www.rally-america.com, and videos can viewed at www.youtube.com/rallyamericaseries.

Knox photo by Maciej Janiak, www.WorldRallySport.com
Duplessis photo by Mike Proulx, www.WorldRallySport.com
Comrie-Picard photo by Aaron Kathman, www.WorldRallySport.com

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The second round of the 2010 MaxAttack! Series, presented by the Danza del Sol winery, was very similar to the previous round in Oregon: it was a hot, dusty affair with a very strong entry list. Twenty-seven teams registered for the MaxAttack! event, once again with a wide range of machinery, but barely half the field made it to the end of the rugged two-day event.

The fastest two-wheel-drive car at the New England Forest Rally was the Dodge Neon SRT-4 of Lauchlin O’Sullivan and co-driver Karen Wagner. They were clearly the class of the field all weekend, and their domination was sufficient for fellow competitor Eric Burmeister to describe Lauchlin as, “…on his own planet, I don’t even know where he’s from!” The Dodge team won by almost four minutes, despite losing some time over the course of the weekend due to a flat tire and some lingering dust.

Behind the O’Sullivan and Wagner was an epic battle for second through fourth. Leaving the final service in Errol, NH, there were three teams separated by fewer than 15 seconds. Local favorite Chris Duplessis and co-driver Catherine Woods had a slight advantage in their Scion XD. The Scion had been equipped with a limited slip differential, and was lightened since it’s debut at Oregon Trail, but it was still a relatively stock car. Josh and Jeremy Wimpey experienced a litany of problems with their Golf over the course of the weekend: they lost their power steering early on, were caught behind a slower car which damaged their windshield, they had a flat, and they broke a motor mount. Yet they were still in the game. Eric Burmeister and Dave Shindle, in the Mazdaspeed3, had brake problems the first night which put them three minutes back of the others, but they too clawed back to this thrilling finale.

After the tenth stage, with just two stages remaining in the rally, Duplessis/Woods led Burmeister/Shindle by 12.3 seconds, who in turn were ahead of the Wimpeys by just 2.3 seconds. Following Stage 11, Duplessis still led the other two, but his lead was reduced to just 3.5 seconds up on the Wimpeys, who had edged past Burmeister/Shindle by 4.2 seconds. This meant that going into the final stage of the rally, there were just eight seconds separating second through fourth in MaxAttack!. It was all to play for on the final stage.

On the last stage, Middle Dam, Duplessis and Woods took the stage win, edging the Wimpeys by two seconds, to secure second place by 5.5 seconds. The Wimpeys in turn edged out Burmeister and Shindle by four seconds to hang on to third place by 8.2 seconds. Finishing fifth in MaxAttack!, and the top rear-wheel-car, was the Datsun 280z of Greg Healey and Brian Johnson. The Datsun in turn beat out the Greasecar Motorsports cooking oil-powered turbo diesel Rabbit of Justin Carven and Geoff Clark, who edged out the Canadian duo of Martin Walter and Ferd Trauttmansdorff in a Nissan 240SX. Luke Sorensen and Josh Jenny had a great run going in their Saab 99 turbo, but a flat tire and a problem with the jack on the ensuing tire change cost them over ten minutes on Stage 5.

Running well early on, and buoyed by their Oregon Trail victory, Dillon Van Way and Ben Slocum were holding down second until Stage 9, when the engine on their Ford Focus suddenly and mysteriously quit. They were able to get going again, but despite eventually finishing the stage they were forced to retire due to the engine management problems. Stage 9 was also unkind to a number of teams who made contact with the Maine scenery or had mechanical problems on the stage.

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

1. Lauchlin O’Sullivan/Karen Wagner, Dodge SRT-4 ($1500)
2. Chris Duplessis/Catherine Woods, Scion XD ($1200)
3. Josh Wimpey/Jeremy Wimpey, VW GTI ($1000)
4. Eric Burmeister/Dave Shindle, Mazdaspeed3 ($800)
5. Greg Healey/Brian Johnson, Datsun 280Z ($500).

The 2010 MaxAttack! series champion and Jake Himes Cup winner will be decided in a spectacular “Shootout” fashion in October. The top finishers from the west coast Oregon Trail Rally and the east coast New England Forest Rally are expected to meet in the middle and fight it out at the venerable Lake Superior Rally, on the upper peninsula of Michigan. Of course the same $5,000 event prize fund will be up for grabs for all registered two-wheel-drive entrants at this 2010 season finale.

The Rallysports Group of America would like to thank the organizers of the New England Forest Rally for their gracious assistance and support, all the volunteers (who ate a lot of dust this weekend!), and Rally America.

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.

Lauchlin O’Sullivan and Karen Wagner head to victory at the New England Forest Rally round of the 2010 MaxAttack! Rally Championship, presented by the Danza del Sol winery. Photo by Pete Kuncis, http://www.onalimbracing.com.

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