From the outset, the Hanson duo of Travis and father Terry set about delivering a solid performance to bolster their standing in the Super Production championship, and that they did. Throughout the stages which were run, Travis held his own among the open class entries, and for the majority ran ahead of factory Subaru driver Dave Mirra, as well as leading his class.

However, the victory was bitter sweet, as the rallying community regretfully lost a valued member at the event. Driver Matthew Marker lost his life in an accident during the first day of racing. Rally America took the step to cancel the rally there after as a mark of respect. Speaking of the tragedy, Travis said “We did what we came to do points wise, but it’s hard to celebrate when you lose a good friend in the process.” He continues, “motorsport is dangerous, and we know that something like this can happen, our thoughts and prayers go out to the Marker family and friends.”

The next event of the Rally America National Championship is the Oregon Trail Rally from May 13th to 15th. The team heads to Portland to race what some have called the trickiest roads on the calendar. Portland, Oregon plays host to the upcoming event, which includes a “Superspecial” stage at Portland International Raceway, where fans can get up-close and personal with the teams competing. “PIR is a fun part of this rally that I always look forward to” says Travis. “The Super Production class is our focus this weekend and we will be driving with the championship in mind. We are excited to announce Dick Hannah Subaru as an additional sponsor,” says Hanson. Travis will join David Higgins and Pat Richard at Dick Hannah Subaru on Thursday May 12 at 6:00pm to display their cars and meet fans! For more information visit: http://www.dickhannahsubaru.com/

The team wants to thank theirs sponsors Dick Hannah Subaru, OSLV, Team O’Neil, Exedy, Olson’s Auto Body, Broken Motorsports and Big Boulder Park for their much needed help and support.

Photo Credit: Aaron Kathman/WorldRallySport

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Sadly, a fatal accident occurred late on day one of the rally involving privateer competitor Matthew Marker of Elk Rapids, MI. Marker’s Co-driver Christopher Gordon of Brooklyn Park, MN, was not seriously injured. Due to the accident, Rally America officials halted the the Olympus Rally at the conclusion of stage six and subsequently cancelled the second day of the National portion of the event. The final results of the rally were consequently based on the leader board after stage six giving Higgins and Mirra 1st and 4th place finish positions, respectively.

31-year-old driver Matthew Marker was in his fifth year of participating in the Rally America National Championship and was a popular driver among his peers. Marker was known to have ambitions of improving his Championship standings and taking part in building the sport’s popularity.

“As much as those of us directly involved in motorsport recognize the inherent dangers, that knowledge still serves little to lessen the loss of a fellow competitor and rally community member,” said James Han, motorsports marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc. “Matthew was a rally enthusiast and exciting driver within the sport and highly thought of among his peers. His passing is tragic, and our thoughts go out to his friends and family members during this very difficult time.”

Subaru Rally Team USA is scheduled to compete next at the Oregon Trail Rally on May 13-15, 2011.

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.

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This is the first American event Higgins has won since winning the 2002-2003 SCCA ProRally Championship. He went on to win multiple British Rally Championships before replacing action sport icon Travis Pastrana on Subaru Rally Team USA at the beginning of this year.

Super Production Class driver, Travis Hanson from Traverse City, MI took the Super Production class win, beating Carl Jardevall in second and Lauchlin O’Sullivan in third.

Hanson, who placed fifth overall at Olympus, remarkably continues to lead the Rally America Championship points race! SRT USA’s Dave Mirra, a BMX action sports legend and X Games athlete, now trails Hanson by a single point in the standings after finishing the rally 15 seconds ahead of him to claim fourth overall. Hanson continues to make Rally America history by being the first Super Production team to ever lead the overall Championship heading into the second half of the season.

Antoine L’Estage and David Higgins are now tied for third place in the standings going into the fourth round, the Oregon Trail Rally in Portland, OR this May 13-15th.

In the National 2-Wheel-Drive Class, Mazda driver Wyatt Knox and co-driver Ole Holter narrowly won, defeating the local team of Tom and Don Burress by a mere 10.5 seconds. Brian Gottlieb form Portland, OR rounded out the 2WD podium by finishing 16.5 seconds against Andrew Comrie-Picard on his 2011 Scion xD debut. Wyatt Knox also wins the opening round to the 2011 MaxAttack! 2-Wheel-Drive Series.

Chris O’Driscoll won the Ray Damitio Regional Rally in 2007 Subaru WRX, which was run on day one of the Olympus Rally.

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.

For detailed National, Regional, and MaxAttack! results from Olympus, please visit:
http://rally-america.com/events/2011/OLYMPUS/results/standings

Olympus Rally videos and photos: http://rally-america.com/events/2011/OLYMPUS/gallery/

Photo Credit: http://WorldRallySport.com | Aaron Kathman

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31-year-old driver Matthew Marker of Elk Rapids, MI did not survive injuries sustained in a racing accident. Marker was in his fifth year of participating in the Rally America National Championship and was a popular driver among his peers. Marker was known to have ambitions of improving his Championship standings and taking part in building the sport’s popularity.

Matthew Marker’s co-driver (the driver’s navigator), Christopher Gordon of Brooklyn Park, MN, was not seriously injured in the accident.

The crash occurred when Marker’s car went off the road on a right turn, during the 6th competitive stage of the event, impacting a tree with the driver’s side of the car. Medical personnel responded to the scene quickly, but could not resuscitate Marker. The sport of rally in North America has not had a competitor-related fatality since 2003.

RallyCar Managing Director, J.B. Niday, knew Marker well describing him as, “a generous, loveable personality that wouldn’t think twice about offering parts to other drivers. He loved the sport and was a unique character from the first day he showed up at the Sno*Drift Rally four years ago.”

Team 600 co-driver Jake Blattner was close to Marker and remembers him as “a very passionate, energetic, hip gear head that used to turn up with glowing neon lights under his car on the night stages which the fans loved.” Like everyone in the sport, Jake is shaken but remains convinced that the organization does everything it can to keep competitors safe. “It’s a dangerous sport but that’s what sets it apart. Its you against the wild open road and the clock.”

Olympus Rally organizers and RallyCar officials decided to conclude the Rally American National Championship event at the end of Special Stage 6 and will award points based on those finishing times. The coinciding MaxAttack! 2-Wheel-Drive Series also concluded their event out of respect to the deceased and his family and friends. The John Nagel Regional Rally did continue as scheduled on Sunday and National competitors were given the option to enter.

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., Ford Racing, VP Racing Fuels, Grassroots Motorsports Magazine, Danza del Sol Winery, Team O’Neil Rally School, RECARO USA, Hawk Performance Brakes, Exedy Racing Clutches and Racewatches.com.

Action Photo Credit: http://WorldRallySport.com | Aaron Kathman
Head Shot: File Photo

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As usual, Travis will be co-driven by his father Terry. The pair are looking to deliver a good result, after last years disappointment on the Washington based Olympus Rally.

To-date in 2011, the Hansons have enjoyed an unprecedented level of success, which began in the first round of the championship when they steered their Super Production specification 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STi to outright victory at the Sno*Drift rally.

In claiming the overall win they became the first ever Super Production class competitors to win a Rally America National event outright, and in-turn assumed their deserved place in the Rally America history.

Following up the victory at Sno*Drift, the T. Hanson Motorsports’ pairing delivered another good performance at the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood in Missouri, as they claimed fourth overall, and first in their class.

The long break between the second and third rounds of the Championship left Travis longing to get back behind the wheel. “I am excited to get back in the car after a long break in the schedule. Some of the roads at Olympus are my favorites because of the beautiful scenery and because of their fast flowing nature,” said Travis.

Speaking of the challenge they face in keeping ahead of the manufacturer backed entries, Travis said “It will be hard to stay in front of the charging open class cars of SRT USA and L’Estage, if we have another strong finish, it is still possible for us to continue to lead the overall championship.”

Even though Travis is more than happy to sit at the top of the outright championship standings, he has made it clear that his focus is on the Super Production title. “This however is not our main goal” he says.

The next three rounds of the championship comprise the Olympus Rally (April 30 – May 1), Oregon Trail Rally (May 13 – 15) and Susquehannock Trail Rally (June 3 – 4), and with all in fairly close succession, Travis believes consistency is the key.

“The next events are all within 5 weeks time, and stretch cross-country 3000 miles one way. I believe the drivers that are the most consistent at these events will have the upper hand in the championship,” said Travis, adding “It is our goal to be a consistent team and one that is always there fighting for a spot on the podium”.

Concluding, Travis spoke of the close nature of the Super Production class, and it’s ever increasing speed. “The competition of this class is really good with ex-factory Subaru and Mitsubishi drivers pushing the class faster. We’ve had a great start to the season and we are excited for the next event.”

The T. Hanson Motorsports setup is propelled by a small group of highly motivated and dedicated people, whose commitment to the cause is second to none. The vital contributions of each and every team member, along with the support from Team O’Neil Rally School, Olson’s Auto Body, OSLV, Exedy Clutches, Big Boulder Park and Broken Motorsports is the reason behind the great success the team has enjoyed to-date in 2011.

Photos by Ben Rogge and Ken Maydaniuk/World Rally Sport

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The first round of the 2011 MaxAttack! Series, presented by the Danza del Sol winery, has drawn yet another strong entry, with teams from near and far gathering in the town of Ocean Shores on the gorgeous Washington state coast to contest 93 stage miles over two days. The Olympus Rally was once home to the American round of the prestigious World Rally Championship, so there is a lot of history in this storied event. It is difficult to find a more scenic rally, as the rolling waves of the Pacific Ocean lap the sandy shores near the stages.

There are more than twenty two-wheel-drive rally cars entered in the MaxAttack! season opener, and as usual it is impossible to predict a clear favorite for victory. There are front-drive cars, rear drive cars, turbocharged cars and rotary-engine cars. There is a 42-year gap between the oldest car entered (the 1969 Saab 96 of Garth Ankeny and Russ Kraushaar) and the newest car entered (the 2011 Ford Fiesta of Dillon Van Way and Jake Blattner). So it will be interesting to see what will be the formula for victory on the generally smooth and twisty gravel roads.

Olympus is the third round of the 2011 Rally America National Championship, so one might expect that the front-runners for MaxAttack! could be the national series regulars. The Scion XD that made a splash in the 2010 Rally America National Championship is returning to the Northwest, however with both more power and a new pilot. National series regular Andrew “ACP” Comrie-Picard is now behind the wheel, and the Scion now boasts a turbocharged motor. Briton Robbie Durant will join ACP for this event to read the notes. Dillon Van Way, a two-wheel-drive and MaxAttack! series regular, has swapped his trusty Ford Focus for another Blue Oval machine, a turbocharged Ford Fiesta. He also has a different co-driver for 2011, with Oregon resident Jack Blattner now filling that role. Wyatt Knox is making the long tow out from New Hampshire to pilot his powerful Group 5 MazdaSpeed3; he and co-driver Ole Holter are a team to be reckoned with.

The BMW marque has largely been absent from the Rally America ranks for the past five years, but that is poised to change at Olympus. With E30 and E36 chassis now available at a reasonable cost, the powerful, fun rear-wheel-drive cars are now more affordable to the grassroots rally competitor. Two Bimmers head west from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. David Kern will debut his immaculate new M3, and Brian McGuire and Jennifer Kraus will pilot a 325i. Dave and Rick Hintz, who for a number of years have dominated the Northwest rally scene in a Subaru, have sold their WRX and returned to their rear-wheel-drive roots. Formerly racing a turbocharged RX-7 (and others), the Hintz brothers will return to the two-wheel-drive fray in another M3. This will no doubt be a treat for spectators.

There are some other local, west-coast hotshoes that are going to give the national competitors a run for the MaxAttack! money. Heading that list is the Demon Rally Team, Tom and Don Burress, in a very fast turbocharged Volkswagen Golf. Marking the first anniversary of the Olympus debut of their Mazda3 is the team of Dave Henderson and Terry McDowell, who are getting steadily faster with every appearance. Coming off a successful weekend at a recent rallycross event in Washington state, Kris Dahl has been showing good pace as he develops his Honda Civic. His father Ed is the team’s co-driver. The Civic of Brian Gottlieb and Patrick Darrow has become a regular in the MaxAttack! series, and could do well on one of their local events. Another one of those fast Northwest drivers that may be unfamiliar to rally enthusiasts from out of the area is Nate Tennis. Tennis, an instructor at the Dirtfish rally school, has shown tremendous speed over the years in a Saab 99. Adam Crane and Britta Nielsen are always fun to watch in their Toyota Corolla.

The Rallysports Group of America is also pleased to announce that veteran co-driver Alex Gelsomino, who partners Ken Block in the Monster World Rally Team Ford Fiesta, has once again agreed to furnish the top-placed rookie co-driver in the MaxAttack! series with a very generous prize. The MaxAttack! series top-finishing co-driver with five or fewer rally weekends through Lake Superior will receive $500 in cash from Alex. Thank you, Alex, for your continued generosity and support of the series.

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 will be the qualifying events for the Jake Himes Cup, and the Lake Superior Performance Rally will be the central Shootout event.

The MaxAttack! Rally Series Presented by Danza del Sol consists of three events across the country, and 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 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.

Photos by Jerry Winker, Lorne Trezise, Jim Culp and Pete Kuncis

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The season has already delivered surprising results. Perhaps the biggest surprise comes from privateer New Hampshire driver Travis Hanson, a Super Production Class competitor, who currently leads the overall Championship over many quicker, factory supported Open Class teams. Hanson, a rally school instructor from Littleton, NH, and his father, Terry from Traverse City, Michigan drew a line in the snow by winning the season opening Sno*Drift Rally in Atlanta, Michigan last January 2011.

They scored enough points with a fifth at the second round, February’s Rally in the 100 Acre Wood in Missouri, to stay atop the standings. All of this is history for the Rally America championship. The Sno*Drift victory marked the first time a Super Production driver won an event overall. And this is the first time a privateer, non-factory supported team, has led the championship this late in the season.

The Hansons will once again cross the country to test their fate at the Olympus Rally on the same roads that saw them crash out of the event on the first day last year. Travis and Terry will have another chance to defend their unprecedented challenged at the Oregon Trail Rally in Portland, Oregon just two weeks later, May 13-15th.

X Games BMX legend, Dave Mirra from North Carolina and multi-time British Rally Champion, David Higgins from Wales will be among those hoping to catch the Hansons and put their Subaru Rally Team USA back on the top step of the Podium. Mirra has been Subaru Rally Team USA’s most consistent finisher so far in 2011. Mirra sits just three points behind Travis Hanson for second place in the overall point standings. Mirra has a long resume of experience at Olympus having run in the event since 2008. He’ll need to draw on that experience to overtake the steadiness of Team Hanson. Mirra has sniffed at an overall event win. Last year he earned his first ever podium finish at Olympus. This year Mirra was second at Sno*Drift and third at 100 Acre Wood so he’s close to a win that could put him in the overall Rally America championship lead after Olympus.

Welsh driver David Higgins is on familiar ground at Olympus as well. He was the SCCA ProRally Champion in 2002 and 2003 when the same roads were used during another Washington event, the Wild West Rally. However, Higgins hasn’t driven on these roads since re-signing with Subaru Rally Team USA earlier this year. Higgins is anxious for points at Olympus. Since returning to the American championship in January Higgins was scoreless at Sno*Drift and second at 100 Acre Wood. He’s currently fourth in the Championship standings. He’s eager to resume his fight with 2010 Rally America Champion Antoine L’Estage of Canada. It’s a fight that could last the year along the Rally America National Chamionship.

L’Estage and co-driver Nathalie Richard of the Rockstar Energy Drink Rally Team, are also eager to resume their battle with Higgins out West. Last year the Quebec-based team made a gutsy decision to enter the West Coast Swing having never driven the events before. But a second at Olympus and a third in Oregon were significant points. Wins in the final two events of the year in Pennsylvania and Maine powered them to the 2010 Rally America National Championship. L’Estage is currently third overall in the 2011 Championship. He’ll need a West Coast podium finish to give himself a chance at keeping his title.

It’s the tendency to put the spotlight on the faster cars in a National Championship but the real fighting this season is in the Super Production category where Team Hanson is flexing its muscle overall and in class. Several other cars from all over the nation are in a battle to steal the Hanson’s thunder.

Chasing the Hansons in the Super Production class at Olympus will be Lauchlin O’Sullivan from San Francisco, CA. His experience at Olympus comes from the years when he drove for the Mitsubishi factory team in America. O’Sullivan is contesting the entire 2011 Rally America National Championship Series in a Lucas Oil/Rallytire.com-backed Subaru WRX STI. He should net a good Super Production result in Washington that will improve his current third place class standing in the category.

Also in the battle is Northwest fan favorite, Carl Jardevall from Half Moon Bay, CA. His Nordic Motors Mitsubishi Evo 8 will prove to be a challenge to the Subaru contingent attacking the mountains in Washington. Jardevall may have another bit of business with Hanson. In 2008 Carl qualified for an invitation to compete in ESPN’s Summer X Games 14. When Jardevall couldn’t attend X Games, he opened the door for Travis Hanson to compete in arguably the world’s largest Action Sports competition. Hanson has raised his rally game since X Games 14. Maybe Jardevall will have a little something extra for Hanson at Olympus as a way of extracting a “thank you!”

In the National Two-Wheel Drive Class, 19-year-old Dillon Van Way from Carencro, LA is leading his class in a new 2010 Ford Fiesta. It’s believed Van Way will show up at Olympus with a new turbocharging system on his Fiesta. He may need the extra power to fend off a hard charging Wyatt Knox. Like Travis Hanson, Knox is a rally car instructor at the popular Team O’Neil Rally School in New Hampshire. Knox may need his teaching skills to make up the two points in the standings that separate him from Van Way on this West Coast rally swing. Van Way has made impressive improvements since winning 2009 Rally America Rookie of the Year honors as well as the 2009 Rally America National 2 Wheel Drive title, so he won’t relinquish his lead easily.

The 2011 Olympus Rally event is based out of Ocean Shores, Washington – approximately 2.5 hours southwest of Seattle. Fans and media are welcome to attend the Parcs Expose Saturday and Sunday morning to meet the drivers & co-drivers and take pictures of the rally cars before they head to the competition stages.

A spectator guide complete with schedules and driving instructions is available for download at: http://rally-america.com/VenueFiles/2011_OLYMPUS_WEB%20Olympus%202011%20Spectator%20Guide.pdf

In addition to the Rally America National Championship the Olympus Rally will host the season opener of the 2011 Max Attack! 2-Wheel Drive Championship. This long running 2-Wheel drive Series will support teams with a $15,000 purse distributed over three events. More information: http://www.max-attack.com

Olympus Rally Entry List: http://rally-america.com/events/2011/OLYMPUS/entries/
Rally America National Championship Twitter: http://twitter.com/RallyCar_Series

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 http://www.rally-america.com, videos can viewed at http://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.

Photos: Andrew Snucins/WorldRallySport

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Competition at the Olympus Rally gets hotter!

One of the most scenic events on the Rally America calendar promises to be one of its most competitive when round three of the Rally America National Championship takes place in Washington State’s picturesque Olympic Peninsula on April 24-25.

The Olympus Rally includes mountain backdrops, temperate rain forests, and ocean views all of which will complement top national rally teams slipping, sliding and jumping along the peninsula’s gravel roads at formidable speeds.

This year, however, two new teams have quietly joined the championship with the skills to win and that will stir up the competition at Olympus.

Canada’s current rally champion and Canadian Subaru Rally Team driver Patrick Richard and Former Subaru Rally Team USA driver Ramana Lagemann have both entered the Olympus Rally. Both are former X Games competitors. The Richard and Lagemann teams aren’t full time competitors in the Rally America Series but they are expected to steal points from teams that are. Richard and Lagemann will play a role in the 2010 championship. Both are expected to compete for overall podium finishes.

These two enter Olympus when points will be on everyone’s mind, as the top four teams with the most points not already invited to the X Games will be one step closer to being invited to X Games competition. Last year’s X Games medalists have already been invited back.

Richard will be competing in the Open Class threatening the dominance of four-time defending champion Travis Pastrana and Ken Block, winner of February’s 100 Acre Wood Rally in Missouri. Lagemann’s presence will threaten the points spread that current Super Production Class leader, Travis Hanson, has secured after winning the Class in the first two events of the season.

There will be other small changes in this year’s Olympus Rally. The headquarters has moved from the birthplace of Grunge Music in Aberdeen to the Ocean Shores Convention Center in Ocean Shores, Washington. But many of the competition roads will remain closer to the Pacific Coast, except for the addition of the mountainous Crane Creek Stage set more inland in the Olympic mountain range.

The Olympus Rally has been part of the Rally America calendar since 2007. It brings a rich rally history that’s revered by Rally America fans. Olympus was part of the first U.S. Rally Championship in 1973 and hosted international teams in the World Rally Championship from 1986-1988 during the “Group B” years (light rally cars with big horsepower). Olympus actually hosted the last “Group B” event- the spirit of which still lingers in the gravel.

The Rally America Championship battle resumes after a month long break and fans will be given the opportunity to meet their favorite drivers making headlines across the world.

* The Monster World Rally Team and driver Ken Block will be returning to the U.S. from their international rally racing debut in Mexico and Turkey. Block is also coming off his fifth 100 Acre Wood Rally win in Missouri back in February.
* X Games athletes and Subaru Rally Team USA drivers, Travis Pastrana and Dave Mirra, will be waiting to make a statement at Olympus after uncharacteristically not finishing on the podium at the 100 Acre Wood Rally.
* Consistency by drivers Antoine L’Estage and Bill Bacon has them leading the Rally America Championship after the first two rounds of the season. L’Estage, a former Canadian and North American champion, leads the standings. Bacon, a firefighter from Massachusetts, is in second. Both are still looking for an overall rally win to validate their threat as championship competitors.
* In the 2 Wheel Drive Class, Chris Duplessis will look for his third victory in a row. He currently leads his class driving a 20-year-old 1990 Volkswagen GTI that consistently beats newer cars with twice the horsepower.

Before the Olympus Rally on Thursday there will be a public charity function, located at the Pacific Grand Prix (www.pacificgp.com), a karting facility on the grounds of Pacific Raceways in Kent. The charity function will be in support of the Ronald McDonald House. Press stages will also be open to the public on Thursday allowing fans and media another opportunity to catch the rally action first hand.

There will be two Parc Exposes where fans can get up close and personal with teams and drivers. They will be held on Saturday, April 24 at 8:00am and Sunday, April 25 at 7:00am in Ocean Shores, WA.

Olympus is a very tight and technical rally that can dismember a competitor’s car with lots of elevation changes, hidden logs, large rocks, and tire slicing sharp gravel. The weather is very unpredictable along the coast and drivers must prepare for either dry dusty roads or the infamous spring rains of the coastal Northwest.

It looks like 2010 Olympus will be a clash of Titans in North American rally with names like Block, Pastrana, L’Estage, Bacon, Mirra, Comrie-Picard, Hanson, Richard, and Lagemann.

Event schedules, team entries, and a (soon to be available) spectator guide complete with driving directions can be located at: http://rally-america.com/events/2010/Olympus/

Top teams in the Series are also invited to compete in the Summer X Games 16 Rally Car Racing event, the leading action sports event broadcast live on ABC and ESPN.

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 call (763) 553-2742 for details or visit www.rally-america.com.

Rally America, Inc. is proudly supported by Subaru of America, Inc., BFGoodrich Tires, Able Planet, RECARO, Exedy Racing Clutches, Hawk Performance Brakes, Rally-Tire.com, Mazda and the Team O’Neil Rally School, the official rally school of Rally America. For more information regarding Rally America, visit www.rally-america.com.

Photo Credit: Lorne Trezise/Rally America

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Olympus is set among the wooded mountainsides along the Washington Coast April 24-25th. Many teams are looking to pad their point leads or rewrite their fates on the tricky and gravelly Washington stages.

That will be difficult, however, because of Patrick Richard and Ramana Lagemann the two championship contenders who could become spoilers at Olympus.

Richard hails from Squamish B.C. and, actually, has a championship pedigree. He won back-to-back Canadian National titles in 2008-09 and added the 2005 Rally America Championship. In addition he was an X Games 12 competitor in the Rally Car Racing competition. But Richard has not been readily seen south of the Canadian border since his 6th overall finish at the 2008 Olympus Rally.

“I took some time off from rally before Olympus 2008 and only used that event as a primer to get back into the sport,” explained Richard, “I had fuel problems on day 1 of the event, but after fixing it we won the last three stages of the Rally.”

The mere fact that a rusty Patrick Richard could win three stages at the fastest event of the 2008 season means that Rally America teams should pay attention to a champion who can arrive and drive.

However, Richard has not determined what vehicle he will campaign at this year’s Olympus Rally. He is the current Canadian Subaru Rally Team driver and he has permission to bring his team car to the States. But Richard needs to iron out his logistics before deciding on running the late model Subaru at Olympus. “Though, whatever I bring down will definitely be an Open Class Car.”

“I am looking forward to coming back to the States,” said Richard. “Not many people realize Olympus is my home rally and where I cut my teeth driving. It’s easy for me to get here and I am really looking forward to rallying against the U.S. guys! I compete against (Antoine) l’Estage and (Andrew Comrie-Picard) ACP in Canada every weekend, but it’s going to be a new challenge to race some unseen competitors. ”

Depending on the Olympus Rally outcome the Unites States may see more of Richard as he fights for another X Games invite or the 2010 North American Rally Championship title.

Ramana Lagemann from Boston, MA also has history with the Subaru brand in the U.S. and the World Rally Championship. He once drove for the Subaru Rally Team USA when he was only 22 years old. In 2002, Lagemann was selected to drive for Subaru in the SCCA ProRally Championship. He quickly earned 3rd overall the following season and even extended his success to the World Rally Championships when he finished 10th overall at Rally New Zealand while becoming the first American to compete in WRC since the 1990s.

After Subaru, Lagemann continued to rally and also was an athlete in the inaugural X Games Rally Racing event in 2006. He returned in 2007 and made the ESPN highlight reels being the first to crash a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO while practicing the new 70 foot jump introduced in X Games that summer. Lagemann was okay, but his car had to be completely repaired in 2 days to be race ready. He made the start line but his X Games competition was cut short with engine power difficulties, but still gained a 4th overall victory at X Games.

Since then Ramana has taken a break from Rally but we’ve learned that he’ll be at Olympus in the Super Production Class battle supported by Rally-Tire.com. Barak Tuglu, owner of Rally-Tire.com added, “I feel that the car is more of ‘Team Rally Tire’, since ‘.com’ makes things a bit virtual and too commercial where it’s all about our sweat and blood. Of course, that is just my humble opinion.”

“Timing really worked out to drive this car at Olympus,” said Lagemann, “It was the site of my last win in 2007 but the roads were different back then, though the character of the event is the same. We are just trying to spend our resources wisely. I don’t think you need the best car to win.”

Lagemman’s Super Production Class entry adds an instant challenge to SP points leader Travis Hanson, who is entered at Olympus looking to increase his points spread over Tim Rooney. Lagemann is a definite wild card with the skills and experience to win the SP class. Lagemann has understandably reserved expectations but you can still hear the anticipation in his voice when talking about returning to the driver’s seat.

“During my break I was attending rallys as a fan and watching Travis Hanson and Tim Penasack. I am looking forward to finally competing with them, but I think an SP car could still be good enough to take an overall podium finish.”

The entries of Patrick Richard in the Open Class and Ramana Lagemann in Super Production add more suspense to the Olympus outcome and that’s a good thing for Rally America followers and fans. One thing is certain, the results landscape could look much different after Olympus at the end of April and leading to the Oregon Trail Rally on May 14-15.

Rally car racing is considered the extreme sport of automobile racing and 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.

About Rally America
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, and three European style rallycross events in New Jersey.

Patrick Richard Photo Credit: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com
Ramana Lagemann Photo Credit: Arthur Partyka/artpartphoto.com

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“This was an incredibly tough rally,” said Comrie-Picard. “The competition between the top teams was intense; we fought hard for this result.”

It is the third podium finish for the NOS Energy Mitsubishi in three starts in the series.

Entering the event, Comrie-Picard was tied with Rockstar Energy’s Tanner Foust for the championship lead. After a two-day battle over more than 100 miles of rugged stages, Comrie-Picard came out ahead in the points.

After three rounds of the Rally America championship, Comrie-Picard tops the standings with 48 points, while Foust and Subaru Rally Team USA driver Travis Pastrana are tied for second with 45 points apiece.

“We’re thrilled to be leading the championship,” said Comrie-Picard. “We’re gunning for top points this year and we’ll be battling hard at every round.”

The rally opened with a series of extremely fast stages that saw teams top 120 mph on some of the straightaways. Comrie-Picard and co-driver Robbie Durant finished the first day in the third-place position and prepared to charge on the more technical Day 2 course.

Serious mechanical trouble for the early rally leader, Subaru Rally Team USA driver Ken Block, meant the battle was on between Comrie-Picard and Red Bull’s Travis Pastrana for Day 2. The two traded seconds all weekend, even finishing stages in a dead-heat tie.

But as Comrie-Picard prepared to push into the final miles Sunday afternoon, an ailing transmission began to cost them time. Without the use of third or fourth gear through the final two stages of the event, he was unable to catch Pastrana.

“Everybody had problems; Travis and Tanner both had to do some serious transmission work overnight after Day 1, and Ken (Block) blew two motors,” said Comrie-Picard. “There’s no doubt this is a tough sport.”

Third place went to Foust. The driver had made an early bid for the lead but lost time to the leaders on Sunday while running with a back-up gearbox.

The next round for the team is the Portland-based Oregon Trail Rally in a month’s time (May 15-17). Driver Comrie-Picard is also slated to begin running select events in the prestigious Formula D drifting series in the coming months.

Rally car racing is considered the extreme sport of automobile racing and 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 hundreds of miles of gravel, dirt or snow-covered roads.

The sport is also featured in the annual X Games, the premier action sports event on the globe, featuring athletes competing for medals and prize money in sports including BMX Freestyle, Moto X, Skateboard, and Rally. Comrie-Picard has been among the dozen invited drivers every year since the rally discipline was introduced to the contest, and he has already secured an early invitation to return in 2009.

The Rally America national championship includes nine events in a cross-continent season that extends from January to late October. The Canadian Rally Championship has six events from coast to coast. ACP Rally will contest a busy season, with rally events on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border, select drift events — and the X Games.

The ACP Rally program is made possible by: NOS Energy (www.drinknos.com), K&N (www.knfilters.com), Mitsubishi Canada (www.mitsubishi-motors.ca), Yokohama Canada (www.yokohama.ca), Motul (www.motulusa.com), AMS (www.amsperformance.com), Works (www.worksevo.com), Brian Crower (www.briancrower.com), JE (www.jepistons.com), Exedy (www.exedyusa.com), Ohlins (www.ohlinsusa.com), Pfitzner Performance Gearbox (www.ppgearbox.com.au), Mishimoto (www.mishimoto.com), Oakley (www.oakley.com), Innovate Motorsports (www.tuneyourengine.com), Team Dynamics (www.teamdynamicsracing.com), Endless (www.endlessusa.com), NBB (www.nbblights.ca), Sparco (www.sparcousa.com), NGK (www.ngksparkplugs.com), Piloti (www.piloti.com), and Skull Candy (www.skullcandy.com).

Photo by Jen Horsey

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