2005 Western Canadian Rally Champion Scott Trinder and father Bob will be driving the Techworks Engineering-Datsun 240z while 2007 CACC Regional E-MOD Champion Adam Trinder will be running his heavily modified PIAA-Toyota Corolla GTS.

“We are very excited that Knox does not conflict with the rally schedule this year. I have run Knox four times in the past and it is truly an amazing event. As many teams camp out at the event the atmosphere is great and the weekend is one that an entire family can enjoy,” said Scott.

Drama is unfolding for the Techworks 240z, as the new engine will not be received until the week of the event. “Scott just sent us the Datsun’s engine, it had suffered a catastrophic failure at Targa Newfoundland. We plan to have it buttoned up by weeks end and look forward to spectating at this years event,” said Tom Penner, www.Techworkseng.com president.

Knox Mountain is located near the heart of downtown Kelowna. The timed distance from start to finish is 3.5km. Teams drive the road as fast as possible, similar to a rally stage. “Having rally experience definitely helps when reading the road and the blind corners, however, as this is my first year I expect it will be a learning experience,” said Bob.

The elusive goal reserved for the high horsepower cars is to complete the hill in less than 2 minutes. Most car classes finish the hillclimb with a time over 2 minutes. To date Scott’s best time is a 2:10 on street tires with rally height suspension. “I suspect the Techworks 240z will set a time a little quicker than my personal best, however, with comparable horsepower and our DOT over-the-counter Bridgestone Potenza RE750’s I do not suspect I will find 10 seconds to make a sub-two-minute sprint” said Scott.

Adam’s car could be capable of a sub 2-minute run, however, this being his first time running the hill, he is focused on building experience and learning the road, for a future attempt. “I know I have the power in the car, but at the same time I want to learn the road and prepare myself for next year,” said Adam.

The next event for the RSport Rally team is the Rocky Mountain National Rally in Calgary, Alberta where the 2002/2005 Western Canadian Rally Champion Scott Trinder plans to begin his 2008 Western Canadian Rally Championship campaign.

RSport Rally would like to thank: www.Techworkseng.com , Richmond Auto Body , Pacific Parts , Ampco Grafix , Bridgestone , PIAA , Dragon Optical , Pennzoil , NGK , AMT Machine Shop

Event Link: http://www.knoxmtnhillclimb.ca
Hill Video link: http://www.knoxmtnhillclimb.ca/video.htm

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The commercial aired nationally last week on ESPN and Versus channels and can also be found on YouTube here:

The YouTube version currently has over 280,000 views in just two weeks! Here are some impressive YouTube stats as of April 29th:

#3 - Most Viewed (This Month) - Autos & Vehicles
#2 - Top Favorites (This Month) - Autos & Vehicles
#5 - Top Rated (This Month) - Autos & Vehicles
#36 - Most Discussed (This Month) - Autos & Vehicles

Subaru Rally Team USA is proudly supported by Subaru of America, Subaru Tecnica International (STI), Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT), DC Shoes, BFGoodrich Tires, Boost Mobile, Recaro, Alpinestars, Motul, Exedy, Greddy, PIAA and Vermont SportsCar. Visit www.subaru.com/rally for Subaru Rally Team USA photo galleries, news and team information.

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On Saturday the first regional rally came to a sudden end for the Prescribed Burn Team less than two miles into the second stage. The car slid slightly wide on an acute loose gravel corner; the soft bank edge fell out from under it and the car landed at the bottom of the steep outside ditch. Unharmed, Mark and Jennifer scrambled out of the gulley to await the course closing crew, who capably extracted the car and applied its first ‘you’ve been swept’ sticker.

A quick survey of the damage revealed two mangled rims with flat tires, a very crooked front wheel and a missing fog cover. Determined to continue, Mark limped the car back to the beginning of the stage in reverse, accompanied by an amused local landowner who offered to tow the rally car if it became un-drivable. On the way to the main road Jennifer accepted a generous offer of a loaner tire from the Sorensons in their course opening Outback, but even with two new tires the car was in no condition to attempt the transit to the fairgrounds. Luckily their service crew arrived promptly with the trailer and the team returned to service to assess the situation.

At service the crew replaced the driver’s front control arm and sway bar link, and straightened the front sub-frame. With a new set of tires, the car was ready in time to start the second regional, a commendable achievement for the volunteer service crew. The early off was not the end of the trouble for the Prescribed Burn Rally Team. Turbo problems caused them to limp through the first stage after the restart, effectively putting them out of podium contention. This problem was tackled in the later stages and resolved by the last day of the event, where the team came within seconds of reaching the maximum average speed allowed on the final stage.

Mark and Jennifer finished 6th in the second regional in their first Rally America event. The exciting, fast stages were a great shakedown for the car and the Jemba practice they got will prepare them well for their next Jemba event, Alberta’s Rocky Mountain National Rally in May.

The Prescribed Burn Rally Team is an Okanagan based performance rally team that is supported by BCResortHomes.com, Sun FM, Agar Paint & Autobody, BigO Tire in Westbank, OkanaganVisitor.ca. Provision Data, Stacy Screen Print, The Great Canadian Oil Change, Wishbone Industries, BELL Racing and NAT.

Photo by Warwick Patterson, www.formulaphoto.com

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The back-to-back class wins, as well as strong finishes overall, have put the Flatirons Tuning Rally Team in second place in the Production GT championship, as well as eighth in the Rally America National Championship overall points. "In terms of the Championship we couldn’t be happier. To win in Missouri in such difficult conditions was fantastic, and to have the Flatirons Tuning Subaru Impreza WRX perform flawlessly and put us on the top step of the podium again at Olympus was perfect. To finish first in Production GT and take solid overall championship points at both events was exactly what we were looking for as we started 2008," stated driver Stephan Verdier.

The success of 2008 comes on the heels of a tough 2007 season that saw the Flatirons Tuning Rally Team win three rallies and fail to finish in four other events, forcing the team to re-evaluate its strategy before 2008. "In 2007 I think we were focused on too many different things and not focused enough on the individual rallies. For 2008 we are focusing more on one rally at a time and it is paying dividends. Obviously we would love to win a championship again and be invited to the X Games, but for 2008 we just want to go rallies and focus on having the best rally we can instead of constantly thinking about other things," stated Verdier when talking about the teams plans for 2008.

With a relaxed focus and strong finishes the Flatirons Tuning Rally Team is in a strong position to secure one of the coveted invitations for the ESPN Summer X Games. "In 2006 we were one of the first teams to be invited to participate in the Summer X Games and in 2007 we just missed earning an invitation. Right now we are just focusing on doing the best we can at each rally and know that if we run the rallies we are capable of as a team we should be able to secure an invitation for the 2008 Summer X Games," noted co-driver Scott Crouch about how the team is approaching the qualification process for an invitation to the X Games.

Two events remain before the mid-point in the 2008 Rally America National Championship schedule, as well as the expected awarding of invitations for the ESPN Summer X Games. It is expected that the top eight overall teams will qualify for an invitation to the ESPN Summer X Games in addition to up to four special invitees or last chance qualifier positions. Invited competitors will then participate in the ESPN Summer X Games Rally Car event in front of thousands of live spectators and millions home TV viewers on live national television between July 31 and August 2.

The 2008 Rally America National Championship consists of a series of nine events held in eight states coast to coast in the United States. Teams count their best seven finishes at the end of the season in a variety of different classes to determine class championships in addition to the Rally America National Champion which will be crowned based on overall points earned at each event.

Flatirons Tuning is based in Boulder, CO, and is an aftermarket performance and maintenance specialist as well as being home to the Flatirons Tuning Rally Team. In 2005 the team was Rally America Production GT National Champions and in 2006 and 2007 were early front runners before late season misfortunes ended their championship runs. The Flatirons Tuning team for 2008 consists of driver Stephan Verdier, co-driver Scott Crouch, and lead technician and performance specialist Jon Brouillet. In addition to support from Flatirons Tuning the Flatirons Tuning Rally Team is also supported by Global Collision, COBB Tuning, and Cusco.

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On Day 2, the team turned up the wick, but other competitors did as well, and after a slight off on stage 15, the team fell to 5th in class, but still just 11 seconds out of 3rd place. “We were really happy to have a clean rally with only a few teething pains for a car that was still getting put together after we arrived at the event. In fact we had to DRIVE IT to the rally to get enough break-in miles on the motor. We got here with just over 550 miles on the clock,” said team owner Paul Eklund. “But what we did put together, held up well, fantastic in fact.”

Our sponsors at Subaru Northwest Region, Exedy Racing Clutches, Cooper Tires, and PDX Tuning were glad to see the car make it and then finish the rally with a good first showing. “Sure we would have liked to be on the podium,” noted co-driver Jeff Price, “but we needed to balance the desire to win with the realities of shaking down a totally new car.” In the end, the car performed beautifully and attracted a lot of attention in the pits and along the route. Rally events showcase the abilities of any car, and many fans noted that they liked the lines of the new car when seen in person.

Primitive plans to continue development, including a new front suspension design and improved underbody protection for the rough, Oregon Trail Rally in just over 3 weeks. The Rally Idaho follows that in early July.

The team would like to thank Cooper Tires for the wonderful Weathermaster Tires that held up to the abuse (like our one big off-pictured), PDX Tuning for taking the time to make the car run strong and true on just pump gas, Subaru Northwest Region for all their continued support and spiffy new driving suits (also pictured). Special thanks to our volunteer service crew of Ben Trujillo, Nate Foley and Steve Greer who made sure the car was spot on at each service stop.

More at: www.get-primitive.com and see build info at: http://primitiveracing2008sti.blogspot.com

Photo by Aaron Kathman

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“It’s a great result for the championship,” said Comrie-Picard. “Our performance puts us in very good shape in the series; we’ve got our eye on the top prize this season.”

After two days of wide-open competition, Comrie-Picard and co-driver Marc Goldfarb brought their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX across the finish line in fourth-place overall on Sunday (April 20) — just behind Tanner Foust’s Rockstar Energy Subaru.

The driver, better known for his talent in the tighter, more technical stages, opted to take a conservative approach to the high-speed Olympus Rally course.

“This event was about bravery and horsepower, and full points to the guys on the podium,” said Comrie-Picard. “But there wasn’t any need for us to take risks here.”

Top crews, including Comrie-Picard and Goldfarb, reported speeds close to 130 miles per hour on the slippery gravel course roads. The team’s Mitsubishi performed almost flawlessly over the two-day contest — after a near total rebuild following significant damage at Round 2.

“I’ve never been in anything this fast in all my life,” noted former WRC champion Derek Ringer, who co-drove Subaru Rally Team USA’s Travis Pastrana to second place overall at this event.

Pastrana’s Subaru teammate Ken Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino took the overall win.

In addition to the championship title, drivers are vying for a chance to compete at the high-profile X Games this summer in Los Angeles. Top teams after the first five rounds of the championship are expected to receive an invitation to the ESPN contest.

“We’re looking forward to another good run in the X Games this season,” said Comrie-Picard. “We’ve competed there since the beginning in 2006 and we can’t wait to go back in 2008.”

With two rounds still to go in the qualification series, Comrie-Picard has already earned more points this season than he had when he earned his invitation in 2007.

In addition to his second-place position in the Rally America series, Comrie-Picard is currently leading the North American championship, and second overall in Canada.

The team’s next contest — Round 4 in the Rally America championship — is the Oregon Trail Rally, May 16-18.

Online video coverage of the team’s 2008 season is available on the ACP Rally YouTube channel (at www.youtube.com/acprally) and at www.acprally.com.

Full coverage of the Canadian championship will air on RDS and TSN. Coverage of the Rally America series airs on the ESPN family of channels.

THANKS TO: Mitsubishi Canada (www.mitsubishi-motors.ca), Slowboy Racing (www.slowboyracing.com), Yokohama Canada (www.yokohama.ca), K&N (www.knfilters.com), Motul USA (www.motulusa.com), Engine Pro (www.enginepro.com), Innovate Motorsports (www.tuneyourengine.com), Pagid North America (www.pagidusa.com), Sparco (www.sparcousa.com), Piloti (www.piloti.com), and FixAuto Blainville and the Losier family.

For more information, photos and video highlights, visit: www.acprally.com

Find us on YouTube or Facebook under ACP Rally.

Photo by Elise Racette.

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The new competition creates a level playing field so that manufacturers’ entries in both the Grand Touring and Targa competition can compete for the President’s Cup, a prestigious award signifying overall achievement in design, performance, durability and competitive spirit.

The challenge of Targa has drawn some of the world’s great car companies to the annual international rally through central and eastern Newfoundland. Since the event’s inception in 2002, corporate titans like BMW, Chrysler, Hyundai, Infiniti, Kia, Lexus, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Porsche and Subaru have supported entries in the grueling six-day contest.

“We have had outstanding support from the community of car manufacturers in Canada,” says Targa organizer Robert Giannou. “Each has come here for their own reasons, and each has thrilled and entertained the many thousands of fans that follow the event here, across Canada and all over the world. We are indebted to each and every one for their contribution to the event.”

While the carmakers have frequently won class and category honours and filled their trophy cases with awards, there has never been an opportunity to compete directly with each other on a level playing field, Giannou says.

“In their business, auto manufacturers must succeed in the face of ferocious competition unlike nearly any other industry. Indeed, they thrive on competition and they have demonstrated that at Targa in their individual classes. But they have never been able to compete against each other in a meaningful way that acknowledges the differences in their products. The President’s Challenge for Manufacturers creates that opportunity,” Giannou explains.

For 2008, manufacturers entering two or more cars are automatically entered in the President’s Challenge. Manufacturer-entered competitors in Grand Touring Equipped, Grand Touring Unequipped, Modern Standard Specification, Modern Modified Specification, Modern Hybrid and Open are eligible. Both entries do not have to be in the same category: For example, one could be in Modern SS and one in GT Equipped, giving companies the option of picking the challenge that best suits their products and marketing goals.

Entries are scored on their finish within their category at the end of the event, with points allocated on the basis of their finishing position: First in category is one point, second is two points and so on. The combined score of the two entries (or the two best entries in the case of a company with three or more entries) will be compared, with the lowest aggregate score winning. A simple mechanism will be in place to settle a tie.

“We have searched for a way to create a competition that acknowledges and respects the differences in design and sporting character of a wide range of vehicles, and of the marketing efforts of the companies that make them. This competition accepts the legitimate differences between unlimited performance potential of a car in the Open division and the sporting nature of a car best suited to the Grand Touring competition, and puts them in a competition that lets each excel at what they do best,” says Giannou.

The beauty of the formula, Giannou says, is that it doesn’t give an advantage to any one category within the event. “We expect the competition to be very, very close,” he says.

The 7th annual Targa Newfoundland will start and end in St. John’s and will cover more than 2,000 kilometres of the challenging, twisty roads of the central and eastern portion of the island of Newfoundland over six days, including up to 400 kilometres of closed-road, flat-out Targa Stages. The event starts with registration and technical inspection in St. John’s on Saturday, September 13, and concludes back in the city on Friday, September 19, 2008.

Competitors have come from the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Holland, the Bahamas and the U.K. for the first six editions of Targa Newfoundland. Entries continue to arrive daily for the 2008 event. Targa Newfoundland is owned and organized by Newfoundland International Motorsports.

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Subaru Rally Team USA dominated this weekend’s Olympus Rally, in eastern Washington with drivers Ken Block and Travis Pastrana scoring an impressive 1-2 finish. Rally winner Ken Block, at the wheel of his BFGoodrich Tires-shod 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI led from the start of the rally and was the class of the field, winning or tying 12 of the 16 total stages. Block’s teammate, two-time defending Rally America National Champion Travis Pastrana finished just twenty four seconds behind in second overall. This is the second 1-2 finish in a row for Subaru Rally Team USA, and Block now has a commanding lead in the championship, with Pastrana moving up to fourth with 6 rounds remaining in the Rally America National Championship series.

The Olympus Rally, round three of the 2008 Rally America National Championship has traditionally been held near Seattle, Washington, on technical forest logging roads. But the event’s roads recently sustained storm damage and the rally organizers scrambled to find an alternative venue. The solution was a move to the high speed, wide-open gravel roads of Pomeroy, Washington, over 270 miles east of Seattle.

Block has proven himself a dominant force on high-speed roads like those in Pomeroy and he and co-driver Alex Gelsomino continued that trend from the start of the Olympus Rally by grabbing the lead on the opening stage and never looking back. “The speeds here were amazing,” said Block. “We hit 135mph on one stage and later had some drama on another when we drove on the rim at over 120mph after losing a tire due to a puncture!”. This is Block’s third successive rally victory after winning The 100 Acre Wood Rally (Round 2), and Rally New York, an all tarmac, non-championship event. “This is a great way to start the season, and it gives me a lot of confidence going forward.” explained Block at the podium.

Running first on the road, Pastrana and his co-driver Derek Ringer were slowed as they were forced to contend with sweeping the loose gravel roads clean for the drivers behind them after starting the rally first car on the road. “The roads all had a lot of loose gravel on the surface so being first on the road was difficult,” said Pastrana. “We were just trying our best to keep within reach of Ken [Block], but he was just flying. On day two, with better road position, we started to win stages and claw back some time but there just were not enough miles left to catch him. But the points here help our championship hopes, we are back in it.”
Subaru Rally Team USA will remain on the west coast for the next round,the Oregon Trail Rally, May 16-18th, 2008, in Hillsboro, Oregon.

Subaru Rally Team USA is proudly supported by Subaru of America, Subaru Tecnica International (STI), Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT), DC Shoes, BFGoodrich Tires, Boost Mobile, Recaro, Alpinestars, Motul, Exedy, Greddy, PIAA and Vermont SportsCar. Visit www.subaru.com/rally for Subaru Rally Team USA photo galleries, news and team information.

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