Pacific Forest Rally: Preview

L'Estage – ACP: showdown of the season?

Stouffville (Ontario), October 16, 2007. After three rounds in Quebec and one in Alberta, the Canadian rally Championship, brought to you by Subaru and Castrol, presents this coming weekend the penultimate event of the season, the Pacific Forest Rally, in Merritt, BC.

This west coast event could prove decisive in the battle for the title between St-Jean-sur-Richelieu driver Antoine L'Estage, in his Hyundai Tiburon 4WD, and Toronto driver Andrew Comrie-Picard, in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 RS. Aiming for a second consecutive title, L'Estage, with co-driver Nathalie Richard, has a five point lead over Andrew Comrie-Picard and American co-driver Marc Goldfarb. These are the only two teams who can now claim the title for 2007, so both are the crowd's favorites to win the Pacific Forest Rally on mountain roads that could be covered with snow.

A lot of teams from the West will be there to run their "home" event. Among them will be Norm LeBlanc (AB) and Keith Morison (BC) in a Subaru Impreza WRX. Last year, when they ran the whole championship, they finished third overall. Among other podium potentials are Gord Olsen (AB) and Todd Patola (BC), also in a Subaru Impreza WRX.

Group 5 Canadian champions, Albertans Zbigniew Szewczyk and Tomasz Karzynski (Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart) will try to finish in the top 5 for another win in class, which would bring them back in the running for the championship after two consecutive DNFs. Another good show in Group 2 should be provided by BC's Aaron Neumann and Graham Coates (Honda Civic), and Albertans Colin Armstrong and Ryan Warrington (Volkswagen Golf). If the Albertans win this event, they also clinch their class championship.

In all, 30 teams have entered the Pacific Forest Rally 2007. They will get under way at 5:30 PM on Friday October 19, in Merritt, with the first nine stages. The following day will offer eleven more stages, finishing around 6:40 PM (Pacific Time).

For more information on this rally, please visit www.pacificforestrally.com. Filming for TV is provided by ATV Productions. For more information on the Canadian Rally Championship and rally events, please visit www.carsrally.ca.
 
From: Canadian Association of Rallysport