Sirius Rally Team

An unusually heavy week of rain descended upon Calgary, Alberta just in time for the 2008 Rocky Mountain Stage Rally, creating challenging conditions for the organizers, teams and volunteers. The second round of the Canadian National series had thirty four entries and showcased new contingency programs and factory support from Subaru and Mitsubishi.

As teams traveled out to the first stages, a rare short break in the rain occurred and Mark and Jennifer flew through the familiar roads without incident. By the first reseed they had moved ahead of their usual regional competition, and just in behind the funded factory teams. The third stage of the rally was the longest and a favourite of Mark’s; although turbo problems had prevented the team from truly taking the stage in the past, this time they pushed hard and drove Powderface all out. On the transit back to Calgary two top teams were stopped on the roadside, and another was left on stage with a blown motor. This attrition put the Prescribed Burn Team in the running for a top five National finish.

The impact of the weather was apparent early in the rally when flooding forced the cancellation of the short spectator stages. In lieu of the planned gravel course, the organizers devised a head to head, WRC style tarmac super special for the spectators expected at the Race City Speedway on Friday night. Despite the downpour, a sizeable crowd equipped with cameras and umbrellas turned up to see the teams and cars at service and on the track. The Prescribed Burn Team ended day one in fifth place overall, its highest National standing ever. Mark and Jennifer aimed to carry the speed and composure they attained on the Powderface stages into the Porcupine Hills, despite the torrential rain and rumours of car-sucking mud on Saturday’s tricky and technical stages.

The Prescribed Burn Team started day two by setting fourth fastest times on the first two stages, moving them ahead of Mitsubishi teams from Quebec. Mark and Jennifer were surprised at how well they fared since they battled thick fog and confusion about chicane placement on the first stage. At the first service the focus was on tires, and many teams were changing to new gravel tires or narrow mud tires. Deep mud and rocks on the next two tight, narrow stages cost the team time and a lot of tire wear, but they managed to lose only one position.

Mark drove at the very edge for the grip and the conditions over the last two stages, but their closest competitors with mud tires gained ground. The Prescribed Burn Team finished the Rocky Mountain Rally in sixth overall, also collecting important points as the second place novice entry. Patrick Richard and Alan Ockwell won the event for the Rocket Rally Team in their new Subaru Canada WRX STI.

According to co-driver Jennifer Daly, the rally was a success: “I’m very happy with our performance and I think we are steadily progressing as a team. We were consistent and we are gaining confidence; sixth overall is an outstanding result. We relied heavily on our volunteer service crew to maintain the car and especially the tires at this event. They were dedicated and steadfast despite the terrible cold, wet, muddy conditions they endured all weekend.” Dave Hood, Eric Bauld, Alex Schubel and Dave Steeper were in attendance as service crew for Rocky.

Over the course of the event, the rain flowed in rivers across the transit roads and into culverts on stage, creating huge puddles that splashed into the roof vents and engines of the rally cars, forcing at least one retirement. The Canadian National series is being filmed to air on TSN in the fall, and according to the veteran rally videographers, the 2008 Rocky conditions were the worst ever.

After reviewing the stage times, driver Mark Jennings-Bates summarized his performance: “We set a competitive pace on Friday and maintained it for the Saturday morning stages. The mud got thicker and deeper as the day progressed, and against other teams with specialized mud tires, we lost precious seconds and dropped in the overall final standings. There are well equipped new or returning teams on the Western Canadian circuit and we’re looking forward to some close battles this season.” With new rivalries brewing, the team will begin preparation for its next outing, the Mountain Trials Regional Stage Rally, taking place in Merritt BC on June 13 & 14. Mountain Trials is a home event for the team and they will be driving hard for a podium finish.

The Prescribed Burn Rally Team is supported by BCResortHomes.com, Agar Paint & Autobody, BigO Tire in Westbank, OkanaganVisitor.ca, Provisiondata.com, Stacy Screen Print, Kelowna Moving Centre, Wyatt Autoparts, Wishbone Industries, The Great Canadian Oil Change and Bell Racing.

The Prescribed Burn Rally Team had an action packed weekend at the historic Olympus Rally in Pomeroy WA. The first US event for the team was a challenging mix of smooth ridgeline roads and tight corners in and out of grassland valleys, with some teams reaching speeds near 200 km/h. The rally was centred at the Garfield County Fairgrounds, where driver Mark Jennings-Bates, codriver Jennifer Daly and service crew Dave Hood, Alex Schubel, Dave Steeper and Eric Bauld enjoyed the old fashioned small town generosity of the host community. The Olympus Rally has a historic past as one of the oldest rallies in America, and as a previous World Rally Championship event.

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 rally car and notified the rest of the team. Determined to continue, Mark drove the car back out of the stage in reverse, with two flat tires, bent rims and a crooked front wheel. At the stage entry they were rescued by their service crew, who towed the car back to the fairgrounds to assess the damage. A few hours of hard work and some spare parts got the car repaired in time to reenter the second regional rally, a commendable achievement for the volunteer service crew.

The early crash 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. They also bested some well known drivers of large budget factory teams. Mark and Jennifer gained confidence using pace notes and they were able to test the limits of the rally car; working under time constraints and getting the car back into the rally were valuable experiences for the service crew.

DC Shoes founder Ken Block won the national rally for the Subaru USA team; Mark and Jennifer placed 6th overall in the second regional. The team traveled to the Olympus Rally as part of their preparation for their first national event of 2008, Alberta’s Rocky Mountain Rally in May.

Link to the Olympus Rally website HERE.

The first event of the 2008 series, Perce-Neige Maniwaki, has been aired on RDS and is now available at flatovercrest.com, in association with CARS and TV2Go. The English version will be on TSN this fall.

The next event on the CARS calendar is the Rocky Mountain National Stage Rally in May. The Prescribed Burn Rally Team will be competing at the Olympus Regional Stage Rally in April as part of their preparation for Rocky.

This year Cochrane was a fast paced, exciting rally, complete with winter driving challenges, amazing offs and fierce competition.  Sunday’s stages were ice and gravel blanketed by a few centimetres of fresh snow.  The conditions were highly variable depending on running order, and changed substantially throughout the day.  The Prescribed Burn Rally Team set out first on the road in the morning, setting respectable times despite the slippery and deceptive untouched snow on the stages.   By the first service they proved to be behind the pace of the leading group, who were taking advantage of the grippy gravel that was appearing as the rally progressed.    The second leg of the rally took place on the tricky and technical Harold Creek stages; these stages claimed two rally cars during the event, and the Prescribed Burn car almost became a third.  Early in stage 3 Mark and Jennifer came flying into a sharp left slightly unprepared, and ended up on top of the large snowbank, on the outer edge of the road, sliding along it and managing to use whatever wheels were still on the ground to avoid going over the edge. This corner saw a lot more action after the Prescribed Burn team came through - some competitors bounced off the bank, and one car went off and rolled over completely.  The rollover was the big story of the event, until another team launched their car off a crest and wedged it between two trees on the second pass of the Harold Creek stages.  The crews from the crashed cars were uninjured but out of the rally.  Mark and Jennifer made up time during the final leg of the rally.  They set top times on stages, and were within 10 seconds of second and third place overall.  Delays from earlier in the rally caused two late stages to be cancelled, and the opportunities for the Prescribed Burn Team to continue making up time were lost.  The team was still in line for the open class win, as the next closest open driver ended up hitting a bridge trying to catch them.  As all the teams filed into the final control it became clear that the results were extremely close, with a large part of the field possibly on the podium.  This situation is unusual in rally, and it took the officials a long time to declare the results.  Mark, Jennifer and the Prescribed Burn Team took the Open class win, and placed fifth overall, 20 seconds out of third.  The Bullit Racing Team of Colin Armstrong and Jason Thain won the event and the Group 2 title.  The next Alberta event is the Rocky Mountain Stage Rally in May.   Link to event photos from Formula Photographic HERE. Link to Shawn’s photos, including sequences of the close calls on Harold Creek, HERE. Link to Louren Sansregret’s photos HERE. 

Twenty teams from BC and AB will be rallying through Albertan ranch country at the 2008 Cochrane Rally of the Ranchlands on March 15 & 16. Sirius team members Jennifer and Josh will be in the right seats for Mark Jennings-Bates in an open Impreza and John Breen in a P-3 Focus, respectively.

The G2 battle will be the main focus of the Cochrane Rally this year. Two of the top G2 cars have new codrivers, and a perennial favourite is returning to his old VW ride for the event. Mark and Jennifer are slated as car 1 in the start order, leading all the 2wd cars onto the stages. Being the first car on the road will be a new challenge for Jennifer. The Prescribed Burn rally car has been fined tuned at Rocket, and the volunteer service crew will be out in full force for Cochrane. The Prescribed Burn Team is hoping for a reliable start to the 2008 season, and aiming for a podium place at Cochrane this weekend.

Link to event homepage HERE.

The Alcan pace had me barely skimming some of the comments while we were on the rally, but now I’m enjoying going back through and seeing what people wrote. I almost missed a heads up from someone we met on day 2, a teacher at the school, I think, about an article in the Quesnel Cariboo Observer. Hopefully we’ll be able to get a paper copy but it’s also available online HERE.

We’re finally getting settled back in to life not on the road, and here’s the overdue conclusion to the Sirius Alcan Adventure:

The combined efforts of cars 16-18 resulted in the second place team prize for the 2008 Alcan Winter Rally. Our ‘all newbie’ crew is very proud of finishing closely behind the accomplished Arctic Challengers, who won the team honours despite one of their cars suffering some damage on the ice road. The Tres Hermanos RT took overall honours; the Alcan site still doesn’t have scores past day 4 so we can’t post all the details. The results were announced at the finish banquet, and a score sheet was distributed, but in the post-Alcan revelry we lost track of both. Josh and Evans left early to make it home the next day, so the points totals are listed in Josh’s post below. We made a leisurely trip back, stopping at the Eagle Eye for a mountaintop lunch, but it was cool to see our other teammates rushing happily home to their families.

Here’s the breakdown for each Sirius entry:

Josh & Evans Keatley - CAR 16 (grey Subaru Forester)
FIRST PLACE class IIE
9th overall
the ‘behind the scenes’ lowdown: Josh and Evans were the token father/son effort, and the Forester they rescued from the wrecker turned out to be a great Alcan ride. They were dependable teammates and Josh put on a heck of a show at the ice races, posting fast times in a non turbo car.

Jennifer Daly, Gord Ryall & August Ustare - CAR 17 (wrb 2004 Subaru WRX Wagon)
ICE RACE CHAMPIONS
second place class IE
11th overall
the ‘behind the scenes’ lowdown: If not for our day 4 sleep in, we might have had our class win and the team prize. Once we got behind, we had more of a fun holiday and didn’t pay a lot of attention to the points, but our TSD abilities still improved dramatically. When Gord started winning the ice races, I got to do more TSD driving. Gord has sworn off TSD entirely as of the last day of the Alcan, so August and I will compete as a team for selected events this year, hoping to continue on the improved and competitive pace we attained on the Alcan. The rally was a scouting mission for future adventures, and the draw to explore the Yukon and NWT is even stronger now that I’ve seen a little of what it has to offer.

Bill Beers & Doug Heredos - CAR 18 (Big Blue Dodge Ram)
second place class IIE
12th overall
FIRST PLACE favourite last minute teammates and road buddies
the ‘behind the scenes’ lowdown: We were lucky to have these two stage rally guys from Oregon as the objects of our pranks, impromptu cameramen / media hounds and dependable Kokanee company. The truck was an unlikely ride but they drove it with style and a sense of humour. If there had been close to the expected number of ice races, they might have been able to coax us into switching up for the Rex. They stayed close on the heels of the Keatleys, and the tightness of this race helped us overall in the team standings.

Adding one more blue Subaru to the mix made for a lot of camera opportunities and better chances to gang up on the Dodge, and by the end Stevan and Kristin were pretty much teammates as well. Stevan braved a pretty bad virus to join us for the token champange splash at the finish. Kristin was a great navigator and had a solid handle on TSD by the end, even though she had no idea what she was getting into when she started. We’ll be watching for them to turn up on the Canadian stage circuit in the future. I’m not totally certain, but their presence in our class, despite not having a rally computer, may have upped the Sirius Team score.

We’ll add thoughts, top ten lists and ramblings as the impact of our rally sets in, and we’ll be busy with the 2008 stage season very soon. It was 4 years in the making but I think we got everything we hoped for and much more from the Alcan Winter Rally. Immense thanks to Jerry and all the volunteers who set the route out before us.

I had every intention of dragging Gord and August back to the hot springs this morning, but I think we really needed our sleep in time, still recovering from the chaos of the first few days of the Alcan Rally. Having no internet at Liard was a treat; we had a chance to chat and relax without dealing with tech frustrations and frantic uploading. I’ve been able to enlist the guys to help with the updates as well. It was fitting that Gord agreed to write about yesterday, since it was his big day as the iceX champ. Josh, our teammate from car 16, was in the hunt for fastest time, even though his rennovated Forester lacks a turbo. His advice of the day, a mantra he followed, was “brake LATE”. We have some video of him ‘kissing’ the snowbank on the final outer corner, and he put on a great show.

It feels as though we have resurfaced in the civilized world today – we’ ve started to wonder about what’s been happening at home while we’ve been gone, and August and Gord are once again tied to their cellphones. We started at Liard and we’re sleeping at Dawson Creek, and here’s a little bit about how our uneventful but enjoyable day unfolded:

We are finally getting the hang of this TSD thing. Gord has generously agreed to let me do the remainder of the TSD driving, and August is totally on with his spreadsheet and the real time challenges of keeping us on perfect time. We had two regularities, both about 12 miles in length. The first was near Fort Nelson, taking us through a snowy neighbourhood and around the airport turnaround at 10 mph. I think Gord lets me drive because I’m good at going really slow when needed. As one might imagine, Bill and Doug are having trouble doing slow average speeds in their massive truck, and they’re in for it even more because August has just told me there is a section requiring an average speed of 4 mph tomorrow!

The second was part of the Old Alaska Highway, and I was nearly driven to distraction by a fierce and colourful sunset along an old road with a crazy bridge and lots of turns. We’re still waiting for the scores, but it felt great. I’m sad that the rally is ending tomorrow, since today has been a pretty happy and effective day for the team. There’s a lot more to say, but the rally is in its last hours and I am eager to enjoy the time we have left. August’s friend Ryan is here to keep us company, and we’re starting to organize our homecoming plans. I’ll be fleshing out the details of all the posts as they come back to me, and we’re aiming to have photos up before we leave for Jasper tomorrow.

JD

Update: The scores are in and we finished the day with a tiny 6 points overall. That’s only 3 points per regularity; with each one having 4 checkpoints, that’s a lot of ones and zeros (and one two, but still, I’m proud). Our teammates, car 18, are only 2.4 points ahead of us overall, so the story of the day will be Rex vs. Dodge for the win.

The first job of day 8, which began in Whitehorse, was to repeat the Lost Lake TSD regularity, which the team nearly missed last time around because our alarm didn’t go off. For our Lost Lake revenge Jenn was at the wheel, August was in the right seat and I was the checkpoint hunter, drinking some Tim Hortons in the back. I witnessed some outstanding driving and navigating by Jenn and August and enjoyed some outstanding coffee from Tims. We ended up with just 16 points for the regularity – a big improvement from the 200 points we got last time! The second section of the reg was nearly perfect – only ones and zeros. After Lost Lake we returned to the IceX course for another race, my favourite part of the Alcan.

Last night us and other teams lobbied the rally organizer to run a reverse start order, giving teams with a higher starting number a better chance to put down some fast lap times. Last time there was a big difference in grip and available lines from the first to the last laps. Today, with an extra turn at the start and very polished ice from the last race the conditions were very ‘slippy’. Fearing the wrath of the Rex, some competitors were swapping tires last night, hoping for their best chance at keeping up.

All three of us had clean runs, no spins or snowbanks! With the promise of a cold beer for fastest lap of the day from teammate Doug, I drove flat out. I came across the finish line after my second lap running on only three cylinders, and a flashing check engine light. The problem was quickly remedied in true ‘Rocket’ style and the Rex was ready to run again. Results were not posted until late, and suspense had been killing me as both runs felt slow. To my surprise both runs were fastest of the day by about four seconds….yes!! Jenn and August both put in respectable times as well.

Day 8 ended at Liard Hot Springs after a ‘brief’ 400 mile transit. On route we stopped in Watson Lake and had look at the 70,000 plus signs posted at the Sign Forest of the Alaskan Highway (I only counted 69,886). We ended up up to our nuts in snow trying to see them all. Later in the drive we were greeted by a herd of elk/caribou, and up the highway a whole bunch of buffalo rooting through the snow. We pulled in to Liard in near last place again, but we were the first to the Hotsprings. We hiked the trails, but the small upper pools couldn’t compare to the big main pool, steaming and sulphury, with staircases and benches, but totally pitch black. The water temperature was patchy, but some lazy treading water evened it out nicely. We let our eyes adjust and searched for stars, but eventually the rest of the rally arrived with beaming headlamps, and we called it a night. One of the other competitors has a telescope with him, we found out, and hopefully we’ll get a chance to see some clear skies before the rally ends. We joined Bill and Doug for a few drinks in their sans plumbing bare bones but charming cabin, and we got to bed on time for a change. All and all another satisfying day and it’s off to Dawson Creek tomorrow. Can’t believe there are only two more days left - it has been so much fun.

GR

The first lull in the frenetic pace of the Alcan Winter Rally happened today, and things are quiet at our hotel in Whitehorse. We started the morning with a pre-dawn departure from Eagle Plains with the Keatleys who needed to get some photos of Dawson City in the daytime for Josh’s wife in Alberta. Gord and then August were at the wheel to take us down and off of the Dempster; I slept most of the way. We got our first bite of frigid Northern air in Dawson, and took only a quick walk down by the paddleboat before opting for an ‘in car’ tour.

Last night at Eagle Plains was a time warp, taking me back to the feeling of my Aunt’s ‘camp’ in Terrace Bay, ON, to being surrounded by overimbibers, like an undergraduate, and to a time way before my generation, which is documented in the photographs and artifacts that line the walls and ceilings of the Eagle Plains Hotel. Mining, hunting, trailblazing and manhunts were part of the history of the NWT, and a night here gives names, faces, and a powerful sense of being closer to that wilder time. It’s a great resting stop after driving the Dempster and the ice road like an outlaw, and after witnessing the austerity and hardship of Tuktoyaktuk. The dogs at Eagle Plains are as friendly and striking as the dogs I knew in Bella Coola. We spent the later part of the evening with three locals passing through on their way to hunt caribou. I enjoyed hearing what life in the North is like from people who have always lived there; at times visiting places for mere hours feels disconnected and artificial. They told us about a road that might someday be built from Yellowknife to Inuvik, a similar road to the one I assumed existed when I was pestering Jerry the Alcan Organizer to avoid backtracking from Inuvik to Whitehorse. I’m surprised and a bit humbled at how much 7 days of driving has changed my perspective on many things: from what qualifies as road food, to what living as an aboriginal youth in Northern Canada might be like, and even my thoughts on Americans.

We drove slowly but on track back to the hotel in Whitehorse, did some laundry, and had designs on bigger things, but the boys are asleep. I hope August doesn’t get worse with his virus and I’m so glad he was willing to write about our Tuktoyaktuk trip. Tomorrow we get another shot at full speed glory at the iceX, and then on to the Liard Hotsprings. The pace and energy of the Alcan seemed to fizzle out tonight as many nursed their Eagle Plains hangovers, but I think a new sort of character might emerge as we gear up again for the last few days. We’ve been plotting some more mischief, and I hope we’ll enjoy the fruits of it tomorrow.

JD

The Rom Comm tracker is working better than ever since we brought it in from the cold just before we hit the ice road. It will be amazing to see our route plotted along the Mackenzie Delta and the ocean in the years to come, but now we’re hoping to use it to keep in touch with our families and friends. To send a message directly and instantly, check the siriusrally box on the main menu, and hit the ’send email’ button. Popups MUST be enabled for this to work, as a text box will open for you to type your message. August has tested this and it works well, so feel free to send us greetings or scoldings or any notes from home. The tracker is in the rex, car 17, but we are in close contact with the Keatleys in car 16 as well as Bill & Doug, and Stevan and Kristin. We could probably send word along to any team on the rally, as long as we know who to look for, so please include names and car numbers.

Connect with the Sirius Rally Team via Rom Comminications HERE.

We’ve been busy, disconnected, and simply having too much fun on our adventure to keep our Alcan diary updated and orderly for three days, so there’s lots of stories to read. Josh and Evans are in Car 16 and Jennifer, Gord and August are in Car 17; the individual team posts can be reached by clicking on the new Car 16 or Car 17 categories. We’re still having a great time with Bill and recent Birthday boy Doug in Truck 18. Check out their blog HERE, especially a quick clip of our recent snowball attack. Fourth in our convoy are Stevan and Kristin in Car 19, another blue Subaru, who are posting their Alcan diary HERE.

We’re all in Inuvik resting up for the Tuk trip in the morning. Thanks for all the comments, and we’re taking last minute orders for the epic load of Tuk tokens for friends and family all over.

JD

In rally competition terms, day 4 of the Alcan 5000 was a big one for the Sirius Rally Team. The morning started sunny and with the plan of maintaining a close 2nd in class, but we awoke at 8:10 and our in time for the first TSD was 8:15. We learned that rush hour traffic in Whitehorse occurs between 8:00 and 8:30. It might be the only stop on the Alcan that actually has a rush hour. Gord and August, capable of rushing out the door much faster than I, made it to the regularity before it closed, but managed maximum points. A 200 point addition to our total score will likely put us out of contention for the class and team wins, and has happily caused us to focus on the fun and the adventure, instead of the point by point obsession.

That said, I’m proud to report that Gord ran the fastest lap at the first iceX this morning. It was a very close margin against a perennial stage rally driver who has apparently piled the points on other teams in the past. August put in a smooth and quick single run, and I reached a new level of sideways rhythm before stuffing it in the bank mere inches from the finish line. Josh excelled and achieved drift and impressive stage times despite lacking a turbo. The most fun of the iceX was watching Bill and Doug in the Dodge shining their rims on all the snowbanks and pinning it through the straights. Our car 17 was sternly scolded for waiting in the finish area, but the 360 from the Dodge coming in after us was elective and not necessary to avoid us. Josh and Evans were able to visit with Josh’s long time friend and her kids who are living in Whitehorse. We got some great local info about a stop on our afternoon transit that featured gigantic cinnamon buns and mushers with dog teams crossing the finish line of the Yukon Quest Dogsled Race. We kept a casual pace all afternoon, dawdling along the road from Whitehorse to Dawson City. The weather was looking unfavorable for eclipse viewing, but we located the moon through the clouds just before the eclipse was complete, and we stopped to watch it when it was clear enough to see it emerging from the earth’s shadow. Evans later told me that he had seen the bright full moon early in the evening and wondered where it had gone. I wish I could have asked him to point it out to me because I almost missed in entirely.

With our eyes on the skies we ended up being the last team into Dawson, and hadn’t finished dinner before some of our new friends left the pub for bed. We heard from another competitor that it was our teammate Doug’s birthday on day 5 tomorrow. I really think birthdays should be a big deal, and an occasion with limited resources is extra fun. Everyone who was left in the bar gathered together to figure out how to wish Doug ‘Happy Birthday’ in ‘on the road to the Arctic’ style. Of course there’s not a balloon or cupcake to be found in Dawson at midnight in the winter, so we relied on toilet paper, shaving cream, drinking straws, zap straps and inflated condoms. We plastered our birthday wishes all over the big Dodge truck, in an occasion of decoration, or vandalism, depending on whom you ask (read Doug’s blog for details). Katie, one of the volunteers, happened to have a photo printer and some cardstock for impromptu cards, which Kristen, Steve and others managed to get signed by pretty much everyone on the rally. Gord spent a good chunk of the evening working on a blue Subaru that was leaking fuel because of the cold. He got a round of applause for his fastest lap at dinner, and after the car was fixed, he joined us for a toast to a great iceX. We crawled into bed way too late, but it was a great day on the Alcan.

The alarm went off (success – already a better start than yesterday!) and I peeked out the window to see if the truck maintained its glory overnight. I saw our teammate Bill peeling off toilet paper, and in a sober moment, I hoped we weren’t in big trouble. It went over well, in the end, and although they pulled all the stuff off, the shaving cream was frozen solid and as the engine warmed the hood chunks of it melted and gave clean smelling birthday windshield wishes for the better part of the morning. We traveled from Dawson City YT to Inuvik NWT along the Dempster highway, and as the sun set we did a few blocks of the 100km ice road that will take us all the way to Tuk tomorrow.

We had heard from the Alcan veterans that the Alcan starts on the Dempster, and today we found out why. This highway is a winding, elevated snowy path that undulates through mountains, bare tundra and smooth marshmallow arctic hills. There’s simply too much to describe, and I’m so glad we get to travel it twice. Gord and August were very patient with my requests to stop at every spectacle for photos or a closer look, but we had a hard time keeping on the required Alcan pace. Anyone who knows my Dad will understand that I am genetically inclined to photograph and marvel at every natural wonder while on a roadtrip holiday. We’ve been traveling in a convoy of four cars, which is fun because we’re all into the sights, speed, thrills and a bit of mischief as the best parts of the Alcan adventure.

The middle part of the Dempster rides along a ridge where I felt that we were driving at the top of the world. As we came down off the divide we crossed two ice bridges at Peel and Mackenzie, where they have the summer cable ferries stranded on snowbanks as a reminder of how different things will be there a few months from now. When we started out down the highway this morning the landscape seemed strange and unusual, and as we explored the streets of Inuvik, the scene seemed even more unfamiliar. There are snowmobiles everywhere, as erratic and unpredictable as jaywalking pedestrians but traveling at much higher speeds. The houses are lifted blocks with brash or faded coloured siding. The open space under the houses wards off permafrost. The streets are all ice roads, crisply white, except for a lot of yellow corners. It was hard to discern where the ice road started; I guess I was expecting a drive off a ramp like at a rally or some cheesy fuss and circumstance like on the Ice Road Truckers show, but it was quiet, simple and austere. Until we got buzzed by a bunch of snowmobiles. The dusk in Inuvik was the most colourful I’ve seen with no clouds – just pure pink and purple light, and white snow ice road. We’re leaving very very early tomorrow so I have time to meander and take it in before everyone catches up. To rally or to wander – a tough choice sometimes, but it’s a luxury I’ll happily negotiate.

Link to the Dempster Highway map HERE.

Yesterday we drove 750 miles from New Hazelton BC to Whitehorse YT. At the end of such a long day in the car we preferred beers and karaoke over updating the website, and, it turned out, setting our alarm clocks. That’s technically a day 4 story, so more on our sleep in later.

The Sirius Team stuck close together on day 3, accompanied by the truck’s transit buddies Stevan and Kristin, in their blue Subaru. We left early to enjoy the sunrise and to make time for a quick detour west to see the Bear Glacier. A quick TSD section in the afternoon was all that was on the schedule aside from the transit, but we had a great time stopping for some photos and snowplay all along the route. We’re learning to use our in car camera, but the roads are so picturesque that we end up with a lot of video. The experience reminded me of driving the Icefields Parkway, because it’s very hard not to stop at every corner and marvel at the mountains. August was the driver and tour guide all the way to Dease Lake, because he works in the area occasionally. It’s a popular heliskiing destination that gets massive snowfalls, and in many places the banks were so high we couldn’t get good photos. Since I’m the camera happy one, I’ll be in the back seat for the scenic stuff from now on - Gord was (understandably) unimpressed with being blasted with cold highway speed winds whenever I opened the front window to snap a shot.

At the end of the TSD section our little convoy of cars 16-19 had agreed to wait for one another. When I set my feet out after we pulled over, they sank into perfect packing snow, and I could not resist the temptation to start a snowball fight. The huge truck offered a great barrier and we were lobbing snowballs over it onto the other blue Subaru, as well as pelting the Keatley’s windows and interrupting Josh’s calculations. It occurred to us that we were the last competitors through the rally, as most of the other cars had elected to take an earlier time through, so we joined forces in preparation for the control crews that would exit the reg soon after. We ambushed the first car, who promptly reported our hooliganism to the rest of the crews, but we waited for the next crew anyways. Since I can’t aim or throw for anything I underestimated the impact of a crowd that can! The scores at the end of the day showed terrible numbers that we’re calling ’snowball penalties’.

We’re on to Dawson now, after an outstanding time at the iceX this morning.

The Sirius Team is safe and sound in New Hazelton, awaiting scores and preparing for the epic 700 mile trip to Whitehorse tomorrow. The second day of our Alcan adventure was fantastic. The sun was shining and our Sirius jackets were all we needed to stay warm. We remedied our tire/wheel issues early in the AM and set out for the TSD gathering point, which turned out to be at an Elementary School. All the kids and their teachers came out to see the cars; the crowd was big around the Mitsu team because they were handing out stickers, but we opened the Rex doors and let the kids sit in the car, so we got to visit with them too. I honestly never thought about how much they could mess up our setup by pressing or turning every available button, knob, timer, computer and everything, but August did! They didn’t do any irreparable damage, and it was great to see how excited they were about it all. A couple of them figured out the tracker in no time, and another gave me a lesson in driving a manual. I had my first major ‘elder’ moment, marveling at how smart and tech savvy they were (confession: August does all the tracker maintenance; I have no idea how to use it, aside from flipping the ‘on’ switch when told to do so). After the kids went inside we had enough time to prepare for the first regularity of the day.

The first TSD section, which replaced the cancelled iceX, was sneaky and demanding, but a great ride. Jennifer drove and August navigated hairpins and hills with brisk average speed requirements. Ron S, one of the Sirius Team mentors and a perennial presence at the Alcan, set up the most difficult control so far: we came uphill and around a hairpin at about 1/2 the speed we needed and were met with a smiling cameraman and a control timer! Darn, better luck next time. Our odo is spot on and August is dialing in the math, so at least we’re progressing and learning from our mistakes.

Although there was talk of cancelling the next section of the rally, it went ahead, and was by far the driving highlight of the day. Gord was next up for the TSD reg, which was about 19 miles in public traffic and then onto graded logging roads. We had heard so much about this reputedly tricky and fast section that Gord was stoked and August and I were a little worried. We came to the end of the TSD section; August and I were relieved and Gord was feeling cheated. What followed for the next 2.5h and almost 100 miles was the most amazing flowing snowy rally trail that we’ve ever encountered. Gord was setting a brisk pace and we were only temporarily hindered by other rally traffic. Our wheels left the snow in many places, and we heard similar accounts of jumps and photo ops from other competitors on the radio. The pro stage character of the road was commented on by many as well. By the time we pulled in to Vanderhoof, having left city roads in Quesnel, Gord was no longer feeling cheated.

The Alcan organizers are pros, and today they built in flexible in times for the latter part of the day. We elected, with Josh and Evans in tow, to bust it to the early time for the last reg. It was strange not to see a lot of rally traffic around, but many of the teams had stopped on the road of dreams to stretch and socialize with a competitor stuck in a snowbank. The last reg went smoothly, although we learned that we need more math for slow speeds, and that the Rex doesn’t do 12mph very well. Our early reg time allowed us to get lunch in Burns Lake with some of the rally frontrunners, but we weren’t quite fast enough because they were out the door soon after we arrived.

The Health in Order Cafe in Burns Lake was extremely generous and hospitable, and I’ll eat for days off of what they provided us. The Damms in car 20, our IE class rivals, organized the meal, and although we haven’t seen them yet, we’ll be thanking them heartily. Anyone passing through this part of the province would do well to patronize such a classy, healthy and wholesome eatery.

We finished the day with a casual and scenic drive through Smithers, admiring the snow tipped peaks and austere sunset. The moonlight was bright enough to make driving lights unnecessary, and we’re betting that the moon will be in the perfect viewing position for the eclipse on Wednesday. We’re off to check the scores and make our final control, and then a quick sleep. We are planning a very early departure tomorrow so that we have time to stop and enjoy the scenery, and take more photos, before the TSD in Dease Lake.

Today we traveled from Kirkland WA to Quesnel BC, and it’s good to be back in Canada. The preliminary scores are posted HERE. We are sitting in 9th place, and only 4 points behind the accomplished team that is leading our class. From reading Josh’s message and Bill’s & Doug’s blog I’ll put myself in 3rd place for best Sirius Alcan updates. We’ve enjoyed getting to know our teammates, and I’ll defer to their accounts of day one. To reach Bill’s & Doug’s page click HERE. They’ve got photos in the story; ours are posted together on the Sirius photo page HERE.

Part of being a team is poking fun at the other teams, and the Mitsubishi factory team has been our favourite target so far. The Mitsu blog for today describes traveling through the Okanagan on the way to Quesnel, but the route was hundreds of kilometres from Okanagan soil. They also apparently traversed the rocky mountains at Thunderbird last weekend, which took place between Merritt and Kamloops. Knowledge of local geography clearly isn’t required to follow a routebook - one of the Mitsubishi cars is currently tied for second overall.

Just a few details on the story in our car 17 today. August has been fine tuning his codriving and he’ll lead the team in the right seat for the TSD regularities. I drove the first reg pretty consistently and managed a zero; Gord took the wheel for the second reg and did pretty well for his first serious TSD driving. We stopped for a sunny patio lunch in Clinton, we all got a little nap time during the transits, and we’ve been enjoying CBC Radio 3 on the satellite.

Sirius was climbing in a perfectly clear sky as we filed into Quesnel, and we’re set for more TSD tomorrow. The iceX has been cancelled because of too much snow, but Jerry assured us that we’ll get three iceXs before we’re done. I really, really hope that this is true.

Here’s the big news from Kirkland today: the crew has added another car… err - TRUCK - to the team! The Sirius Rally Team welcomes Bill Beers and Doug Heredos from Oregon in their big Dodge Ram. All three Sirius entries will run together with start order numbers 16, 17 and 18. The team has the distinction of being a pure novice crew because no one on the team has ever entered an Alcan event. We needed another vehicle to be eligible for the team prize; Bill and Doug have stage rally experience, and valuable ‘pullling us out of the ditch’ potential. They’re in the Alcan for the fun and the adventure, just like the rest of the Sirius Team.

We came for the adventure, but August and Gord switched into full on ‘TSD nerd’ mode when they turned to pouring over the routebook tonight. Gord has been working on a TSD spreadsheet to make the codriving for the calculated sections easier, and although August wasn’t sold on the idea initially, the two of them dialed in all the math for tomorrow, despite routebook errors. I’m feeling pretty darn lucky to have such great teammates! They ended up working the laptop and routebook in the middle of the reception, sending a few codrivers back to their rooms to get at the math as well. We also sorted out the odometer on the way to Kirkland today, and, happily, it’s looking like we haven’t crammed too much stuff in the Rex.

Gord drove from Squamish to Kirkland today, with August navigating and managing logistics and Jennifer fussing with the rally computer and the in-car camera. We left Squamish late because we had to wait for a tire that didn’t show, and then we ended up hopping along the border crossings until we found the one with the shortest lineup. We won a race against a locomotive to get to the Sumas crossing, all the while laughing at what our tracker path will look like. We got to the HQ to witness the close of the driver’s meeting, which from all accounts was a practice session for the story telling that will become the staple of Alcan social interaction.

It wouldn’t be RALLY unless we did things past the last possible minute, so after tech and registration, we went shopping. We needed to fix our in car camera, and to find a good extension cord for keeping the Rex warm up north. We neglected to stop and buy Revelstoke for Dave, but we’ll try again at the Duty Free tomorrow. Who knew that beer and wine stores are closed Sundays down here? At least he’ll be happy that we have a huge truck on our team.

We might end up crediting someone for helping us every day of the Alcan, but again, a couple friends really came through for us today. The Sirius team left Squamish this morning short a studded tire that should have been there yesterday, and we will be lucky enough to get it as we pass through the lower mainland tomorrow. This is a replacement tire for the one that got shredded at Tbird last weekend. Thanks to Warwick and Fraser for going out of their ways to play personal courier this weekend.

We’re headed back to Canada during the first day of the Alcan tomorrow. Aside from a few cursory questions and a good look at us, the border guard sent us through with a smile today and we expect the same tomorrow. There could be some tales from the American competitors though. We won’t rest until we get to Quesnel, which is as far away as Josh mentioned below. There are two TSD scored regularities tomorrow, and we’re hoping to meet up with Gord’s folks and Fraser in between. The team has been discussing how to mete out the driving / navigating / passing out in the back seat duties, and so far we’re planning on taking it day by day. Tomorrow August will drive off the start line for the team; Jennifer and Gord will drive a TSD each. Whoever is still standing will probably take the last long drive to Quesnel. My bet is on Gord.

The 2008 Alcan Winter Rally starts tomorrow!! The Sirius team is packed and as ready as it will ever be for the adventure ahead. Josh and Evans are already traveling to the Alcan start for scrutineering, registration and a bit more information about what they’ve gotten themselves into. August, Gord and Jennifer will be joining them in the morning.

There’s a lot of people to mention before we hit the road. Thanks to all the friends and family that have wished us luck and love, and we promise to take good care of one another. Here’s a short list of some of the businesses that have used connections, donated time or gave us a good deal to help prepare the car and the team:

Thanks to ROM Communications for the tracker and tech support. It’s been a big hit so far and we’re looking forward to being followed all the way North.

Thanks to SMD Automotive in Whistler and to Big O Tire in Westbank for the tires and wheels.

Thanks to Mountain Crests in Whistler and Mojo Signs in Squamish for decking us and the rex out in style! Even with its logging truck scars the car looks ready to rally!

Thanks especially to Cynthia at Hula-la Design Company for the Sirius logo. All the guys at Rocket think the pink decals look awesome.

It was dark and rainy in Squamish by the time the car was ready, so we left the photo session until the morning. We’ll try and post some shots before we leave.

The BC contingent of the Sirius Rally Team is together in Squamish and preparing for Saturday morning’s departure. The Rom Comm tracker is online and can be viewed through the following link:

http://www.romcomm.net/romtrax_md/

The following information is required to access the Sirius account:

username: rally
password: rally

On some computers a map may be visible on the main screen. To view the team position in Google Earth, from the main Rom Comm screen, check the box next to ‘Sirius Rally’, then click on the Google Earth icon. Google Earth provides an accurate and detailed map, but it’s not absolutely required. To use the Rom Comm map server, click on the ‘Sirius Rally’ text from the initial menu. This will open the Unit Detail screen, and clicking on ‘ROM Map Server’ will show the team position on a map. In general, the Rom Comm site can be navigated by following directions in the left hand column. The site also has a date range feature that shows all the tracker points for a set period of time, plotting the route as the team travels.

Please email siriusrally@telus.net for troubleshooting suggestions. We’ll do our best to get everyone interested in tracking our adventure online before the official start on Sunday AM.

This year’s Thunderbird rally was a classic snow event. Over forty cars took to the backroads between Merritt and Kamloops, and although many ended up in snowbanks multiple times during the rally, at the end of the event there were only 2 DNFs. The Eis Munky Rally Team this year had both new and returning members, and took the overall team prize with three class wins. Congrats to Historic winners (and captain) Gil and Chris, Paper winners Alan and Emma, and to new Eis Munkys and Novice winners Karl and Shane.

Sirius team member Josh drove his Alcan Forester and won the Calculator class. Josh will be writing for the website during Alcan, so that the Sirius team will have both cars represented in the daily updates.

While Jennifer and Josh were at Thunderbird, Gord and the Rocket Rally crew started their 2008 rally season with a 3rd place overall at the Rallye Perce-Neige in Manawaki QC. Everyone is back home now, and the last minute preparations are under way. The Sirius Rally Team is looking forward to a cold, snowy and eventful Winter Alcan Rally - only 5 days away.

Link to Thunderbird 2008 results HERE.
Click HERE for TBird photos from Sirius Rally.

With tonnes of snow and an exciting entry field, the 2008 Thunderbird TSD Rally is sure to be an epic ride. The rally will feature snowy backroads between Merritt and Kamloops BC; the ample snowfall this season has created snowbanks big enough to keep cars on course. Thunderbird is the largest TSD Rally in BC, and draws teams from as far away as Arizona and California.

The entry field is stacked with over 15 teams that have won the event in the sixties, seventies, nineties and in recent years. Taisto Heinonen, one of the most decorated stage rallyists in Canada, tops the entry list. Competitors for the 2008 Alcan 5000 are also well represented, mostly by factory teams. The oldest car entered at present is a 1971 Alfa Romeo that also made an appearance at Totem last year.

This year all cars are required to be part of a team entry. This was optional last year and the Sirius crew founded the Eis Munky Rally Team, which is being represented again by TSD veterans Gil Stuart and Chris Peake. The 07 Eis Munkys finished in last place as a team, plagued by mechanical problems, but with new rules and a new line up, the 08 Eis Munkys could have a shot at the Savoia Aero Team Prize.

The Sirius Rally Team will be represented at TBird by Jennifer, who will be checkpointing in the Rex. Gord will be with the Rocket crew at Perce-Neige. Thunderbird was the first rally for Jennifer and August as a team in 2005; Gord and Onur ran in 2006 with no heater as the first rally for the Rocket Legacy. The organizers kindly moved the event this year to accommodate Alcan teams, so Thunderbird will be a great snowy warm up event for the Alcan adventure that starts next weekend!

The Sirius Rally Team is excited to announce a unique partnership with Rom Communications for real time satellite tracking during the Alcan Rally. This venture will raise the profile of the Sirius Team and demonstrate the strength and breadth of Rom Comm’s remote tracking service. We will be traveling with a Rom Comm ROMTrax unit, which will track our location. Our progress will be monitored with an online route map, which will be constantly updated and available on our website. We are also planning on keeping a road diary with tall tales and team updates. This sort of accurate, immediate tracking has never been achieved for the entire Alcan route, and we are confident that Rom Communications will follow us into the far North all the way to Tuktoyaktuk. Google Earth software will be required for viewing. August has been testing the tracker as he travels the province for work, and we can’t wait to get it working in the rex. Thanks to Roger and everyone at Rom Communications!

Link to the Rom Communications site HERE.

The Sirius Rally Team has grown! Jennifer, Gord and August will be teaming up with father & son team Evans and Josh Keatley, who will be traveling from Ontario and Alberta to take part in the Alcan 5000 Rally. The Alcan rules require teams to travel in groups on the long transit sections, and a couple of Canadians in a Forester couldn’t be a better match. Josh is an established TSD and stage rallyist, and has experience in both the left and right seats. The Sirius team is looking forward to sharing parts and tips, and to some time in the back seat of the Keatley’s Forester if the rex gets too crowded.

The first iceX of the season was sunny, slippery and fun, with Sirius team members besting rivals and posting top lap times. The lake was as slick as glass by the end of the day, and cars were sliding sideways and getting stuffed into all the snowbanks. Driven by Ryan from Vancouver, the big red sweep truck was dispatched frequently. A total of 33 drivers participated; a crowd of spectators and passengers braved the cold as well.

The variety of vehicles racing was entertaining: Paul in Mr2, Gil in his 1967 Volvo, and even a token Porche 911. Warwick the organizer flicking back and forth in the fun Justy was great to watch, and he put on an excellent event. The Legacy battle was the story of the weekend, and it ended up almost too close to call. Gord placed 2nd by only 2 seconds to Onur and his fancy tires in the 4wd rubber class. Both placed ahead of all the entrants in the 4wd studded group. Jennifer placed 8th in 4wd rubber. The fastest lap of the day was Onur’s at 56 seconds; Gord’s best was 58 seconds, and Jennifer was close behind at 1:01.

This event was a great opportunity to test our ice driving and our tolerance for cold. Jennifer volunteered for the event and was comfortable out in the elements setting up the course and starting cars. The clear, cold day was forecasted to be -10 degrees at the coldest, and the winds were not strong. Inuvik temperatures will be as low as -25 degrees this week, making Barnes Lake seem balmy in comparison.

Click HERE for results.

Clicke HERE for event photos.

Jennifer and Gord will be competing in the first event of the 2008 season this weekend at Barnes Lake. The iceX will be similar in format to the four ice slaloms on the Alcan route in February. Jennifer will be driving the semi-prepped Alcan wrx and Gord will be in his Legacy; tire decisions are still being made but both will likely compete in the AWD rubber class.

The highway east of Stewart has been closed again over the weekend. Winter storms traveling through the lower mainland created an ice rink over the Coquihalla, and challenging conditions for some winter driving practice. The team spent Saturday at the shop, working on the communications and navigations mods for Alcan, and the rex is almost ready for action!

Click HERE for event info.

Click HERE for prep day pics.

The Alcan5000 is less than six weeks away, and the Sirius team has shifted its preparations into high gear. August has been pouring over maps, and practicing some winter driving during work trips near Stewart, BC. Gord has been working hard on the rex, checking everything over, replacing the light bar, and securing the new roof box. A suspension upgrade and final decisions regarding wheels and tires are next on the list.

The team will be meeting this weekend to make final class and route choices. All the wiring and electrical device modification will be done, and we are expecting the tracking unit this week. We’re also planning on putting in a big snow day at Whistler, as a ‘cold weather training’ exercise.

We have been keeping up to date on the conditions in the North. The highway just east of Stewart BC has already been closed once because of avalanche danger, and the average high temperature for the week in Tuktoyaktuk is -25 degrees C.

The first event of the 2008 season will be the WCRA IceX, taking place on January 20th. The icy track will be a good test of the car upgrades, and a great chance for the team to practice winter driving skills.

Thanks to the Coquitlam Rack Attack for our brand new Yakima Skybox!

August, Gord and Jennifer placed 3rd in calculator class and 13th overall at the Totem TSD Rally in the Fraser Canyon this weekend. The team finished with 77 points overall, improving on previous totals by hundreds of points.

The Sirius Team covered over 800km in their 2 day Totem journey, and got a sense of how they will run things for the ALCAN5000 in February. Now that we know we can get along and do well for the TSD sections, car preparation will be our major focus in the upcoming month. The rex’s ALCAN makeover will be detailed on the website, so check back to see how Gord turns a tired daily driver into a winter rally machine!

Click HERE for final results.
Click HERE for Formula Photographic images.
Click HERE for Sirius photos.

The Prescribed Burn Rally Team finished their 2007 stage season placing 3rd in open class and 12th overall at the Kananaskis Rally in Alberta over the long weekend. The team was aiming to take the overall win, but they were plagued again with mechanical troubles and some bad luck. Mark set competitive times on the small Jumping Pound morning stages, despite a spin on one lap and stuffing it into the ditch by the spectator point in the last lap. The fastest way to get the car back on the road was to throw it in reverse, so the spectators got quite as show as the car shot down the course backwards for 500m before changing directions at an R6.

Powderface was the main road for this year’s rally, and a favourite of the Prescribed Burn Team. Coming into this long, flowing stage Mark and Jennifer felt sure that they could catch the rally leaders, who were ahead by 20 seconds. An untimely tire puncture cost the team more than 4 minutes on the first Powderface run, putting them out of overall competition. They fixed the tire and posted a great time on the first Powderface reverse, but then suffered a blown turbo hose, the same hose that did them in at Rocky, and dropped out of the running for the open class win. Once the hose was reattached, Mark and Jennifer ran the final lap and finished the last stage of the rally with the 3rd fastest time.

The 2008 season begins with the Cochrane Rally of the Ranchlands on January 19-20th. The Prescribed Burn Rally Team will be fighting hard for its first overall win, and chasing the novice title in the Canadian National series.

Click HERE for event photos from Prescribed Burn Rally.

Click HERE for Shawn Bishop’s pics.

The Prescribed Burn Rally Team overcame unusual road conditions, weather and tough competition to place 4th in the regional race for the 2007 Pacific Forest Rally. This result exceeded the goals the team set for itself going into the rally.

Reconnaisance proved to be a big challenge for the entire field, with ankle deep snow on the Thynne/Brookmere stages. Mark and Jennifer were able to complete one pass of these stages, but were stopped with many other teams for a long time while cars ahead slid on and off the road. They had no problems with the snow in the rex with its new winter tires. On the way back to Merritt, Mark and Jennifer met up with their new service crew bringing the very recently painted yellow car. Ian, Dave and Reagan did a fantastic job prepping and maintaining the car all weekend.

Friday evening started well, but ended in an unlucky DNF. Mark and Jennifer were running with their Western rivals over the first few stages, and were getting comfortable with a faster pace. The car ran out of fuel on the last Princeton stage, preventing the team from running the popular Railyard stage in downtown Merritt. Aside from this blunder the car ran really fast and reliably for the rest of the rally.

Saturday the team drove consistently and improved almost every stage time, surpassing their usual group 2 competition and chasing within reach of a podium finish. Questionable tire choices for the snowy morning stages had put some of the top open teams within 20 seconds of the Prescribed Burn times. Mark and Jennifer flew through Helmer at the end of the day, improving upon their morning time by over two minutes, but the 3rd place open car was also much faster with better tires. The team finished 4th overall, with more than 3 minutes ahead of the next entry. The team has definitely picked up the pace: “In every instance we beat the podium finishers on different stages in a bizarre mix of conditions, all of whom have far more experience on the roads”, says Mark.

Antoine L’Estage won the rally, with Norm LeBlanc defeating ACP for second overall. The open regional podium was LeBlanc, Trinder and Olsen.

The next event is the final rally of 2007 for the team, and we are aiming for a win. The regional Kananaskis Rally takes place on November 10th outside of Calgary, AB.

Click HERE for results.
Click HERE for photos.

The Sirius Rally Team successfully completed the Night on Bald Mountain TSD Rally this past weekend. The high mountain roads of Washington’s Snoqualmie pass were packed with exposure hairpins and sneaky corners; the Pacific coast rain also added to the challenge. The road surfaces were smooth packed in some places and covered in marble pebbles in others. This event was extremely organized and run at a brisk pace. Jennifer and Gord started the rally quite high up in the order, leaving hardly any time for math before they started out on the first regularity. Troubles with calculation plagued the team for the rest of the rally. The rex pulled into the first gas stop with a smoking rear tire - the newest and least bald of the worn winters had punctured, and the rim was mangled from driving on the flat. It hadn’t affected the car’s performance on the road, so it was hard to guess when and where the tire actually punctured. A quick change to a spare summer and a bit more math, and the team was back out for leg two.

Jennifer got a huge amount of driving practice over the weekend, most importantly on the untimed Monte Carlo sections, which were gravel roads without prescribed speeds. Gord had the math ‘dialed’ by leg two and the team felt confident that their performance was improving. The team had an off near the end of the rally, where they slid through a tight left and crashed into the bush. The last regularity was a second time through with a CAS increase of three miles, and a dramatic decline in road conditions. The recovery was quick as the team was able to bust back onto the road through the bush in reverse. The rest of the reg was speedy in an effort to make up the 30 second time deficit. In hindsight, it would have been smarter to take a time deck for the off and avoid accumulating points, but catching up was way more fun. The event was well staffed with volunteers and there were 24 checkpoints total - a good test of tsd ability.

The team finished with an unimpressive last in class and 21st overall, accumulating 450 points. Congratulations to Ben Bradley and Russ Kraushaar, who killed the event despite a sluggish ride. Thanks to rallymaster Greg Hightower for a great rally and for letting us crash at his place - camping at Snoqualmie Pass turned out to be a really bad idea, and we were lucky to have another option!

The team is looking forward to better results at Midnight, Armageddon and Totem, coming up in the next month. August Ustare will be back in the right seat for some of these events, after a fairly lengthy break from rally. His navigational abilities should help the team become more competitive as they strive for better results in the rallies leading up to Alcan.

Link to final results HERE.

The rally teams present at the OK Lake Test Day logged about 100 km of seat time on Saturday, and the event was a great success. Alliance Rally Team, Prescribed Burn Rally and the Rocket Legacy ran the stage until they were exhausted. The Tisza Motorsport Team made a few fast runs but were forced to retire early because of a suspicious oil leak. All the teams were happy with the stage, especially the tight technical sections.

This was the first test day organized in BC and it was a good chance for new organizers and volunteers to get oriented to stage rally planning and execution. There were a number of people present who got their very first rally car rides, and all pulled into the finish control with huge grins.

Thanks again to everyone involved. The Sirius Rally Team is plotting for another stage event in the Okanagan for the coming year: another test day, possibly, or maybe even a full regional in the snow!

Link to Sirius’ event photos HERE.

Check out professional shots from Formula Photographic HERE.

Check out event photos on the Okanagan Racing site HERE. (not a very user friendly interface but lots of car shots.)

The first Okanagan rally event in recent history, planned by Sirius Rally Team staff, is taking place off of Bear Creek Main FSR tomorrow. There are reports of snow within about 200m of the stage finish, so it is shaping up to be a wild ride. There will a car from Alberta and one from Kamloops out for pre-PFR shakedowns, as well as the local Prescribed Burn Car, and a car from Rocket Rally. The latter two entries will be showcasing rally up close in the right seat for raffle winners and volunteers.

Volunteers should arrive @ 0800. Recce begins @ 0800, and the first car out is @ 1000.

Thanks to the Orchard City Amateur Radio Club for HAM support, and Coldwell Banker for providing lunches for our new volunteer crews!

Click HERE for supplementary regulations.

The Gold Digger TSD Rally results have been posted. Gord and Jennifer collected 3 zeros, the most ever during their somewhat unsuccessful but seriously enjoyable TSD careers. Although they placed at the back of the pack, and ahead of only one team - pals and foolhardy TSD’ers Onur and Jeff, Gord and Jennifer are almost getting good enough for Alcan!

Click HERE for results.

Over the Labour Day Weekend, Gord made his debut as a rally spectator at the Defi National Stage Rally while on holiday in Montreal. The rall