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Rainier Auto Sports Club |
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The Wishbone Alley GazetteFebruary, 2001Rally News * NWRC Meeting- (January 12) Kirk Simons represented RASC and bargained hard to secure dates for our rallies. The other clubs got their "choice" dates, too. No changes to the rules or structure of the Friday Niters, and the consensus was that switching back to Fridays from Saturdays was proven by increased entries. Tom Palidar glowed as he reported the success of his promotion efforts. He wants to provide discount coupons to prospective entrants. While this would cut into the "take", we'll make it up in volume. He is already preparing the 2001 flyers, and just needs more sites to place the schedules. The dates are included in the rally calendar in this WAG. * Grand Canyon Rally, Laughlin, NV, January 13 & 14 2001 by Ron SoremThe Subaru RX Rally Team traveled to Laughlin, Nevada for the opening rally of their 2001 season. The rally was titled Atlantic’s Grand Canyon Tour and was organized by the Atlantic Driving School and Cyber Tours of Mechanic Falls, Maine. Organizers Gary and Glenda Webb put together a package with the Colorado Belle Hotel and Casino in Laughlin, with activities over Friday through Monday. Included in the Odo Check on Friday was the opportunity to walk to an ancient petroglyph site protected by the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. The weather for the event was partly cloudy, mild, and no precipitation, however the two days before the event brought thunderstorms, some snow, and some washout areas. (Retracing the odo check on Monday we encountered a thunderstorm with marble-sized hail, which covered the ground with half an inch of white). Saturday’s start saw competitors from across the nation begin an odyssey on the “night rally” covering 244.545 miles in Nevada and Arizona. Narrow paved sections of Historic Route 66 were linked by unpaved dirt/gravel sections and transits over high-speed Interstates. Speeds on the dirt were interesting enough through the “sight-seeing” areas where we could enjoy the spectacular scenery and then suddenly the same speed became a driver’s joy on winding narrow canyonland backroads with the tail out and wheels spinning. Then came the mud… We had just exchanged the “rally camera” (take a picture and pass it to the next car) and read the note to add twenty minutes to allow for what they noted was “some slippery areas” up ahead… This may have been the understatement of the event. The thunderstorms and snow had turned a clay-based hardpacked road into the thickest gummy bog of a trail that I’ve been able to play on in quite a while. We watched as the array of SUV’s slogged along sideways at 10 to 20 miles per hour in the 36 zone making it even more challenging for the Rally Rental Fleet (front-drive compacts). This was great in the flat, wide sections, but turned to white knuckle time when trying to cling to the edge of a steep slope in the dark, in the Grand Canyon, not knowing how far it drops off! The mud finally gave way to frozen dirt with some water splashes that threatened to suck in the car, and then to snow packed rock-hard twisty narrow stages. We took two sections here with the max penalty but the rest of the night had been very close to on-time all-the-time so we finished the first day at second in our class, fittingly behind a Subaru team (father/son too). Day Two was to be the “day rally” and started at 8 a.m. proceeding to Historic Route 66 and the old-west theme-town of Oatman, AZ, where the rally was treated with a jarring detour to avoid the bed race down the main street, feral burros (left by the prospectors) wandering through town, mock gunfighters, and the usual tourist shops, before continuing on Route 66 and covering some of the previous nights’ roads in daylight with great views and the running instruction to call out oncoming tour buses on the CB to warn the team behind you. This was exciting, meeting passenger vans and shuttle buses at speed in a narrow hairpin. The highlight of the afternoon was the group tour of the Hualapai Indian Reservation’s Grand Canyon Rim site. This is primitive natural area with no railings. We were treated to lunch featuring Native American fare and then were free to explore (with care) the rim geology and views of the river (a long, long way down), and absolute silence but for the wind through ravens wings, before our driver guide returned us to our cars with stories and songs and sent us off to play in the dirt some more. The trip out of the canyon was brisk, was with the flow of traffic, and featured a couple of hill-climbs out into the Joshua Tree Forest. A certain Grand Vitara behind us crested the hill into the control up against the rev-limiter in first gear all four wheels digging. Great fun! The “day rally” ended after dusk having covered another 251.940 miles. We did very well on day two, but not enough to cover the lead by the Colorado Subaru father son team Smith/Smith. We finished with second in class. Josh is becoming an excellent co-driver and has "clicked" on the calculating process for projecting target time for me to drive the section. On day one we had a “1” on a 91.436 minute section (and several 7’s, 8’s, and a 12) day two saw no section over .30 of a minute with several sections under .10, a couple of 2’s and another “1” at the end. This is Seat-of-Pants rallying using the stock odometer and no rally computers. We logged 5.31 minutes error over 496.485 miles and 22 hours of rally. I mentioned the Rally Rental Fleet (compliments of Las Vegas airport). Of the 21 finishers, 10 were owned cars driven to the rally, but 11 were rentals. We flew to the rally and tried to get a Subaru to keep up the team spirit, but “someone from Seattle” got the last one at Las Vegas. Our substitute was a Grand Am V-6 automatic, which was returned after 1025 miles (and yes we did wash the mud off first). * Doo Wop/Divisional Runoffs We will be running on the Quinault Reservation, north of Tahola on Saturday. There will be one piece of road, run three times in two different directions. Diane Duran is the Stage Captain, but I'm sure she could use whatever help you can provide with either the timing controls or the 5 RM positions. Sunday will be similar to previous years with the two Montesano Stages followed by Brooklyn W, Smith Creek W, Smith Creek E and Brooklyn E followed by the Finish at the Oakville Grange. Doo Wop 3, Saturday 3/3 10 - 10:30 Parc Exposé Westwood Motel, Hoquiam 10:30 MTC 1 Hoquiam 11:50 ATC 1 Quinault 1 13:23 ATC 2 Quinault 2 14:56 ATC 3 Quinault 3 MTC & Day 1 Finish tba Doo Wop 4, Sunday 3/4/019:00 PARC EXPOSE Montesano 9:30 MTC 1 Montesano 9:53 ATC 1 "PICO L" 11:16 ATC 2 "PICO R" 13:49 ATC 3 "BROOKLYN W" 14:32 ATC 4 SMITH CREEK W 15:35 ATC 5 SMITH CREEK E 16:18 ATC 6 BROOKLYN E 16:58 MTC 2 OAKVILLE GRANGE FINISH BRING FOOD AND MONEY FOR THE OAKVILLE FOOD BANK PLEASE! Club News-------------------- *Vince delivered the RASC stage rally stakes to Nolte’s place. Brings our assets to up to 140 stakes, 3 rolls of bannerguard. Nolte doesn't have room for this stuff either. Who's going to get it? *January Meeting Minutes No treasures report from Ed who was absent… still estimated at $1691.00 Doo Wop 1&2 canceled, 3&4 were discussed. Website news… Eric reiterated that he will run the website with Steve. The Board had enough people for a quoram and voted to get the web address: www.rainerautosports.com . Approx. $90.00 for the first 2 years, then less after that. Raindrop Rally … Pete volunteered his brother’s students to make trophies (and his bro did agree) Mark is thinking down south for the route. First priority is to get the news out ASAP as soon as dates are confirmed to promise a strong showing Alcan 2002 Report… Jerry set approx. dates for mid August 02. 9 days long up into Skagway or Yellow Knife then further up with the finish in Jasper. He is expecting a 20 car field and a new 20 (?) motorcycle class. No Alibi… Kirk stated the rally would start at Snoqualmie Pass and go the full weekend. There would be some changes but no so many as to change the excellent reviews of last year, perhaps get away from some of the pavement sections deemed too long. Rod Chelgren is now back in town and made it to the meeting. Also we had Bruce Blair arrive after a long rally sabbatical. Friday Niter … Eric restated he is interested in being rallymaster on the late in the year event. Roster update: Roy S. Ward 19308 Bothell Way N.E. Apt. 111 Bothell, WA 98011 For Sale: -------------------------- *98 Ford F150. 4WD, XLT, Supercab Green, Alloy wheels, bedliner, running boards AT, AC, Power windows & locks. Factory tape & CD changer, power driver's seat. 44,000 miles, runs like new. Bargain at $17,300 Jerry Hines 425.823.6343 / 206.227.6343 RASC Calendar---------------------------• Call the NWRC Hotline (206) 256-9627 for latest info on Puget Sound TSD events. Round 3- NWRC calendar 2/17-18- Thunderbird TSD, Cache Creek, B.C. 2/10-11 - Doo Wop I & II, Cancelled 3/2-3 - Doo Wop/ Divisional Runoffs, (Club Rally) 3/9 – Friday Niter by ORCA, Bellevue, WA 3/15-17 - Cherokee Trails, Tennessee (PRORally) 4/1 - Flapdoodle Express Gimmick Rally, Bellingham, WA 4/7-8 - Oregon Trail, Tillamook (PRORally) 4/13 – Friday Niter by Torque Steerers, Bellevue,WA 4/21-22 - Heart Of Darkness, (TSD) B.C. 4/22 - Litter Clean-up (MP 99-101) 4/28 – (SCCA Nat’l TSD) Pittsburgh, PA (Course) 4/29 Raindrop TSD by RASC 5/4-5 - Rim of the World (PRORally) 5/5 (SCCA Nat’l TSD) Wisconsin Glacier Trails VI (Tour), Richland Center, WI 5/11 – Friday Niter by ORCA, Bellevue, WA 5/19 (SCCA Nat’l TSD) Beaver Cleaver (Course) Portland, OR 5/20 (SCCA Nat’l TSD) Barlow Trail, (Tour) Portland, OR 5/19/20 - Big Horn stage (Alberta) 5/26/27 - Rocky Mtn stage (Alberta) 6/1-2 - STPR (PRORally) 6/2-3 No Alibi TSD by RASC 6/9-10 - Shitepoke/Dryad Quest (ClubRally) 6/9 (SCCA Nat’l TSD) Chippewa Trail (Course) Menomonee, WI 6/16/17 - Mt. Trails stage, B.C. 6/23 -(SCCA Nat’l TSD) Cast In Stone,(Tour) Michigan 6/24 - Litter Clean-up (MP 99-101) 7/13 – Friday Niter by NWRC, Bellevue, WA 7/14, (SCCA Nat’l TSD) The Tarheels Revisited, (Course), North Carolina 7/15, (SCCA Nat’l TSD) Smoky Mountain Run (Tour) 7/27-28 - Maine Forest (PRORally) 8/4-5 - ORV Rally Sprints (ClubRally) 8/4-5, (SCCA Nat’l TSD) The Road Not Taken, (Tour) Grand Ronde, OR 8/10 – Friday Niter by ORCA, Bellevue, WA 8/18, (SCCA Nat’l TSD)Dawn To Dust, (Tour), Silverthorn, CO 8/18, (SCCA Nat’l TSD) TBA, (tour) Silverthorn, CO 8/17-18 - Ojibwe (PRORally) 8/26-00 - Litter Clean-up (MP 99-101) 9/2, (SCCA Nat’l TSD) Maryland Is For Crabs, (Course) 9/7-8 - Wild West (PRORally) 9/14- Friday Niter by RASC 9/15-16 – Pacific Forest stage, B.C. 9/22, (SCCA Nat’l TSD) Yucatan Safari, (Tour) La Crosse, WI 9/23, (SCCA Nat’l TSD) Oktroberally, La Crosse, WI (Course ) 10/6 – Nite on Bald Mountain (TSD) by ORCA 10/6, Johnny Appleseed, Canton, OH (Tour ) 10/5-6 - Prescott Forest (PRORally) 10/12 – Friday Niter by ORCA, Bellevue, WA 10/19-20 - Lake Superior (PRORally 10/27 – Ghoul’s Gambol (TSD) 10/25, Scenic Byways,USRRC (Course ) St Louis, MI 10/26, Great River Road, USRRC (Tour), St Louis, MO 10/27, Pere Marquette, USRRC (Tour), St Louis, MO 10/28 - Litter Clean-up (MP 99-101) 11/ 3-4 – Totem TSD (B.C.) 11/10, Thumbs Up (Tour) Imlay City
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