The second span of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge opened July 15, 2007. There is a $4 toll eastbound, for those eager to get to Tacoma. There isn't a toll going to Gig Harbor. (Draw your own conclusions ed.)
Registration can be taken care of in advance, on line. Cheap fun at $35; late registration is $45. The Start is at the Target Store (Burnham exit off SR 16). Late (live?) registration opens at 8:30 AM, with First Car Out at 10:01. Finish is about 6 hours later, at Round Table Pizza in Gig Harbor.
March 7 & 8, 2009. Aberdeen WA. Team Vanquish and the Pacific Rally Group presented the 21st running of the Northwest's popular Doo Wop Rallys, sanctioned by NASA RallySport West, as rounds 1 & 2 of the NW Rally Championship. New to Doo Wop for 2009 was RallyMoto™, the NASA rally series for dual-sport motorcycles.
Saturday dawned with a light dusting of snow covering all the cars in Aberdeen. Forecasts claimed the cold front "could" bring as much as 8 inches of snow to the Coast Range. Ice could present a serious concern for the opening paved Blue Slough stages. The 4.16-mile stage included five barricade "chicanes" set up to slow the cars, and test the driver's skills -- touch a barricade, gain penalties. John Lane, 2008 Doo Wop winner, with Jason Grahn in control of the right seat, set fastest time of 3:06 (80.5mph) in the Volvo 262, but collected 24 seconds in penalties. Carl Jardevall and Dave Schrenk ran a cleaner stage as first car on the road, posting 3:08 in the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8. Carl (born in Trollhattan Sweden, his first stint in a rally car was at age 16 as a navigator) and Dave, would go on to set fastest times on all stages of both days. The motorcycles were up in the hills of the Montesano Watershed while the cars ran Blue Slough.
Pico Left (counter-clockwise) saw two runs of the RallyMoto™ with Jerry Brown (BMW G650X) and Mark Albertson (BMW G450X) sharing top time the first time through at 12:06. Iain Glynn (BMW G450X) found his groove on Pico 2 with an 11:54, the only Moto to break 12 minutes and fast enough to take 6th position against the cars. Motos claimed straightaway speeds over 100.
Weather for the cars on 9.43 mile Pico Left, and 9.54 mile Pico Right, ranged from bright sun to heavy rain to hail and snow. Roadbed conditions were good. The watershed roads see little traffic and there was no rutting for the first run. Mud was of little concern, but the snow and hail presented intermittent traction and visibility challenges. The cars went to a Service Area in Montesano between runs on Pico. Californian Jardevall took a 10:55 on Pico Left (51.8mph), ahead of local favorites Dave and Rick Hintz with 11:09, chased closely by Mark Mager and Miller Dumaoal with 11:12. These three teams would test each other on Pico Right (clockwise loop) with Jardevall at 10:38 (53.7mph), Hintz at 11:20, and Mager at 11:24, well ahead of the fourth place car. Pico Left claimed one tire, causing a 25-minute run. Pico Right claimed one motor, and one "off" for DNFs.
Following another Service Break all teams took on a new stage for the NW. 13 Corners crosses the ridge between the Wynoochee River and the Wishkah River. Rallies in the '70s used the upper Wynoochee basin for TSD and Stage rallies. 13 Corners Up begins at the gravel, climbs .64 miles through a 90-left, into Hairpin Right, followed in a tenth by Hairpin Left onto pavement. 2.47 miles later, winding through the woods, negotiating a barricade chicane, drivers are through a hard right at Flying Finish. Jardevall's fast time of 2:39 averaged 70.41mph over the 3.11 mile stage.
A "turn-around" stage, all teams lined up and waited for the first run to complete, then 13 Corners Down retraced the stage, this time set at 3.10 miles, with near top speed at the end of pavement, brake hard onto the gravel for an off-camber downhill hairpin right with big exposure (read great view if you look) on driver's side, followed by hairpin left, still dropping steeply, into 90right and the flying finish. Top three cars -- Jardevall, Mager, and Malcolm Davies / Bruce Parker (Eagle Talon) held a 10-second spread -- followed by Hintz brothers, Charles Buren / Mike Milos (Group 5, 2-wheel drive Impreza) and Mark Tabor / Nick Taylor (Production GT, WRX). Top time 2:41, 69.3mph.
Rally HQ was the Olympic Inn in Aberdeen, with Subaru West sponsoring the pizza party.
Day Two was colder yet. Snow on Highway 101 south of Aberdeen resembled travel on the mountain passes. Workers, Motos, and cars tiptoed out to Smith Creek. Iain Glynn "laid down" his BMW G450X on the highway -- his compadres surmised this took away all the fear of snow, as Glynn's first pass on 6.58-mile Smith Creek East (7:34 with snow) was nearly a minute faster than the second Moto. Cars took less time this year (Jardevall, 5:51, 67.48mph) compared to 2008 John Lane's 5:32, or 2007 Jardevall's 5:20. The 2008 winner rolled at about 5.7 into the stage -- no injuries but the big Volvo will need a roof and windshield -- John should be back for the next event.
Brooklyn East Short was reduced to 3.47 miles due to an epic mudslide about midway through the traditional stage. The twisting climb past "Spectator" to the top of the ridge was in great shape, with occasional spots of snow for the first cars, clearing on the second run, and ended at the county line ridge top. One PGT car parked after "Spectator", less than a mile from the finish, in the left ditch, resting on co-driver's door, for 20 minutes. The soft shoulder had sucked in the right-side tires and pitched the car across the road to the left bank. A quick tug by sweep put the car back on stage and running through Flying Finish. A bent control arm was "field repaired" with tow strap to tree and lots of reverse. Mager and Hintz tied at second with 3:25, just 13 seconds behind Jardevall.
Another turn-around stage, Brooklyn West Short was set at 3.55 miles. The downhill ran 2 seconds faster than the uphill. Finish order would be the same as the overall - Jardevall (3:10, 67.26mph) to Mager to Hintz. As new configurations for Brooklyn, new records were posted -until the full Brooklyn Stage is restored, surely an asterisk will follow 2009 times.
The Motos weren't scheduled to run Brooklyn as the long wait in the cold wind and snow would have been brutal. So after a warm rest at the Historic Brooklyn Tavern, they returned to Smith Creek West. Iain Glynn's 6:20 tied the 11th fastest time. Cars saw Jardevall and Mager followed closely by Gary Cavett (WA) and Martin Brunley (BC) in third. Hintz took 4th, four seconds ahead of Mark Tabor / Nick Taylor in the PGT WRX, in turn five seconds ahead of Group 2 Nate Tennis / Amity Trowbridge in the venerable Saab 99. The Davies / Parker Talon was "off" for 20 minutes, retrieved by sweep, and finished the stage.
Snow-covered pavement greeted all, on their route to Highway 101 again, and south into South Bend for Service. Another new stage for the NW runs across the ridge above South Bend and into the Niawiakum River basin. Palix South 1 was set at 5.71 miles of gravel twists. "HPL, Tight Uphill" immediately into "Caution! HPR, Exposure L Road twisty to next instruction". A long easy left continued the climb past Spectators, followed in half a mile by a tight HPR with Caution! A quarter mile to 90left, and on and on and on. Big smiles at the Flying Finish --this will become a very popular NW stage. Snow covered much of the upper ridge on the opening run, washing off quickly on the second run, but not soon enough for one PGT WRX who caught a snow berm at speed, 4.23 into Palix 1, slid sideways for some 50 feet and punched through the soft dirt berm at the shoulder -parked for 27 minutes -- an attempt at tugging by another PGT competitor just wasn't enough, but Sweep was successful and the team went on to finish the stage. The sole remaining Group 5 car suffered a turbo oil fire in the control after Flying Finish Palix 1 and would not start the next run.
Palix South 2 repeated the stage. Fast Moto, with better conditions, was 6:36. Fast time for cars was Jardevall's 5:35 for 61.36mph, followed by a tight group at 5:57, 6:03, 6:15 and 6:19 (the parked PGT car from first running). Service separated both southbound runs, and the single Northbound run.
Palix North would be the final stage of the rally, running 5.73 miles, reverse direction of the previous two runs. Starting on a shallow but gradual climb, teams were up to speed early, then setting up for a 90-left Caution! with exposure (into the river). Climbing steadily through the hairpins, over the crest, free of snow now, in the bright afternoon sunshine. A tight left past the midpoint radio, then dropping sharply, two more crests, and begin the winding drop past Spectators --"Caution! Hard Right, Tight" -- HPL into Medium Left into HPR, steeper now, into "Caution! Double Left Off Camber Exposure", then 90-left followed by "Caution! HPR, Downhill" and the Flying Finish. A very busy yet flowing stage. The Motos were slightly slower northbound, as were nearly all the cars. Top time was 5:38 by Car 39 at 61.02mph.
A 57-mile transit took the teams to Oakville's Grange for the final MTC and Banquet.
Congratulations to First Open class, First Overall, Carl Jardevall and Dave Schrenk with 33:01 for DooWop1 and 34:28 for DooWop2. RallyMoto™ winner was Iain Glynn with 59:57 for the two-day event. First Production GT, 4th Overall, on Saturday to Mark Tabor and Nick Taylor with 35:33, then Sunday to Mike Goodwin and Tina Warner with 40:36 -- both teams in Subaru Impreza WRX. First Group 5 (big power 2wd) to Charles Buren and Mike Milos on Saturday with 36:48 in the converted Impreza, also 5th Overall. There were no Gr5 finishers on Sunday. First Group 2 for DooWop1 went to Adam Crane and Britta Nielsen with 39:37 in the Toyota Corolla GTS. Group 2 DooWop2 went to Nate Tennis and Amity Trowbridge with 40:55 in the Saab 99, good for 6th Overall. Production class (safety mods only) went to Bruce Tabor and John Elkin both days, in the Nissan Sentra SE-R. There were 27 cars started and 24 finishers on Saturday. All but one started again on Sunday with 22 finishers. Five of the six Motos finished. Next NW event is Olympus Rally on April 17-19 2009.
Compete results, photo links, Brooklyn History, and more at http://doowoprally.com/
The route looks a lot like the Doo Wops. The Finish is in South Bend, a new venue.
Workers always welcomed. Eagerly.
"They have great roads", says Ron Sorem
The Oregon organizers ("ORG") have already started drumming up workers for the May 15-16-17 event.
April 10- Friday Nighter, by PSRC, Bellevue, WA
April 26-Raindrop TSD, by RASC, WA
May 8- Friday Nighter, by ORCA, Bellevue, WA
May 31- All City Rally, Corvettes de Olympia,, (gimmick)
June 6-7- No Alibi TSD by RASC, eastern Washington
June 12- Friday Nighter, by ORCA, Bellevue, WA
July 10- Friday Nighter, by PSRC, Bellevue, WA
July 18- Sno-Git VI, TSD by ORCA, Marysville, WA
July 25-- Gold Digger TSD, Whistler, B.C.
Aug 14-Friday Nighter, Bellevue, WA
Aug 28/30- Crestline Trail, IRC, BC
Sept 11 -Friday Nighter, Bellevue, WA
Sept 19- 'Heart of Darkness", Kamloops, BC
Oct 3- Night on Bald Mountain, ORCA
Oct 9- Friday Nighter by RASC, Bellevue, WA
Oct 31- "Midnight" by IRC, Vancouver Island, BC
Nov. 7- Monster's Revenge" by Chuckanut, Bellingham
Nov 21/22- Totem , Cache Creek, BC
May 3- Oregon Rally Group Rally Cross, OR
May 29- Primitive Rally School, OR
May 31- Oregon Rally Group Rally Cross, OR
June 26- ORG & SCCA National RallyX, WA
Aug 16- Oregon Rally Group Rally Cross, OR
Sept 20-Oregon Rally Group Rally Cross, OR
Oct 11- Oregon Rally Group Rally Cross, OR
Apr 14- AROO TSD, Sylvan, OR
May 1 - Friday Night Road Rally, Millwaukie, OR
May 3- AROO TSD, Sylvan, OR
May 31- AROO TSD, Sylvan, OR
June 5- Friday Night Road Rally, Milwaukie, OR
July 3- Friday Night Road Rally, Milwaukie, OR
Aug 1/2- Oregon 1000 , SCCA, Portland
Aug 14- Friday Night Road Rally, Milwaukie, OR
Aug 15- "Rally Against Parkinson's", PIR, Portland, OR
Aug 22- Mountains to the Sea, CSCC
Sept 4- Friday Night Road Rally, Milwaukie, OR
Sept 19-"Oregon Trailblazer", CSCC, Milwaukie, OR
Oct 2- Friday Night Road Rally, Milwaukie, OR
Oct 31- Ghouls Gambol, Portland
April 17-18- Olympus International Rally, WA
May 15-16- Oregon Trail, Hillsboro, OR
June 13/14-Mountain Trials, Merritt, B.C
July 9- Idaho Rally/ RallyMoto, Mountain Home, ID
Sept 24/27-Wild West, PRG, Pomeroy, WA
Oct 1/3- Pacific Forest Rally, Merritt, B.C.
Oct 24 -Mt Hood/moto, Odell, OR
April 17- Defrost Kickoff, SOVREN races, Pacific Raceways, Kent
Apr. 25- Laconner Tulip Rally, gimmick, MGCC
April 25- Great Race 2009: New York to Paris
May 23-28 -Targa Canada West; www.targacanadawest.com
June 20-21- Columbia Gorge Classic Rally & Tour, Portland, OR
June 25/28- Classic Motorcar Rally, Victoria, BC
July 3-6- Historic Races, Pacific Raceways, Kent, WA
Aug 6/9 - "Northwest Classic Rally" by AROO, pre-1981 cars, Portland, OR
Sept 12/19- Targa Newfoundland, St. Johns, NF
Rainier Auto Sports Club will meet this coming Monday, April 13 at 7:30 PM at Cafe Veloce at the Totem Lake shopping center. Best way I can think of to get there via north on I-405, take the "NE 124th" exit, then keep right under NE 124th and straight at the signal. This puts you on Totem Lake Blvd, not whatever the frontage road is next to I-405. Then right first poss, with the Cafe on your right at that point.
Monthly meetings are the second Monday of each month. Past Members, visitors, and spectators are welcomed.
Agenda: Nailing down some more helpers for Raindrop. We may be up to 23 entrants. Jeff McMillen can tell us what we missed while he worked the HAM net at Doo Wops.
No Alibi is two months away. Time to start getting workers.
The Wishbone Alley Gazette is published for the members and friends of Rainier Auto Sports Club. Subscription price is $10 per year (paper), free e-mail.
The editor is Mark Nolte, ph. (425) 226-3155. View back issues at http://www.rainierautosports.com/wag/default.htm Contributions and paid/unpaid advertisements eagerly sought: e-mail: mnolte@blarg.net