Big Snowbanks and Big Dreams

The 2008 Canadian Rally Championship starts now, in Maniwaki, Quebec. The Rallye Perce Neige has a storied history and is the only true winter rally on the Canadian calendar. Plenty of snow this year means high snow banks, the roads covered in a mix of snow and sand on top of thick ice. It is here that drivers have come to start their 2008 Canadian Rally Championship efforts, with each dreaming of victory.

Teams have spent the day on the stages conducting their two pass recce. The weather has been favourable, and while temperatures will dip well below freezing tonight, the high for tomorrow is a predicted minus one degree. With five centimeters of snow forecast over the next twenty four hours, the roads could change a great deal from what the teams had seen today, burying the sand and ice seen today.

Thanks to the two contingency programs offered up by Subaru and Mitsubishi, the field is deep with Imprezas and Lancers. The programs have also drawn out some familiar names. Bill Bacon, known for his role with the Suzuki Canada team of a few years ago is back in a freshly built Mitsubishi EVO IX. "Being American, we don'€™t get the prize money, but the travel money got us up here." While Bill can't commit to a full season at this point in time, he was running last week in Michigan for the Rally America season opener, the Sno*Drift Rally.

Also at the Sno*Drift rally were Antoine L'Estage and Andrew Comrie-Picard. They finished first and second respectively and both are feeling confident for the stages tomorrow. The two battled all of last season with Antoine taking the title. This year, these two will have stiff competition in the form of Pat Richard and Sylvain Erickson.

Pat Richard is making a return to full time rallying in Canada. With a newly minted deal with Subaru Canada, Pat Richard will be campaigning a new Subaru Impreza in the Canadian Rally Championship. The Squamish, British Columbia headquartered Rocket Rally has taken delivery of a 2008 Subaru Impreza STI to be prepared for competition. For this event, Pat has brought a 2007 model that he has been preparing for competition. When last competing in Canada, Pat was co-driven by his sister Nathalie Richard. With Nathalie now teamed with Antoine L'Estage, Alan Ockwell has stepped into the right seat beside Pat Richard.

Peter Thomson has also made a return to Perce Neige, and has spoken about his intentions to run a bulk of the championship. The 2005 Canadian Rally Champion was away from the series for almost all of the last two years, but has returned with ample enthusiasm for the stronger competition.

Mathieu L'€™Estage is here in a new car. After testing for a day, Mathieu purchased the EVO V that Frank Sprongl ran at Tall Pines only a couple of months ago. Mathieu has high hopes for the car and knows it will be the next move to help him move up in the standings. While he has no illusions of duking it out with his brother Antoine at Perce Neige, Mathieu feels he can be a real contender with a little more seat time.

The Flatovercrest.com team is all on location. Andrew Harvey is on hand to take fantastic photos, with Warwick Patterson shooting video. As always, I, Dean Campbell will be bringing you interviews and insights into the competition this weekend. New to the team for this event are Erik Ockwell, our host for Flatovercrest Radio, and James Drake who will be joining me as I make my rounds interviewing the crews. I will be writing the coverage and keeping you all updated back home. So stay pointed at Flatovercrest.com and enjoy our exciting new content from the 2008 Rallye Perce Neige, Maniwaki.

Comments

[Maxine]

NICE TO SEE BILL BACON AND PETER WATT BACK.
HOLD ONTO YOUR HATS!!

[alex]

thanks a lot guys for your awesome job

you are helping us, rally fans, a lot to follow the events!