Rally Of The Tall Pines 2009

[Nuwan]

While most of SPDA is packing up their race tires and cars a crazy few of us are doing the exact opposite. It's cold, the weather is unpredictable... yep, it's time for Tall Pines!

http://spda-online.ca/modules/xoopsgallery/cache/albums/album77/untitled.sized.jpg

Once again for SPDA I'll be running the old trusted Grindstone Motorsports Legacy with co-driver Daniel Buehler. We're hoping for a top 10 overall finish that we were very close to attaining last year except for a slight "tree incident". The car is relatively unchanged from last year but we hope that reliability and consistency will allow us to move up in the field.

http://spda-online.ca/modules/xoopsgallery/cache/albums/album77/tsn.jpg

Also representing SPDA is the new Gumball team of Richard Burton and Dean Hopkins. You may recognize the names from Targa Newfoundland where they competed in the ex-DC Shoes Gumball Sti in 2007 and 2008. They recently entered performance rallying with a newly built open class 02 WRX, competing in Galway-Cavendish Forest Rally and Defi with some spectacular times for a novice team.

http://spda-online.ca/modules/xoopsgallery/cache/albums/album77/8928_167709586484_509206484_3369806_2980906_n.size d.jpg

Most recently they cleared a 70ft gap jump modelled after the x-games stadium jump. Don't let the short video fool you as it required a few weeks of car preperation by Ivano, Maurizio and myself as well as several months of planning by Richard and Dean to achieve this small feat.

Gumball Jump View 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7FL7c3qZIQ&feature=related)

Gumball Jump View 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioTMIpmGyZI&feature=related)

Both teams along with the crew of Doug Manninen, Ivano DiPietro, Maurizio DiPietro and a few more hope to repeat this recent success at Tall Pines.

Another SPDA Chris Martin and co-driver Phil Narini should have a very strong finish this year with their E85 fueled Impreza. Spectators are in for a treat when they pass as everything behind the car smells like popcorn. I'll let Chris chime in with his event outlook...

http://spda-online.ca/modules/xoopsgallery/cache/albums/album77/TP8_2305_11.sized.jpg

Image courtesy of Tom Hayston at Performance Rally Images (http://www.performancerallyimages.com/)

Only 2-1/2 weeks of prep time left. Wish us luck!

[JoeT]

During the XBOX event, Richard showed me thos pictures.. He's nuts, you're nuts, we're all NUTS... I think we're in good company... LOL

Fingers crossed for you in Tall Pines, keep the rubber side down and go for the gusto!!

[miatagirl77]

Good luck guys!! Just avoid the trees ;-)

[PaulH]

If I can find a hiding place so my wife will not find yet another car I may have something to play with in the near future.

It is a long shot but you just never know!

Paul

[Daniel_Buehler]

(don't lift)

[STeveD]

Just looking at that TV shot, Nuwan, I was wondering if you need to shorten your last name for TV? Something the announcers can say easily like "Prost" or "Senna" or "Stewart"...?

[Navigator]

Nuwan, get your codriver to call out the proper instructions where you can setup for the corners :P Oh yea and DONT LIFT.

[AlmostHip]

Good luck Nuwan!

[Daniel_Buehler]

I can see it now...

Don't lift R5 into don't lift L6 200/cr 100 braking into don't lift R3<R5

[JoeT]

Daniel_Buehler wrote:
I can see it now...

Don't lift R5 into don't lift L6 200/cr 100 braking into don't lift R3<R5

Hey Daniel,

Make sure that Nuwan is listening to you, and you can navigate like this guy:

http://spda-online.ca/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=5106&forum=2

If Nuwan doesn't listen, grab his stickshift and ballbearings and squeeze, he'll listen.

[Chris_Martin]

Just in from the garage....Tall Pines prep as been going on since we left Defi.

At Defi we destroyed a rim, and tried driving on it, then met with a ditch and small tree. All cosmetic damage which has now been fixed up, and a fresh coat of Aspen White!

At Tall Pines, the OPRC championship is going down to the wire, out of the top 3 now, whoever beats who, wins. It's between Nick Mathew, Peter Thomson and myself. I'd suspect a flat out attack from everyone. We're probably all trying to figure out the possible senarios, but the plan is just go fast.

As always, the car is under ongoing development. i just finished installing a few new shiney (and expensive) goodies. And i think i found some things wrong from Defi....i thought the car felt too much RWD!

Going to be ALOT of fun....

And Nuwan...get it straight, it smells like gramps' moonshine behind the car!

[Daniel_Buehler]

http://www.flatovercrest.com/2009/11/sprongls-to-drive-for-subaru-rally-team-canada-at-tall-pines.html#more

[_sjd]

That's even more of a reason to head up to spectate. Anyone else thinking of heading up?

[STeveD]

:lol: I guess that Frank is going to have to stop complaining about Subarus for a weekend. :-)

[dubya_rx]

So that's why 4* was a ghost town when I dropped by last Friday.

[Navigator]

Who wants to be part of a crew. Looking for one or two more people to help with the Nuwan / Burton setup. Mechanical knowledge an asset but not required. If you can use an impact gun and clean windows and check fluids your exactly what we need.

Send me a message if your interested.

[Chris_Martin]

Ivano....

Pit close to us.....or don't be affraid to come over and ask.

I think you know my pops. We should have lots of bodies, and enough tools/parts to fix most anything.

[Navigator]

Chris I do know your Dad and if I need some "emergency" help I will be sure to give him a shout, same goes if you need any parts or help. Thanks for the offer its very much appreciated.

[Nuwan]

Thanks Chris, and like Ivano said if you need anything that we can help with by all means ask!

All that's left for us is some packing and we're leaving thursday morning. The prep went well for both Burton's and my own car including a fun addition for the spectators with Burton's car.

Looks like an awesome field of 54 cars with the majority in open class. Frank and Dan are reunited in a factory Subaru entry of all things, and there are several US entries this year since thanksgiviing is next week.

SPDA members Ivano, Maurizio and Doug will be crewing and luckily won't be freezing this year. It's looking like very mild temperatures so I hope everyone has got their gravel tires on!

[STeveD]

http://www.rallyscoring.com/results/2009/TallPines/Pines2009Press0.htm

Wow, some interesting results!

First, I THINK I can congratulate Chris Martin on his OPRC championship...? Official results aren't up yet, but he beat Martin Donnelly by over 5 minutes, and the Mathews were out with a mechanical...

I hope that Richard and Dean are okay. The results don't just list a roll, they list "Endo".

Nuwan and Daniel out due to tranny failure; sorry guys!

The Laan's were out with a medical. Hopefully not due to a crash, though they suffered with the flu at the last rally as well, didn't they?

[tashko]

Ugh! I can't believe my Mitsu man had troubles!! <shakes fist> Damn you Subarus!! :strangle: :-P

[Nuwan]

Despite the DNF it was an awesome event, really happy with the times we were setting with a 17 year old stock drivetrain. We managed to move up 20+ positions before DNF'ing a few hundred meters from the end of a 28km stage 6. We passed 2 cars in stage 6 and likely moved up an additional few positions with the pace we were at but apparently 242,350+kms is just too much to ask from a transmission :)

I'll throw in a spare stock tranny until something better is ready, but it is time to overhaul the car as we're pretty well at it's performance limit.

Richard and Dean were as high as 8th place overall before an "endo" as per the official results ended their attack on one of the night stages. The car is heavily damaged after an off involving a tree stump and landing on the roof wedged between 2 trees, but they will be back on the attack soon!

Chris did an awesome job all day and night to take home the OPRC championship. Congrats on an awesome drive!

Pat Richard took the overall win, despite rolling the car on the friday night shakedown. Car was fixed in ~2 hrs, and they even did an 18 minute transmission change during the 3rd service. As usual the attrition at pines was high with 26 cars finishing out of 54.

Car is back at home after a CAA tow (if you haven't already got your discounted membership here's your reminder!), and I am all unpacked in record time thanks to some help from Maurizio. Hoping to be at Pierce Niege in february if I can work out the logistics.

Ivano, Maurizio and Doug did an awesome job setting up the car after some issues during shakedown and keeping everything working throughout our day. Many thanks guys!

[Chris_Martin]

TP 2009 was as always a Marathon.

We had a bit of trouble in the morning, with loosing a boost hose, and a little off-road. Ending up with a dented fender, and busted d/s window. We threw in a window net, and carried on.

Things clicked alot better from there on out, aside from a flat tire or two.

We ended up winning the OPRC portion of the rally over Martin Donnelly, and Nick Narini. Having both our cars on the Regional podium after a long year was great!

We did win the 2009 OPRC overall championship, after a good battle all year long!



You really had to feel for L'estage. I sat behind him on the starting line of the last stage, while he got push started and got going! A real heartbreaker!

[Doug Manninen]

Nuwan and Burton did a great job, driving their wheels off, and even though both teams were not able to finish this time, a great accomplishment was achieved on Nuwan's and Richard's end. So from the crew in the pits here was our vantage point of Tall Pines. Enjoy the link.

2009 Tall Pines (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KMYTt6DBqU)

[Navigator]

That video is awesome, me fanning the intercooler during the service is well, ... :-P funny.

[Daniel_Buehler]

After 3 years of giving Nuwan hell for being too slow, I'd like to state publicly:

Nuwan is screaming fast! He grew a pair on the weekend and was well on his way to proving his potential as a top compeditor.

We had one moment, at 160km/h where the sight line of the road ahead disappeared into the trees. I told him it was a 'Right 6 over crest 120' and he didn't lift!!! He turned the wheel ever so slightly, just before we crested down. It was a fantastic ride! More fun than any nut could ever hope for.

I'd like to thank all of our crew for puting up with my cranky requests and most of all giving Nuwan the car he needed to go out and Attack!!!

Awesome job to everyone involved with Tall Pines - See you soon.

Sincerely,

Daniel "Marv" B

[4WDMIG]

http://www.chrishoare.ca/blog/2009/12/rally-of-the-tall-pines-2009/

Some pics my buddy took