Volunteering at the Rally of the Tall Pines this Weekend!

[LaszloT]

The Canadian Season Championship will be decided.

Will be doing Recce Friday early, and timing a couple of stages Saturday, at the Flying Finish. It's going to be a lot of fun, to see the works Subaru blast by to victory!

[LaszloT]

Event winners and national champions L’Estage, and the lovely and charming Nathalie Richard :

[LaszloT]

Servicing the Subaru’s at night (strut and brake caliper replacement for one, transmission swap for the other) :

[LaszloT]

An all Québec podium of cars, once the top works Subaru’s were out (Mitsubishi and two older Subaru’s) :

[LaszloT]

Along with a BIG passion for Rally :

[LaszloT]

Here’s us at a Recce control point – where we spoke to all the competitors :

[LaszloT]

Here’s my timing control partner Roxanne at a the finish timing control, recording the finish times of competitors, and relaying them immediately to the radio car 300 m past this point where the cars slow :

[LaszloT]

And although I’m not good enough to photograph it, at the night timing control points it was pitch black, turned momentarily to daylight by the blinding lights of the powerful light arrays on the race cars as they sped past, and then instantly back into blackness again – quite a spectacle :

[LaszloT]

Unfortunately the top Subaru’s were behind after their mechanicals that the top team (Richard/Ockwell) and eventually rolled in the final night stage and we’re out.

[LaszloT]

We got back from our last night finish timing control and we’re right in time to see the winners climb the podium for the victory celebration. Truly a fabulous moment!

[LaszloT]

We saw Crazy Leo’s auto out on the stage where it hit some rocks hard, bending the frame and the engine caught on fire. We spoke to his co-driver at the scene while they were waiting for the recovery vehicle, and got to drive- yes drive- 4 of the actual race stages as security.
Here is Leo’s vehicle in service the day after, with the frame out in front.

[LaszloT]

Here’s me in front of a Mitsubushi Lancer Evo X, the kind of car the winners were in :

[LaszloT]

Worked from 6 AM to midnight both nights, but I would totally do this again!

[STeveD]

Great event log, Laszlo! Why am I ALWAYS travelling for work during the Pines???

[dubya_rx]

Thanks for posting this!