The Maine Rally

Neil McDaid Reports On The Action And The Post-Rally Controversy

After the victory champagne had already been sprayed an objection against overall rally winner Alfredo Dedoinicis would dramatically change the outcome of round five of the Rally America Championship and who would qualify for the X-Games.

By the time I arrived on the scene late Thursday night most crews had already done the recce and were making last minute adjustments to the cars and themselves. For the most part the stages were in good shape. "Some fast stuff, with a few very rough bits," was the word from Patsy Lilly who was back in the saddle for the first time in awhile. Dust could factor because of dry conditions in the weeks leading up to the event.

The rally got underway just before 3pm Friday. SS1 used the service road around the baseball field in the town of Mexico, as it has for a number of years.

This year, as an added attraction, organizers added a large jump on the only straight section on the short half-mile stage. Because it's such a short stage there is very little time difference between cars.

Despite only being sixth fastest Matt Iorio would steal the show with a spectacular jump over the man made jump. Not to be outdone, Larry Duane and Eamon Sweeny would take top marks for the Irish as they launched their Twin Cam Corolla. Sweeny said afterwards, " She was up in the air that long, I was waiting for an Aer Lingus hostess to come around with the drinks!"

On to SS2 South Arm South. This was the first true challenge of the first day; 9.9 miles of fast rolling smooth gravel with a hazardous wooden bridge crossing. I drove this stage several hours before the road closing and the dust was extreme, to say the least, but all would change as the skies opened about thirty minutes before the start taking care of the dust issues for the day.

A draw was held earlier in the day between the first four drivers for road position. Multi-time Maine Rally winner Paul Choiniere would draw the correct straw and opted for first on the road. Paul would be 16 seconds off the pace of stage winner Antoine L'Estage in the Tiburon.

SS2 would be the beginning of the end for a couple of Irish crews. Seamus Burke, with Christine Beavis on the notes, who had started fifth on the road would get their feet wet halfway through the stage when a hose would work loose on their Mitsubishi. Murphy's law was again haunting Mark McElduff as he struggled off the line with an incorrect center diff setting. After the completion of SS2 crews were turned around and sent back on the stage in the other direction, which would be SS3 South Arm North.

Again the Canadian, L'Estage, would set fastest time. Team Subaru driver Ken Block would set the second fastest time just a mere three seconds off the pace. Seamus Burke would continue to struggle, some 40 seconds off the mark set by L'Estage. Mark McElduff would also struggle with a broken rear drive.

On a brighter note for the Irish, Tom Lawless in the Evo 8 would be eighth quickest over SS3. A little further back Danny O'Brien in the Subaru would start to show his steady form.

After a lengthy service the action would move to SS4 Concord Pond, a short 5.6-mile test with a few big jumps. Day one was all L'Estage as he again set fastest time. Paul Choiniere, who knew this stage very well, would be just .004 off of L'Estage's time.

Team Subaru driver Ken Block would be the first to encounter the Maine road hazards, which would almost tear the suspension from the driver's side. Block would struggle through the stage and back to service with his navigator, Alessandro Gelsomino, hanging out of the back of the car to take weight off the front wheel. Drama at the start line for Seamus Burke as the Evo began send flames out of the exhaust. Burke would never start SS4 and retired. Day one would also claim Otis Dimiters in his first outing in the open class Subaru. Engine problems forced his retirement.

With the two Libra racing Hyundai's of L'Estage and Choiniere controlling the top two positions, Andrew Comrie-Picard, in a 1997 Evo 4, would find himself in from of Team Subaru and the rest of the field. Tom Lawless would be the leading Irish driver heading into day two in eighth overall. This despite mechanical problems on SS4 and been slowed by Ken Block as he limped off the stage. Danny O'Brien would find himself in 13th while McElduff and Eddie Fries would fall back to 20th.

Saturday was scheduled to have five stages but, after an early morning review by Rally Mater John Buffum, SS6 had to be cancelled due to bad road conditions. The day would use 2 stages that would be run in both directions to make up the four stages. With no additional rain over night SS5 Dillon Success, another fast 12.7 miles over generally good surfaces, would become challenging with dust.

The Italian team of Alfredo Dedoinicis and Massimo Daddoveri would begin to show on the first stage Saturday. They set the fastest time of 07:39, moving them into second overall in their Evo 8.

X-Works Subaru driver Ramana Lagemann, who had been out of action for over a year, would get to grips with his somewhat dated Ford Escort Cosworth and work his way into third after SS5. On the return, SS7, Libra Racing would lose one of their Tiburon's. Paul Choiniere and Mark Williams would not make it through the first two miles and would have to retire.

Tyrone man Mark McElduff would retire after SS7. "We had a puncture on the way in on Stage 5; it ripped the front wing to shreds," he said. The boys were able to change the wheel and co-driver Eddie Fries was able to patch the front wing to the bumper with duct tape. Unfortunately, they were to suffer the same fate on the way out. Mark opted to drive the car to the end of the stage resulting in more damage. After surveying the damage at service and based on how the rally had gone so far he decided to end it there.

SS7 would also be the last we saw of Fermanagh man Patsy Lilly in one of Danny O'Brien's Subarus. Down in power with turbo problems resulted in being 2 minutes off the pace of the leader on SS7. Patsy had enough.

After the main service on day two the rally would be decided over SS8 and 9 Middle Dam In/Out. Showing a blistering pace, Canadian Andrew Comrie-Picard would take the stage victories on SS8/9.

A rare mistake by Danny O'Brien would end his rally. Danny went off the road ending up on top of some rocks and was unable to get back on to the stage. Tom Lawless would be the top finisher for the Irish in the national event capturing sixth overall. Brothers Michael and John O'Leary, on the notes, from Co. Cork now living in New York, were over the moon to finish in one piece in 18th overall and 13th in the open class in only their second rally. Dan Broslan, a Kerry man who now calls Boston home, would take 22nd overall and third in G2 with his Nissan Sentra.

Early results had awarded Italian driver Alfredo DeDominicis the overall win and an X Games slot. But, in an unusual turn of events, he was dropped out of first place in a series of post-rally protests. Race officials handed him a 24- second penalty for a rule infraction costing him the win. Late Saturday there was still a possibility of a final appeal that could return him to the top slot.

The overall victory was award to Ramana Lagemann and co-driver Michael Fennel. They eeked out a tight victory at the Maine Forest Rally which will also now qualify them for a starting position at the first-ever X Games Rally.

"I can't even put it into words," said Lagemann, accepting hugs of congratulations from his beaming crew after pulling his Ford Escort Cosworth across the finish line. "It was meant to be."

Team Subaru USA driver Travis Pastrana would take second overall pending the outcome of the appeal, while Matt Iorio would continue his run claiming the last spot on the podium with a fine third place finish.

Run in conjunction with the National event, these two regional rallies are also tightly contested. Teams can enter in all three rallies to collect championship points.

The River Valley Rally was run on the Friday stages. Irish driver Danny O'Brian would take the victory with a mere fifteen seconds on his side.

Other top finishers for the Irish would be the O'Leary brothers in 11th overall. Brian Rutledge and Bernard Farrell, both out of New York, brought the normally aspirated Impreza 2.5RS home in 12th. In their highflying Toyota Corolla the Boston crew of Larry Duane and Eamon Sweeney would secure 13th.

Another Boston based crew in a Corolla, Martin Egan with Tom Byrne on the notes, claimed 14th. Dan Broslan would take 19th while David Fury [Boston] and co-driver Damien Treanor [New York], in the GTI Golf, would take 20th.

SS4 would catch out Paddy Brennan and Stephen Duffy in the Subaru. Heavy front-end damage would almost end their weekend. Brennan had been in the hunt for the overall victory over the first few stages until his misshape.

The Bethel Rally, consisting of four stages on Saturday, was the second regional rally of the weekend. Danny O'Brien was on his way to collecting his second victory of the weekend setting the fastest times on the first two stages, but his off on the third stage of the day would end his run.

Victory would go to local driver Alan Downs of Moody, Maine. After a full night of hammering and welding, Paddy Brennan and Stephen Duffy would cautiously start out on Saturday morning. As the day progressed Paddy would pick up the pace and would eventually bring his Open Class Impreza STI home in third place, the top placed Irish finisher.

Dave Furey and Damien Treanor would drive the doors off their GTI to bring her home in 6th overall and 2nd in G2. The O'Leary brothers, in their Evo, took 7th, with Brian Rutledge falling in behind them in 8th. A bit of a battle broke out among the remaining Boston crews over the last two stages, with Martin Egan in 11th edging out a 5-second victory over Duane and Sweeney. Broslan had to settle for 13th.

Tennessee on September 2-3 is shaping up to be the next big outing for the Irish Rally teams with a rare tarmac test, one of only two in the States. Visit rallytennessee.com for more information.