Shelton, WA. (May 14-15, 2016) – Thirty years after the end of Group B Rally
competition, Maxxis and HPD bring their B-Spec 2015 Fit to Olympus Rally, the fourth
round of the 2016 Rally America National Championship.
Continuing the
championship pursuit, after starting the 2016 season with a “hat trick” of
B-spec wins and a pair of 2WD podiums, the Maxxis/HPD Rally team sent the Fit
to Olympus Rally for the first time ever. The goal was simple: to survive the
notoriously rough roads. If the team could do that in a timely fashion, then
maybe another B-spec win was within sight.
“We’re excited to
finally come to Olympus Rally,” stated Jordan Guitar, Honda engineer and driver
of the Maxxis/HPD Fit, “we’ve never been to this event, and with the added
challenge of making our own stage notes for the first time, this definitely
promises to be a exciting weekend.”
The Olympus Rally
has a storied history, consisting of roads once used in the World Rally
Championship. For this event, the teams would not be given stages notes, so
instead need to rely on two reconnaissance (or recce) passes in which they
could make notes of the stages at the public speed limits. This would be
critical for the team to make the necessary notes in order to traverse the
stages. The B-spec field would consist of only the HPD/Maxxis Fit, along with
the returning Ford Fiesta team of Keanna Erickson-Chang and Ole Holter. The 2WD
field would again include several very quick Fiestas, Fiesta STs, and Subaru
BRZs, as well as several other heavily modified contenders.
As the team set out
for Day 1, the team was hopeful that its notes would be sufficient and that it
could keep pace through the rough stages. “We were a little nervous after recce,”
noted William Jang, co-driver for the Maxxis/HPD Team at the first service. “A
few of the stages were really rough during recce, but at race pace, they
weren’t as bad. The roads are actually pretty fun!”
After the final
stage of the day, the Fit would be first in B-spec ahead of the Fiesta and –
after swapping stage times with the LaRoza team – would be sitting third in
2WD. “The second time through the stages, we were able to shave off some time
from our first pass,” explained Guitar at the finish, “I was a little nervous
going into Stage 9, since we weren’t able to confirm our notes on this stage,
but I think we did well and the Fit held up great. We are going to try and keep
up the momentum tomorrow.”
Day 2 would consist
of three stages, with portions of them being wide and fast, and other portions
being very narrow, rough, and rocky.
“The first stage today had a long section of loose gravel, and rocks in several
places,” stated Jang at the service, “Our underbody protection is really taking
a beating, but luckily, it’s just superficial and we can keep up the attack!”
By the end of the final
stage, the B-spec Honda Fit maintained its position and finished first in
B-spec and third in 2WD. “The Fit was really taking a punishment out there,” Guitar
commented after the finish, “but it really showed its reliability today.
Unfortunately, our competitors in the Fiesta suffered some technical issues,
but we were running really close in stage times. It really shows how
competitive the B-spec class can be.”
The HPD/Maxxis Team
extends a huge thanks to the members of the service crew who came from the
nearby Honda Dealerships of Seattle, Sumner, and Lynnwood to help prep the car
and keep it running in good order at the event.
Look for the B-Spec
Honda Fit at the fifth round in the Rally America National Championship next
month at Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally on June 3-4th.
About Olympus
Rally:
The Olympus
Rally was part of the first US Rally Championship held in 1973. It later became
a World Rally Championship event from 1986-1988. With rugged forest terrain and
unpredictable Pacific Northwest Weather, the drivers will be challenged to see
if they can live up to some of the greatest names in rally history, such as
John Buffum, Rod Millen, and Hannu Mikkola.
About Rally America:
Based in Williston, VT, Rally America, Inc. sanctions the Rally America National Championship which consists of eight national-level events located at a variety of venues across the country, from Portland, Oregon to Newry, Maine. Top competitors in the Rally America National Championship reach speeds of well over 100 miles per hour, driving highly modified street cars such as Mitsubishi Evolutions, Subaru WRX STIs, Ford Fiestas, Honda Fits, and Scion XDs on natural-terrain courses consisting of gravel, dirt, ice or snow. For more information regarding Rally America’s National Championship or the sport of performance rally, visit www.rally-america.com
Based in Williston, VT, Rally America, Inc. sanctions the Rally America National Championship which consists of eight national-level events located at a variety of venues across the country, from Portland, Oregon to Newry, Maine. Top competitors in the Rally America National Championship reach speeds of well over 100 miles per hour, driving highly modified street cars such as Mitsubishi Evolutions, Subaru WRX STIs, Ford Fiestas, Honda Fits, and Scion XDs on natural-terrain courses consisting of gravel, dirt, ice or snow. For more information regarding Rally America’s National Championship or the sport of performance rally, visit www.rally-america.com
