1996 SCCA PRO Rally Series
Team Information & Biographies

1996 Hyundai Elantra – Open Class PRO Rally Car

Driver: Paul Choiniere
Co–driver: Jeff Becker

• 1990, 1992 – 95 Overall SCCA PRO Rally National Champions
• 1994 – six victories in eight rallies to win the overall title
• 1994 – winner for 2nd year in a row at Mt. Washington
• 1995 – won five rallies enroute to fifth championship in six years; gave Hyundai its first motorsports championship ever
• 1996 – will debut new '96 Hyundai Elantra

Biography

• 1990, '92 – '95 National PRO Rally Champion
• 1991– Most Stages won by a National Driver
• 1994 – won 6 of 8 events entered
• 1995 – took brand new Hyundai racer to five straight wins to clinch title

Paul started driving rally cars in 1984 when he borrowed a friend's Dodge Colt and competed in one Divisional and one National PRO Rally.

In 1986 and 1987, he continued his apprenticeship, competing in National events in a Production class Audi. In 1988, he won the North American Rally Championship, a series consisting of 10 events throughout Canada and the United States, in the ex–John Buffum Audi Quattro Coupe.

In 1989, he again won the North American Championship, and became the only American driver ever to win the Canadian National Rally Championship.

In 1990, he debuted a new Open Class Audi Quattro Turbo, winning the first and third events, Sunriser and Tiadaghton, and the next two rallies as well. He entered the final event with a slim four (4) point lead. His seventh place in Washington clinched the title. It was the first time in 15 years that neither Buffum nor Millen had won the United States Championship.

In 1991, Choiniere's Audi was still the fastest car on the circuit, but mechanical problems and bad luck relegated him to second overall in the series. An electrical problem at STPR, an accident at Westcliffe, and a turbo problem at POR cost him the championship, even though he won the last two events (Coachman and Maine) of the season.

Choiniere started the 1992 season with the same car and a different co– driver, but continued success from the end of the '91 season by winning the rain–shortened Big Bend Bash in Texas. Although a turbo boost hose came off four times at Rim of the World, Choiniere and co–driver Jeff Becker hung on to win the rough Rim of the World event. His '92 successes continued with STPR and Ojibwe wins, with Choiniere and Becker clinching the championship at the Gold Rush event.

For '93, Libra Racing put Choiniere into a new Audi S2—with his debut being a convincing victory in California in May at Rim of the World despite losing his power steering on the twistiest course on the circuit. Three weeks later at STPR in Pennsylvania, Choiniere and Becker again jumped out to an early lead, and the rest of the field could not catch up. At Ojibwe, the team overcame a broken half–shaft early in the event to cruise to their fourth straight win. Choiniere clinched the '93 championship with a third place effort at Press–on–Regardless after overcoming a broken strut and two off–the–road excursions. They completed their near–perfect season with a convincing season–ending win at the Maine Forest Rally in December.

Choiniere also won the '93 Mt. Washington Hillclimb in record time, shattering the old record by 20 seconds. He was nominated by the American Auto Race Writers and Broadcasters as driver of the year in his category, and finished with honorable mention behind winner Steve Kinser.

The 1994 season, second for the Audi S–2 and third for the Choiniere/Becker partnership, started off in fine fashion as the pair swept to a one–minute win on the sandy roads of Cheraw, South Carolina. In the most recent event in Olympia, Washington, Choiniere and Becker had a two minute lead with three stages to go when the car hit a rut and overturned. Although the car sustained only minor damaged, Choiniere was out for the event. He and Becker came back to win their third consecutive Rim of the World event in Palmdale, California, despite a steering rack problem late in the event.

At the 1994 STPR event, Choiniere and Becker conspired to outfox step–father and rally champion John Buffum to capture the first–on–the–road position late in a dusty rally to secure their third victory of the season, and move them into first place in the series. They solidified their position with a three–minute win at the Maine Forest Summer Rally, a one minute victory at the Ojibwe Forests Rally, and a two–minute margin at the Sunriser 400 Forest Rally. Their win, along with a Jeff Zwart DNF at the Lake Superior PRO Rally, gives Choiniere and Becker their third championship in a row and fourth in the last five years. Becker was in the winning Audi at Lake Superior as well, but it was driven by car owner John Buffum.

The pair debuted their new Hyundai Elantra at the '94 finale—the Maine Forest Rally—in December, and almost won the event despite breaking a drive shaft ten miles from the end of the rally. They lost to the Sprongls by only five seconds.

At the 1995 season opener in Cheraw, South Carolina, the Hyundai performed admirably, with Choiniere/Becker beating the competition by 29 seconds despite a cracked manifold and loss of power steering. Although the margins have been closer than in past years because of the increased quality of competition, Choiniere/Becker continued to dominate the SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally series, sweeping to victories at four national events (Sunriser, Wild West, Rim of the World and STPR). Despite some late–season problems - (a broken belt led to a DNF in Maine; an ignition problem put them out of the top ten at Ojibwe; and a broken connecting rod did them in at Lake Superior), a strong second at the Maine winter rally enabled them to clinch their fourth title in a row and five inthe last six years.

Choiniere also won the Mt. Washington Hill Climb in June of '94, although he did not break his '93 record.

Choiniere, 32, is a graduate of the University of Vermont, and currently resides in Shelburne, VT, with his wife Lori and three children—Tyler, Ryan and Tanner. He manages a import auto dealership, and enjoys a variety of sports in his limited free time.

Information on LIBRA RACING

They then built the TR–7's and TR–8's with which John Buffum won the US and North American Championships in the late 70's. Then came the all–conquering Audi Quattros which carried Buffum to six consecutive US Rally Championships from 1982–87; 64 events with only two mechanical non–finishes!

In the late 80's and early 90's, along with building and servicing Paul Choiniere's Audi Quattros and S–2s, Libra has opened its doors to outside customers, having built Mazda 323's, Mitsubishi Eclipses and Galants for Carl Merrill (4), Noel Lawler (2), and Jim Wilson. Choiniere won the championships in 1990, '92, '93 and '94 in Libra Racing Audis—another 51 events with only one mechanical DNF.

In late 1994, Libra built a Hyundai Elantra Open class rally car from the ground up for Paul Choiniere and Jeff Becker to defend their PRO Rally Championship. The car's debut saw a second–place finish in the 1994 Maine Forest Rally despite a broken drive shaft.

The car won its first rally at Cheraw, S.C. to start the 1995 SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally season at the Sand Hills/Sand Blast event, and followed with national wins at the Sunriser 400 Forest Rally in Ohio, the Wild West PRO Rally in Washington, the Rim of the World PRO Rally in California, and the Susquehannock Trail PRO Rally in Pennsylvania enroute to their fourth straight national title.

For 1996, Libra and Hyundai have teamed up again with Buffum building a restyled '96 Hyundai Elantra for Choiniere and Becker.

Buffum and co–driver Mark Williams also won the International Rally of the Incas in Peru in September, 1995, in Choiniere's old Audi S–2, eclipsing the previous record by nearly three hours.

Libra also supplies Michelin XGT Rally tires and many competition parts used in other teams' cars.

Biography

• Most successful U.S. Rally driver ever—11 national title and 108 victories
• Was SCCA PRO Rally series manager 1988-92
• 1994-5 President of the American Rally Association
• Now car owner of defending champion Hyundai Elantra

In 1964, when a fraternity brother at Middlebury College convinced John Buffum to navigate a time-speed-distance rally with him in a borrowed MGA, the most famous rally career in U.S. motorsports was born.

Buffum married Vicki Gauntlett in 1966, and she was his co-driver in TSD events, including a 10th that year in the Press on Regardless event in a Mini-Cooper. In 1967, Buffum co-drove for Tim Gold - also in a Mini - to a win in the New England Winter Rally.

After graduating from college and enlisting in the Army as a mechanical engineer, Buffum was sent to Germany as a second lieutenant in a bridge- building company of the Corps of Engineers. It was there that he saw all- out, World Rallying for the first time, and bought a Porsche 911T to compete in both regional and international rallies. In 1969, he drove to a 12th place finish at Monte Carlo, sharing the driving chores with American road racer Steve "Yogi" Behr.

The sport of PRO Rally did not exist in the U.S. when Buffum returned from Europe in 1970, and since the speed sensation he had experienced in Europe did not exist in TSD events, Buffum tried his hand at IMSA and SCCA road racing. Buffum formed his own racing company - Libra Racing - and competed both in a Mini Cooper and an English Ford Escort. He shared the driving cockpit with the likes of George Follmer, Steve Behr and Brett Lunger -and had some top 10 finishes in a BMW CSL, but didn't have the budget (or the right car - which was a Porsche Carrera RSR at the time) to crack the winner's circle.

By the mid-70's, performance rallying was taking roots in the U.S., and, despite the fact that John and Vicki divorced in 1974, they stayed together as a rally team. They started together in a Porsche in 1975, but it was 1976 that proved to be the pivotal year. The pair won two U.S. rallies and a Canadian event, sweeping to the NARRA national championship, and being edged out of the SCCA championship by Hendrik Blok/Erick Hauge. It was during this period when Buffum's driving style started to mature, as he went from the reckless mode which earned him the nickname "Stuff 'em Buffum" to his championship mode.

Buffum became known for his ability to take charge of the ever-changing conditions of a rally course, his photographic memory of roads and turns, and his ability to drive with abandon to post the fastest time, but with enough competition sense to finish the event.

For four years starting in 1977, Buffum drove factory Triumph TR-7s and TR-8s, and picked up Doug Shepherd as a co-driver. The pair dominated both the SCCA PRO Rally series and the North America Rally Championship until British Leyland dropped out of racing in the U.S. In 1981, they tried running Audi 80 and Peugeot 504 racers, but could not keep up with Rod Millen's factory Mazda RX-7 rally entries.

In 1982, however, when Audi supplied Buffum and Shepherd with its new Audi Quattro racers, they were unstoppable. Millen would get a faster RX-7, and Buffum would counter with Quattro A2, then a Sport Quattro and up the ante again. He would also rally occasionally in Europe, where, in 1983, he became the first and only American to win a European Championship event (1983 Sachs Rally in Germany and the 1984 ERC event in Cyprus).

With Doug Shepherd moving into a factory driver's role with Dodge, Buffum hired veteran co-driver Tom Grimshaw, and the pair won back-to-back-to-back championships, including their 1987 undefeated season. During this period, Buffum became the winniest performance rallying driver ever worldwide, with his 104 national championship wins far surpassing anyone else. He retired after that year, and became SCCA PRO Rally series manager, helping the sport maintain its stature through some lean years.

He still drives an occasional rally, however, having won several Canadian events and subbing (and winning) the Wild West PRO Rally in Olympia, Wash. in 1993 when regular driver (and step-son) Paul Choiniere couldn't make it to the event. He also subbed and won for Choiniere at the '94 Lake Superior PRO Rally. Buffum and veteran co-driver Mark Williams shaved more than two hours off the record while winning the Rally of Incas in Peru—in Choiniere's old Audi S-2—in September, 1995.

Choiniere, who became part of Buffum's family when his mother, Mary, married John in 1980, has won the SCCA PRO Rally series four of the past five years in a Buffum-prepared Audi Quattro S-2.

1995 Ford Escort Cosworth – Open Class PRO Rally Car

Driver: Carl Merrill
Co–driver: John Bellefleur

• 1993 North American Rally Champion; second in '94
• Third Overall SCCA PRO Rally finishers in 1993.
  
• Four top–three finishes in 1994/two Canadian Rally wins.
  
• New '95 World Rally Escort Cosworth for '95 season—won two events—DNF while leading in Michigan cost him shot at title

Biography

• Started '93 with new Ford Escort Cosworth—crashed at Pike's Peak, but won four rallies (2 US and 2 Canadian) in replacement;
• 1993 North American Rally Champion; 2nd in '94
• New '95 Escort Cosworth won Maine Summer Rally and Ojibwe Forests event

Merrill, a resort owner in the Maine coastal town of Ogunquit, has been involved with motorsports since 1979, mostly as a modified and NASCAR North sponsor and team owner . Although his teams had many successes over 12 years on the American Canadian Tour circuit, Merrill wanted to be a driver more than a sponsor, so he turned to PRO Rally.

He started in 1989, driving a Mazda 323GTX with Diane Houseal as co–driver. In 1990 and the first half of 1991, Merrill had a Mazda 323 GTX rally cars in the Production GT Class before switching to a new, 300 horsepower, Open Class Mitsubishi Eclipse in July, 1991. He debuted the new car at the Mt. Washington Hillclimb, finishing sixth overall. After an overheating problem spoiled the PRO Rally debut of the car at Bemidji, MN, he scored several top five finishes late in the season to secure fourth place Overall and third place in the Open Class for the 1991 Subaru PRO Rally Championship.

Merrill and co–driver Jon Wickens finished third Overall in the 1992 season opener at Big Bend Bash. At Round #2 in Prescott, Merrill was running third when his transmission gave way. Merrill and Wickens were in position to win the Rim of the World rally (first after nine stages), but transmission bugs again caused a DNF. The duo was sixth overall (fourth in the Open class) at STPR, but lost a turbo at Ojibwe to cause another DNF. DNFs at Westcliffe, POR and Olympia were disappointing, but a second overall in Maine gave Merrill 6th place overall in the '92 standings.

For '93, Merrill once again turned to Libra Racing to build him a new car— this time a Ford Escort Cosworth. Potentially the most powerful car on the circuit, Merrill hoped the extra power and his increased experience would lead to his first U.S. rally win.

In the car's debut at Olympia, Washington, Merrill showed he was a force to contend with as he won 7 of the 15 stages enroute to a fine second place overall. At Rim of the World, he dropped out early in the event with overheating problems, while electrical failure sidelined his efforts at STPR.

This Ford Escort Cosworth's short rally history in the U.S. came to an end on July 4, 1993, however, as Merrill plunged off a cliff during the running of the Pike's Peak Hillclimb. Although Merrill suffered only cuts and bruises, the car was destroyed.

He replaced his old Cosworth with a new one, and, after a DNF while leading the Ojibwe event, Merrill came back to win his first two Subaru

PRO Rally events ever, including a one–minute victory over Chad DiMarco at Westcliffe and a three–minute win over Doug Shepherd at POR.

Merrill finished second in the Open class and third overall in the '93 point standings. By virtue of his top finishes in both the U.S. and Canada, Merrill and Wickens also earned the 1993 North American Rally Championship.

1994 was a mixed blessing for Merrill. He had a second–pace finish to his credit at the opening round of the SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally series in South Carolina, but his journey at the Wild West PRO Rally in Olympia, Washington, was another matter. Merrill was poised in second place late in the event when Paul Choiniere rolled his Audi, and Carl found himself in front with an apparent victory. But a loose turbo hose forced him to make up some time on the transit road going into the last stage, and his extra speed led to disqualification.

Merrill regained some of his points stature back with a fine third–place performance at Rim of the World, in Palmdale, Calif., where he also won several stages outright, and was also third at STPR in Pennsylvania.

A DNF after an off–road excursion at the Maine Forest Summer Rally and a second place finish after a good battle with Choiniere at Ojibwe left Merrill in third place overall after eight events.

Also at Ojibwe, Merrill replaced Jon Wickens with veteran Canadian co–driver John Bellefleur, who has ridden in the navigator's seat with such luminaries as John Buffum and Rod Millen. Merrill/Bellefleur won their first event together in Canada, but, after the Ojibwe second place, suffered a first stage DNF crash at the Sunriser 400 Forest Rally. A third place at the Maine Forest Rally at the end of the season gave Merrill third in the final point standings once again.

Merrill is preparing at 450 bhp Chevy S–10 pick–up, but will probably run the Ford Escort Cosworth for most of the season in the U.S.

1994 Mitsubishi Lancer GSR Evolution II – Open Class PRO Rally Car

Driver: Henry Bourne Joy IV
Co-driver: Christopher Griffin

• 1992 SCCA PRO Rally - 2nd, Production GT Class
• 1993 SCCA PRO Rally - 3rd, Open Class, 5th Overall
• 1993 SCCA PRO Rally - 3rd, Open Class, 5th Overall
• 1993 SCCA PRO Rally - 3rd, Open Class, 5th Overall
• 1995 SCCA PRO Rally - Won Lake Superior PRO Rally in Michigan for first PRO Rally win; also first right-hand drive car to win

Biography

• Was hooked on rally after working the '91 POR
• Rookie driver in Production GT in '92
• Built Open class Mitsubishi for '93
• Third at Lake Superior and second at Wild West were '94 best overall finishes
• Won his first-ever PRO Rally event at the Lake Superior PRO Rally in '95 in Michigan in new right-hand-driver Mitsubishi Lancer

Unlike many drivers who have entered PRO Rally, Henry Joy has been successful over the past two years because he is able to go as fast as his ability will take him. Henry started his first PRO Rally season in 1992 in a Production GT Mazda 323GTX, and finished all but one event, narrowly missing a shot at the Production GT title.

The turning point for his season in '92 was the hiring of veteran co-driver Jimmy Brandt, who helped him determine how to go fast, yet pace himself during the long rally events. For the '94 season, Joy again turned to a veteran co-driver—Canadian Brian Maxwell—to help guide him to a top season finish. For his championship push in 1995, Joy has hired Chris Griffin, perennial class champion in the California Rally Series.

For '93, Joy built an Open class Mitsubishi Eclipse. In the first event in Olympia, Washington, Joy/Brandt finished a fine 11th overall and seventh in the Open class, while they were fifth overall (only 9 seconds out of fourth) at Rim, and seventh at STPR. Their third overall at Prescott, fifth overall at Westcliffe, and fourth overall at POR gave Joy third place in the Open class and fifth place overall in the final '93 point standings.

Not to be idle over that winter, Joy converted his old Mazda 323GTX into an ice racer, and has been competing on that circuit as well. He also competed in the Vauxhaul Rally—part of the British Open Championship—in March, finishing a respectable 31st overall in a Group N Mitsubishi Galant.

To open the '94 season, Joy was a disappointing DNF at the Doo Wop divisional in March, but came back strong to finish second overall—his best finish ever—at the Wild West PRO Rally in Olympia, Washington, and feels he is on the verge of winning his first event overall before the end of the year. He won the last three stages outright at Rim of the World in Palmdale, California, and had the third-fastest times overall, but finished fourth due to a one-minute penalty. At the Ojibwe Forests Rally, it was over before it began for Joy, whose engine threw a bearing during fuel management systems tests before the event began. Bad luck continued at the Sunriser 400 event, where Joy/Maxwell rolled their car on stage four.

Henry and Brian finally broke out of their funk at the Lake Superior PRO Rally in Michigan with a fine third place finish behind Buffum and Peter Moodie.

Henry has built a Mitsubishi Lancer for the 1995 series and debuted it in July in Maine Forest Summer Rally, but ran off the road on stage #1 and punctured the oil cooler. He had better luck through the Ojibwe Forests in Northern Minnesota, finishing third in the car's first finish in August. Joy and Griffin finally broke through at the Lake Superior PRO Rally event in October, outlasting Choiniere and Merrill for the victory. That victory kept his championship hopes alive until the last event, when Choiniere finshed second to clinch the title.

In his Mitsubishi Eclipse, early in the season, he accumulated points with a second-place finish at Wild West, a fourth—just 3 seconds ahead of Carl Merrill—at Sunriser, and a third—just 17 seconds behind Peter Moodie at Rim of the World. At STPR in Pennsylvania, Joy was right on the tail of a faltering Choiniere when a check-in time penalty cost him the event.

Joy owns his own production company—"Stopped Motion"—and makes commercials, music videos and documentaries.

Information on T.A.D. MOTORSPORTS

During 1993 and 1994, T.A.D. prepared and ran an Open class Mitsubishi Eclipse for SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally series driver Henry Joy. In only his second year of PRO Rally competition, Joy matured into a top five driver in 1993, winning several stages outright, finishing all ten rallies entered, and narrowly missing a third- place overall finish in the point standings. In '94, those top five finishes became top three finishes (second at Wild West and third at Lake Superior).

Thomas, who has worked around the sport of rally for 17 years— including crew chief in the World Championship/FIA series—spent the late 1980's and early 1990's as crew chief for Rod Millen Motorsports. He helped Millen and his Mazdas to two SCCA Overall championships, three Group A titles, and top finishes in the FIA Asia Pacific Series, including a first place finish in the Himalaya Rally which gave Millen and co-driver Tony Sircombe the 1989 Asia Pacific series championship.

1995 Saab 900 SE – Group 5 Class PRO Rally Car

Driver: Sam Bryan
Co-driver: Rob Walden

• 1994 SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally - 10th overall, 2nd in Group 2
• 1995 SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally - 4th overall, Group 2 National title

Saab 900 Turbo Coupe Finds Its Own (Off) Road to
1996 SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally Series

Team Saab is Turbocharged For Debut Season

NORCROSS, Ga. — Saab enthusiasts have matched their skills and Swedish steeds against the rigors and challenges of road rallies for decades, scoring victories in events that range from local races to the national SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally Series. For 1996, competitors on the national rally circuit will be joined by an all-new Saab 900 Turbo Coupe, campaigned by last year's SCCA/Michelin PRO Rally Series Group 2 champions Sam Bryan and Rob Walden. Team Saab, in its debut PRO Rally season, will challenge competitors in the new-for-1996 Group 5 class with the potent 2.3L, 300- plus horsepower turbocharged Saab 900 Turbo Coupe, sponsored in part by Saab Cars USA, Inc. The rally-edition Saab 900 features eye-catching Monte Carlo Yellow exterior paint and Saab's unique Find Your Own Road graphics.

"Saab owes its early successes in the U.S. market to many memorable rally victories, courtesy of such Saab rally legends as Erik Carlsson and Rolf Mellde," said Jim Crumlish, president and CEO, Saab Cars USA, Inc. "We are therefore tremendously enthusiastic about helping Sam and Rob carry on this tradition. We are especially excited that turbocharging — a Saab specialty since 1978 — will again be a competitive factor in the PRO Rally Series."

Team Saab driver Sam Bryan, an engineer and long-time rally enthusiast from Kent, Washington, and co-driver Rob Walden, owner of Scandia Autosports in Seattle, Washington, will debut the Saab 900 Turbo Coupe at the season's first national event, the April 12-14 Wild West Pro Rally in Olympia, Washington. "Both Rob and I are firm believers in Saab's inherent reliability," said Bryan. "We know these cars inside and out, and in some cases upside-down, and can personally vouch for the fact that Swedish steeI and structural integrity go hand in hand."

Team Saab also looks forward to making the performance advantage of full- boost turbocharging a crucial part of their rally strategy. "The PR0 Rally series is a great showcase both for the performance and durability aspects of turbocharging," said Walden. "Most important, though, is the fact that turbocharging can transform a great driving experience into a joy ride and having fun is a huge part of rallying's appeal."

Saab's U.S. rally heritage dates back to 1956, when three box-stock Saab 93 two-strokes arrived in the Northeast to compete in the 1,500-mile Great American Mountain Rally. The cars (which even preceded the first major consignment of Saabs to be retailed in the U.S.) handled the harsh temperatures and equally cruel terrain with ease, taking first, third and fourth place in their class, as well as overall and team trophies. For many Americans, the resulting Saab news coverage marked their first introduction to the fiercely competitive, uniquely styled Swedish automobiles.