Media Information

Contact: Andy Schupack - national series media liaison:

(717) 724-2111, ext. 426³ press room direct
(717) 724-2086 ³ lines 6/4 - 6/7
(401) 739-5677 (before 6/4 or after 6/7)

Event: Susquehannock Trail PRO Rally (STPR) - Round #5 of the 1998 Michelin PRO Rally Championship. Race cars from around the world will compete at high speeds through the Pennsylvania State Forests near Wellsboro, Pennsylvania.

When: Friday - Sunday, June 5 - June 7, 1998

Schedule

Where: Rally headquarters will be at the Penn Wells Hotel, 62 Main Street, Wellsboro. A list of public viewing areas for the rally is published in the rally program available at the Penn Wells Hotel, or the Wellsboro Chamber of Commerce, Main and Central Streets, in Wellsboro.

Duration: 145 stage miles, 344 total miles, 13 stages

Rank: Full National Rally, sanctioned by the Sports Car Club and sponsored by Michelin Tire Company. Presented by the Finger Lakes Region of the Sports Car Club of America, with the cooperation of the Wellsboro Chamber of Commerce and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, Bureau of Forestry. Local sponsor is Citizens & Northern Bank.

Expected Top National Entries:

• Paul Choiniere - defending six-time overall national champion - has won this rally five of the last six years - in his Hyundai Tiburon;
• David Summerbell, from Kingston, Jamaica, in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV, won the most recent event in Palmdale, Calif.;
• Carl Merrill, with Ford Escort Cosworth, produces more than 400 hp - won STPR last year;
• Frank Sprongl, Canadian champion, in an Audi Quattro S-2, won three events in three tries in the series last year;
• Garen Shrader, in a Ford Sierra Cosworth;
• Mike Whitman, '96 Group 2 champion, in a Ford Sierra Cosworth Open class car;
• Cal Landau, fastest Pennsylvania racer (from Coraopolis), '95 Production GT champion, in a Mitsubishi Eclipse;
• Steve Gingras, won Production GT in Washington in April, in a Eagle Talon - defending PGT champion;
• Lee Shadbolt, current Production GT points leader, in a Subaru Impreza 4WD;
• Ralph Kosmides, in a new Toyota Supra twin turbo, currently leads Group 5;
• Bruce Newey, Toyota Celica, in his '98 Group 5 debut;
• Bill Malik, Volvo 240, top Group 2 contender;
• Jon Nichols, Canadian VW GTI, won Maine Rally in class last year;
• Chris Havas, VW GTI, up-and-coming Group 2 contender;
• Trevor Donison, from Vancouver, Plymouth Neon, currently leads Production.

Visuals: There will be escorts to take photographers and video crews onto the course during the daylight part of the rally on Saturday. Anyone requiring supplied photos or video should contact Andy Schupack in the press room starting June 4. Rally cars going through water, rough terrain, and sliding at high speed through tight turns provide exciting visuals.

Media Info: We will provide phone-ins on event information, driver interviews, and results. We will fax stories and agate Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We have B-roll available for TV. The press room will be located in the Green Room on the first floor of the Penn Wells Hotel.