BUCKHORN, Ont. (August 20, 2006) -- The Planet Motorsport Rally Team claimed its maiden victory this weekend at the Galway-Cavendish Forest Rally, round four of the Ontario Performance Rally Championship (OPRC).
Coming off a pair of third-place finishes at the last two events, the team was looking to move up a couple of places on the podium. “It’s a fantastic feeling to get our first win,” said team driver John Vanos. “We’ve worked incredibly hard to get to where we are today, and this victory is a well-deserved reward for the whole team. To set new stage records is icing on the cake!”
Located to the right is a gallery of past cars we have worked on with a brief description of what was done. Click on the thumbs to bring up the selected car.
Vanos and Ockwell jumped into the lead right off the start, but the team of Peter Reilly/Ray Felice was pressing hard. “We were trading seconds all day long with Peter and Ray,” explained co-driver Alan Ockwell. “After a steady pace on the first two special stages, we decided to step up the pace on the next three stages to extend our lead. The sixth and final stage was a fun run to put on a show for the spectators.”
“I’m ecstatic!” exclaimed team principal Iain Fraser. “John made the most of our new upgrades. Our whole crew has worked tirelessly to build and develop an excellent rally car. I’m really proud of them. But we have a few more tricks up our sleeves for the next events!”
The first-place finish vaults Vanos to the top of the OPRC drivers’ championship and places Ockwell in a tie for the lead of the co-drivers’ standings. The team is looking to solidify its championship lead at the next event, the Rallye Défi Sainte-Agathe/Duhamel, on September 8-9. Ryan Huber will be back in the co-driver’s seat at Défi.
Planet Motorsport extends its thanks and congratulations to the event organizers for putting together an excellent rally. The team would also like to thank Martin Donnelly for his technical assistance.
Rally racing is a challenging, all-season motor sport discipline; its drivers are widely considered the most skilled in the world. Teams race against the clock on variable terrain in modified cars that closely resemble those that the average consumer can find at their local dealer. The sport requires intense teamwork between driver and co-driver and extreme skill behind the wheel.
Planet Motorsport is a Guelph, Ont., shop that specializes in Subaru drivetrain conversions and performance upgrades for any model of car. The Planet Motorsport rally team is supported by Hydra Engine Management Systems, Hot Bits Suspension, Andrew Harvey Photography and Ground Up Racing.
About the driver:
John Vanos, 24, is leading the next generation of Canada's rally stars. The recent Guelph University science graduate has been turning in top results since his debut on the performance rally circuit in early 2005.
With barely a year of competition under his belt, the rookie driver has earned a string of podium finishes for the Planet Motorsport team. He shows a consistency and maturity that are rare for such a young driver and he is already a regular threat on the Ontario circuit.
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