Off the Line

The Official Semi-occasional Publication of

Team Harco Motorsports Winter 2000/2001

The Biggest Year Yet

The year 2000 was another year of great accomplishments for Team Harco. Along with the repeat championships in the CenDiv RoadRally series and in the two Detroit region autocross series there are a number of big highlights to mention. First there was the successful competition debut of Talon 2 at the Sno*Drift ProRally in January. Then the same car claimed the fastest “rubber to ice” time at the MSCC ice run a month later. Then in March T2 won the Moonlight Monte RoadRally. Early in the spring of 2000 a new car joined the Team Harco corral - a 1985 Porsche 944. The summer saw a chance to compete at one of the biggest ProRallies in the country - Susquehannock Trail (STPR). A Vintage class win at POR, another FTD with the autocross Colt and a trip to Wisconsin for the United States Road Rally Challenge (USRRC) made 2000 the biggest year yet.

The Team Harco/Dragon Lady (T2) Talon in action at the 2000 Susquehannock Trail ProRally in Pennsylvania. Steve Nowicki paid to drive, Scott Harvey assumes navigator duties. Don DeRose photo.

Trade In; Trade Up

There has been a change afoot for the past two years at Team Harco. It has been somewhat gradual but still quite significant. It started in the summer of 1999. The old Explorer wagon was becoming too much of a consumer of time and money. A new 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee has now taken on the duties of tow vehicle, kid-hauler and grocery-getter with the greatest of ease. (continued)

Off the Line

The Official Semi-occasional Publication of Team Harco Motorsports Issue #11 -- Winter 2000/01

Contents

Trade In; Trade Up …….........................……....…......… 1

The Year In Review ………………………………..…….. 1

Susquehannock Trail ProRally..……….……………..….. 5

Press On Regardless ………….............…..…….….…… 7

Season Ending Autocrosses ………..…….…………..…. 7

Late Rally Rounds …………………………………………. 9

United States RoadRally Challenge …………………….. 10

Looking Ahead .....................................……........…..… 12

Thank You .........................................…............….…… 13

The Team Harco Calendar ............…..................….…. 15

On the Cover: The Team Harco/Dragon Lady ProRally Talon (T2). At the 2000 Susquehannock ProRally, June 3. Photo by Don DeRose

Off the Line is edited and published, time permitting, by Scott D. Harvey, Jr.

The name Off the Line, (aside from its many connotations) is used here, without being registered and is used without any ones permission. Any resemblance between this newsletter and other published columns, of the same name, is not intended to detract from their readership in any way.

Comments, Questions, Back Issues, etc.

Team Harco Motorsports

221 Ormsby

Waterford, MI 48327-1750

Central Headquarters (248) 683-0207

E-mail: TeamHarco@Juno.com

(Work hours) (248) 393-6106

(fax) (248) 393-6435

Trade In; Trade Up (conclusion)

Last issue covered the early development of the T2 ProRally Talon after it arrived at the Team Harco garage in the spring of 1999. To make room for T2 the old Shelby Charger had to go. I rate that a fair trade.

Then early in 2000 a chance to become a Porsche owner came along. Not a 911, that I hope to one day own, but a 944. The price was too good to pass up. And to make room for “Herbie” (after the little lovable beetle), the old (and thoroughly rusted) Arrow had to go. Looks like another fair trade.

We didn’t do much in the way of trade-in but I think in each case it was a move up.

The latest addition to the Team Harco corral - a 1985 Porsche 944 - “Herbie”.

The Year in Review

January 15, 2000 the Son of Sno*Drift RoadRally Waterford, Michigan.

The second running of this Detroit Region winter rally was again organized and “rallymastered” by your humble and obedient servant. The weather cooperated more so this time, as 3 - 4 inches of snow fell early in the week prior to the rally. There was enough snow, ice, slop and muck on the roads to make the going challenging and fun.

Several mistakes and typos were made by the “rallymaster” but all was overcome by the end. The most troublesome situation was the fact that the course-opening car (driven by your humble scribe) faltered and then failed due to a dead battery. Power steering fluid was leaking onto the alternator, which fouled its brushes. After the alternator dies, the battery is soon to follow. With the assistance of several control crews and an eventual tow to the mid-rally break (by Dan Coughnour) the Team Harco/ Dragon Lady Talon (T2) was dropped in Durand for the remainder of the night.

Bob Martin devised the plan that would save the rally from total disaster. Not only did he chauffeur me to all the remaining control locations, but he also helped set those that were to be manned by the competitors (work/run) and finally Bob did the scoring. It was with great satisfaction that Bob and I were able to overcome some very serious obstacles while trying to present a rally that others might enjoy. This teamwork would come in handy two weeks later as Bob Martin had agreed to navigate for me at the Sno*Drift ProRally in Atlanta, MI. Now the two of us would be racing over the frozen roads of northern Michigan in the same car. And that car was the same T2 that was left stranded in Durand! Luckily lessons were learned and the power steering leak was repaired shortly there after.

The rally itself was fun for the competitors. Only one competitor admitted to having trouble maintaining the speeds and another team admitted to twice having “stuffed it”. Most everyone enjoyed the rally and after Bob Martin saved it - I did too. Novice class winners were Jeff and Elea Feit. Worden and Robinette won stock class. Limited was taken by Shaffer and Fekete. Rob Moran won first overall and Equipped (for the second year in a row). This time Rob had Bruce Fisher driving Bruce’s aging Datsun 510 wagon. Every time I see this car it is lighter than the last time - not from alternative materials but from more rust falling off!

Detroit Region SCCA Awards Banquet, Livonia, Michigan. Jan. 22, 2000

A big boost to start the year came for Team Harco at the Detroit SCCA awards banquet. I knew about the Detroit Region Rally Championship and I was very proud to finally take the overall rally trophy. I also knew about the Solo II class championship claimed from 1999. Other trophies that needed to be hauled home that night were for 3^rd place Class E in the CenDiv rally series, 2^nd in Class E in the Detroit Region RoadRally championship and a nice director’s chair for being the event chairman of Son of Sno*Drift. What was not known was that I had been selected as the recipient of the Karl Pel Memorial Trophy. The following is the description from the awards program:

“The Detroit Region established this memorial trophy to honor one of its most dedicated members, Karl Pel, who passed away on November 8, 1974. Karl will be remembered best for the time and energy he devoted to the Club. He was not just in attendance at most of the races, rallies and meetings, but he was there helping, whenever needed. He seemed to have a knack of being in the right place at the right time - hot coffee for cold registrars, food for the hungry tech inspectors… and his car was a ready source of most anything a worker could possibly need. However, Karl had a way of doing all these things for people without being obvious about it. He shied away from the limelight and stayed in the background whenever he could. This trophy is presented each year to the worker who has devoted an exceptional amount of time and effort toward promoting our sport and the Detroit Region.”

Well I’m not sure I fully deserve this honor - but I do graciously accept the acknowledgment of my fellow club members. At the end of the night I got to take a bunch of nice trophies home and I was able to put them in my car without even getting cold. For the second successive year, a Team Harco competition vehicle was on display. This time it was T2 that got the nod. For the banquet, the club has tried to have a car from each of the three major types of motorsport that SCCA is famous for; race, rally and solo. And typically from a Detroit Region champion. I have been lucky to be asked in two consecutive years to show a rally car. Last time it was Eagle 1 this time it was Talon 2. They actually wanted me to bring the Colt. I had to ask them which Colt!

The Team Harco/ Dragon Lady T2 Talon on display at the 1999 Detroit SCCA year-end awards banquet. Note the editor explaining the right hand rule to Pete Padden. This shot was taken one week before the 2000 Sno*Drift ProRally. Photo by Marianne Mickle.

Sno*Drift ProRally, Atlanta, Michigan. Jan. 28-29, 2000

A year’s worth of preparation was about to be tested. Talon 2 was purchased just a year earlier and in the time between was gradually built into a Production GT class ProRally car. While most any car can be used in a road rally - ProRally places great demands on the competitors and their car. Racing as fast as one can go on some of the roughest and slipperiest roads in the country make ProRally a very demanding form of motorsport.

So it was that Bob Martin and I approached the only snow rally of the ProRally series with great anticipation. Unable to enter the national rally, the team saved a few bucks and competed in the concurrent ClubRallies (run over the exact same route as the national rally). After the first ClubRally the team claimed 8^th overall and 2^nd in PGT. Stage times would have been good enough for us to claim 4^th overall but on a particularly narrow downhill “trail” on the Lockwood Lake Ranch, we got sideways in the road. We could not move and had to wait for about 5 teams worth of helpers to push us down the hill and straight to the road. We lost about five minutes and held-up the cars immediately behind us. There was simply no room for any one to get past while we waited in a trench that was, theoretically, a road.

The second of two ClubRallies was run after dark and the roads got even slipperier. Extra care was taken to assure a finish. A few early mistakes led to a cautious approach taken the rest of the way. There were absolutely no problems with the car - it performed flawlessly. This is not to say we stayed on the road the entire rally. I can recall at least four spins and couple of exciting moments but those were more attributable to driving errors. Bob and I claimed 6^th overall (less than a minute out of 4^th) and again claimed 2^nd in PGT. The debut for the “new ultimate rally machine” was a resounding success.

The Team Harco/ Dragon Lady Talon in action at the 2000 Sno*Drift ProRally. Scott Harvey and Bob Martin take 2^nd place PGT in both ClubRallies. Photo by: Jerry Winker (www.rallysport.net/comicozzie/)

MSCC Y2K Ice Follies, Loon Lake, Drayton Plains, MI. Feb. 13, 2000

It had been four years since the last ice run on Loon Lake. This time the weather cooperated enough for us to get one ice run in before it got warm again. Ice races, after all, have some very special requirements - namely a minimum of 10 inches of ice.

33 competitors turned-up and the studded tire class was full of ProRally drivers. Jeremy Butts used motorcycle ice racing screws in his tires to take the fastest time of day (48.72 sec). Chris Czyzio, fresh off his PGT win at Sno*Drift, could do no better than second this day (49.55). His studded tires were not as grippy as those used by Jeremy. W.G. Giles had well used street studs on his Audi Quattro. These were even less effective than the best runs of two drivers on studless tires (56.71).

The driver of T2 turned in the third fastest time (52.66). This was good enough to win the 4WD class (also the fastest “rubber to ice” time). Fourth fastest, and FWD + winter tire class was Bill Watkins (56.52) in a Neon. The only other driver to break the one-minute barrier was Azizi Tucker, also in a Neon (58.89). Fastest RWD time was Phil Smith in a Miata (67.02).

The conditions changed throughout the day. Those who took their runs early, in general, had better grip on the snow that lingered. Once the corners got polished and the snow was swept away, the course got slower (slipperier).

The Team Harco/ Dragon Lady Talon taking the fastest “rubber to ice” time at the only MSCC ice run of 2000. Photo by: “Skip” Kleckner (www.tir.com/~kleckner/)

Moonlight Monte, Imlay City, MI, March 4, 2000

The second CenDiv (and second Detroit Region) rally of the year was Moonlight Monte. Dave Harkcom had taken over as rallymaster on this one from Jim Mickle. This freed Jim up to compete. And compete we did.

Eagle 1 was out of commission that weekend because the fuel sender unit was rusted out, and fuel was leaking from the top of the fuel tank. To me, this was just another good excuse to get more use out of T2. The ride was a little bit stiffer than is comfortable, but the car and team performed well enough for the win. Second were Randy Wittine and Les Talcott in the ever-popular “Police Caprice”. Fisher/ Moran were third and Boris/ Boris were fourth.

The first Stock class car was in fifth overall (Scott Radabaugh/ Mike Bennet). Sixth overall would be the Limited class winners, Phillips and Gilbert. These two guys have been coming up to Michigan, from their homes in Indiana, for a number of years now. They say they like the rallies we put on. This is the first time (to my knowledge) they have won their class. Nice job guys.

So after four events, in a period of just over a month, the “New Ultimate Rally Machine” racked up two wins and two second place finishes. To say I am pleased would be a bit of an understatement.

Wildcat Rally, Friendship, OH, April 1, 2000

April Fool’s day would find the Team Harco crew in Ohio for the closest thing to a ProRally there is without the fire suits, helmets and roll cage. The hills in this part of Ohio (the southernmost tip) are very steep and unforgiving. The organizers specifically state that this is not a rally for the inexperienced competitor. They were not lying. You see, there are things that are called “vistas”. What this really means is that if you saw how far you would fall before hitting something - you wouldn’t be doing this! This is no doubt why they run at night. What you can’t see can’t scare you.

Well we weren’t too scared. But when the dust from the car ahead of you makes it difficult to see which way the road goes – one can get a little apprehensive. The organizers also mentioned that Hakkas (really good snow tires) are marginal, at best, for use on this rally. What they were really saying is that performance rally tires are what the properly dressed car should wear. We however, did not have the luxury of fitting the car with true rally tires. We did have nearly bald Hakkas! This made the going even more exciting. We were able to stay on the road all the way through and by the end of the night claimed second place. It seems that local knowledge of control locations and roads paid big dividends for the winners (Dreher/ Farmer) in a ProRally prepared Dodge Colt. These guys had real rally tires and prior experience going for them. We were very happy with our placement (under the circumstances) and found the roads and speeds to be everything we had hoped for. This is one great rally.

SAE Student Spring Autocross, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, April 8, 2000

This would be my last year as chairman of the SAE Student Autocross. It had been my event since 1992. Time commitments at work and my own rally/race program made it increasingly difficult to pull this event off properly. My plans are to remain involved with the Detroit Section SAE and help with this event in the future – it’s just that it will be less of a role. As an indicator of how much work it had become, I was unable to obtain a speaker for the mid-day break. So the students that turned up on this chilly day were stuck with me.

Lacking a true authority in the field, it was left to me to speak on a subject that I, at least, had some clue. After a little thought, it was determined that I would give a presentation on Grassroots Motorsport. What evolved was a more advanced version of a subject that I presented a year earlier to the SAE student chapter at the University of Michigan. If I don’t have a clue about Grassroots Motorsport, then who does?

I think it was well received and most everyone really enjoyed the ProRally film that I showed (the 1999 Sno*Drift).

Another highlight of the day, aside from the snow flurries was having T2 on hand for some fast runs on the autocross course. Arick Rushing and I took turns behind the wheel of T2 during the worker “fun-runs”. The screaming Eagle was right at home in the snow.

When he wasn’t blasting around the course in T2, Arick did his usual great job as the announcer. He is the entertainment. That wasn’t all; the Dragon Lady even showed up. Plus she got a couple of rides before the day was done.

Wisconsin Glacier Trail/ Lead County Safari Rallies, Dodgeville, WI, April 29-30, 2000

The end of April found the Harco crew in Wisconsin for a pair of CenDiv RoadRallies. Wisconsin has some of the nicest roads I have ever seen. Even their dirt roads are wonderful. They are smoother than paved roads in Michigan!

The Harkcoms won the first of the two rallies. This was young Daniel’s first big win. At age 15, this kid has a bright future as a Rallyist. The Harco crew was back in Eagle 1 but had to settle for number two on this day. The Harkcom’s beat us 19 to 29. Third were Dredge and Moran (Rob came over from Michigan and teamed up with a local competitor).

The second rally would be more kind to us. The Harkcom’s had left for home - to get Dan back to school on time. This didn’t mean there wouldn’t be tough competition - it just meant one less tough team. Our margin of victory was fairly large though - 35 to 83. We were again able to run one position better than Dredge and Moran.

Detroit SCCA Solo School and Formula SAE, May 2000

Among the many events that I take part in each year – these two are a chance for me to give back a little to the “community”. As an instructor at the Solo School, I help a few student drivers develop their driving skills and learn what it takes to become a better autocross competitor. Plus it gives me a chance to sample some nice cars. In the past I have been allowed to drive my students’ cars, typically for one run. I have been lucky enough to get behind the wheel of a Porsche 911, a 944, a BMW M3, an M Coupe, a Corvette and some other nice machines. The goal is to show the students how their car can be driven and then let them work their way toward quicker times and smoother runs. The Solo School gives each student a lot of timed runs and good one-on-one instruction from an experienced driver.

The Formula SAE competition is a very unique event. University students design, build and then race their own single-seat open-wheel racecar against other university teams. In 1991 I was a member of the Lawrence Tech Formula SAE team and it was a great experience for me. Since that time I have been involved as either a member of the tech inspection crew or, of late, as the station captain of various safety related tests. It is really amazing to see the quality of most of these cars. Not only are they technically interesting but they are also very fast and agile.

It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years. This is what we built in 1991. A younger and slimmer guy stands aside the Lawrence Tech entrant in the Formula SAE.

CAST In Stone, Hastings, MI, May 20, 2000

Rob Moran’s rally has always been a good clean event. This year’s rally would be another good example. Rob does not like to use the same roads twice – so this event has been gradually working its way further west each year. Once we reach Lake Michigan, I suppose the route will start heading north. This rally counted toward both the Detroit Region championship and the CenDiv championship. The Team Harco crew of Harvey/Mickle won it again. I kid Rob about him winning my rally every year – he then reminds me that I have had good results at his rally too. I can’t complain.

Susquehannock Trail ProRally

STPR, Wellsboro, PA, June 2-3, 2000

STPR is the biggest ProRally on the circuit. The entry was limited to 80 cars. It draws the best drivers and cars in the country. It looked as though I would be sitting this one out and really had no plans to be there. Then came a plea, on rally-l (the e-mail list for rally enthusiasts), from Steve Nowicki who was looking for a ride. He had an agreement with a fellow from Illinois to drive his newly prepared Subaru. When its engine was damaged, the deal fell through. Steve’s request was for a ProRally prepared car for his use at STPR. He would pay all expenses and he could also offer a certain amount of instruction based on his experience.

Now aside from the money to get me (and my car) into the biggest rally of the year, I felt I could learn a lot from this opportunity. Not only would I gain intimate knowledge of the roads and terrain of this part of Pennsylvania, but I would learn even more about how to make my car (T2) go faster. Oh, did I mention that I would be navigating? It was quite different to be on the other side of the car as we hurtled down the road at breakneck speeds. The only thing I had in front of me was the Alfa Pro rally odometer and the rest of the car.

The sight of the 80 cars staged side-by-side, all around the “green” in Wellsboro was worth the trip. There were the championship Libra Racing Hyundais, 8 WRX type Subarus, 6 Mitsubishi Lancer Evos and dozens of other awesome machines. We had a front row spot, due to Steve’s seed 2 status. I was rubbing elbows with Frank Sprongl (Canadian champion), Erik Commas (former F1 driver, turned rally competitor), John Buffum (11-time U.S. champion), Doug Shepherd and Pete Gladysz (top competitors from the Detroit area). Henry and Cindy Krolikowski brought out their new Subaru WRX STi.

We got off to a good start. 12^th on the road meant we would be running with the fast guys. We were a couple of cars ahead of Tad Otake and Bob Martin (both from the Detroit area) and shared a few laughs with them during the breaks. A couple of cars ahead of us were Peter Cunningham (better known for his road racing exploits) and Jim Gill. Their rented Evo was running rough. It was later diagnosed with a broken valve spring. They ran the entire rally and finished in the top five. Quite a result when you consider the car ran on 3 cylinders for the whole rally. On the second stage we caught and passed George Plesek (a West Coast competitor in a very fast Audi). We later learned that a half shaft had failed and took out their brakes. This would be the last good thing to happen for us. Part way into the third stage we came flying down a road that had a little downhill grade and an off camber left bend to it. It was sunny yet the trees made the transition from sun to shade difficult on the eyes. I could see that we were approaching a tree on my side of the car – my immediate thought was “uh –oh”. Steve rotated the car a little and just when I thought we might miss the tree we caught it with the right rear corner. The impact then spun us 270 degrees back to the right and we nosed down a bank. We were OK, but the car was stuck at a 45-degree angle down the bank. We had no way of getting the car out without a lot of help.

We got out and displayed the OK sign to the remaining 60 or so competitors and waited for the big sweep vehicle to come along and pull us back on to the road. After what seemed like two hours our help arrived – a Unimog. I never knew what a Unimog was until I saw this one. I can only describe it as a large troop transport vehicle that could carry a great deal of armament. Luckily this one didn’t have any weapons, but it sure pulled us out of our predicament.

We were not the only ones to DNF – in fact nearly half the field failed to finish. The speeds were apparently higher than in previous years due to the wet spring that had kept dust to a minimum. So when cars did go off, they were generally traveling at a higher rate of speed. Our damage was limited to the right rear sheet metal. Once we got back on the road we drove right out and proceeded to find our beer cooler. After cooling off a little, we got cleaned-up, had something to eat, and returned to the woods to spectate. One thing that makes this rally so great are the roads. This portion of Pennsylvania is very hilly, almost mountainous; as such, there are numerous switchbacks and hairpins. In spite of our bad fortune I felt the trip was worthwhile. Aside from failing to finish, most of my goals were met. I would agree to run with Steve again, should the opportunity come up again. Though I would prefer to do the driving.

Detroit Grand Prix, Belle Isle Park, Detroit, MI, June 6

Another event that I am not a competitor in – but take time to enjoy is the Detroit Grand Prix. Ever since F1 started coming to Detroit, I have tried to go to the “Free Prix Day” and take lots of photos. The past two years we have made it a family outing as guests of the Timken Company. John Gingrich has been our host and we have been treated to luxury accommodations at the Team Rahal hospitality tent. We get fed and enjoy beverages from their sponsoring beer supplier (Miller Brewing) and then we have grandstand seats on the start/finish straight. It’s not Formula 1, but it is still nice to see the top dogs race.

Here is a picture from the Detroit Grand Prix, which I took a few years ago. I call it “3 Champs”. All three of these drivers won championships in CART, F1 and the Indy 500. Leading the way is Jacques Villenuve, followed by Emerson Fittipaldi and then Mario Andretti. Quite a rare situation I would think.

Autocross events in June, July and August

The first that I actually competed in during 2000 was not until June 18^th. MSCC held Champ series #3 at the DCX Tech Center. The little fire-breathing Colt was driven to 1^st in EP and third fastest time of all. That’s a pretty good start.

A week later Detroit SCCA held an autocross at the Palace of Auburn Hills. This was a fairly large course with a lot of challenging aspects. Again, our favorite little red car won the EP class.

Two days of time trials at the Waterford Hills racetrack fell on July 3^rd and 4^th. The first was the MSCC event and the little Colt won EP and showed a lot of people what the little car can do. The next day the Corvette Club of Michigan held their traditional event. The EP class was bigger and promised stiffer competition. The toughest came from a local road racer who drove his Triumph TR6 to victory in the class by a margin of a few hundredths of a second. This guy was no rookie and his car was well prepared. In fact, both car and driver qualified for the road racing “Runoffs” at Mid Ohio. One thing that I have not been able to clarify is whether he belonged in the E “Prepared” autocross class. He saw the “EP” on my car and it looked just like the “EP” on his car. The big difference is that the “P” stands for “Production” in road racing and, in general, has cars of greater performance potential. Anyway, I felt good about running such a close second to this guy. The third place car was also tough, but I was able to beat him by just a few hundredths. Any slip-ups could have changed the order completely.

A few days later the Team Harco/ Dragon Lady Colt was in Grand Blanc for a CenDiv autocross. These SCCA events bring out some of the best autocross racers in the Midwest. The toughest competition in EP came from the HART Honda again. I got one clean run in on this extremely challenging course. Luckily for me the HART car got no clean runs and I took the class win by a very small margin. This marked the first time I have ever beaten the “Honda from Hell” – it could easily be the last.

Two more Detroit council autocrosses were run; an MSCC event on August 13^th and then an AROC event on the 20^th. Both times I took the EP class win. At the MSCC event I got even closer to an FTD by taking second overall.

On August 26^th and 27^th, Detroit SCCA ran their CenDiv event at the Oscoda airport. This is one of the fastest and longest autocrosses we run all year. Running high in 3^rd gear and even getting into 4^th gear are not uncommon at this venue. It rained like mad during much of the day on Saturday. It rained so hard during my first run that I hit a large puddle and hydroplaned right off the course in a wild spin. On one of my later runs I hit another puddle and it shot water through the floor onto the windshield on the inside of the car! Running a car with no side windows, no wipers and no defroster does have its disadvantages at times. Nonetheless I had a blast in the wet and really like running on the Yokohama rain tires that I use. Sunday, the weather cleared and all heats were run in the dry. This time there were no miracles; the HART drivers took 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd. A fresh set of racing tires were purchased (with Dragon dollars) that weekend so the remainder of the season would be run on good [year] tires.

Press On Regardless

POR, Boyne City, MI, Sept. 8-10, 2000

The 51^st annual Press On Regardless rally was run out of Boyne City, Michigan again. This rally has some great history and tradition behind it. After the big noise from two years earlier, this rally got tamed down last year. That kinder, gentler version (“POR light”) was not really up to the tradition of a rally called Press On Regardless. For 2000 things would return to normal. Average speeds were up, rougher roads were selected, and some sections were run at night. One of the best things to happen was the inclusion of a section that took the competitors into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Bryan Murphy and I competed in the Vintage class again with the old rally Colt. We figured our chances to repeat, as winners would be pretty good. A lot had to do with the fact that there was only one other team entered in Vintage. Dick Foster and Bill Secrest came up from Kentucky in Bill’s Datsun 240Z. When we saw them on the side of the road - before we reached the first control – we knew things would be in our favor. It turned out they were having fuel pick-up problems. Eventually they routed a couple of 10 foot lengths of fuel hose from the fuel filler neck (into the fuel tank) along the roofline of the car, down the “A” pillar and eventually to the fuel pump under the hood. These two black hoses were an interesting contrast against the pumpkin orange paint. The silver duct tape just added to the look. But at least they were getting fuel to the carbs! About half way through the first day they finally had to drop out. The front shocks had turned to mush and they couldn’t take the pounding anymore.

We cruised to an easy win in the class and took 10^th overall. The winners of POR had to be decided by a recalculation of one of the last legs of the rally. A tie existed between Parps/ Moran and Coughnour/ Andreini. After Jim Mickle rechecked that leg it was determined that Dave Parps and Rob Moran won the rally with a score of 68 points. The second place team of Coughnour and Andreini came home with a score of 70 points. A single point separated 3rd and 4th. Johnstonbaugh/ Hathcock edged out Mapplebeck and VonKaenal 114 to 115. In Limited, Shaffer and Fekete took the class win over Smiskol and Ward (175 to 196). Our Vintage class score of 215 would have given us 3^rd in Limited, but we gladly accepted the Vintage trophies. Worden and Robinette won stock with 386 points.

After a mild POR in 1999 it was nice to see this rally return to its former glory. Some of the sections run in the Upper Peninsula included special stage roads from the old ProRally days. Among them were such names as Tin Shanty, Conner’s Flats and BGDR. This last one gained infamy as “Big Gosh Darn Ruts” or “Bad Gosh Darn Road” (or something similar – I’m not too sure of the “Gosh Darn” part – this is, after all, a family paper). These roads are very wide today and would be too fast for inclusion in any

ProRally, but they were excellent, nonetheless. POR is a real gem of a rally - I hope it will continue for many years to come.

Here is our intrepid crew prior to the start of the 2000 POR. The three-piece band of Harvey/ Murphy and the olde Colt once again took the Vintage class. I have now become an “Ace”. This was the fifth win for the Team Harco/ Dragon Lady Rally Colt in the Vintage class at POR. Photo by John Gingrich.

Season Ending Autocrosses

CCM Champ #7, Warren, MI. Sept. 17, 2000

The autocross season starts to wind down in September each year. The last CCM event I could run was on the 17^th of that month. The lot and course design did not suit the little Colt. Instead of being in the top five overall, I was outside the top ten. This did not stop me from taking the class win though. This continued a string of class wins that had remained unbroken, in the DCSCC series, since the beginning of the season (and likely dates back several years).

AROC Autocross, Southfield, MI. Sept. 24, 2000

The last AROC autocross of the season was not a champ series event. It did, however, attract most of the usual crowd. What made this better than most other AROC events was the fact that it was held at Lawrence Tech. The LTU lot is one of the larger lots in the Detroit area and has hosted many autocrosses over the years. The usual tight AROC course was laid out by John Hoard and gave me fits. I overdrove the course, and worse, the tires, on all my runs. Luckily, I was still able to win the class, but it was not an artistic success. Sharing the little Colt that day was John Griffith. Not only is John a co-worker but we were also on the same Formula SAE team at LTU in 1991.

SCCA Season Ender Solo II, Milford, MI. Oct. 8, 2000

The SCCA Season Ender has been a tradition in the Detroit area. In prior years it has attracted over 200 competitors. This time only 150 competitors made it out. The fact that the mercury dropped close to the freezing mark was no doubt, a large reason for the reduced turnout. The competition was still very hot. A rather unique course was laid-out on the large lot at the GM proving grounds and it proved to be quite fast and very challenging. An interesting feature of the course was a slalom that doubled back on itself. The bad news, on this weekend, was that this would likely be the last time the season ender will be run at the Milford lot. It seems that construction will change the size and open nature of this lot. The good news was that the screaming little Colt took another class win and again placed very highly overall. Another highlight on this day was the visit from Aaron Gibson and his family. Aaron and I work together and I had invited him to bring his son out to watch us race. Theo got to do more than watch he rode with me on my first three runs. I think we might have a new competitor in a few years. Theo is in his early teens right now.

MSCC Champ #9, Southfield, MI. Oct. 29, 2000

The last autocross and last champ series event of the year was one to remember. Going into this last event, the MSCC Blue team (of which I happen to be a member) trailed the FME Ford team for the Team Championship by one point. Team members accumulate points at each autocross they compete in based on their placement within class. These points are then added up for each champ event throughout the season. After 8 champ events the five Ford drivers held a 49 to 48 point edge over the MSCC Blue team. Unable to help my team at round #8, as I was in Wisconsin for a rally, I tried to devise a scheme to maximize my team’s chances of taking the title.

By putting more drivers in my car (and hence my class) I could improve my personal point total and also my team’s. My plan would be to invite a few friends to drive my car and help with that goal. It wasn’t too difficult finding a few willing candidates - the hard part would be the fact that I had to beat them all! I got “Skip” Kleckner and Kent Young (who normally competes in a Super Stock Corvette) to join in on the fun. I was still hoping to find one more willing driver and Phil Smith volunteered to step out of his Miata and into the little Colt while we were in line for tech inspection.

Now none of these guys are slouches behind the wheel and after “Skip”, then Kent, laid down some awesome times, I got a little worried I might not be able to hold up my end. When Kent finished his runs I jumped in the car and took my runs. Everything was up to temperature (if not on the high side) and the course was just about ripe for some quick runs. After my third run (of five) I was able to beat Kent’s best time and on my fourth run I set a very fast time. My last run was a little sloppy and therefore slower - but the benchmark had been set. Now it would be up to Phil Smith to either embarrass me or make me look like a genius. Luckily for my MSCC teammates and me, his best was a time of 39.743. This compared to my best time of 39.470. At that time, the two of us were the only ones to break in under 40 seconds.

Later in the day, Aaron Miller took his fire breathing Neon to a time of 39.553. Aaron has ranked very high in his class at the Solo II Nationals and he can make that damn Neon do things that Corvettes can’t do! This day, however, belonged to the Team Harco Colt. Not only did I take the class win but I also claimed the Fastest Time of Day (FTD)!! In fact the little Colt claimed the third and fourth fastest times as well. Pretty impressive when one considers that 137 drivers competed at this autocross (likely the largest turnout for an MSCC event).

As for the Team Championship, did my little scheme pay off? Because each team gets to drop their worst score from the season, we needed to score 3 points more to assure our victory. It turned out we maxxed out with 10 points and the Ford guys fell flat with only 6. So now, on the big team trophy for 2000 the following names will appear - Rick Bohn, John Cowall, Phil Davisson, Scott Harvey and Mark Myers. Making this especially sweet for Mark was the fact that Mark-Tami Hotta (from the Ford team) tried to upset the cart by running his Miata in the CSP class to go head-to-head with Mark Myers. Hotta already had the #1 plate locked-up for next year; he was just going for a little extra icing on his cake. Unfortunately, for him, it didn’t work out. Not only did Hotta fail to beat Myers, but he may, quite possibly, have cost his team the valuable points they needed to hold on to the lead in that championship.

What a way to close out the autocross season! We claimed the team championship, in come-from-behind fashion, and I took another FTD!!

Here is a picture of Kent Young (#212) at the MSCC autocross on October 29^th, 2000. Kent did a great job of warming the tires and fluids – and ultimately had the 4^th fastest time of day. Phil Smith took the 3^rd fastest time, while the lead driver of the Team Harco/ Dragon Lady Colt claimed the Fastest Time of Day!

Herb Spencer

The rally community lost a gentleman competitor in 2000. About the time of POR, Herb Spencer passed away. Less than a year earlier, Herb was diagnosed with ALS (also called Lou Gehrig’s disease). This is still a terminal disease with no cure.

Herb had become a regular on the Central Division scene and was often teamed with Mark Hainen. These two ran POR many times together. After a few years, Herb became semi-regular teammates with Rob Moran. This pairing proved to be very competitive and the two began to run up front with the best teams in the area.

Herb was a very friendly and a very humble man. It was always a joy to talk with him. He will be missed.

Some good memories of Herb Spencer - here is a shot from the 1996 POR. Left to right is Bill Potvin, Mark Hainen (behind), Herb Spencer and Eric Jones. The white BMW 325ix is Herb’s car. Satch Carlson, who made the trip from Alaska, drives the black BMW (also a 325ix).

Late Rally Rounds

Johnny Appleseed Rally, Canton, OH. Sept. 30, 2000

Jim Mickle had a unique opportunity to go on a lighthouse tour of Michigan with his Airstream club. He and his wife Marianne had been on a waiting list and didn’t expect their number to come up for another year or two. As luck would have it, they were in the right place at the right time when a club member had to cancel out. The Mickle’s good fortune looked like bad fortune for me. The tour would occur over a period of time that also included the day of the Johnny Appleseed Rally.

After a bit of searching for a navigator willing to run with me, Joe Andreini agreed to do the hard work. Joe is a veteran of the ProRally wars and has several championships to his name (mostly while teamed with

Doug Shepherd). Recently he has been seen in the company of guys like Gene Henderson and Dan Coughnour at some of the bigger RoadRallies.

As we arrived on the outskirts of Canton, Ohio - on this sunny and mild fall day - a truly amazing sight would greet us. Crossing directly in front of us, some one hundred feet in the air, was a B-17 bomber on its final approach to the Canton airport! What a sight! Now you don’t have to be a historian to realize this is one rare bird. What a sight!

Would this be a good omen? Well maybe yes. Johnny Appleseed has been a very good rally for the past few years and this running would be true to that tradition. Greg Lester again used the work/run system for many of the daytime controls. This really helps him in this worker-starved region. By enlisting competitors to help at controls, the Rallymaster can have many more checkpoints than would otherwise be possible.

Some of the same great roads were called on for this running. There were also some new roads used. The tricky control locations - most hidden from view until the last second - made the rally more of a driver challenge (when compared with the average RoadRally). Greg always does a great job of mixing in some really fun sections. Often these are known as “Free Zones”. It means there will be no chance for a checkpoint. Most times it is used to safely “transit” a populated region. But sometimes - yes, sometimes - it is used in sections where no human has yet been able to build on. Not only build on, but not even able to park a car on. So it is with some of these “Free Zones”; there is no place to park a control vehicle! Joy to the driver.

This was another great rally. Joe and I were running very close to the front all along. We found our toughest competition in Ron Johnstonbaugh and Jack VonKaenal. After three sections we were trailing the leaders by three or four points. It was a close fought battle all the way through. At no time did either team enjoy a lead of more than 4 points.

It was this huge 4 point lead that Johnstonbaugh and VonKaenel held going into the last three legs of the rally. After the scores were posted we learned of our come-from-behind victory. It was not a clean, decisive victory – but in fact, a tie for first place. After some 22 controls we each scored a total of 23 points in penalty. A very good score when one considers the difficulty of the route. It surely had to be a letdown for Johnstonbaugh and VonKeanel – they scored 1, 0 and 3 on the last three legs. Joe and I scored three zeros to pull out the tie. In second was the team of Parps/ Moran with 29 points. Shaffer and Fekete were next with 44 points and 1^st place in Limited. The Harkcoms took 4^th (3^rd in E) with 54 points. 1^st in Stock (5^th OA) were Tom Powell and Mike Bennett with 183 points. Dick Foster and Bill Secrest got that much-anticipated finish in their Datsun 240Z. They made it to the end and took home a trophy for 1^st in Vintage (3^rd L/ 9^th OA).

Thumbs Up, Imlay City, MI. Nov. 11, 2000

Thumbs Up was the last Detroit Region and CenDiv rally on the calendar. To make it even more special, it was also sanctioned as a National Tour rally. This brought out some competitors that we don’t normally see in this part of the country. There were competitors from Washington, Oregon, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey and Virginia.

Jim Mickle was the Rallymaster for this one and your humble & obedient servant was there to help as needed. It turned out I was needed as part of a control crew. I was teamed up with Floyd Soo, and we worked together at three controls. Floyd brought along a portable HAM radio so we were able to stay in contact with other crews and the organizers. What a great little tool these radios are. I have to mention that Mr. Soo is one fascinating individual too. He is into so many different pursuits.

The weather was very nice for so late in the year. Temperatures were quite mild and there had been no rain (or snow) for several days leading up to the rally. What this means is that competitors who fly in from other parts of the country – and use rental cars – are not at a disadvantage due to car choice. If the roads are sloppy and slippery, the choice of vehicle becomes more of a factor. As it was the roads were firm and dry. They were also, for the most part, unpaved. A lot of the “national types” don’t like to rally on dirt roads nor at night. Those that came to Michigan for this rally got both.

A lot of our local competitors fared quite well against the national crowd. Taking home 2^nd overall were Knight and Lester. 3^rd was claimed by Parps and Moran. Second in Limited were Shaffer and Fekete (whose picture appeared in the February 2001 issue of SportsCar, courtesy of your favorite photojournalist).

Ron Johnstonbaugh (from Ohio) and Jack VonKaenal (Virginia) took first overall in the National portion of Thumbs Up. (These are the same guys we tied for first at Johnny Appleseed). First place in Limited were Fred Mapplebeck (NH) and Rene Ruel (NJ).

Parps and Moran took first place honors in the divisional rally and tightened the point differential in the race for class E. However, after Johnny Appleseed, the Team Harco crew had the championship wrapped-up. This marks the third such championship for the guys in the red Talon - in the past four years.

Listed below are the top finishers in the CenDiv RoadRally Championship Series. One with a discerning eye might notice that Bryan Murphy and I scored a few points in Limited due to our strong placement at POR (1^st Vintage/ 3^rd Limited).

2000 CenDiv RoadRally Championship Final Standings

EQUIPPED CLASS

1T Scott Harvey/ Jim Mickle Detroit 48

2T Dave Parps/ Rob Moran Detroit/ LOL 44

3T Dave/ Daniel Harkcom Detroit 42

4 Ron Johnstonbaugh NeOhio 21

5T Ken Knight/ Greg Lester NeOhio 20

6 Joe Andreini LSR 18

7 Jeff Boris Western Mich 14

8 Dan Coughnour WOR 13

9 Ken Swarm NeOhio 10

10 Al Tolle WMR 9

LIMITED CLASS

1T Jim Fekete/ Jim Shaffer Detroit 50

2 Steve Phillips Indy 44

3T Richard Foster/ Bill Secrest River Cities 14

4 Thomas Benham Detroit 13

5T Ron Johnstonbaugh NeOhio 10

5T Paul Roshalt LOL? 10

6T Harold Hopkinson/ Kevin Kurth Detroit 8

6T Ken Kovach/ Tom Tunnell NeOhio 8

6T Bob MacDonald/ Dan MacDonald NeOhio 8

6T Paul Moorman LOL 8

6T John Smiskol/ Harry Ward Mil/ NWOR 8

7T Scott Harvey/ Bryan Murphy Detroit 6

7T Mark Kleckner Detroit 6

STOCK CLASS

1 Mike Bennett Detroit 48

2 Kevin Essenberg Detroit 41

3 Sarah Essenberg Detroit 35

4T Robert Kay Detroit 23

4T Richard Worden/Richard Robinette Detroit 23

5 William Yarroch Lk Superior 20

6 James Bialas Lk Superior 17

7 Charles Hanson INDY 11

8T Ken Knight/ Greg Lester NeOhio 10

8T Tom Powell OVR 10

8T Scott Radabaugh Detroit 10

8T Adam Spieszny Detroit 10

United States RoadRally Challenge

USRRC, LaCrosse, WI. Oct. 13-15, 2000

The USRRC has become sort of the “all-star game” of RoadRally. Each year it attracts the best rallyists in the country. And just like major league all-star games, the USRRC moves from one region to another. In 1998 it was run out of St. Louis. In 1999 it was run out of Northern California. For 2000 it came closer to home, LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

This more centrally located spot helped draw a large number of competitors from the Midwest – but there were still many competitors from all across the United States. There were in fact, 22 states represented.

Another interesting feature is that there are typically three separate and distinct rallies at each USRRC.

After getting home and sleeping for a couple of days, I wrote a little story about…

My personal experience with the event was quite favorable, even in view of our poor showing in the first tour. The roads were awesome! If we are asked to rally on paved roads – these are the kind to do it on. Improper tire selection, resulting in an ever changing factor, got Jim’s mind off the transit times listed on the critique slips. Before we knew it, we had over 200 points due to arriving early at a couple of controls. The speeds were just about right, the scenery was great, the locals were friendly (and far between) and, as mentioned, the roads were sweet. Had there been any rain, though, they could have been rather exciting. The fall colors appeared to be a little flat (probably still early for their peak) but they were, nonetheless, pretty. The hills and farms (many with amber waves of grain) in this part of Wisconsin’s dairy country are quite picturesque.

The course rally was a totally different animal from what I enjoy about rallying. As Dave Parps reminded me – “you can’t argue with a sick mind” (the title of a Joe Walsh album). So we didn’t. We elected to skip the course rally. I must say, I believe we had more fun than those who paid money for this kind of abuse. We took the route instructions in hand and headed down the road as one of the course opening cars. It didn’t take long to realize we made the right decision – mainly because we kept making a wrong turn. It seems a jog is defined as a turn at a T followed by an opposite turn at a side road (never mind that side road might be a hundred miles away). This is a simple and easy to understand example but many others were much more obscure. We spent most of the day alternating between getting lost and catching up and passing competitors (at safe and unobtrusive locations). It seems it is required that every instruction must be stopped at and argued over, by the crews, until a decision is made as to which way to go.

All the while we motored on – relishing the roads, the nice speeds and the scenery. On the odd occasion that we wandered upon a checkpoint, we politely skirted the timing hose and headed to the next leg. We were just starting to get a clue when we came to a control and were flagged down. The regular control crew had not shown. We were volunteered to work (control crew). It was no sweat and was actually a nice break from the barnstorming.

After that we drove our way toward the front again. The way I have it figured; we could have won this rally! That’s right. We passed the whole field at least twice! J

The final rally was a Monte Carlo. This would seem, on the surface, to be quite easy. After all, you are told where to be (mileage) and what time to be there (reference time). Throw in the pauses and gains to be taken at stop signs or speed limit signs; and it should be a walk in the park. For some it was. But for the rest of us mortals, it was not that easy. Some teams had well proven methods for counting down to the timing line – others (like us) had to develop, and fine-tune a system. Unfortunately, some great scores were nullified by missed sign sightings. For example, Teter/Head had ONE point after 12 controls! They missed a STOP sign and collected 30 points. L

Here is a photo of the Team Harco/ Dragon Lady Talon (E1) taken by James Heine. This photo and accompanying story, chronicling the USRRC, appeared in SportCar magazine. If you look closely, you might be able to tell which issue.

The most controversial was a speed limit (45 or 55) just a few yards from the last checkpoint (gain 10). Several teams missed this. I don’t like “trappy” things, as a rule, but there obviously are all number of variations to RoadRallies. The rallymaster must always try to cater to a broad spectrum of rallyists’ expectations. With this in mind, the USRRC does a good job of covering them.

Not mentioned in the previous passage was the fact that the “trappy” finish to Sunday’s rally worked to our advantage. We saw the sign and made appropriate adjustments. Three other teams that, until that time, were ahead of us missed it. This moved us into third place overall in this rally. Of the three rallies on this long weekend we only competed in two of them. The first was called Northern Lights. It was a straightforward tour rally of 214 miles. We knew the rallies would be run on all paved roads but there was a threat of rain all weekend. My best pavement tires were also very thin on tread. They would not be a good choice if it rained. The other option was to run the snow tires that I recently purchased. There would likely be less danger if it rained but there were other tradeoffs to be made. The worst was the sidewall flex of these high profile tires. During hard cornering and high speed travel the tires’ diameter changes. This change in diameter effects the mileage calculation, which is very precise. Thus the stage was set for our early demise in the first rally. The speeds were reasonably high, the roads were very twisty and our mileage factor was off most of the time. While Jim hunted to get our factor dialed-in we missed some transits at the end of the first couple of controls. We had just unwittingly added 250 points to our score. A mistake of this magnitude can hardly be overcome in a local rally. At a rally like this, with national caliber competitors, there is no chance for redemption. We soldiered on and got respectable scores the rest of the way. We ended in 14^th place out of 14 E class competitors - not a very impressive debut.

The second rally was the course rally called Oktoberally. A course rally has a very complex set of priorities and rules for following the proper route. Sometimes referred to as “trap” rallies, course rallies are devised to challenge the mind more so than the reflexes. Once you discover the solution to the trap – you drive like mad to get caught up again. I find this type of rally much too frustrating and not in the least enjoyable. Both Jim and I agreed that we would not compete in this one. We instead, had more fun than those who willingly paid for it. One competitor later compared it with being beat over the head with a hammer – how enjoyable it is when it stops.

The third and final rally was our last chance to make good. We really didn’t have a great strategy going into Badger Trails – we had to improvise on our initial plans throughout the day. We plugged away all day never scoring any big penalties, but also finding zeros difficult. As mentioned earlier, a critical sign was situated right before the last control. We saw it; others did not. We scored 6 National points for our 3^rd place finish (10 for 1^st, 8 for 2^nd). The weekend was frustrating but at the same time rewarding and enjoyable. The roads were great, the speeds were rather brisk and the organizers did a first rate job. We reinforced our suspicions that we could compete at this level.

To cap the trip, it rained in biblical proportions as we returned home. This was the only time I was happy with my tire selection for the weekend. Next time I will be sure to have suitable rain/pavement tires fitted.

Looking Ahead

The year 2001 has begun and the Team Harco gang has had an eventful winter. The Son of Sno*Drift RoadRally (January 13^th) was a great success. The Detroit SCCA awards banquet occurred a week later – where we took home more dust collecting trophies. One for the CenDiv RoadRally championship in Class E; and one for the EP Solo II class championship. There were also some rather nice clocks presented to each event chairman.

The day after the awards banquet, the MSCC attempted to hold the first ice run of the year. Ice conditions were excellent and T2 was there setting some blazing times. Then the cops showed-up and decided that we were not going to be permitted to have any more fun. After 35 years of using Loon Lake for ice runs, the Waterford cops decided that we were no longer welcome.

Well we didn’t have any such problem a week later. Atlanta, Michigan welcomed us with open arms. The Sno*Drift ProRally was run on January 27^th and the Team Harco/ Dragon Lady Talon (T2) ran flawlessly. More details will be forthcoming in the next issue of Off the Line.

For 2001 Team Harco has another ambitious schedule slated. It will be very similar to years past but we will be looking to make more advances in ProRally. The “new ultimate rally machine” (Talon 2) is making ProRallies more enjoyable and we are much more competitive.

The Detroit Region and Central Division RoadRally championships will be contested. We are not planning to go to St. Louis for the USRRC this year though. One of the rallymasters is a bit too anal-retentive. This kind of person, tends to take a perfectly good rally and turn it into a crappy, “trappy” rally. No thanks - we can stay home and have more fun. The regional and divisional autocross series will again be attacked with great ferocity.

On the other side of the steering wheel – there are plans to get a website started. I have tons of pictures to share and – what the heck, it could be a place to go for more frequent updates than this publication provides. I must admit that I know just enough about computers to be dangerous. Unfortunately I know almost nothing about creating a website. Most unreasonable suggestions will be considered.

So now with all that going, I find that my “spare” time will be taken by rebuilding the transaxle and replacing the clutch in “Herbie”. Stay tuned, you won’t want to miss the next exciting episode. 2001 should be another great year. So far we’re off to an excellent start.

Here is another thing to look forward to. A great bit of work has already gone into restoring the latest toy. After a transaxle rebuild and clutch job, “Herbie” should be ready for the road.

Thank You

Each year I try to thank the supporters and sponsors of the Team Harco program. And with each passing year it doesn’t get any easier. It is not possible to put into words the appreciation that is felt for all the support that has been extended toward our efforts.

The “Dragon Lady” (Sue Vartanian) again gets top billing for her continued support. Without the financial contributions of the Dragon Lady, the quality and quantity of events run would be greatly reduced. The quality of car preparation and equipment used would also suffer.

All aspects of the Team Harco program have benefited from Dragon dollars. A fresh set of racing tires each year, have kept the Team Harco/ Dragon Lady Colt on form for repeat championships for the past 5+ years.

We run POR each year and a full RoadRally schedule. Throw in a ProRally or two and it makes for a rather full season. Again a great deal of it is made possible from support of the Dragon Lady.

Recent Internet photos from Sno*Drift (2001) show the Dragon (on T2’s hood) in great prominence. It is nice to see some exposure finally, on the World Wide Web.

We are hoping to bring Autometric Body Shops back on for 2001. A year of expansion (temporarily I hope) prevented their support during 2000. Larry Smith, of Autometric, has been a great help to the Team Harco Motorsports program in the past and is fully to thank for the beautiful paint on the autocross Colt.

Jim Mickle and I have been teamed together for just over four years. In that time we have won more RoadRallies than not. We have won 3 CenDiv championships. We went to the USRRC and took a 3^rd place overall at one of the Tour Rallies. Together we have captured more wins than I ever dreamed of. Jim has helped me to rise to this level and shown me how to be a rally organizer.

Bob Martin agreed to navigate for me at Sno*Drift in 2000. But before that he helped save Son of Sno*Drift. Both times I was amazed and impressed with his ability to solve problems or remain entirely focused on the proper course to take.

Bryan Murphy seems to come through every year at POR. This past year was no exception. I would have preferred more competition in our class (Vintage) but I think our chances would have been good anyway. Bryan does a great job no matter what type of rally he runs or what equipment he is left to use. I must also thank Bryan for his help at the 2001 Son of Sno*Drift rally.

Joe Andreini agreed to run Johnny Appleseed with me. Not only did we run; we won. Joe has been around the rally scene even longer than I have. He has known me since I was quite young. This was our first chance to team up. The result speaks for itself.

Steve Nowicki planted the seed that let me get to STPR. It was a great experience for me and I enjoyed working with him. I don’t think I could get complacent as a navigator, but I felt comfortable riding with Steve. Despite the end result of our experience, I would do it again.

Here we are down the bank at STPR. That giant box on wheels is the Unimog. It hardly had to work at pulling us out. Thanks Steve, without your help I couldn’t have been there for this. J Aaron Fuhrer photo.

Al Zifilippo has been a good friend and teammate since 1992. We have shared some great times together. In 1992 we started winning rallies in the Stock class in my year old Talon (Eagle 1). The idea was to work together as teammates for the day when we would run the olde Colt in PRO Rally. Our results were good there too. In 1997 we took first in G2 (U2 in those days) and 3^rd overall at the Lockwood Lake (Divisional) PRO Rally.

Late in 1993 Al gave me a dilapidated old rally car that resembled a Colt. This shell of a hulk of a mess was little more than a rolling wreck. It had been sitting in a suburban garage, half in and half out (the rear out) for some 7 years. It took a little work but we made it look good (it is now the Autocross Colt). Thank you Al.

While we’re at it – Al found Talon 2 for me too. Thanks Al. I also have to thank Al and Mary Zifilippo’s friends, Doris and Pete Smith. The Smith’s let the Team Harco crew stay at their cabin in Atlanta. What a beautiful piece of the world this place is.

Mark “Skip” Kleckner has been a real buddy and Colt aficionado for a few years now. We keep trading parts and ideas for those little beasties. If you haven’t been there yet – go: www.tir.com/~kleckner/

Jeff Hribar navigated for me at Sno*Drift this year (2001). Jeff did a good job for me. For him, I was able to get him his first two finishes in ClubRally. Jeff can now move up to ProRally as a navigator. He, like many navigators, has aspirations to get his own car and do his own driving.

Lee Kesh and Ray Zeigler, at the Lawrence Tech fabrication lab, help in many ways. These guys are always there to solve the little problems that are too big or too specialized to handle in the (slightly under equipped) Team Harco garage.

Allen Hewitt has left me with temporary custody of his tire-mounting machine. This is one of the most used tools in the Team Harco Motorsports garage. There is one particular screwdriver that actually gets used more. Allen, stay where you are - you’re tire machine is safe here.

Arick Rushing is like a brother to me (no offense, Doug). This guy is so fun to be around it’s like we’re breaking the law – even when we’re not.

John Gingrich has navigated for me, helped at my rallies and worked at most of the ProRallies I have competed in for the past few years. We see each other on a regular basis due to our daytime jobs – we don’t let that get in the way on the weekends. The extra benefits from the customer/supplier relationship have also been greatly appreciated.

Mark Henderson let Joe Andeini and I borrow his “A” box for Johnny Appleseed. Does this mean I should give him my trophy? I gave him his computer back! Thanks Mark for helping again. Mark and I ran Dawnbuster a couple of years ago. We worked well together and should have fared better than we did.

Randy Kent and his partner, Jack (at Moran Mitsubishi) have been giving me great discount prices on Mitsubishi parts. Too bad they can’t get olde Colt parts. L

Chris Watson and Brett Allen of BBA Friction came through with some excellent brake linings for the Talons. This is still the best friction material I’ve used on the screaming Eagles. (Steve Nowicki would probably disagree – but they work well in the cold weather).

A photo from 1999 - this is prior to my runs at the Perrysburg, OH CenDiv autocross. The new tires were so sticky that I had the car on two wheels in one right hand turn. This led to the addition of ballast on the right side of the car.

Gunther Hansele of Aardvark International helped us with excellent pricing on modern Cibie rally lights.

Dave Watts, Scott and Marlena Radabaugh, Brian Scott, Colin Bothea, Steve Baumbach for helping at various rallies but mostly the ProRallies.

Kent Young, John Griffith and Phil Smith sacrificed their time and a few dollars to get behind the wheel of the Team Harco Motorsports Autocross Colt. Thanks guys, I hope I didn’t put you out too much. J

Jerry Winker has been taking some ProRally photos for many years. Visit his site at: www.rallysport.net/comicozzie/

Jerry even has a few shots of the Team Harco/ Dragon Lady rally cars there. Here is one that may not be.

The “new ultimate rally machine” at Sno*Drift ProRally. We earned two ClubRally finishes for Jeff Hribar. Our stage times rated among the top ClubRalliests. We actually had the fastest time on stage 5 of “Drift” (8^th fastest including the National competitors). Jerry Winker photo - Jan. 27, 2001

Doug Harvey, Mike and Carol McClintock, Mike Burke, Tom Woodside, Pete Gladysz, Roy Eastham, Christa Patterson, Michael Eggleton and Rod Natho have all supported the team in one way or another over the past few years.

To all of you, we say “Thank you!” Thank you for your help. Thank you for your support. Thank you for your friendship.

One attempt to provide some return, is the production of this newsletter. It is our way of keeping you informed and updated on the activities of Team Harco. It is my sincere hope that you enjoy it and that you will provide feedback whether positive or negative.

Thank you teammates,