Mexican Rally Olympics Style
Announced at Rally Ireland by Corona Rally Mexico promoters Patrick Suberville and Gilles Spitalier were their plans for their WRC "Gap-Year" event. They are to run the non-championship CRM as a mid-summer "Rally of Nations", still based at Leon and Guanajuato but with revolutionary novelties. This is to be held 18-21 June. Using a route which will be run as a qualifying round of the Mexican championship, there will be an international sector to the event. Different countries will be invited to nominate two drivers from their country. Qualifying drivers will gain points on every stage according to their relative positions on that stage, thus gaining a Gold, Silver or Bronze award from that stage. The Olympic style winner will be the country which amasses the greatest number of points. CRM is due to return to the WRC in 2010 in orthodox style!

More Power for the "N14"
Homologation for extra pieces for the hatchback version Subaru Impreza Group N car is expected 1st March, featuring water spray for the intercooler and an improved turbocharger. Subaru officials hope the pieces will be authorised in time for Cyprus Rally and are ready to supply updated parts to customers running their cars. The improved turbocharged comes about following a change in production specification, the water spray comes from the need to cool the intercooler which is mounted above the engine. The problem of engine bay cooling is also being addressed by changes aimed at expelling underbonnet air.

News from weekend
Mats Jonsson won the Varmland Runt, first round of the Swedish national championship, at the wheel of his very old Escort World Rally Car, 40 seconds ahead of Nyman's Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, Nyman's first major event in a four-wheel drive car. Jonsson's compatriot Patrik Flodin meanwhile won the opening round of the Russian championship, the Peno Rally, in his Uspensky team Subaru. In Michigan, USA reigning champion Travis Pastrana won the Sno*Drift Rally, opening round of the Rally America series. (note: Sno*Drift is the correct way to write the name!!!) Chris Atkinson will miss Rally Norway but his codriver Stephane Prevot will still be busy. He is to codriver the rally legendary Markku Alen in a Porsche on the historic Boucles de Spa Rally, in his native Belgium.

3mmm