Subaru Rim of the World Rally Challenge
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Lancaster, Calif.
Press Notes – Saturday Early PM

7. The first stage ran in 100-degree heat in the high desert of Southern California, and it was not without drama. The first two pair of competitors – George Plsek/Gwen Laeng and Leon Styles/Matt Gauger – took the checkered flag after three laps instead of four and were given a re-run by the organizer. Plsek found Ms. Laeng, the mother of another competitor – Jessica Laeng – just 20 minutes before the beginning of the stage as a replacement for Jeff Burmeister, who could not make it to the rally. Despite turning the second and third best times of the stage, neither driver could catch the Subaru WRX of Marvin Ronquillo from Colton, Calif., and his co-driver John Burke from Riverside, Calif., who turned a 4:06.0 on the course. Plsek was second at 4:07.3, with Styles third at 4:14.6 in his Subaru WRX (a correction from the Evo we had reported earlier). To show how great a run Ronquillo had, his car is entered in the Production AWD class, while the second and third place cars are in Open AWD.

The Bill Malik/Christofer Edstrom Volvo 240 was fourth overall and first in Open 2WD, Kristopher Marciniak/Christine Wittish was 14th overall and first in Production 2WD in their Dodge Neon.

8. Stage 1 – Top Ten

1 368 Marvin Ronquillo / John Burke Subaru WRX 4:06.0 1 Prod AWD

2 30 George Plsek / Gwen Laeng Lancer Evo 4:07.3 2 Open AWD

3 374 Leon Styles / Matt Gauger Subaru Impreza STi 4:14.6 3 Open AWD

4 38 Bill Malik / Christofer Edstrom Volvo 240 4:15.7 1 Open 2wd

5 776 Lisa Klassen / Guido Hamacher Lancer Evo 6.5 4:16.2 4 Open AWD

6 343 Tim Moser / Dick Moser VW Golf GTI 4:19.1 2 Open 2wd

7 60 Bruce Davis / Jimmy Brandt Dodge Neon 4:19.4 3 Open 2wd

8 474 Cem Akdeniz / Alan Adam Subaru Impreza STi 4:20.8 5 Open AWD

9 601 Doug Robinson / Sue Robinson VW Golf 4:23.9 4 Open 2wd

10 44 Bill Holmes / Kevin Carter Ford Pickup 4:24.6 5 Open 2wd

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