After a 14 hour competition day that included 2 OPRC events for most of the 22 teams, the snow fell over HQ while competitors and volunteers congratulated the podium finishers.
As usual, the Tall Pines proved to be a tough event; losing 9 vehicles to a DNF throughout the day. Yet many teams were still in good spirits at the end of the night.
The event this year was split into 2 regional rallies: The Small Pines Rally & The Pine Cone Rally; both counting as separate events in the Ontario Performance Rally Championship. Jérome Mailloux & Co-Driver Philippe Poirier started the day off first on the road and maintained that position throughout the event to take 1st place in the Small Pines Rally. Suspension damage sustained in the last stage prevented them from starting the next round but they gained valuable OPRC points, holding onto the Championship leads.
After issues in stage 5 kept Olivier Martel and Co-Driver Vincent Hubert from the podium in the first round, they bounced back for a win in the Pine Cone Rally, with a minute lead over 2nd place.
Jeremy Drake and Savanna Kovacs had a great first event together, managing to score a second place finish in both rounds, as well as a spot on the 3rd step of the Overall National podium.
Brothers Vincent and Christopher Trudel rounded up the overall podium for the Small Pines rally in 3rd place but unfortunately retired during the Pine Cone rally due to suspension damage sustained in stage.
Completing the top 3 for the Pine Cone Rally, the second of the 2 OPRC events this weekend were Andrew Miller and David Bell. The team prepped for the Pines by competing together in the Ontario RallySprint Championship, where they won both of the sprint events this year.
In the 2WD Championship, the first event was won by Charles Hammer & Guillaume Dozois, in their 1984 Volvo 242 turbo. The team followed this up with a 3rd place finish in the second event of the day.
Gary Sutherland and David Koiter scored a second place finish in both events but their overall performance earned them the top spot on the National 2WD Podium.
The Pine Cone Rally Overall 2WD was won by novice competitors Sean McConnachie and John Gerryts, who quite possibly could still be celebrating!
Unfortunately newcomer to the OPRC, Crawford New with Co-Driver Zvonimir Bracka, were unable to join the podium celebrations for their 3rd place 2WD in the Small Pines Rally. After struggling through the last stage due to suspension damage, they were unable to make it back to headquarters in time.
Top OPRC Novice Driver went to Jeremy Drake for both events.
These results definitely have the final Championship standings all shuffled around! Congratulations to all! It’s a challenge to just make it to the end of the day and into parc ferme.
Final Results:
OPRC Round 3: Small Pines Rally
Overall 1st - Jérome Mailloux/Philippe Poirier 2nd – Jeremy Drake/Savanna Kovacs 3rd – Vincent Trudel/Christopher Trudel
2WD 1st – Charles Hammer/Guillaume Dozois 2nd – Gary Sutherland/David Koiter 3rd – Crawford New/Zvonimir Bracka
Novice Driver– Jeremy Drake
OPRC Round 4: Pine Cone Rally
Overall 1st – Olivier Martel/Vincent Hubert 2nd – Jeremy Drake/Savanna Kovacs 3rd – Andrew Miller/David Bell
2WD 1st – Sean McConnachie/John Gerryts 2nd – Gary Sutherland/David Koiter 3rd – Charles Hammer/Guillaume Dozois
Novice Driver – Jeremy Drake
(All photos courtesy of Peter Watt)