Desert Storm Rally kicks off 2011 California Rally Series Season

California Rally Series

Press Liaison: Erik Christiansen

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

www.californiarallyseries.com

Los Angeles – The California Rally Series (CRS) Championship season starts this weekend (March 3-6) in Blythe, CA with the Desert Storm Rally, presented by Lucas Oil Products, Inc. The event features three days of competition, including a special free event on Thursday evening. Competitors will see a variety of fast, flowing roads amidst the scenic desert landscape along the Colorado River. Saturday also features two super special stages, including a night stage on the oval at the Lucas Oil Speedway.

Thirteen teams are scheduled to compete in this classic event that is traditionally one of the most exciting on the calendar. Early favorites for the overall victory are last year’s winners Lauchlin O’Sullivan and Scott Putnam in a Subaru WRX-STI. The team is fresh off a second place in class finish at the 100 Acre Wood rally this past weekend, where they charged up the leader board at the last minute in dramatic fashion. Looking to bring the fight to O’Sullivan / Putnam will be Jon Burke and Tom Morningstar, also competing in a Subaru WRX. Jon showed impressive pace here last year where he surprised O’Sullivan with some overall stage wins. He comes into this event hungry for his first win after upgrading his transmission.

CRS-2 is shaping up to be the category to watch with nearly half the field competing in this class for small displacement, two wheel drive vehicles. Teams to watch include the always exciting Gaylord Van Brocklin and Steve Secviar in a VW Golf GTI, who made their CRS debut here last year. Look for them to trade stage times with fellow VW rallyists Alex Helton and Patrick Lobban. Other teams in contention for the CRS-2 top honors include Michael Bond and Mike Ingoldby in a Honda Civic, and CRS mainstay Chuck Wilson in his Ford Escort.

The Desert Storm Rally is known as the “Regional Rally with National Flair.” Cars start competition at 5:00pm on Thursday, and then continue Saturday and Sunday morning. For more information on the Desert Storm Rally, including spectator information, visit www.desertstormrally.com and follow @crspress on twitter.