Darius@AMS
02-03-2009, 06:16 PM
Podium finish for ACP at Rally America season opener!
Rally driver Andrew “ACP” Comrie-Picard made a strong start to the season this weekend with a podium finish at the Sno*Drift rally in wintry northern Michigan.
He and co-driver Marc Goldfarb overcame early handling problems with their NOS Energy Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX to pull into third place late on Day 2.
“It was a classic snow rally,” says Comrie-Picard. “We stayed in it and didn’t make any big mistakes.”
Sno*Drift is the only true winter rally in the series, and the typically slick conditions reward a measured approach and excellent tire choice. The rules for rally competition in North America prohibit the use of studded tires and finding traction at high speeds poses a particular challenge on ice and snow.
“Winter rallies are a constant balance of deciding how hard to push against how to take as few risks as possible,” said Comrie-Picard. “Our Yokohama tires give us confidence across the whole range of these tough winter conditions -- from deep snow to glare ice.”
A braking problem with the team’s competition vehicle emerged early in the contest and cost them some time, but the crew of technicians -- supported by specialists from AMS, in Chicago, and Works, in California – were able to nurture the car to the finish.
Comrie-Picard and the NOS Energy Mitsubishi shared the podium with Red Bull-backed Travis Pastrana, the winner in his factory Subaru WRX STi, and second-place Rockstar Energy’s Tanner Foust in the ex-factory Hyundai Tiburon.
Next, the Rally America championship moves to southern Missouri for the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood on Feb. 27-28. It’s usually pretty warm there at this time of year – spring conditions, with good traction – and we look forward to another strong result.
http://www.amsteam.net/files/857_knmwv/AMS%20performance%202009%20Sno%20drift%20RallyAmerica%20_01.jpg
http://www.amsteam.net/files/858_r7pwo/AMS%20performance%202009%20Sno%20drift%20RallyAmerica%20_02.jpg
http://www.amsteam.net/files/859_zvwvm/AMS%20performance%202009%20Sno%20drift%20RallyAmerica%20_03.jpg
More images from the race can be found on the NOS Energy Drink site HERE (http://drinknos.com/PastEventDetail.aspx?id=1000)
Rally driver Andrew “ACP” Comrie-Picard made a strong start to the season this weekend with a podium finish at the Sno*Drift rally in wintry northern Michigan.
He and co-driver Marc Goldfarb overcame early handling problems with their NOS Energy Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX to pull into third place late on Day 2.
“It was a classic snow rally,” says Comrie-Picard. “We stayed in it and didn’t make any big mistakes.”
Sno*Drift is the only true winter rally in the series, and the typically slick conditions reward a measured approach and excellent tire choice. The rules for rally competition in North America prohibit the use of studded tires and finding traction at high speeds poses a particular challenge on ice and snow.
“Winter rallies are a constant balance of deciding how hard to push against how to take as few risks as possible,” said Comrie-Picard. “Our Yokohama tires give us confidence across the whole range of these tough winter conditions -- from deep snow to glare ice.”
A braking problem with the team’s competition vehicle emerged early in the contest and cost them some time, but the crew of technicians -- supported by specialists from AMS, in Chicago, and Works, in California – were able to nurture the car to the finish.
Comrie-Picard and the NOS Energy Mitsubishi shared the podium with Red Bull-backed Travis Pastrana, the winner in his factory Subaru WRX STi, and second-place Rockstar Energy’s Tanner Foust in the ex-factory Hyundai Tiburon.
Next, the Rally America championship moves to southern Missouri for the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood on Feb. 27-28. It’s usually pretty warm there at this time of year – spring conditions, with good traction – and we look forward to another strong result.
http://www.amsteam.net/files/857_knmwv/AMS%20performance%202009%20Sno%20drift%20RallyAmerica%20_01.jpg
http://www.amsteam.net/files/858_r7pwo/AMS%20performance%202009%20Sno%20drift%20RallyAmerica%20_02.jpg
http://www.amsteam.net/files/859_zvwvm/AMS%20performance%202009%20Sno%20drift%20RallyAmerica%20_03.jpg
More images from the race can be found on the NOS Energy Drink site HERE (http://drinknos.com/PastEventDetail.aspx?id=1000)