New Hampshire based Bill Bacon and Peter Watt managed to stay ahead of the overall Championship points leader Antoine L’Estage at this weekend’s Oregan Trail Rally, earning themselves a second place finish. Both teams were bested by Andrew Comrie-Picard and Jeremy Wimpey who took a decisive overall victory.

According to Rally America this event was the first time there has been an all-Mitsubishi national podium, a result that was particularly rewarding for the winners, who are all privateers.

And rounding out the New England connection was the pride of Bethel, Maine, Christopher Duplessis, who raced a nearly stock Scion xD to second place in 2-wheel drive finishing behind Dillon Van Way.

For more event coverage check out www.rally-america.com/news/668/

Chris Duplessis will be contesting the 2010 Oregon Trail Rally in a brand-new Scion xD… Read the complete story here: www.rally-america.com/news/665/

Photo courtesy of Rally America

Team O’Neil Rally Splashes through Wet Weather

Maciek Przybysz Takes the Win

 (Dalton, New Hampshire) – The forth annual Team O’Neil Regional Rally took place this Saturday May 8^th in Dalton, New Hampshire despite ongoing showers. Competitors even faced a torrential downpour complete with thunder storm at one point around mid-day.

 Adverse conditions are part of the game when it comes to rally, a motor-sport that takes place in all conditions and on all surfaces – rain, snow, ice, mud, gravel, or tarmac – rally drivers do it all. This range of driving expertise was called upon greatly on Saturday as the gravel and dirt gave way to sometimes slippery or muddy conditions.

 At least five of the 19 competitors who entered failed to complete the rally as a result of mechanical problems or other vehicle damage sustained through this challenging course. This was the fate of local Franconia favorite, and Team O’Neil driving instructor, Wyatt Knox, whose car became dangerously overheated at one point and had to be taken out of the race.

 At the end of the day it was Maciek “Matty” Przybysz who prevailed to take the overall win in his open class Subaru Impreza STi alongside co-driver Eric Hansen, a Team O’Neil driving instructor. Przybysz  is sponsored by Somerset Subaru of Somerset, MA, Team O’Neil Rally School and Car Control Center, and On a Limb Rally Racing Photography. Przybysz, originally from rally-crazy Poland, and now residing in Gray, Maine, has been competing in performance rally since 2004.

 Placing second overall was Joey Kale of Essex, Vermont with co-driver Scott Nickerson, and placing third was Viorel Dobasu of Michigan with co-driver Aaron Crescenti.

 This event was put on by the Team O’Neil Rally School and Car Control Center in Dalton, NH with help from the Town of Dalton and Chick’s Sand and Gravel who provided the roads, permits, and facilities needed to run the event which consisted of 10 stages and 45 miles of action including corners, crests, dips, and slides through the dirt and gravel covered roads!

Excellent photography by Pete Kuncis posted at: On a Limb Racing

John Cassidy and Dave Getchell of Last Ditch Racing may not have finished the TON Rally this weekend they way they would have liked to (the team went out with a mechanical issue) but, as evidenced by the following article appearing in the Bangor Daily News, this is a team with no shortage of rally enthusiasm, having had many a great adventure over the years.

Check out the complete story below (also a great read for anyone that’s new to rally and wants to hear more about the sport first hand).

Rally Race Fever Drives Cassidy and Getchell