07-01-2005, 07:28 PM
Pikes Peak, Colorado was the site of Round 4 of the 2005 Rally America
Championship Series. The event was held in conjunction with the 83rd
running of the world famous Pikes Peak International Hillclimb
(PPIHC). Rally teams competed against the clock and the mountain in
seven Special Stages on the Pikes Peak Toll Road, which climbs to an
elevation of 14,110 feet.
Quantum Rally Sport driver Eric Langbein and Co-driver Jeremy Wimpey
arrived in Colorado Springs on Tuesday to preview the course. After
several drives up and down the 19 mile road, Langbein commented, "This
road requires total commitment to drive at the limit." The morning of
the start of competition the team was excited about the evening's
stages to be held on the lower half of the mountain. Three stages were
held Wednesday night, three additional stages run early Friday morning
and the seventh penultimate stage being held Saturday during the 83rd
running of the "Race to the Clouds."
Wednesday evening QRS' Toyota Celica All-trac began having clutch
problems on Special Stage 3. Eric and Jeremy inspected the clutch
system and the crew repaired what they thought was a problem with the
hydraulic system. The next day a scheduled morning practice run proved
that the clutch problem was worse than had been initially diagnosed.
An all night effort by Quantum Rally Sport's crew and many helpful
local rallyists, was required to drop the engine/transmission and make
repairs to the clutch.
The repairs were less than ideal, so Langbein/Wimpey had to take it
easy on the transmission on Friday's early morning stages, and opted
not to take part in additional practice on the upper section of the
mountain. Langbein stated "I was frustrated that I had to back off to
try to keep the car in the rally," Wimpey added "We are really lucky
to be able to continue despite the ongoing clutch problem"
The final stage of the rally was a run up to the peak from the service
area at Crystal Reservoir. This stage was run Saturday morning along
with the rest of the competitors competing in the Pikes Peak
International Hill Climb. Quantum Rally Sport's Celica All-trac made
the climb to the top and finished third in Production GT. Jeremy
reflected on the event, "Finishing was an accomplishment, we would
have liked to have been quicker but it just wasn't there for us this
weekend."
The PGT Podium was topped by Tanner Faust and Scott Crouch in their
Flatirons Imports Subaru WRX, second place went to Matt Johnson and
Wendy Nakamoto in their Carolina RS Subaru WRX.
Quantum Rally Sport thanks the Schmidt family especially Eric Schmidt,
and Todd Moberly and many others for their hospitality and incredible
efforts to help the team at this event. QRS also thanks its partners
KTR Performance (<!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.ktrperformance.com">www.ktrperformance.com</a><!-- w -->) and Victory by Design
Motorsports Graphics (<!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.vbdgraphics.com">www.vbdgraphics.com</a><!-- w -->) for their continued
involvement in US Rally.
The next round of the 2005 Rally America Championship Series is the
Maine Forest Rally, July 29-30th. Quantum Rally Sport driver Josh
Wimpey will be competing in the club rallies at this event with his
twin brother Jeremy Co-driving for him. Eric Langbein will be
competing in the following round of the Rally America Championship
Series in Minnesota at the 2005 Ojibwe Forest Pro Rally, August
26-27th.
[/b]
Championship Series. The event was held in conjunction with the 83rd
running of the world famous Pikes Peak International Hillclimb
(PPIHC). Rally teams competed against the clock and the mountain in
seven Special Stages on the Pikes Peak Toll Road, which climbs to an
elevation of 14,110 feet.
Quantum Rally Sport driver Eric Langbein and Co-driver Jeremy Wimpey
arrived in Colorado Springs on Tuesday to preview the course. After
several drives up and down the 19 mile road, Langbein commented, "This
road requires total commitment to drive at the limit." The morning of
the start of competition the team was excited about the evening's
stages to be held on the lower half of the mountain. Three stages were
held Wednesday night, three additional stages run early Friday morning
and the seventh penultimate stage being held Saturday during the 83rd
running of the "Race to the Clouds."
Wednesday evening QRS' Toyota Celica All-trac began having clutch
problems on Special Stage 3. Eric and Jeremy inspected the clutch
system and the crew repaired what they thought was a problem with the
hydraulic system. The next day a scheduled morning practice run proved
that the clutch problem was worse than had been initially diagnosed.
An all night effort by Quantum Rally Sport's crew and many helpful
local rallyists, was required to drop the engine/transmission and make
repairs to the clutch.
The repairs were less than ideal, so Langbein/Wimpey had to take it
easy on the transmission on Friday's early morning stages, and opted
not to take part in additional practice on the upper section of the
mountain. Langbein stated "I was frustrated that I had to back off to
try to keep the car in the rally," Wimpey added "We are really lucky
to be able to continue despite the ongoing clutch problem"
The final stage of the rally was a run up to the peak from the service
area at Crystal Reservoir. This stage was run Saturday morning along
with the rest of the competitors competing in the Pikes Peak
International Hill Climb. Quantum Rally Sport's Celica All-trac made
the climb to the top and finished third in Production GT. Jeremy
reflected on the event, "Finishing was an accomplishment, we would
have liked to have been quicker but it just wasn't there for us this
weekend."
The PGT Podium was topped by Tanner Faust and Scott Crouch in their
Flatirons Imports Subaru WRX, second place went to Matt Johnson and
Wendy Nakamoto in their Carolina RS Subaru WRX.
Quantum Rally Sport thanks the Schmidt family especially Eric Schmidt,
and Todd Moberly and many others for their hospitality and incredible
efforts to help the team at this event. QRS also thanks its partners
KTR Performance (<!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.ktrperformance.com">www.ktrperformance.com</a><!-- w -->) and Victory by Design
Motorsports Graphics (<!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.vbdgraphics.com">www.vbdgraphics.com</a><!-- w -->) for their continued
involvement in US Rally.
The next round of the 2005 Rally America Championship Series is the
Maine Forest Rally, July 29-30th. Quantum Rally Sport driver Josh
Wimpey will be competing in the club rallies at this event with his
twin brother Jeremy Co-driving for him. Eric Langbein will be
competing in the following round of the Rally America Championship
Series in Minnesota at the 2005 Ojibwe Forest Pro Rally, August
26-27th.
[/b]
![[Image: ms100_1752.jpg]](http://www.rally-america.com/Update/day/data/ms100_1752.jpg)