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US rallyist heading back to Canada for Tall Pines

WagsCA — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:21:16 +0000

Rally Defi 2009

“Karen Wagner takes on Tall Pines rally last event in the 2009 CARS Championship!”

My goal for 2009 was to compete in all 6 of the Canadian Rally Championship events and this weekend’s Tall Pines rally will mark my fifth event (I missed Pacific Forest due to scheduling conflicts). So far the year has been quite a learning experience with everything being brand new—new Sanctioning body, new rules & regulations, new events, new roads, new 2 pass recce, new drivers to team up with, and often the most challenging a new language.

So far I have really enjoyed racing in Canada. I typically win the award for coming the farthest away to run these events (it is pretty common for it to take 3 flights for me to get to an event). Flying cross country can be a challenge on the best day, try flying out of the country! You really have to keep a good sense of humor about it and make sure to only fly carry on. Believe it or not I have been able to fly carry on for every event this year which is especially suprising because I am a girl who likes to bring lots of stuff.

After Rally Defi which resulted in a very big “off” into a mountain side, I am hoping for a solid finish this weekend. Once again I am teamed up with Bruno-Pierre Allard of A Team Racing in the team’s 2004 Subaru STi which has been freshly repaired from our off.

I am finishing my to do list for work and by tomorrow will be off to good ol Canada. We are starting 22nd this weekend with over 50 teams set to compete including the usual folks like Antoine, Pat, ACP, Henderson, and some interesting last minute additions like the Sprongl’s who are going to try to play spoiler this weekend for Subaru. It is great to see Dan Sprongl back in the car again after his nasty accident at STPR in 2006—just goes to show how safe these cars are! I remember driving by the accident (it was only my 3rd rally co-driving) and looking at the wreckage just gave me chills. Still does to this day….

We are going to fly into Buffalo and then drive up to Bancroft (about a 4 hour drive) Thursday, I am excited to see Niagra Falls for this first time in my life….wish me luck traveling tomorrow I have a hunch I am going to need it!

More updates to come……follow co-driver Karen Wagner on Twitter @ Wagsca for real time updates from the event.

Related posts:
Team Germany win ROC Nation’s Cup
Rally across Canada
2009 closes on a high note

Press on regardless weekend…

WagsCA — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 18:51:58 +0000

Karen Wagner and Doug Shepherd's SRT4

So with the drama of getting to this weekend’s LSPR rally fully behind me I could finally focus on rallying. After staying up very late Thursday night getting all of notes prepared and everything ready, I was raring to go Friday! Lesson learned: never buy erasable highlighters for rallying, they are a nightmare! Luckily fellow co-driver Pete Gladyz was there to save the day with plenty for me to borrow.

Buzz heard at the event: Block and Alex going to WRC seems like everyone was talking about it. Suburu pulling out of US rallying? Major series announcements coming from Rally America Sunday at the end of the year awards banquet (less events? Championship ending at X Games? TV package – hey I can dream can’t I?).

LSPR didn’t disappoint for Doug Shepherd and I Friday with an exciting race within a race with Henry and Cindy Krolikowski trading times back and forth all night. We broke a half shaft which put us behind by about 50 seconds with one last service and only stages left to make up the time. Those last two stages were only 7 miles a piece but with Doug and I both performing our jobs flawlessly we made up the 50 seconds and put an additional 20 seconds on them! That was some of the best stages Doug and I have done together need less to say we ended the day very happy. He is a truly unbelievable driver who can pull off some pretty awesome drives. We were both grinning ear to ear after the last stage. People ask why I love rallying so much that’s why. When the car, driver, and co-driver are working in harmony it is truly magic.

I have been in the right-seat of more crashes and offs that I care to count and every time I question my sanity for getting right back in the car and never thinking twice. I love the challenge and pressure of rallying there is nothing more rewarding than a job well done. The last stage Friday night we were literally flying and were 4th overall on that stage in our 2wd SRT4. What a way to end the rally!

We weren’t able to run Day 2 unfortunately so our adventure ended early. With Tall Pines coming up in about a month my next rally fix will be here before I know but this weekend’s memories will live on for many years to come!

I want to thank Doug Shepherd for a blast this weekend and for all of his mentoring for the past few years. Also thanks to the best service crew ever: Don, Pete, Kay, Toni (best stew ever), Douglas, Quin, and Katie couldn’t have done it without all of you!

Karen Wagner
Co-Driver in CARS, Rally-America, CRS, NASA series
Twitter: wagsca

Related posts:
Co-Driver Almost Misses LSPR…
Links of the day: All eyes on GB
Links of the day: Busy weekend for rally fans

Co-Driver Almost Misses LSPR…

WagsCA — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:17:11 +0000

The new 2010 Rally America Calendar now available with us on the cover from last year's LSPR rally.

We all know air travel is fair on a good day and wretched on a bad one. Yesterday was one of the worse travel days I have ever had so much so we almost didn’t make it to this weekend’s Lake Superior Performance Rally. How bad would that be to spend all this money, take precious vacation days off I (can you actually have a negative balance), and still not make it? Luckily I do fly a ton and have status on United so they finally got us to part way to Chicago this morning at 2am! So we had to rent a car and drive to Houghton today (8hr drive). Press on regardless right?

Luckily, our SRT4 and driver Doug Shepherd are already on the road to the event from the Detroit area. It has been pouring rain and cold ever since we landed this morning I suspect being from sunny California I better start getting use to it. It has been snowing and raining in Houghton where the rally takes place this weekend. Road conditions will be variable at best… clear, icy, and snowy every corner can be different at LSPR. This is why attrition is typically high at this event.

The last two years it poured rain but no such luck this year, snow is in the forecast. I read this morning that there hasn’t been this much snow on the ground at this rally since 1982. That’s what makes rallying so fun, you never know what you are in for! This is our third year in a row at LSPR (7th overall, 1st in class & 2wd in 2007, 5th overall, 1st in class, & 2wd in 2008). Even though this is our first event in 2009 I have run with the likes of Frank Sprongl and Lauchlin O’Sullivan this year already so I can’t wait to bring what I have learned this year with those guys to LSPR with Doug. Besides it was this event back in 2007 where Doug gave me a shot to co-drive for him, it has turned out to be the rally education of a lifetime and an absolute blast!

This is my first “Blog” ever… I am trying it out this weekend on a dare. Who know maybe it could be fun. We are in the middle of Wisconsin and the weather is getting worse so better run.

More later about my favorite rally in the US…

Karen Wagner
Co-Driver in CARS, Rally-America, CRS, NASA series

Related posts:
Entry list for LSPR
Pastrana puts stamp on championship with win at LSPR
Press on regardless weekend…