SPRT Release "Subaru pays tribute to rally legend Possum Bourne" (PDF File)
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Rally Argentina
Production Car World Rally Championship Rd.3
8 to 11 May 2003 |
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SPRT makes a start for consecutive victory
Full force to winning Championship for late Possum Bourne 
Preview
Event News
9 May 2003 PCWRC Round 3 is held in Argentina, passionate South American country. One week since the sudden death of Possum Bourne who was the vital driving force of SPRT, team had not recover from the great loss. However, the team decided to enter the event in Argentina, as it will conform with Possum’s wish to win the Group N Championship title for Subaru. Takeshi Ito, the representative of SPRT said "the loss of Possum is great not just to Subaru but to everyone in rallying sport. The sorrow never ends. But all we could do is to do our very best to win Champion in Production Car World Championship, because that has always been our promise." 
Possum's PCWRC permanent car number "62" and a picture of the rodent possum was made into a sticker on the rally car. When the car appeared to the service park in La Cumbre, Patrick Richard (Canada ) came to ask for the sticker. Subaru World Rally Team also asked for the sticker to be on their car. Eventually, all four Imprezas appearing in Rally Argentina this year will sport the Possum sticker on their cars.The headquarter of Rally Argentina is located in Carlos Paz, a resort town near Cordova, the second largest city in Argentina next to the capital, Buenos Aires. Because it is in southern hemisphere, the season is in autumn, but the temperature remain approximately 20°C during the day although it does get chilly down to below 10°C at night. As FIA instructed the rally events to scale down, the stages around the famous highland "El Condor" is cancelled, there are also new stages introduced. The conditions still remain to be fickle in high-speed and rocky rough roads. It is also known well for water splashes. As the Group N cars are limited in the area of modifications, the cars tend to be close the original characters. Therefore, it is very important for the cars to make sure the torque is most effective on the twisty courses and get on the speed as quickly as possible in the high-speed sections. The drivers too need to be very calm in order to not break the cars on the rough tracks. Argentina seems to be a good course for Arai, who is good at rough roads, but he missed winning last year as he damaged his suspension when he landed after the jump. 
At the shakedown on 8th, the track condition of the 4 km stages was very bad, and Arai had canceled most of his session soon."The shakedown was after the WR Cars and there were ruts and rocks showing, not a condition to drive on. I didn't want to damage the car before I even start! We had one private testing since we arrived, and we've done thorough reconnaissance. I know where to be cautious. I think the impression of the car this year is like, fast like Safari and rough like Acropolis. You can't take it easy. Of course, we're here to win, but our aim is to win a championship points" said Arai. There are total of 16 PCWRC cars in Rally Argentina this week. Stig Blomqvist and Martin Rowe of Subaru family had not entered this event, and Arai and Richard has Imprezas. The 2002 PCWRC Champion Karamjit Singh(Malaysia), the local Marcos Ligato, Ferreyros and Al Wahaibi who have won points in the previous events will be the rival. Especially Ligato, who has the passionate support of the local fans to back him up maybe the greatest enemy. 
The Special Stage held on the night of the 8th near Carlos Paz where two cars drive side by side, Ligato was in a same group as Arai. With his advantage of knowing the track so well, after two sessions for total of 6 km, Ligato stood in the leading position with 7 seconds gap between Arai.In Subaru Production Rally Team (SPRT),three members from Possum Bourne Motor Sports who flew from New Zealand to support Arai. One is a chief class mechanic who departed New Zealand for Argentina immediately after the funeral to join forces this weekend to support Arai with all the experience Possum had gained over the years. The actual competition of Rally Argentina will start from the morning of 9th local time. |
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