Written by:
SPEED Staff
SPEEDtv.com
Ken Block is off to a fast start in the 2009 Rally America championship. (Rally America)
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Subaru Rally Team USA driver Ken Block took the win at the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood in southern Missouri last weekend.
“I love the flow of the stages of this event,” said Block at the finish. “I love the high speeds.” Block’s flat-out style is well-suited to this fast and flowing event and he’s proven tough to beat here. He and co-driver Alex Gelsomino have now won this event four times in a row.
NOS Energy’s Andrew Comrie-Picard finished in second place in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX after a tight battle with Rockstar Energy’s Tanner Foust in his new Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. By midday on Saturday, Comrie-Picard and co-driver Robbie Durant led Foust and co-driver Chrissie Beavis by just a tenth of a second, but they extended the gap as the weather worsened during the final stages of the contest.
“I feel awesome,” said Comrie-Picard. “The car was perfect and our Yokohama winter tires gave us an edge when the snow started coming down.”
It was Foust and Beavis’ first event in their new Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X and Foust said he was able to pick up the pace as he adjusted to the new car. “It’s good to be on the podium,” said Tanner. “The car has great potential.” After two rounds in the Rally America Championship, Comrie-Picard and Foust are now tied for the championship lead.
“It’s really exciting to be at the top of the points with Tanner – I’m really enthusiastic for this season,” said Comrie-Picard. In fourth place overall were Bill Bacon and co-driver Peter Watt in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX, while Polish driver Andi Mancin and co-driver Maciej Wislawski rounded out the top five.
Former Production GT champion Matt Johnson and co-driver Jeremy Wimpey took the win in the popular new Super Production class, with a finish of sixth-place overall in their Subaru WRX. “I love this event, it’s awesome,” said Johnson. “You just put the hammer down and hang on.”
The duo overhauled Subaru Rally Team USA’s Dave Mirra and co-driver Derek Ringer for the class win on the second day of the contest. Mirra and Ringer had a very strong start, running as high as third place overall early in the rally.
