Six Star Magazine Six Star Magazine Winter 2011/2012 | Page 9

SUBARU IN THE CANADIAN RALLY
CHAMPIONSHIP: 20 YEARS, 10 TITLES

NEWS

Over the past two decades, Subaru has made

Pacific Forest Rally and the duo powered to a

an indelible mark on the Canadian Rally

dominant win. Now, with one round remaining

teams through the Subaru contingency program.

Championship, winning no fewer than 10 titles.

this season (at time of printing) — the Rally of the

This program provides performance-based cash

The streak began with driver Tom McGeer

Tall Pines, to be held the weekend of November

awards to any teams running Subaru equipment.

and co-driver (and future wife) Trish Sparrow

25-26 in Bancroft, Ontario — Subaru is still in the

The success of the program is clear to see:

winning for Subaru Rally Team Canada in 1992

hunt for the manufacturer’s title, so this should

The competitor list at each rally is filled with

and repeating as champions the following year.

make for an exciting finish.

Subaru vehicles and, in the past year alone,

McGeer captured the title again in 2000 and

As a presenting sponsor of the Canadian Rally

Since 1996, we have also supported privateer

over $60,000 was awarded to these teams.

2001 with a different co-driver, Mark Williams,

Championship for the past four years, Subaru

For information on the Canadian Rally

and then won again in 2003 alongside navigator

Canada has also played a key role in the sport

Championship, the Subaru contingency

Philip Erickson.

overall, helping to bring incredible rally action

program and how to get more involved in

to the fans across Canada.

this thrilling form of motorsport, visit :

In 2002, another Subaru Rally Team Canada
duo, driver Patrick Richard and co-driver Ian

www.carsrally.ca

McCurdy, captured top honours. Richard
repeated the feat in 2004 with his sister, Natalie,
in the navigator’s seat. In 2008, Richard won
his third title for Subaru, this time alongside
co-driver Alan Ockwell. This same pairing
repeated as champions in 2009 and then helped
Subaru claim the manufacturer’s title last season.
This season, Richard began the campaign
alongside yet another new co-driver, Leanne
Junnila. In their first rally together, despite
suffering a broken wheel while running less
than a minute off the lead, the duo managed
a fourth-place finish. Richard and Junnila then
combined for a pair of runner-up finishes.
Ockwell returned to partner Richard for the

SUBARU AND TARGA NEWFOUNDLAND:
TURNING 10, RAISING MONEY
Last year, two Subaru dealers, Davenport
Subaru (Orillia, Ontario) and Capital Subaru

Dyer of Capital Subaru came home in 11th place.
This year, the Davenport Subaru duo finished

at over $60,000 — a fantastic result.
Beginning and ending in St. John’s, Targa

(St. John’s, Newfoundland), competed in Targa

sixth in class while the Capital Subaru pair

Newfoundland is a point-to-point tarmac rally

Newfoundland and teamed up to raise a total of

finished 22nd in the Modern division, with the

that runs on closed roads in small communities

$36,000 for a great cause.

latter being beaten to top spot by yet another

throughout the eastern and central parts of

Subaru. Even better, the friendly rivals managed

the province.

This year, the two dealerships came back
for more fundraising rally action as the event

to raise a significant amount of money once

The event comprises close to 2,200 km of

celebrated its 10 anniversary. Running

again; to date for 2011, Davenport Subaru has

driving over five consecutive days, of which

under the banner “Rally for the Kids,” the

generated over $35,000 (including $10,000 from

some 500 km are timed special stages with

duo expanded their efforts by creating a

other Ontario Subaru dealers) for Orillia Soldiers’

teams starting at 30-second intervals.

Facebook fan page with the Capital Auto Group

Memorial Hospital, while Capital Subaru secured

committing $1 for every Like the page received.

over $15,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters

th

But this joint effort is not just about raising

For more information on this unique rally
or to find out how to get involved, visit:

Eastern Newfoundland.

money for a great cause, it’s also a “friendly”

A third Subaru team involved in the Rally

competition. Last year, the Davenport Subaru

for the Kids effort, Team Kijiji with competitors

team of Mike Davenport and Shawn Monette

Cody Morch and Chris Harris of Toronto, raised

had the upper hand in finishing fourth in the

a further $10,000 for the Hospital for Sick

modern class, while rivals Jon Howard and Paul

Children. This puts the grand total for all teams

www.targanewfoundland.com

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