CarolinaRS Takes First in PGT at STPR
Apex, N.C.(June 28, 2006)

For the second time running Matthew Johnson's Carolina RallySport team has pulled off the come-from-behind win in the hotly contested Rally America Production GT class. STPR is often blessed with a deluge of rain sometime during the event, this year it came the night beforehand and caused the cancellation of the famous water splash stage. The rally weather ended up being ideal as the stage roads dried up and offered excellent grip for the teams as they flew down the twisty tree lined stages.

Johnson, along with co-driver DeMotte, began the rally with balanced minds and fast times through the first two stages until their challenges began. Johnson said- "We were sliding through a right hander over crest across the finish of SS2 when I noticed the tach swing up into the rev limiter. I knew that meant we'd just lost third gear."
Continuing he added- "The car was feeling so good I decided that instead of slowing and loosing time without third I'd just attempt to enter some of those corners flat out in 4th.... Which didn't work so well when I came in too fast and smacked a bank on the left side, bending back the drivers side suspension arm. We ended up loosing about 1:25 on SS3 as a result."

Benefiting from the cancellation of SS4, the water splash stage, the Carolina RallySport crew had time to get busy replacing the front suspension arm and the gearbox in the #46 bright orange rally WRX. During the service the team also fitted custom cut Hankook rally tires hoping they would provide the traction needed to go back out and chase down the times of Eric 'Bang Bang' Langbein and Tanner Foust who were leading the class in 1st and 2nd and also using Hankook rally tires.

Just as planned the Hankook tires felt great and with the car back in shape Johnson and DeMotte were zooming on the next three stages. As daylight faded and the rally crew fitted their high powered PIAA driving lights there were still three challenging stages laying ahead.

Charging along having retaken second position in class our team was still half a minute away from the lead when the tables changed. Foust, who had taken the lead from Langbein, had his turn of luck and swiped a bank. He didn't get away as lucky as Johnson and fell to third to finish the rally behind Langbein in second and Johnson with the win.

DeMotte- "When you're rallying in a class like Production GT with this much competition and pushing this hard it's not a question of IF you'll have a crash, it's more of WHEN it will happen and if you can get lucky and recover. Here at STPR this weekend the roads were super fast for the most part with several slippery 'gotcha' corners thrown in to keep us on our toes! We are well pleased to get the win after working hard for it!"

Johnson is an Apex, NC based performance rally driver currently vying for the Rally America PGT Championship. He started his racing career in a Volkswagen GTI in 1995 and quickly moved up the ranks to become a top competitive rally driver in a all-wheel-drive turbo Subaru WRX.

Co-Driver Kim DeMotte is a 35 year veteran of rally racing from Missouri with a vast background as a driver, co-driver and event organizer. He brings lots of enthusiasm along with his experience.

Rally Car: The Carolina RallySport Subaru WRX runs in the Production-GT class. Under the rules the car is virtually stock and only minimal modifications are allowed. It has approximately 220 horsepower and a standard 5 speed transmission.

STPR was the forth of nine rounds in the Rally America National Championship. Watch for the team's next appearance at Round 5, the Maine Forest Rally on July21-22 around Rumford and Bethel, Maine.
http://www.rally-america.com/event.maine.2006.php