Canadian Rally Championship : Mitsubishi Brigade attacks Rallye Défi with strong entries

Mitsubishi Brigade attacks Rallye Défi with strong entries

Toronto (September 10th, 2009) – For the last ten years, the best Canadian rally crews have headed for the Quebec Laurentians to compete in one of the longest events of the season, the Rallye Défi. As the fourth round of the Canadian Rally Championship, this event spans over two days and uses some of the most challenging roads in the country.  This coming weekend, Mitsubishi will be represented by no less than ten teams looking for an overall victory or a class win. Leading the 41-car grid in their Lancer Evolution, the defending North-American champions, Antoine L'Estage and codriver Nathalie Richard from St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, will seek a record tying fourth victory.  Both won the maiden event in February and are only ten points from leading the 2009 standings.

A trio of Evolutions will be fencing for a spot on the podium: defending Mitsubishi Cup winner, Simon Losier is fifth in the series' standings and will be co-driven by François Morin in his Synchro Autosport Evolution 8RS.  First Group N winners in the Canadian rally history, Jean-Sébastien and Jacques Besner will campaign a similar Evolution edition. Finally Mathieu L'Estage, Antoine's brother, will be back in his older Evolution5 teamed up with Yanick Napert.

Two more crews are contending for class victories: former Production class champions, Jan and Jody Zedril from Winnipeg are leading the 2WD open class after three events while Albertans Zbigniew Szewczyk and Tomasz Karzynski will regroup in a Group 5 Ralliart model.

"It's wonderful to see so many Mitsubishi vehicles in the top starting order", says Koji Soga, President and CEO of Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada.  "With our increased commitment in the series this year and a heritage rich in rally sports, these events provide our customers and fans with an opportunity to see what Mitsubishi is really all about".

Other entries include Martin and Maxime Losier, each steering a Synchro Evolution, Philip Deans in a Production model and Michelle Laframboise in her Evolution 4.

Event profile: Rallye Défi

Following the Thursday race and paperwork on Friday morning, the cars will run a string of five spectator stages around Ste-Agathe before they enter overnight parc fermé.  Early Saturday, they head for Montpellier for a double stint of three stages around the Papineau-Labelle Park. Service will be held in there when two wild asphalt stages will be run around lunch. Another double stint of three stages will complete the day with podium ceremony taking place in Ripon. For more information, please visit the event web site at www.rallyedefi.com  or visit our password free media website at www.mitsubishi-motors-pr.ca . 

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