2003 Rim of the World Rally cont.

David Higgins wins again - on his way to a convincing win for the season.

2003 Rim of the World Rally cont.

Through a friend I was a guest of the Mitsubishi Rally Team - full access to the team, and and all the schwag and food I could snag!

2003 Rim of the World Rally

Rim of the World is the premier rally in the U.S. Held in desert and mountains northeast of Los Angeles, CA, Rim draws competitors from all over North America. This was my first time I had gone to a stage rally and when I got an invite to take my seat in a brand new Evo VIII and drive to the event from San Francisco as a guest of the Mitsubish Rally team, I couldn't resist. Rim runs friday night, and all day Saturday, ending early Sunday morning. Friday night we used our parking passes and got nice and close to the first stage start. Held in the mountains, we got on stage around 7pm, with a nice breeze blowing in the fog, and light rain. At 3000ft, it was pretty cold. This stage started on worn tarmac, and once darkeness fell it was an amazing sight to first hear the cars comming, then get blinded by their lights as they blasted past. This was the last year for the big factory teams from Subaru and Mitsubishi. It was really amazing to see the level of sophistication they bring to the sport with a full service crew. Watching them swap all four struts, and any other items inside a 20min service was pretty impressive.

2003 Raindrop Rally

Our first trophies - 2003 Raindrop Rally 2nd Place Novice Class. That's my navigator Benson, on the left. This was our first rally together and the beginning of a great season. PCC Championship – here we come!

TSD Gravel Rally Preparation

Before I could do my first gravel TSD, I had to get the car fully prepared to meet the safety and practical requirements of the events. Items installed include:

Aluminum front skid plate
Aluminum rear differential protector
Auxiliary driving lights - Hella FF200 w/custom mounts
Fire extinguisher - 10BC (5lb) with aviation horizontal mount
Navigator reading light - Hella with red lens
Competition gravel tires - 16" Michelin FB80 on OEM WRX wheels
First Aid kit
Safety Triangle
Tow Rope
Flashlights