2009 rally season recap
Oct-26 2009 / 22:01 EDT | posted by GDorman

This has been a season with up and downs and although we kept most of it on the positive note, the final event hurt us really bad. I still think it was my best season so far and I'm honored that Piotr picked me at the begining of the season and our work inside the car this year became better and better from event to event. Let's start from the begining.

Sno*Drift Rally - we were coming to Atlanta, MI with one of those SP just converted to be legal in this class. Very well prepared car by PPD Motorsport's Blaze Pawluczuk felt great. We had a lot of work to do inside of the car, but myself and Piotr were happy with the decision we've made. We have begun the rally with a brake issue, that was finally diagnosed as a faulty brake bias. We found ourselfs rallying on Friday with this issue unresolved and chasing Matt Johnson on the first two stages, but once we started running the longer stages we were good in the lead looking for a debut win in SP and great begining of the season. This was till stage 5 (East Fish Lake) where we stuffed it good into a snow bank about 100 yards after a crest. With no rear brakes Piotr couldn't set up the car the way he wanted and we got sucked in by a deep snow. It took us good 17 minutes of digging, running and just being furious to get back on the road. I was pumped out and exhausted, we found ourselfs well off the pace on the three remaining stages that night. We came back to Lewiston just simply mad. Thanks to our longtime supporter and local bisnessman Jeff Evans, our crew of Blaze Pawluczuk, Robert Borowicz and Arek Bialobrzeski was able to work on the car all night in the warm and cozy garage. All the issues were fixed. We got up in the morning while they were coming in from the garage. We did not want to dissappoint them, so we promised them a fight and we did fight. First stage of the day we came in 3rd overall. Car was great. We decided we are going for every stage win in SP and out of 11 stages that Saturday we took 7 and made up a lot of the time lost on Friday night. It wasn't enough to get to the top od the podium, but we placed 2nd in a season debut, knowing that this is going to be a good fight for the entire year.

2nd place SP, 10th overall - This one goes to our crew at this event for many sleepless hours spent on the car. We couldn't have done it without you boys!



100 Acre Wood Rally - In Missouri we saw a new addition to SP class competitors. Dave Mirra became a third driver for SRT USA and he brought to Salem brand new Subaru STI. We were very surprised to see the speed he was representing in that car. We were not expecting this, and very quicly fell behind on the stages. We were driving faster on every stage, but still not fast enough to get to Dave. On top of that Matt Johnson was putting some time on us and it looked like we were set to get third, but changing weather in Missouri (it was 61F on Thursday and 25F on Saturday!) brought snow to the fast stages of the rally. Piotr saw an opening door and we took it. Stage nine we were 2nd overall loosing it by 0.1 of a second to ACP! So close to a first ever stage win for SP car and Piotr! Then it came stage 14. We chose a mud/snow tire at the last service, which when we got to the start of the stage, we knew it was a wrong decision. We drove like an old lady with a baby in the back. We thought we were done. How surprised we must of looked when we found out that we just have put almost a minute on Mirra and 10 seconds on Johnson! It was time to fight for a win on the last stage. It was snowing and it only getting worse and what does the organizer do? Cancels the last stage... Once again, we were so close and couldn't take it, but what we did take was a lead in the championship. It was time to make some plans for west coast trip...

3rd place SP, 8th overall - This one goes to our SP competitors. This was a good example that this year was one of the best and closest fights ever.



Olympus Rally - This was our first time out in the west. We wanted our debut to be special. Cascade Autosport's Peter VanBogart joined our crew at this event and we also teamed up with #523 Travis and Terry Hanson (Hanson Motorsport) for a west coast escapade. We were coming to this event with a freshly installed new ECU that was going to make our Subaru even more competetive. Rally was great! We fought for a rally win in SP again with Matt Johnson and Dave Mirra, but even thou we had a lead on them both, they retired event. PPD Motorsport and Hanson Motorsport took one and two in SP at Olympus and this was our first victory in SP. This was also a begining of making bets with Mr Pat "Captain" Moro and we did take the first one which is who is going to take a last stage win at this rally. Mr Moro, you have lost :)

1st SP, 5th overall - This one goes to our families for making many sacrifices, so we can continue on pursuing our second career, for not being at home for weeks when we have an event. Thank you!



Oregon Trail Rally - In Oregon we were missing Matt Johnson from the pack, but Pat Moro was stepping up to the plate to take this spot. Once again we had a great and close fight with SRT USA third driver Dave Mirra. We were very close on time the entire day on Friday and then Saturday when we moved from Portland to Hood River. It was all going really well and even better after stage 8 where we put some time on Dave and we were fifth overall already. This was going really good even thou we still had problems with an overheating car. Unfortunately this is where the trouble began. Stage 9 we caught a lot of dust in the forest where there was no wind to move it around. We were off the pace and Piotr did not want to loose any time on this stage. On the wide open from the tree section of R4 into L4 the car got a bit to loose in the rear, which n effect pulled the car slightly into a ditch, then it hit a rock there and we rolled twice landing on the wheels facing the opposite direction. We couldn't believe it. It was going great! How did we end up here? PPD Motorsport and Hanson Motorsport joined team went from one-two at Olympus to two DNFs at Oregon. It was time to get home and rethink the whole season...

DNF - We shouldn't really dedicate a DNF to anybody. This was a first win for Jimmy Keeney, later SP champion



STPR - STPR started for us right when we rolled at Oregon. There was a lot of work ahead of us and we didn't really know if we were going to make it. It wasn't just about keeping our lead in SP, but also about the chance for the first Polish team to qualify for the X Games. This was going to be a challenge and challenge it was. We had the car back in Illinois on Wednesday noon. It went straight to the shop of our supporters Arlington Collision Co from Arlington Heights, IL. They jumped on it right away. We had less then two weeks to complete it all and get the car back together to be able to race at STPR. Decals went on Tuesday night before we left for Pennsylvania on Wednesday. It was a great feeling and one fight won, with time. Now, we needed to bring a good finish to all the people that worked on the car during those two weeks. The fact that Piotr burned his car totally the last time he was at STPR did not help, but we needed to put this behind us and focus on the road. Gary Donoghue joined our crew for this event as an Irish addition to our team. Friday was awful. We lost a lot of time on the first two very rough stages. This was not a start that we were looking for. Pat Moro and Dave Mirra were right up there and not letting go, but a clean finish for us was more important. Saturday as usual on the first stage of the day Piotr was awesome. We set fifth time overall on this stage driving very conservatively. There was a chance for a win. We just needed to drive smooth. Stage 5 Dave was back on top, but we put time on Pat. Stage 6... Dave was out, but Pat wasn't going to slow down. I kept reminding Piotr many, many times "We need to finish, we need to finish. Don't push it." and we kept exchanging time with Pat keeping comfortable lead of about 30 or so seconds. This wasn't much. Travis Hanson was back in his game and put few stage wins in SP. We controlled the situation all the way to the finish keeping over 25 seconds over Pat Moro. This was amazing... We won SP second time this year, we had a very good lead in the class and we qualified to the X Games!!! The celebrations had no end! Wow we did it all... now what?

1st SP, 5th overall - this one goes to Arlington Collision Co. We wouldn't be winners and we wouldn't qualify for X Games if the car was not fixed in time for STPR, Thank You!



X Games 15 - Here is a dream that became true. When I went to first ever rally at X Games, I thought, what a great event, what a great place to be one day and participate. Well of course they had to get rid of the co-drivers this year (THANKS!), but still we were coming there as one of the twelve, one of those who deserved it, who made an effort. We were joined for this event by a great sponsor Sobieski Vodka. We were proud that we could bring a Polish company to the X Games, to promote Polish product, to be be one of the three Polish teams, Polish athletes that qualify for this great event for the first time. Once again we had Arek Bialobrzeski and Peter VanBogart working on our car under the direction of PPD Motorsport's Blaze Pawluczuk. The car was an ex-Matt Iorio, now Kenny Bartram vehicle, powerful Subaru Impreza. We spent a lot of time working on it and the set up was good, but we still had some issues that we couldn't really fix before the big day on Sunday, even after a looooong Saturday night working aside of Matt Johnson's crew. It was time to race and what a race it was. As a last pair of the elimination round we met with Andi Mancin for one of the closest races during those X Games. We lost, but the experience and fun and just simply great time in Los Angeles will not be forgotten.

9th place - This one goes to our main sponsor for X Games - Sobieski Vodka!



Ojibwe Forests Rally - favorite rally on the map of US for Piotr. He placed 4th overall there in 2008 and was hoping to at least repeat it in 2009. This was a first time this year where we were joined by Gary Grahn as our crew chief for this event. We were going to Bemidji for more points in SP and I was going to keep Piotr on the leash again and keep reminding him about he importance of finishing this event. We were SP leaders and we wanted to keep this lead. We missed NEFR due to our prep work for X Games, so focus at this rally was very important. Shakedown went very well. No problems of any kind. We kept getting faster and faster on it, no close calls, no mistakes, simple pleasure. We were set for a great rally. With this in mind we went for a first stage, a super special at Bemidji Speedway and guess what... we put in the third time overall on it. What a way to begin a rally! Well great, but the happiness did not last long. 2 miles into stage 2 we were on the side of the road with a blown engine.... we lost SP lead. There was just simply no time and enough funds in the budget to make it to Colorado. We had to risk it all and play it "all in" at LSPR, second favorite event for Peter.

DNF - this one hurt a lot, but we were not giving up, not just yet.



LSPR - the stories about our running around the country just few days before the rally were everywhere. From Chicago to Virginia, from Virginia to Chicago and then off to Houghton, MI. Exhausted? Yes, very, but happy we were there with a new engine, freshly tuned by Diebold Autosport, We were ready to rock, little low on "our fuel", but ready. Shakedown... what? This is over already? No! We couldn't just wrap our heads around it! We blew another one? How? Why? Question were flying around. Well, maybe it's not that. Compression test confirmed the worst. #61 was out of LSPR before it even started with a cylinder 3 failure. Amazing first half of the season and then a nightmare for the second half of it. Still can't believe it today. Piotr was packed and on the way back the same night. I stood behind to help our team mates for this event #54 White Oak Racing / National Guard Rally. I had to keep my mind off of what happened to us and just find myself something to do. At least I was some help to them and then on Sunday we attended to the season ending banquet to receive awards.

DNF - this one hurt so bad, it still hurts today.



Piotr was also part of Team USA 1 with Pat Moro during Rally of Nations in Mexico this year. Unfortunately both driver retired from the event due to crashes. Martin Brady sat in the co-driver seat for this event.

Here we are at the end of October and we are trying to see what we achieved last season. It was a first time that Piotr drove 7 out of 9 events in the championship and although we were all waiting to bring that Super Production trophy to Illinois this month, it just simply did not work out. Are we giving up? No, but we will have to be a lot better prepared in 2010 to attack those 6 events better. Now with the experience we got during this season it should be a lot smoother.

We have to thank a lot of people this year, starting with our sponsors Sobieski Vodka during X Games and White Frog Entertainment during the entire season, our partners: Motul Lubricants and Exedy Clutches, our media partners World Rally Sport, Driving Sports TV during X Games and RootZoo.com, our supporters: Arlington Collision Co, Excel Property Investments, Mustang Vodka and Chicago Auto Exchange. Big thank you to everybody for the entire year. This success (although not the way we wanted it) is also your success!

Piotr and I are working on some plans for 2010 season and building a new team. We are hoping to brake the news if any soon, but at this point we are not sure if we are going to be back in 2010 and in what car. Stay tuned!