Press Release ------------------------------------------------------------------------ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Grand Rapids, MI 31 January, 2002 Subject: Team Yo! Rallysport Struggles to Disappointing End at Sno*Drift ProRally Team Yo! Rallysport began its 2002 season with a different look and a different car this past weekend at the SCCA Sno*Drift ProRally in Michigan's northern Lower Peninsula. Though the car, a Production class Chevy Citation X-11, entered in the more competitive Group 5 for natioanl points, was new, the race took on an all to familiar feel from the start. "We've struggled through our past three events with mechanical problems," noted team driver Jerry Brownell of Grand Rapids, MI. "We hadn't had the chance to test this car before the event, and it proved costly." Indeed, trouble started on the Friday morning practice stage. "This car doesn't handle at all like the other one. Before I knew it we were in a snowbank with a flat tire." The trouble had only begun. Before the end of the first competion stage, the exhaust system had separated, and by the end of the 2nd stage, the skid plate had broken loose. Without a long service break to make repairs, Brownell and co-driver for this event, Jeff Hribar of Romeo, MI, decided to take it easy to preserve a finish. "There were some close calls on the first two stages, but we mostly kept it on the road unlike some people, so we actually didn't finish Friday night that poorly," said Brownell. After the Friday stages, the team and the crew went to work making repairs to ready the car for day 2. "Saturday started out better," said Brownell, "but the exhaust came apart again right away. The car was running great, though, and I was figuring out how handle this car in the turns." But, everything started to come apart on stage 10, the longest stage of the rally. "Two miles into the 15 mile stage, the transmission got stuck in 1st gear. It was also the fastest of the stages. We would come around a corner and see a 1/2 mile straight, and there was nothing we could do except hold it at red line for the whole stage and the drive back to service. That's close to and hour at 6000 rpms and no exhaust. My ears were ringing for hours." Again, the crew went to work and was able to get the car back on stage after the main service break, but things went from bad to worse. "We were about 3 1/2 miles into the next stage," continued Brownell, "and the car simply shut off. It is obviously something ignition-related, but we weren't able to figure it out before sweep came through, so we called it quits. On the bright side," said Brownell, "when the car ran well, it was fun and quick. This car has potential as a ClubRally Production class car. We'll sort out the issues and make a run for the class championship." Team Yo! also welcomed a new sponsor for the event. Founders Brewery, the premier microbrewery in West Michigan, and maker of some of the best award- winning ales in the country. Founders beers are available at on tap and bottled at the finer West Michigan and Detroit area establishments. Find out more about Founders Ales at www.foundersales.com. Team Yo! would like to thank their crew, Colin McCleery of Sierra Rallysport and Jeff Boris for an outstanding effort trying to keep the car in the rally, and would also like to thank the organizers and workers for a well-run event. ### To find out more about SCCA ProRally, visit the SCCA website at www.sccaprorally.org. For information and results of the Sno*Drift Pro Rally visit www.sno-drift.org. Visit the Team YO! Rallysport website at http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/teamyo. Information: Team YO! Rallysport 1567 Coit N.E. Grand Rapids, MI 49505 Phone 616-361-2516 E-Mail: jerry@webstratum.com