[Nick Koan]

One response I found over at specialstage.com

This rally will go down in history as one of the greatest clust.....ks of all time. The start was delayed FOUR hours because the EMT support crew didn't have a backboard. After some time, and discussion with the BLM, Dr Clark kindly donated the use of Gandalf's dog ramp as a backboard, a roll of duct tape as head/neck restraint, and the promise to stop and assist at any scene if necessary. At that time, the rally proceeded.

As a crew member this time, I followed the radio discussions, and with all the crew members, tried to keep up with the ever-changing situation of which stages were cancelled due to road conditions, or civilian traffic on the stages.

Crews were set up at Gerlach, about 15 miles from the car unloading area at Empire Farms Road. After a long wait in freezing conditions, we were told to pack up, hook up again to our trailers, replace the fuel cans in the fuel truck, and return to Empire Farms Road, where our cars would return instead, after running just the one stage.

I must thank Jon Rood and some other crew members for helping me load up, and ensuring I was fully mobile in the Suburban before they all drove off. your help was very greatly appreciated by Dr Clark as well!

The general mood of the crews, drivers and co-drivers was one of frustration and anger. The entry fee, notes, fuel, accommodation and other costs made this a $1000+ day! To have a rally cancelled for basic lack of planning for safety issues is absolutely unbelievable. Crews heard that apparently the roads hadn't been closed to traffic, and that the EMT crew did not have the list of equipment requirements from Rally America.

This rally has the potential to be wonderful. The support crews were terrific, the roads are great, and the area has a scenic beauty that is just incredible. Hopefully these issues will be addressed very quickly, because I suspect that very few rallyists will ever return to this event in its' present form.

Marie Boyd,
Co-driver/crew,
Car 39.