Two weeks before the start of the 2010 season, Auto123.com met with four-time Canadian Rally Champion Patrick Richard, works driver for Subaru Canada and owner of the Rocket Rally, a rally team based in Squamish, British Columbia.
Patrick talked about his fierce battle in last year's Canadian rally series.
"It's been a very tough season made of ups and downs," said Patrick, the driver of an Impreza STI.
"The 2009 season started at the Perce-Neige in Quebec. We had a terrific battle with 6-time Canadian rally champion Franck Sprongl. There was just one minute separating us when I cut a snow bank too deep. The snow filled the radiator and eventually the engine blew up… There are just six rounds in the Canadian series, and we knew we just threw away one good result.
It was then to the Rocky Mountain out West. We had a fantastic battle with Antoine L'Estage and we won the event, which was very encouraging.
The series then returned East for the Baie-des-Chaleurs. We again had an unbelievable fight with L'Estage. We beat him at the end, which was a great moment.
The championship then moved to the Defi in Ste. Agathe, Quebec. Unfortunately, I broke the gearbox and Antoine won the rally. Things were getting tight on the points' table. The only way I could clinch the title was to win the last two events of the season.
We captured victory in the penultimate round of the season, the Pacific Forest Rally while L'Estage finished in second place. It was still very tight.
It all came down to the Tall Pines in Ontario. I had to win the event and L'Estage to come home in third or worse to capture the title. We asked Frank Sprongl to give us a hand by driving the Impreza he piloted at the Targa Newfoundland. Frank was there to score valuable points so that Subaru would clinch the constructors' title.
But before the start, I rolled the car twice. It was 8:30 Thursday night, less than 12 hours before the start of the event. The guys from Rocket Rally made miracles, repairing the car in time for me to take the start on the next morning.
 |
Patrick talked about his fierce battle in last year's Canadian rally series.
"It's been a very tough season made of ups and downs," said Patrick, the driver of an Impreza STI.
"The 2009 season started at the Perce-Neige in Quebec. We had a terrific battle with 6-time Canadian rally champion Franck Sprongl. There was just one minute separating us when I cut a snow bank too deep. The snow filled the radiator and eventually the engine blew up… There are just six rounds in the Canadian series, and we knew we just threw away one good result.
It was then to the Rocky Mountain out West. We had a fantastic battle with Antoine L'Estage and we won the event, which was very encouraging.
The series then returned East for the Baie-des-Chaleurs. We again had an unbelievable fight with L'Estage. We beat him at the end, which was a great moment.
The championship then moved to the Defi in Ste. Agathe, Quebec. Unfortunately, I broke the gearbox and Antoine won the rally. Things were getting tight on the points' table. The only way I could clinch the title was to win the last two events of the season.
We captured victory in the penultimate round of the season, the Pacific Forest Rally while L'Estage finished in second place. It was still very tight.
It all came down to the Tall Pines in Ontario. I had to win the event and L'Estage to come home in third or worse to capture the title. We asked Frank Sprongl to give us a hand by driving the Impreza he piloted at the Targa Newfoundland. Frank was there to score valuable points so that Subaru would clinch the constructors' title.
But before the start, I rolled the car twice. It was 8:30 Thursday night, less than 12 hours before the start of the event. The guys from Rocket Rally made miracles, repairing the car in time for me to take the start on the next morning.
 |