World rated drivers to compete in Medan
World rated drivers to compete in Medan
JAKARTA (JP): World rated rally drivers including Kenneth
Ericson of Sweden, Japan's Kenjiro Shinozuka and the Scot Dom
Burkley have confirmed their entries in the Medan rally in North
Sumatra from June 17 - 19.
Thirty-three drivers so far have registered. "Top national
drivers are among those 33 participants already registered," a
committee spokesman said.
The rally, the inaugural leg of the Asia-Pacific race, will be
split into 28 Special Stages (SS), covering a total stretch of
139.95 kilometers.
Tony Hardianto and navigator Anthony Sarwono, who triumphed in
the first series of the national championship rally early last
month, will be driving a new Subaru Impreza.
Mitsubishi, which has dominated the domestic scene for the
last few years, will have world-rated drivers Shinouzuka and
Ericson in their camp along with top local talent. Both men will
drive Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VR-4s.
Shinozuka, a regular participant in the Indonesian rally will
be accompanied by navigator Britain's Fred Gocentas. Ericson's
partner will be his long time co-driver Staffan Permander.
Ericson is expected to arrive here tomorrow after taking part
in the Acropolis Rally which ends in Athens today.
He crashed out of the rally on Monday along with Collin McRae,
on Subaru Impreza, who was disqualified for fixing a smashed
windshield on the course. Ericson was involved in a separate
accident on the course.
Officials disqualified McRae shortly after midnight for
"unsporting behavior". He has no right of appeal.
The Automobile and Touring Club of Greece's Board of Stewards
has reported the Scot to the Royal Automobile Club and the
International Automobile Federation for unsporting conduct.
McRae, who had lost the lead to Subaru teammate Carlos Sainz,
deliberately blocked the road for 20 minutes to replace a
windscreen he claimed had been smashed by negligent officials.
The Asia-Pacific Rally Championship is the only annual
sporting event fully sanctioned by FIA, the world automotive
governing body, conducted on a circuit in the region.
After Medan, which is officially called the Bentoel Rally '94,
the championship will move to New Zealand from July 28 through 31
for its second leg. Malaysia will host the third from Aug. 13 to
16 before moving to Australia from Sept. 16 to 19.
The 555 Hong Kong - Beijing Rally from Oct. 22 to 28 will be
the fifth in the series before the final leg in Thailand, slated
for Dec. 2 to 6. (rsl)