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Rally PanAm holds onto 8th place

Posted by Staff
Friday, 25 April 2008
From Rally PanAm Press Release April 25, 2008 Central Europe Rally: Jonah Street and Team Top 1 Oil / Rally PanAm in 8th place overall entering the final Stage. Lake Balaton, Hungary. With one day remaining in the Central Europe Rally, Top-1 Oil / Rally PanAm's Jonah Street holds on to 8th place overall. Today and yesterday saw terrain better suited to the team and Jonah's open desert experience, with a series of solid top 5 and top 10 finishes. Were it not for two minor penalties, Street would be in contention for a podium finish. Yesterday the team was saddled with 35 minutes in time penalties; 10 for using an un-approved rear tire, and 25 for missing one of the many GPS waypoints on the course. Team manager Charlie Rauseo reacts to the news; "The tire penalty is not really justified. Jonah gained no advantage by using that tire. Only one approved tire works well in the terrain of this rally, and since these tires are in very short supply, we were forced to substitute for another tire on one stage. The tire we used was no better than those used by most other teams. Regarding the waypoint, this event has had issues with GPS and roadbook accuracy and other details since the beginning. Over a third of the field missed waypoints yesterday, so I think there is some doubt as to whether this was due to rider error or a technical glitch. Even so, Jonah is riding exceptionally well, and we are very happy with the results." Team mechanic Niles Follin is happy with the bike; "Thanks in part to the support of many great sponsors, the new KTM 690 Rally is working perfectly. We have not had to replace any major components, which qualifies us for a good finish in the Marathon class." The Central Europe Rally finishes tomorrow. This rally is the first of the new Dakar Series, with US Television coverage on Direct TV Channel 101. Following success in this event, Rally PanAm hopes to compete in the entire series, including the 2009 Dakar Rally in South America. Rally PanAm Is the only American motorcycle team now competing in rallies, and is backed by Top Oil Company, Klim gear, Scuderia West, Rally Management Services, Gore-Tex, APL, Motion Pro, Baja Designs, Transfer Flow, Ready Racing, Scott Goggles, Renazco Racing, MX1West, ICW, DP Brakes, Megla Designs, Aladdin Freight, KTM Twins.com, JJE Constructors, Michelin, Design Integrity, Linkfinity, Iridium, JoeHauler, SPS Suspension, and Harry's Custom Paint.

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