Jennings-Bates rocks at Mountain Trials Rally in Merritt

In the third round of the Western Canada Rally
Championship, Driver Mark Jennings-Bates and
Co-Driver Jennifer Daly of the Rally4Life team set
some very impressive times in the early stages. Sadly
their effort to gain valuable points was ultimately
and abruptly ended when a stray rock on the notorious
Princeton Cutoff stage put a hole in their gas
tank.The Rally4Life Team set top 5 stage times all
morning and were sitting comfortably in a podium
position when a rock on the fourth stage of the day
ended their efforts.
“It was unfortunate” said Daly, the teams Co-Driver,
adding “we had changed our pace note format this
weekend and it was showing some obvious signs of
success”. For Jennings-Bates the weekend proved once
again that he can keep up the pace with front runners
in substantially more modified vehicles. “It was a
great event up to that point. We were driving
aggressively, but very controlled. With a stock
Subaru STi competing against cars that are heavily
modified, we were very pleased to be where we were.
We need to do a little work to the car this year, but
generally we are where we need to be in terms of pace”
The infamous Princeton Cutoff once again gave the
teams KSport rally dampers a workout. “I could not be
more pleased with the dampers. That stage alone will
test whether you have a good setup or not and the
KSport’s performed brilliantly” commented Jennings-Bates.
For Daly, the upcoming schedule includes the Rally
Baie des Chaleurs in Quebec where she will add to her
impressive co-driving resume. For Jennings-Bates he
will be in the UK with the Rally4Life Dakar team at
the Goodwood Festival of Speed gaining more valuable
time in the driving seat of the Bowler Nemesis Dakar
vehicle that he will be taking to Argentina in
January to tackle the worlds most grueling motor
sport event, the Dakar Rally.

The Rally4Life Canadian team is based in Kelowna,
British Columbia and competes in the Western Canada
Rally Championship and select events in the Canadian
Rally Championship which is broadcast in High
Definition on TSN and will be Canada’s first
competitive car entry into the Dakar Rally in January
2011, driving a Bowler Nemesis.

Locally, the team is supported by HELIOS Global
Tracking, Ksport USA, Aerius Engineering, BC Resort
Homes, Big O Tires Westbank, AGAR Paint and Autobody,
Wyatt Autoparts, Provision Data, Bell Racewear,
Pinnacle Elite Athletes, Pinnacle Physiotherapy and
Kelowna Cycle.