Matthew Johnson fields Team USA for Rally Mexico

From press release: Matthew Johnson has accepted his invitation race on roads known to many on the World Rally Championship as Corona Rally Mexico. As a non-WRC year, the rally organizers have assembled national teams in a new format, Rally of Nations, and attracted rally stars from Finland, Spain, Austria, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Uruguay, Peru and, of course, the United States.

ON THE US/MEXICO BORDER – Ironic: Matthew Johnson spends his 4th of July weekend pouring over last minute details to bring Team USA to Mexico. He’s added the international Rally of Nations to his normal Rally America Championship and ESPN X Games rally calendar. While we got ready to celebrate America’s independence, Matthew has two cars and a service truck to watch over; a two car trailer to buy, and a pile of sponsorships to chase down for the X Games Rally competition just weeks after the Mexico event is over.

Johnson’s crucial to Team USA, he’s overseen every detail. He’s found another co-driver as his normal in-car-partner is busy at another event. As co-driver, Johnson chose ESPN X Games Gold Medalist Chrissie Beavis; as a teammate, Cowboy Kenny Bartram, the winningest freestyle motocross rider – gone rally just three years ago and as American as apple pie. And as crew chief, Andrew Pinker, another former X Games Rally driver, this Australian exchanges his steering wheel for the clipboard and will supervise Team USA at Rally of Nations.

“I didn’t come to rally from somewhere else, I’ve been here the whole time – rallying my way up from the bottom,” said Johnson. “Joining together to represent the United States in International competition is an honor. Racing against many of my heroes from across the globe is a dream. And, having the most popular Rally event in the US – ESPN X Games – just two weeks later is a bit of a stress, but our team is great and I am pumped to rally.”

CORONA RALLY MEXICO – RALLY OF NATIONS
The Corona Rally Mexico will be held in Guanajuato, Mexico on July 9, 10, 11 and 12 under an innovative format called “Rally of Nations,” where a large number of rallying stars will convene for this unique competition that will take place in the same facilities and along the same route that have hosted the World Rally Championship for five years now.

The rally will consist of a three-day competition along a 250-km route that features a super special stage and, for the first time, a street stage. One of the highlights of this rally is its scoring system, whereby points are tallied for each driver individually, as well as by country. At the end of each day, the points are posted on a scoreboard, so the time difference does not matter. The scoreboard sets the opening positions for the following day and so on, until the awards ceremony on Sunday, where extraordinary prize purses will be awarded per driver and per country.

The impressive roster of drivers that have confirmed their attendance include, for Finland, Harri Rovanperä and Toni Gardemeister; Dani Sola and Xevi Pons representing Spain; for Austria, Manfred Stohl and Andreas Aigner; from France, Didier Auriol and Brice Tirabassi; representing Italy, Mario Isola and Stefano Marrini; for Germany, Hermann Gassner Jr. and Mark Wallenwein; and Canada will be represented by Patrick Richard and Antoine L’Estage.

Joining Johnson and Bartram is another Team USA entry fielded by American driver Pat Moro and guest co-driver Ole Holter. Moro and Holter are supported by Polish driver Piotr Wiktorczyk and guest co-driver Martin Brady of Ireland. “With four cars running under the red, white, and blue of the American flag, we’ll be able to support each other if we need it. We’re very lucky to have some of our friends from the Rally America championship with us in Mexico.” said Bartram.

All drivers will be competing on fairly equal terms, as they will all drive Group N4 cars compliant with the same regulations, in an effort to reduce the advantages providing by heavy funding. Of course cars will be far from equal.

Mexico and the state of Guanajuato are ready to bid a warm welcome to all the competitors, crews, fans and media, to what will undoubtedly be an unforgettable event.

To follow the rally see www.rallyofnations.com

DRIVER BIO: MATTHEW JOHNSON

Matthew Johnson is a top competitor in the Rally America National Championship and at the ESPN X Games. As a winner of multiple rally Rally America Championships, Matthew has a strong background in rally and at a young age. Matthew also spends time coaching other rally drivers and privately teaching performance car control to owners of exotic cars. When not behind the wheel, Matthew is usually seen behind a laptop working to strengthen his rally program while enroute to Brooklyn, Denver, LA or North Carolina.

Matthew Johnson is the kid that came from rally. He’s pure rally at its roots-working hard to accomplish his dreams. Since Matthew started, he’s worked himself into a couple of National Championships, credibility from his peers, and great group of fans.
DRIVER BIO: COWBOY KENNY
“Cowboy” Kenny Bartram is quite simply the winningest Freestyle Motocross rider in the world. His record 13 IFMA wins and 26 Main Event wins in one season still stands. He also accumulated seven World Championships and 10 medals from X Games and Gravity Games, including four goals. Since dominating Freestyle, Cowboy Kenny has switched gears, winning two back-to-back two-wheel drive Rally America Championships. Kenny is known for his cowboy hat and cowboy roots, and this year Kenny has returned to Freestyle, while continuing to rally as part of Team USA and assembling his Rally America team for 2010.
NEW MATTHEW JOHNSON BLOG
Keep tabs on MJ throughout Rally of Nations and anytime via www.matthewjohnson46.tumblr.com

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