ProRally: Pikes Peak: Stage one report

SCCA ProRally 28, Mountain 2
Lloyd Leads, Two Entries Out After Stage One at Pikes Peak

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 24, 2004) -- British Open class driver John Lloyd, with co-driver Pauline Gulick, holds a 2.7 second lead over Open class point leader Leon Styles, with co-driver John Dillon, and a 4.1 second advantage over Group 5 competitor Doug Shepherd, with co-driver Pete Gladysz, after Thursday morning's Special Stage One of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Round Five of the 2004 SCCA ProRally Championship Presented by Hot Wheels®.

Lloyd, running in a 2000 Hyundai Tiburon prepared by legendary driver John Buffum's Libra Racing, stormed up the 4.9-mile portion of the mountain road from the start line to Cove Creek, completing the run in 5:22.7 (54.66 mph).

Overall, three 2WD Group 5 cars reside in the top six and two are in the top five, with Rhys Millen, and co-driver Chrissy Beavis, sitting fourth in Millen's Pontiac GTO, just 0.1-second behind Shepherd/Gladysz in their Mopar Dodge SRT-4.

The 30-car field didn't come away from the short stage unscathed. Two entries experience mechanical problems Thursday morning. Doug Havir, with co-driver Scott Putnam, pulled off the road in his Subaru Impreza WRX STi before the end of his run and was towed back to the service area by teammates Al Kintigh and co-driver Heidi Martin.

Jon Hamilton, with co-driver Ken Sabo, also had problems as Hamilton's Production class unique biodiesel-powered Volkswagen Golf TDi lost its turbo on Hamilton's third shift from the start.

A schedule change was announced late Wednesday. Special Stage Two (from the Tollgate to Halfway Picnic) is now set to begin at 3 a.m. instead of 3:45. Special Stage Three is still set to begin at 6 a.m.

For daily recaps and general information about the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Round Five of the 2004 SCCA ProRally Championship, visit www.scca.com.

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