Juuso Pykälistö winner of Uusikaupunki-ralli
Sebastian Lindholm rolled on the first stage
Juuso Pykälistö winner of Uusikaupunki-ralli
The second last Finnish Rally Championship event was driven
yesterday in Uusikaupunki with sunny weather. The event was spiced
with drama right from the first stage: Lindholm rolled his Peugeot
206 WRC after few kilometres.
- It was a fast right curve. I went a bit wide and the rear of the
car dropped to the ditch, hit a rock and made us passengers,
Lindholm told at the service. It took 17 minutes to get the Peugeot
back on the road, so Lindholm had to gieup on good positions.
Although he continued, as there were only seven cars left in the
class and he had chances to gain championship points. Car damages
were only cosmetic, he had to drive a short asphalt stage after the
crash and before service. After service he showed his pace: fastest
on all the last stages.
The winner f the event was Juuso Pykälistö with Toyota Corolla WRC.
He came to the event straight fro the Citroën tests in Sardinia and
was really satisfied: - This was good practice for Sardinias
WRC-event. I am very pleased that our pace notes worked really
well. It will be important that the notes are in shape in Sardinia,
as it is a new event.
Pykälistö didn't get it easy. Jouni Ampuja was at his tail all day
with his Ford Focus. Pykälistö managed to beat him slightly at most
of the stages, but Ampuja hit at the last two. After seventh stage
he was only 4,6 seconds behind and he managed be faster on the last
one, but not enough. Pykälistö won with 4,4 seconds after 92
special stage kilometres driven at the event.
Jouni Ampuja is now leading the championhip standings, but Lindolm
is still hanging strong on the championship: it will be enough for
him to be second at the last event, even though Ampuja would win.
The poorest score will be decreased of the championship points, and
that gives the benefit to Lindholm.
Class GrN, over 2-litres was even more exiting. Kosti Katajamäki
performed really good with his Mitsubishi and was pushing the
leader Juha Salo (mitsubishi) at the last stages. Salo did a
mistake at the seventh stage, spunn at a junction. Katajamäki was
only 0,3 seconds behind him before the last stage. Salo kept his
head together and was faster, but the gap to Katajamäki was only
0,7 seconds at the finish.
In Gr a, 2-litres the fastest was Janne Vähämiko with VW Golf and
Gr n, 2-litres winner was Marko Mänty, Honda Civic Type R.
Next and the last event is SM Valvoline-ralli, in Hyvinkää.
9.-10.10.2004
Press officer of the series: Terhi Heloaho, GSM +358 40 586 8852
