Two classic SAAB’s are set to compete in 19th running of the New England Firest rally starting on Friday July 16th .
 
 The two day event will feature over 100 miles of tough rally stages and is hosted at Sunday River Resort in Newry, Maine.
The SAABrally.com supported team of Sorensen/Jenny have once again entered their 1975 SAAB 99 in Group 5.  They are fresh off a class win at STPR in June and excited to be returning to Maine again this year. “The SAAB is particulary well suited to the stages in maine; The roads are rough enough to take full advantage of the SAAB’s inherantly tough chassis and suspension” said driver Luke Sorensen.
 Also raising a lot of excitment is the return of a North American SAAB rally legend Mike White to the wheel after many years. Mike’s well known for his successfull campaign of a 1980 SAAB 99 in the late 90’s and he’s at it again this time with a well prepared 1984 SAAB 900 entered in Group 2 class.
 
see http://newenglandforestrally.com/ for more details.

 

We’ve received a couple inquirys asking whether that SAABrally.com team was still actually actively rallying, so I figured it might be time for an update!

After running 4 solid events ( and finishing all!) last year we are going to try do it again. 

The odds seem stacked against us more than ever this year, with various team members getting married and/or having children the support to keep the car together and at events is going to be a challenge.

The ‘75 SAAB 99 has received a freshened up gearbox over the winter and with a few other minor repairs should be ready for action.

A very cool reincarnated version of our first rally car is in progress as well- so please watch the site for updates about that very special car!

Below is our tentative schedule for 2010:

STPR,  Wellsboro PA  June 4

New England Forest Rally, Newry Maine,   July 16

Rally West Virginia,  Elkins WV, Aug 27-28

Black River Stages,  Harrisville NY  Sept 18, 19th

Black River Stages SAAB 99

The official entry is in and the team has their sights set on the new england forest rally, scheduled for July 17th 2009.
Veteran saab ralliest Geoff Clark will take the reigns as co driver for the event.
Stay tuned for more information regarding the event as the team prepares.

SAAB team dominating group 5 at STPR 09

With the team of Sorensen and Iden together again, the Saab Team was ready to take on the event that ended in heartbreak just one year ago. Starting out conservatively with their eyes on the goal of getting through the event unscathed, the driver/co-driver pair built their confidence and toward the end of the event were posting fast times for two wheel drive cars.

In the end the results were: 1st in class and 2nd overall in two wheel drive. Not a bad showing for a car so recently put back together. Looking forward, the decision for NEFR needs to be made. Stayed tuned for that information.

This coming weekend marks the first time in many years that not one, but two rally prepared SAAB 99’s will take to the stages in a North American Rally! The modified 1975 SAAB 99 fielded by Luke Sorensen and John Iden will duke it out for points in the highly competetive M1 modified class. This will mark the start of the 4th season for the saabrally.com supported team.
Complimenting this will be the historically correct 1977 99 entered by Per Schroeder and Jason Grahn. This will be the first event for the antelope brown 99, and it will compete for honors in the stock class. Details about the respective teams can be found at www.saabrally.com and
www.grassrootsmotorsports.com/news/category/project-cars/current-project-cars/1977-saab-99/

Set on the sandy backroads around Cheraw South Carolina, Sandblast rally is the 1st event of season for the NASA eastern states championship. 32 teams will battle for an important early season finish and the championship points. The deeps sand pits can prove troublesome for 2wd cars, with last year just better than 50% of 2wd cars finishing.
More details about the rally can be found at www.sandblastrally.com