Oregon Trail ProRally | Sunday July 13th, 2003
Higgins and Barrit charge into the Oregon hills on Sunday
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Thrilling the crowds during the 2003 Oregon Trails ProRally
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Another perfect turn for David Higgins and Daniel Barritt, en route to their 4th victory of the season
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The Lancer Evolution against a beautiful pine backdrop
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Kicking up lots of dirt with his Lancer Evolution, David Higgins wins the 2003 Oregon Trail ProRally
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Final Race Update
Sunday July 13th, 2003
Team Mitsubishi Motor Sports America
2003 Oregon Trail ProRally: Final Race News & Notes
“There were no winners this weekend.” – David Higgins
In what has proved to be one of the saddest weekends in U.S. rally history, Subaru Rally Team USA’s lead team of Mark Lovell and Roger Freeman lost their lives in a high speed accident on the first stage of Day 1 at the Oregon Trail ProRally. Lovell and Freeman’s nearly 20 year long partnership in rallying saw them win the 1986 British Open Championship and the 1987 Irish Tarmac Championship. Lovell made the jump to the USA with Subaru in 2001 and won the SCCA ProRally Driver’s Championship that year. He recently linked up with Freeman again in 2003 and they tasted victory again together at 2003 Pikes Peak Int. HillClimb.
The decision was made by the rally organizers to continue with the event and Team Mitsubishi drivers David Higgins and Lauchlin O’Sullivan adopted a strategy of just completing the event safely. Higgins and co-drirver Daniel Barrit went on to win the event with teammates Lauchlin O’Sullivan and Christian Edstrom close behind in a solid third overall.
“There were no winners this weekend,” said Higgins, reflecting on the loss of competitors Mark Lovell and Roger Freeman of Subaru Rally Team USA on Saturday. “Those guys were true ambassadors for the Rally sport over here in America.”
“Those gentlemen were great champions and competitors,” said Richard Kelley, Motor Sports Manager for Mitsubishi Motors North America. “Our team feels for their families, teammates and for all of those who were a part of their extended families.”
“We just wanted to get in as safely and as steadily as we could,” said Christian Edstrom, co-driver for O’Sullivan. “We set out that way and that’s what we did, we’re happy with the finish,” added O’Sullivan.
Team Mitsubishi Motor Sports America now heads to the Maine Forest Rally, round 6 of the SCCA ProRally Championship, August 2-3.
