Paul Bunyan's Ride
Bemidji, Minnesota
August 23, 1997

                     Paul Bunyan Ride Results

CAR
 #    (DRIVER/CO-DRIVER)        CAR       SEED    SCORE

 16 Gingras/Westrick           Eagle        1     59:03    1 4WD
 23 Czyzio/Carlson             Mitsubishi   2   1:00:12    2 4WD
 83 Utecht/Schwerin            Dodge        2   1:00:50    1 O2
  5 Krolikowski/Krolikowski    Dodge        1   1:01:10    2 O2
 25 Truess/McGarvey            Mazda        2   1:03:37    3 4WD
 13 Prochaska/Prochaska        VW           2   1:03:48    1 U2
 31 Davenport/Dillon           VW           3   1:04:38    2 U2
 46 Hatz/Higgins               VW           3   1:04:45    3 U2
 41 Kazmierczak/Sargent        Mazda        5   1:05:00    3 O2
 32 Nielsen/Corneliusen        VW           3   1:05:37    4 U2
 34 Lietha/Niday               Nissan       3   1:06:42    5 U2
 40 Grzelak/Gildersleeve       Mazda        3   1:07:12    4 O2
 37 Burmeister/Burmeister      VW           3   1:08:37    6 U2
 57 Warrington/Crane           VW           4   1:13:04    7 U2
 35 Schroeder/Mynhier          VW           3   1:14:12    8 U2
 36 Ryan/Moore                 Mazda        5      DNF
 19 Plsek/Bradley              Saab         2      DNF
 29 Driegert/Shim              Mitsubishi   4      DNF
 30 Bjorklund/Baerg            Dodge        3      DNF
117 Stewart/Shrader            Chevy        2      DNF
 38 Buchwicz/Rustrom           Mercury      6      DNF
 
Notes:

"I don't want to say that the Paul Bunyan was smooth this year," said Tim
Winker, noted Saab journalist and rally spectator, "but Diane Sargent didn't
even puke."  The entire event was characterized by a notable lack of shunts,
and few mechanical failures.

Winner overall of the second divisional co-efficient 3 event of the Ojibwe
Forests weekend was the Steve Gingras/Bill Westrick team in the Eagle Talon
that had experienced a fuel line aneurysm the day before during national
competition.  Turning in a time of 59.03, Gingras and Westrick managed a one
minute victory over Chris Czyzio and Eric Carlson's Mitsubishi Eclipse.  

Mark Utecht and Paul Schwerin repeated their Friday night class 02 win with a
drive a half minute faster than the Dodge Shadow of Henry and Cindy
Krolikowski.  Early in his rally career, Utecht  had either crash or win
outcomes, but in 1997 the wins outweigh the other.  More than just improving
skills, luck contributed significantly to Utecht's win.  While servicing in
Osage, the crew chief observed the pressure fuel line bursting and was able
to effect immediate repairs.  Lady Luck smiled again later when the team
broke a half shaft on Stage 9.  Since Stage 10 was thrown due to a spectator
car on the course, Utecht was able to limp the car slowly to the finish.

Wayne and Annette Prochaska also repeated as U2 class winners with a drive of
1:03:48 over approximately 70 stage miles, beating their nearest competitors
Doug Davenport and Lynn Dillon in a battle of the Volkswagens.  All but one
of the U2 cars entered in the event were VW's, showing that this is an
excellent car for both the beginning and experienced rallyist.  

Non-finishers included two teams who had dropped out the previous day
(Plsek/Bradley and Stewart/Shrader) plus an assortment of scratch and dents,
none of which were serious in nature.  Bill Dreigert and Hishin Shim got
loose and ended up backed deep into a ditch and unable to self extract. Bob
Bjorklund and Bob Baerg lost a CV joint. James Buchwitz and Charles Rudstrom
went off on Stage 7. Finally, Larry Warrington and Damien Crane ran out of
gas on the final transit.