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8.18.08
Lisa's Super Cars Exposed Episode Takes Over You Tube!
If you haven't seen it, check it out here and in our video section! This clip from Lisa's appearance on SpeedTV's show Super Cars Exposed currently has over 22,498 views and a five-star rating!
We have also been having some technical issues with linking to our Photo Bucket account, so now all of our "Photos" buttons link directly to our account, http://www.photobucket.com/rallyestarmedia. Don't worry, you can still access our early photos through Photo Bucket and many more!
8.12.08
Lisa to Appear on TLC's "LA Ink" Show!
On September 3rd, Lisa will be filming a segment for TLC's hugely popular show LA Ink where she will be getting a tatto of her Pikes Peak Evo VIII done by renowned artist Kat Von D! Lisa has been a long time fan of the show and was completely ecstatic when she made it through the casting process. In addition to the tatto, the Rallye Star team will be taking the cast of the show out to Willow Springs for a drift and grip session in the Evo VIII and our new 2WD Subaru following the tatto session!
7.21.08
Rallye Star Triumphs at Pikes Peak!
This past weekend marked a huge achievement for Lisa and the Rallye Star team at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb as she became the fastest female to reach the summit and one step closer to beating the woman's record! She finished fourth out of ten competitors in the Pikes Peak Open division. Lisa had no problems during the race or practice, a testament to the high quality preparation done by Tuning Technologies whose crew also took care of the the team's Evo VIII during the event. Our performance was enhanced by products from two of our new sponsors- Snow Performance's methanol injection kit kept the Evo VIII running cool and Sports Racing Fuel's special blend gave us the push we needed to get up the hill. After practice on Friday, the team participated in Fan Fest, a street fair highlighting the race. Over 40,000 people attended the event and Lisa was featured on Channel 13's coverage. Earlier in the week, she also appeared on Channel 13's sports show and radio station KDOC's broadcasts. The race itself had a record turnout and Lisa meet hundreds of new fans and was also interviewed by many other news organizations. In addition to these events, the team was covered by Modified magazine for a feature about Lisa, her car and the race.
During our time in Colorado Springs, we were taken care of by our very special friends at Phil Long Mitsubishi. Once again, they provided us with a service bay and access to their technicians as well as loaner vehicles. This year we partnered with the dealership to put on a Mitsubishi Evo meet. The event featured KDOC radio, plus a raffle for race tickets, dinner with Lisa and a chance to win an Evo X. Lisa also put on her own give away with prizes provided by Live Sockets Entertainment. The event was a success!
We would like to thank all of our sponsors and supporters! Without your support, we would not have made it here!
Rally on!
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7.14.08
Event Blogs
Lisa will be posting her thoughts, feelings and experiences about Pikes Peak in her blog on her MySpace page. Read about it at http://www.myspace.com/driftpiratequeen!
6.20.08
Getting ready for Pikes Peak
We've been very busy as we prepare for the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb on July 20th. We just got back from a trip to the hill where Lisa spent time driving up and down the hill and learning the road. Phil Long Mitsubishi was kind enough to provide us with a loaner vehicle and we're currently planning a special fan night/Evo meet at their dealership. The July 13th event will feature a BBQ, a live band and a local radio station as well as a meet and greet with Lisa and a charity raffle featuring a methanol kit from Snow Performance and other prizes.
While we were in Colorado, we also visited Snow Performance who builds high performance methanol injection kits. We would like to welcome the company to our team! We will be using their kits on all of our race cars.
Lisa has a new column up on UrbanRacer.com entitled "Stealth Fighter" and you can read it here.
Be sure to check out our new RallyeStarMedia Photobucket account and see NEW pics!
5.28.08
Rallye Star wraps season one of SuperCars Exposed!
This past week marked a milestone for the Rallye Star team as Lisa filmed a segment of Speed TV’s show SuperCars Exposed. She drove HST Automotive’s Shelby Cobra EVX, an electric car with over 300 HP and 1,000 ft/lbs of torque similar to the electric Daytona replica she drove at the Long Beach Grand Prix. Lisa was asked to step in when the show’s regular host Tanner Foust was not available. She began filming with an interview at HST’s shop, before hitting the road and offering her insights on the car as well as laying down some rubber in an empty parking lot. With a little shuffling of schedules, Tanner was able to join Lisa and the crew for a final test drive. She greatly enjoyed the experience and was very honored to have been invited to film. The segment will be a part of the season finale of SuperCars Exposed and will air on June 9, 2008.
Following the filming, the team took the Pikes Peak Evo 8 testing at Willow Springs. The car performed flawlessly and Lisa spent over two and a half hours practicing on the Horse Thief Mile track. The team plans to spend at least one day a week training at the track with Lisa driving alone or with an instructor. The Subaru STi drift car is also nearing completion. It has been converted into 2WD and is currently being tuned at Tuning Technologies. The team has also planned a reconnaissance trip to Pikes Peak later this month in order to prepare for the July 20th race.
A note from your webmaster.... As many of you may or may not know, I maintain three websites and two MySpace pages for both of my teams. I have been very busy lately and haven't had time to adaquately update my photos, videos and diary entries. In order to simplify things, I will no longer be hosting my own photos and videos. I will instead, be using PhotoBucket and YouTube. If you would like to read more diary type entries, please visit my Drift Pirate! MySpace page. Please bear with me as I make this transition. Thanks!
Lisa
4.20.08
Lisa goes green at Long Beach Grand Prix
The Rallye Star team celebrated Earth Day in style when Lisa drove Michael Kaide's and SSI Racing's electric 65 replica Daytona Coupe during the Green Prix-View alternative energy exhibition race at the Long Beach Grand Prix. It was a completely amazing experience for Lisa, who was overwhelmed by the number of race fans who came to meet her and the positive response to the electric muscle car. Lisa hopes to work with Michael, SSI's sister company HST and their family of electric cars in the future.
4.12.08
Trip to Formula D's Long Beach event lands Lisa on SuperCars Exposed!
Although Lisa wasn't quite ready to drive in Formula D's opening round in Long Beach, CA she did attend the event and helped to promote the International Allstars powered by Mazda. She spent the day signing autograps and meeting drifting fans. Her hard work paid off- she was featured in a drifting montage on SuperCars Exposed.
4.01.08
Rallye Star rocks the cover of D Sport magazine! Get your copy now!
Spring burst to life for the Rallye Star/Drift Pirate! team this month with a brilliant first for the team- a cover story in the May issue of D Sport magazine! The magazine actually features two unique covers with our Pikes Peak Evo 8 and model Amanda Gift. Inisde the magazine are 14 pages worth of photos and articles. The shoot occurred earlier last month and involved a massive amount of work for the team and our sponsors. We would like to thank everyone who helped make this possible, especially Tuning Technologies, BF Goodrich, and South Coast Mitsubishi. The magazine is available at news stands everywhere and is out now!
April is filled with events! Don't miss the Formula D opening round at Long Beach on April 11-12 where Lisa will be appearing with the International Allstars and Kaaz USA, the Long Beach Grand Prix on April 18-20 where Lisa will be driving a 600 HP electric Mustang for SSI Racing, and the Laughlin River Run on April 24-28 where Lisa will be drifting with the International Allstars.
The team has finalized its drifting plan for next year. Lisa will try to qualify for the Atlanta round of Formula D in a 2005 white 2WD Subaru STi, provided by Top Quality Racing. Garrett is providing turbos for the car, as well as tuning advice and support. The car will fly under Kaaz colors and will primarily compete in the Formula D series.
3.05.08
Rallye Star Evo 8 cover story for D-Sport magazine!
Just under a week ago, the we got a call from Robert Choo, the editor-in-chief of D-Sport magazine- Could we get our Pikes Peak Evo 8 ready in time for a cover shoot in five days? We stood slack-jawed for a moment, then got to work. Our Evo was still at Tuning Technologies awaiting a new 610 WHP monster engine. In only three days, Jen and Alfred rallied the troops, finished the engine and left the engine bay ready for the cameras. BF Goodrich sent us a set of their R1 tires through 2nd day air in order to give our Evo some racing rubber. Although it saddened Lisa to remove her original vinyl, South Coast Mitsubishi sponsored a new streamlined vinyl scheme. Both Lisa and Leon worked tirelessly to turn their race car into a head-turning show car. Leon installed a sequential shifter while Lisa covered the dash in black velveteen. The shoot went smoothly. D-Sport chose 2007 Miss HIN and FHM model Amanda Gift to pose with the car. But Amanda wasn’t the only one posing- Lisa stepped in to get a few shots with her race car. The cover/article will appear in the May issue of D-Sport magazine in six weeks at a news stand near you!
2.20.08
Garrett Turbo signs on for 2008 season.
We would like to welcome Garrett Turbos by Honeywell onboard our team. The company has signed on for the 2008 season and will be providing turbo systems for both the Nissan S13 and the 350Z. Garrett will also be providing factory support and developmental help to our team. Visit Garrett's site here to learn more about their performance upgrades.
Thank you!
For those interested, Lisa's second column for UrbanRacer.com is up. It features tips on winning sponships and you can read it here.
2.8.08
Lisa Graces the Pages of Motor Trend!
That's right, Lisa has been featured in a "Celebrity Sightings" SEMA ad on page 67 of March's issue of Motor Trend along with heavy hitters Ashley Force, 50 Cent, Boyd Coddington and Chip Foose! The magazine is in stores now! now! Check out the pics here.
2008 Season News!
The 2008 Drift Pirate! schedule has now been posted here.
Lisa will be driving SSI-Racing's 600 HP electric Mustang in the Long Beach Grand Prix, which will take place on April 18-20 in Long Beach, CA. Lisa will also be participating in the drifting exhibition alongside her teamates from the International Allstars.
Octane TV is set to begin shooting a reality TV series featuring Lisa and her racing career. The first segment that they will be shooting will feature Lisa in the Top Quality Racing Subaru STi.
Big plans are in the works for Rinkle! Our Pikes Peak Evo 8 is currently recieving a new engine from Tuning Technologies for a very special and top secret event as well as a print appearance in a big magazine! Be sure to come back and check for updates!
12.28.07
New Year, new friends.
Impressed by the performance of Synapse Engineering's Blow Off Valve (BOV) and wastegate systems, the Rallye Star and Drift Pirate teams bought their system for Rinkle and the drift cars. Synapse will be using Rinkle to perfect their technology and to improve their performance on race cars.
The team is also proud to announce that they will be working closely with the International Allstars Team, a marketing company that is heavily involved with the import and racing scenes. More info to come!
12.16.07
Lisa and Rinkle off to San Diego Auto Show!
Stop by and visit Lisa and Rinkle (Yellow Evo 8 Pike's Peak/Time Attack car) at the San Diego Auto Show! Rinkle will be at the 5Zigen booth for the run of the show (December 26 -30) while Lisa will be stopping by for a couple of days to sign autographs and meet fans.
For more information, visit the official site www.sdautoshow.com.
Thank you for your support! Hope to see you there!
12.03.07
A few little presents for Christmas!
Here's a few tidbits to usher in a bit of holiday cheer- After a disappointing run at the Laughlin Rally that was due to a nasty exhaust leak that left Lisa with C02 poisoning, things ended up pretty good. Lisa finished 4th overall in the United States Rally Championship in a field that included 312 other competitors! Read about it here
We've got another exciting video! After a long wait, you can finally see Lisa's interview on CurrenTV! Click here to watch her take on the 2006 Prescott Rally!
11.21.07
Lisa Signed to Kaaz USA's drift team for 2008 season!
From the Kaaz website: "Kaaz is proud to announce that Lisa Klassen (US Rally Driver) is one of our new and up-comming drivers on the Kaaz Drift Team. With her background in Rally Racing, Lisa has come along way and has decided to transition into the drifting sport! With that said, Kaaz is now in the process of setting Lisa up as a full time drift driver! More news to come within the not-so-distant future!"
Lisa is extremely excited to become part of the Kaaz team. Next year she will will join team mates Hiromi Kajikuma and Barry Wong as they take on the Formula D and D1 circuits. She is thrilled to become a professional driver, a huge step towards her goal of becoming a stunt driver in the future. She would like to thank her sponsors and friends that made this opportunity possible.
Although Lisa will focus primarily on drifting next year, she will also continue training for Pikes Peak where she will once again attempt to beat the woman's record by practicing on the track and in time attacks. She will also continue rallying with Top Quality Racing in select US rally events.
9.19.07
Gearing up for the Tuner Shoot Out!
With only days left before the September 21-23 event in Las Vegas, Rinkle is being readied along with two of her new friends- Pumpkin, her sister car, a 2-door orange Evo 8 with nearly identical tuning and Pepsi, a blue Evo 8 show car with some bite under the hood. All three Evos will be representing South Coast Mitsubishi and their new website, www.mitsubishisuperstores.com. Friday is filled with fun and a secnic drive and Saturday is practice for the time attack which will be held on Sunday. It is our sincere hope that all three cars will be able to compete in the race. For more information on the event, please check out the Evolution M National Lancer Meet and Tuner Shoot Out website.
9.16.07
Death of Colin McRae leaves hearts heavy. Candle light vigil and memorial event planned 9.24.07 at the Kart Factory.
As many of you may know, one of the world's greatest rally drivers was killed in a hellicopter crash this past Sunday. Colin McRae was only 39. Riding along with him was his son, his son's friend and another adult. Neighbors reported hearing stange noises from the helicopter which he owned and had operated for many years, before it crashed and caught fire, killing all inside.
Colin was best known for his fiery antics and his 'go big or go home' driving style that won him the WRC title in 1995. Colin was also close to our hearts. When Lisa and her brother started doing TSD rallies, they began calling each other Colin and Nicky, after the famous pair. Lisa went on to earn her nickname with her barn crashing antics, amazing leaps and no holds barred driving style. Even after her "McCrash" moment, she looked towards her namesake to help her move on and be strong. It was in August of 2006 that Lisa got to meet her hero while volunteering at the X-Games. Although she was shy at first, delays in the race held up the competitors in Lisa's time control and she got a chance to speak with Colin, whose kind words of encouragement have stuck with her to this day.
On behalf of the Rallye Star team, we would like to offer our condolences to the McRae family and the families of the other boys on the hellicopter. If you would like to express your condolences, a special page has been set up at www.colinmcrae.com.
The Kart Factory and Live Sockets Entertainment in conjunction with Team Rallye Star will be hosting a candle light vigil and memorial event at the Kart Factory on September 24th at 8 PM. The event will feature kart rides, videos of Colin's driving and other McRae memorabilia.
9.3.07
Tight finances may mean skipping Quartzite.
Although the Rallye Star team had intended to compete in all of the California Rally Series' events, they may have to skip the Quartzsite Rally due to higher entrace fees and travel expenses. In other sad news, co-driver Guido Hamacher will not be joining us at the Prescott Rally- he's getting married! Our loss, Tara's gain! Congratulations, Big G and Tara!!!
8.20.07
Fuel pump dies leaving Rallye Star stranded next to the I-5!
The Gorman rally should have been a time of celebration for the Rallye Star team as it marked Lisa's third anniversary of her rallying career, but the celebratory mood was quelched when the Galant's fuel pump died only two stages from the end. The rally was incredibly rough, yet the Top Quality Racing Galant pushed on like a trooper. The team was in second place in Open 4WD before they DNF'd while team mate Leon Styles finished first in Open 4WD and second overall. Bill Holmes, who raced with Lisa at the Rim of the World Rally, won the rally in the same SUV that he had driven and won the rally 20 years before! Go Bill! The team would also like to thank Matt Gauger for jumping into the co-drivers seat!
7.30.07
Rinkle gets ready for her first time attack!
Rinkle went back to Tuning Technologies this week for a check up and a re-tune to get her ready for the Evolution M National Lancer Meet and Tuner Shoot Out where she will be competing in her first time attack as well as reprersenting Tuning Technologies against other national tuners. The event will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 21-23, 2007 at the Spring Mountain Raceway and in Las Vegas proper. Leon will be bringing his domesticated Evo 9 and Lisa will be bringing her project Evo, Jax.
Be sure to check out pics of Lisa's new Sparco suit in the photo section. More pics to come!
7.21.07
Day 6
High hopes shattered when water leak leaves Rallye Star stranded only five corners in!
Today was a difficult day for the Rallye Star crew. To fight off pre-race jitters, Lisa spent much of the morning talking to race fans, signing autographs and asking neighbor Rhys Millen questions about her car setup and the hill. Rhys' team shared the Rallye Star service area alongside the the Pikes Peak highway and Lisa's bright yellow Evo 8 and Rhys' blue Pontiac Solstice made an impressive display across the street from Monster Tajima's psycho Suzuki. All seemed well as Lisa and Leon made their way to the start line. Incredible weather conditions and Lisa's willingness to push herself far beyond her comfort zone, combined with Leon's determination to help her grow beyond her boundaries, made the team confident that they could come very close to Michele Mouton's record time of 11:26, set in 1985. But all was not to be. As Lisa performed one of her famous launches, a puff of white steam came out from under the hood. Only five corners into what had started off as a stellar run, the temperature gauges were pegged and a great profusion of white steam pourned from the engine bay. The team was forced to stop their run or risk losing their engine entirely. Lisa and Leon were devistated, along with the rest of the team. While they themselves had longed to reach the top, they also knew that they were taking their sponsors along for the ride and they both were disappointed that they had not been able to to make a full run and give their sponsors full exposure. Rinkle is currently heading back to California and the rest of the team heads home tomorrow. Everyone is very excited and hopefull about next year's race and Lisa would, once again, like to try and beat Michele's time. See you next year, hillclimbers!
7.20.07
Day 5
It was a day of rest for the team today as they prepare for the big race tomorrow! Everyone slept in. Lisa and Leon, however spent the afternoon driving up and down the hill. The massive thunderstorms of the previous night have left the road in great condition, Rinkle is running well and Lisa is very excited to be racing tomorrow!
7.19.07
Day 4
For the final day of practice, the team tackled a two-mile section of the road known as the Ws, a set of hair pins and fast straits that showcased Rinkle's massive horsepower. The first run up the hill was all about deep braking and mad acceleration and listening to Leon's coaching. The second run ended early when Lisa and Leon discovered a minor engine problem. Unwilling to hurt the engine without fully understanding the problem, the team took Rinkle back to Phil Long Mitsubishi where Alfred from Tuning Technologies diagnosed and fixed the problem. Rinkle is healthy now, and ready to run on Saturday. This was also the final day of qualifying and with the completion of these time trials, Lisa officially became the fastest female driver in the qualifying round. The evening was spent at the Fan Fest where Rinkle was on display, ready to meet fans as she sat with the other race cars. Lisa was with her wearing her brand new custom suit from Sparco. Tomorrow is a rest day and the entire team will be sleeping in!
7.18.07
Day 3
Today the Rallye Star team took on the bottom half of the hill, practicing from the start line all the way to Glen Cove. After a rough start to her Pike's practice, Leon jumped into the car to help Lisa understand how to drive Rinkle. With less than an hour of total seat time in the car, Lisa was third fastest in the Pikes Peak Open class on one of her runs and ended up qualifying fifth in her class. She spent the rest of the day driving up the hill in the loaner vehicle generously loaned to the team by Phil Long Mitsubishi. The weather was cloudy and threatening and it was raining heavily by 4 PM, leaving Lisa with an open road and a beautiful view. The rain was highly beneficial to the road, washing away and compacting loose gravel. Tomorrow the team will be tackling the middle section of the road commonly known as the "Ws." We will also be attending the Fan Fest in downtown Colorado Springs where Rinkle will be on display along with other race vehicles tomorrow evening at 5 PM. Check out the Pikes Peak website for more information about this event at www.ppihc.com. The website also has live scoring for the practice runs and Saturday's event as well as photos. Lisa has also picked up a cheap "rally proof" camera and will be posting pictures of her experience here.
7.17.07
Day 2
Today was difficult for the Rallye Star Team. We'll let Lisa tell it in her own words...
I was really happy to be awake and ready to run at 5 AM. Things were looking good so far. At least until I hit the first corner. We were at the top of the hill and it's really fast and very scary and becuase it's so dry, the surface was very slippery. I hit the brakes and everything locked up. The pedal didn't move back up! I nearly went off the road. The rest of the run was like that and I was scared out of my wits! I was certain I was going to crash. The crew tried to fix the brakes, but they really didn't understand the problem that I was experiencing. And to add insult to injury, as I was waiting to go back down the hill for another run, some guy in a Mustang backed into my car! Rinkle wasn't terribly hurt, but he did give her a red kiss and cracked small parts of her front bumper and splitter! What a jerk! We finally figured out the problem when Leon took a ride with me and drove the car down after I had another shaky run. There was a problem with the brake booster. In stock Evos the brake booster doesn't have a check valve that keeps vacuum pressure from the intake manifold traveling only one way. With the bigger turbo and engine, we figured out that we needed to have this valve since the extra vacuum pressure was causing the brake pedal to stay solid or to stay depressed under boost, which in layman's terms meant that every time I started going fast, I had no brakes and when I hit them, they stayed down! We ended up fixing the problem and I ended up the most frightening driving experience of my life studying the bottom of the hill and making a few complete runs of the hill. I did buy a cheap digital camera, so I'll try to take some pics for you tomorow. I'm off to bed!
7.16.07
Day 1
Testing! Two and a half hours away at the Leadville Municipal Airport. Our friend Rhys Millen set up the test which was held on a half-mile taxi way as several pilots did some testing of their own, flying sideways in a huge, yellow and red helicopter. It was quite a spectacle with Rinkle blatting away as Leon drove Alfred around to set up her mapping. Lisa finally got to drive her when the mechanics were happy, only three short runs. Rinkle is running great, banging and popping away as she light her tires all the ways into third gear. And that's only with 17 LBS of boost! Although Lisa wanted to do more maybe it was for the best that they left, as a big thunderstorm left Rinks dashing in between huge raindrops. The team drove back to town just in time for the rookie driver's meeting, tech inspection and the big driver's meeting. After that, they headed over to Phil Long Mitsubishi where Rinks went flying on a hoist as the boys fixed a bent tie rod and set her up for tomorrow's BIG test. That's right, the team's first practice starts at 3:30 AM and we're running the top section of the hill. Brr!
7.15.07
We're here!
On Sunday morning the Rallye Star team, comprised of Lisa, Leon and Alfred, the magic behind Tuning Technologies arrived in Colorado Springs where they met up with Rinkle, Aaron and his mom Gwen. Together they made their first trip up the hill. The weather has been great and the hill is very dry, with hardly any snow at the top. Alfred generously came along to help tune the car and provide technical support. Tomorrow the team will head off to Leadville, Colorado where they will be testing Rinkle at an airstrip with Rhys Millen before returning to Colorado Springs for tech inspection and registration. Tuesday through Thursday are reserved for practice, which begins at 3:30 AM and multiple trips up the hill. Friday is a rest day and the team will race on Saturday. The Rallye Star team will also be appearing at Phil Long Mitsubishi with Rinkle where they will be taking photos and signing autographs.
In order to bring you all of the Pikes Peak action, we will be posting daily updates on our website!!! We will also be posting on our local Mitsubishi Evolution forum, www.SoCalEvo.net. If you would like to ask Lisa a question or leave her a message, please visit SoCal Evo.
7.9.07
5Zigen, Rhys Millen Racing and Bridgestone Tires to provide support at Pikes Peak
Only three days before Rinkle makes her trip to Colorado Springs, the Rallye Star team gained three very important sponsors. With time and money running out, the team struggled to find the right wheels and tires for Rinkle's feet. Following the Drift Buffet event last weekend, the team forged a parternship with the high performance wheel company 5Zigen. The beautiful set of 18" x 9.5" wheels provided by 5Zigen will be shod in an equally beautiful set of Bridgestone tires, which were acquired with the help of Rhys Millen Racing. Rhys, a long time rally driver, friend and advisor to the Rallye Star team has also allowed Lisa to share his service area during the race so be sure to stop by and check out the Rallye Star Evo and Rhys' Pontiac Solstice! Rhys has also started a new time attack division that will run within the traditional hillclimb, so be sure to watch the new Japanese-inspired division race to the clouds.
Run-in with wall leaves Rallye Star drifting like a pirate!
In only her second outing in a drift car, Lisa drove fearlessly through the stadium course in Sunday's Drift Buffet competition. Thinking that the event was a parking lot session, Lisa hoped only to gain seat time, but when she found out that it was a full blown competition, she didn't back down from the "mini D1" track that included two banked turns and an infield section. While her performance wasn't at the same level of her colleagues, her endless desire to learn and improve silenced her critics and won her respect. After she collided with a wall during practice, she refused to stop driving and immediately began fixing her car so that she could run again. She completed a final practice run before jumping into the first qualifying round with a bent control arm, no hood or front fenders, one headlight, and an intercooler hose that was held together with a wing and a prayer. Much to her relief and the relief of her car, Lisa didn't make it to the final qualifying rounds, but she'll be back for more. Be sure to visit www.driftpirate.com to keep up with her drifting career.
7.1.07
Rallye Star team partners with the Clarion Hotel to offer special Pikes Peak room rates
After past successful partnerships with the Sideways Rules team, the Clarion Hotel (formerly the Le Baron) has once again offered the Rallye Star team and their friends, family and fans special rates for the Pikes Peak event. The rooms are available for $89 a night. Call 1.800.477.8610 and use the LPPHC code for this special price. The hotel is comfortable and the staff is very helpful and friendly. The hotel is centrally located between the hill, downtown Colorado Springs and Phil Long Mitsubishi where our Evo will be displayed and we will be spending most of our time.
6.30.07
3-2-1 GO!
Rinkle, the Pikes Peak Rallye Star Evo 8, is getting ready to rumble! Just this past week, she was painted and next week she will get her engine. Be sure to check out her awesome paint and aggressive stlying in the Cars section. During this week we have also welcomed Tuning Technologies and Porterfield brakes as our new sponsors!
6.17.07
Pikes Peak and drifting updates
Things have been very busy this month in the Rallye Star garage! Rinkle, the Pike's Peak Evo 8 has been completely repaired and has spent some quality time with Johnny, who built her an amazing roll cage and fabricated other parts that she needed. Her body kit has been installed and she's ready for her new engine. As for the drift car, she's had her engine rebuilt and is awaiting installation of her new Kaaz 2-way differential. As for Lisa, she went to Pike's Peak this weekend and had a great time driving up and down the hill. Her summer will be spent practicing, practicing, practicing! To see new pictures of Rinkle, click here.
4.29.07
LISA MAKES RALLYING HISTORY WITH OVERALL WIN AT RIM OF THE WORLD RALLY!!!
After a grueling two days of stadium rallying where something as small as a missed shift can drop a competitor to the back of the pack, Lisa took her first overall win at the Rim of the World Rally! But that wasn't the weekend's only first. As she drove into the Poppy Pavilion for the awards ceremony, Lisa found out that she was not only the first woman to win the Rim of the World Rally, but that she was also the first woman to have ever won a national rally in any of the sports sanctioning bodies (SCCA, NASA, USRC, Rally America) since the sport began in the U.S. in 1972.
Upon hearing the news, Lisa could do nothing but cry. "This was something that I'd always fantasized about, but I never believed it would ever come true. I thought it had been done before. It means so much to me and other women struggling to succeed in racing. I hope I can continue to win and someday become the first woman to win an overall national rally championship."
During her 12 rounds of competition, Lisa faced off against two national rally champions, her mentor Leon Styles in a Subaru STi and Bill Holmes in a Ford F-150. Unfotunately for the team, Leon's brand new car suffered teething problems and he was left coaching Lisa on the sidelines on Sunday while Lisa went on to win the first day of the competition. Sunday was difficult, as Lisa had to defend her lead, well aware that one small mistake could lead her to lose her lead. After a slower run caused by an overzealous water truck, Lisa was sure that she had lost the win, until Bill Holmes was held up by the Mosers' sick VW Golf and recieved a score that landed him only 0.4 of a second ahead of Lisa. For her final run, Lisa went head to head with the former champion. After a perfect run, Lisa finished five seconds ahead of Bill. Her screams of delight were heard in the grandstands.
New media for this event!
Watch Lisa's final run against Bill Holmes in the video section.
Speedtv.com includes a press realease about Lisa's historic win.
Read more about Lisa's wins in the Antelope Valley Press newspaper. (Type "Lisa Klassen" into the search box.)
4.28-29.07
Rim returns to SoCal!
Despite having lost its famous forest roads, Rim of The World Rally will press on regardless this year at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds in Lancaster, CA at the end of April. This rally will be full of spectator action and if you come early on Saturday you can watch Lisa practice and even score a ride with your favorite driver!
3.23-24.07
Rallye Star assaults Desert Storm!
At the end of March, Lisa will pair up with her new co-driver Guido Hamacher to take on the Desert Storm Rally held in Blythe, California. Check out theDesert Storm Rally website for more information.
2.24.07
Rallye Star team starts season in second!
Goodsprings, Nevada- Team Rallye Star ended a triumphant day in the small town, after snagging second place overall and in the Open 4WD class in the Seed 9 Rally! The day started off timidly, with ride height adjustments needed after a rough stage that left Lisa 5th overall after a rough stage. Co-driving for Lisa was her coach and mentor Leon Styles, who told her she could make up the time. She did after the next stage, shaving a whole 30 seconds off of her competitors' times to jump into second place. Her car lacked the power necessary to catch long time rally veteran George Plsek, but she kept up with his pace for the rest of the rally. She now trails Plsek in the California Rally Series championship by a mere 24 points and they both will face off at the Desert Storm Rally next month, along with well-known former SCCA ProRally drivers Lauchlin O'Sullivan and Leon Styles (Who vows never to co-drive again. Not that Lisa scared him or anything...). Joining Lisa at Desert Storm will be her once Group 5 rival, veteran co-driver Guido Hamacher.
2.24.07
Seed 9, let's go!
It's that time of year again! Time to kick off the rally season with another trip to Jean, Nevada for the Seed 9 Rally, the season opener for the 2007 California Rally Series.
2.20.07
New video page! More media!
Can't get enough Rallye Star action? Check out our new video section. All right, we know that this is kind of old, but during the Laughlin Rally last year, Lisa was interviewed for a story in the Mohave Daily News! The story landed on the front page and was really well written. Click here to check it out!
2.20.07
Lisa to appear live on Speed Scene Racing show
Tonight at 6 PM Pacific time, Lisa will be appearing on the show Speed Scene Racing, which is a televised racing talk show broadcast on the internet with streaming video as well as audio-only podcasts. The show airs live on Tuesdays and begins at 6 PM Pacific and 9 PM Atlantic time and also has a large archive of past shows which are free to download. So mark your calendars!
2.16.07
New addition to the Rallye Star family
In order to drift, one must have a drift car! The team had been looking for quite some time and finally found the right one, a 1993 S13 Silvia or a 240 SX as they're known in the states. The car has an impressive pedigree and once belonged to a fellow female drifter, Amanda Lam whose mad crazy driving and sexy purple and pink car landed her and her ride in several impressive magazines, like Modified and Import Racer. It looks like she's got a lot in common with Lisa! Check out Amanda and our new car at her website PrettyS13.com and give a shout out to female drifters everywhere! While you're at it, check out our new project car page.
1.27.07
Awards for the 2006 Season
To cap off the 2006 rally season, the California Rally Series held its awards banquet at the Marriott in Ontario, California. Lisa took home a fourth place trophy in the Open 4WD class and her perilous re-telling the story of her crash a Prescott in November won her the dubious title of Captain Crunch for 2006.
1.14.07
Sideways Rules for Rallye Star
Today marked an important turning point for Lisa as she competed in her first drifting meet, a style and time event put on by Car Boy and held on the balcony at Willow Springs. Although nerves and a severe sinus infection kept her from making it into the final rounds, she did turn heads with her drifting skills during practice. To watch Lisa drift, click here to check out her video on YouTube.
1.3.07
All work and no play for the off seson!
The new year came with new goals for the team- to conquer the Pike's Peak International Hillclimb and to break into the world of drifting and stunt driving. To help Lisa achieve these goals for next season, the team will be making lots of trips to Willow Springs International Raceway where Lisa can learn tarmac driving on the big tracks and slide around on the balcony. So far Lisa has had a great time on tarmac, but misses the dirt! Nevertheless, she believes that a knowledge of tarmac driving is essential to her future success. For more information about her stunt driving career, visit Sideways Rules.
11.24.06
Tuning Technologies hosts big Evo meet!
Tuning Technologies, one of our proud new sponsors specializing in tuning Evos and other cars, will be hosting a large Evo meeting this weekend at their shop in Colton. The Rallye Star team will be there with lots of pictures, videos and hopefully a car!
11.9-12.06
Rally Star rebounds at Laughlin International Rally!
After five short and busy weeks of rebuilding, Vegas was back to health and ready for the Laughlin event. Although many were quick to discount Lisa's tenacity, she was ready to drive again and was joined by a very special guest, Welshman Mike Jones, a veteran of the British rally scene with six WRC events under his belt and over 20 years of experience. Lisa was started strongly, setting a stage time in the top five, although a fuel pump malfunction caused her to losee two minutes on the next stage. She also discovered that Vegas had a problem with the slave cylinder in her clutch, leaving them with only second, third and fourth gears. They finished 14th on Friday. Saturday started off better and after a hard day of rallying, the team finished 9th overall. Lisa's star shone on Sunday with the super special stage and she put her skills to use, finishing fifth overall still with only three gears. The team was very pleased with the finish and everyone was amazed at how well Vegas stood up.
On behalf of the entire team, we would like to thank everyone who helped bring Vegas back to life. We sincerely appreciate your assistance. We love you! Rally on!
11.3-4.06
Lots to see at SEMA
Once again, the Rallye Star team is going to SEMA in hopes of making contacts in the industry and looking for new sponsors. Look for Lisa handing out fliers!
10.20.06
Vegas on the road to recovery!
After a lot of blood, sweat and tears, Vegas is on the mend. In an amazing week-long push The Paint Shop re-shelled Vegas after crew heroes Aaron and Leon stripped her down to her shell. She will be leaving the shop today and the rebuild will start tonight. We would like to thank everyone who has bought sticker spots on Vegas. We've still a long way to go! If you would like to help, check out Save Vegas!. Thanks!
10.6-7.06
Prescott deals heavy blow to Rallye Star team.
The 2006 Prescott Forest Rally began well for the Rallye Star Team. Lisa drove Vegas to 5th place overall in Friday's competition with co-driver Alan Perry guiding her on. Saturday started off on a good note as well. Lisa began overtaking the Subaru in front of her, setting fourth-fastest times on two difficult stages until a tricky corner caught her out. Vegas was moving too quickly for Lisa to save and she rolled over two and a half times into a ditch on stage 12. Alan was uninjured, except for some minor scratches, but Lisa was hit in the face with something that came into the car and she brok her nose. Vegas suffered extensive body damage, but most of her mechanical parts look okay. All are recovering well and Lisa hopes to take Vegas to the Laughlin rally next month...
BUT!!!
We need your help! Vegas has extensive medical bills and needs new shoes and food for her next rally! Help us make it to Laughlin by buying a spot on our car for the rest of the year. For only $100, you can buy a 12" x 4" spot on Vegas for your own personal message, shout out, greeting, logo, company, etc. Check out Save Vegas! for full details! To see a special photo diary of the crash and rebuild, click here. Thank you!
10.06
Girls Gone Wild!
Check out Lisa's high speed test with Vegas, her Evo 6.5. Watch her slide around a corner at aroound 50 MPH and dive through a chicane at 125 MPH! Watch the videos here through YouTube.
10.6-7.06
Get ready for some high speed action!
On October 6-7, the Rallye Star team will be competing in the Prescott Forest Rally, held in scenic Prescott, Arizona. The event is known for its high speeds and highly scenic terrain. Last year, Lisa and Anakin DNF'd on Friday, but finsihed third in Group 5 on Saturday to take the win in the Western States Rally Championship. What will this year hold?
9.30.06
Japanese Classic Car Show returns!
Following Anakin's success last year, he'll be back along with his brother Hachi and his big sister Vegas for more old school import action. The event takes place in front of the Queen Mary in Long Beach. Check out
www.japaneseclassiccarshow.com for more info!
8.20.06
Rallye Star nabs a podium position at Gorman!
For the first time ever, Lisa landed on the podium at the Gorman Ridge Rally, taking her Evo 6, along with co-driver Piers O'Hanlon to third place overall. Strangely enough, first, second and third places were all held by Mitsubishi Evolutions and Lisa's friend Amy BebberVanzo took second overall making the event significant for female drivers as well. Celebrating the second anniversary of her rallying career, Lisa reflected that "the difficulty that I had when I first did this event only made me push myself even harder through the rest of my first few rallies and certainly Gorman came to represent everything challenging about rally to me. Last year Gorman was my first class win, so having my first podium finish here was quite meaningful." The Rallye Star team would like to thank Laengworks for their support during this difficult race!
8.2.06
Rallye Star heads to the X-Games Rally
Going back to her roots, Lisa will be working a timing control at this special rally event where she hopes to meet her rallying namesake Colin McRae!
7.15.06
Lisa drives an Evo!
The Treeline Rally marked a turning point for the Rallye Star team. for this event, Lisa drove a 1999 Lancer Evolution 6 named Vegas, a highly competitive 4WD car with more power than Lisa has ever driven before. She was joined by veteran national series co-driver Piers O'Hanlon and together they made a serious run at the podium. Halfway through the rally, they were in second place and after tremedous support from their crew during the break, Lisa and Piers went onto win two stages and were poised to take the lead. Sadly, with only one stage to go, the little Evo who'd spent a sad night in shambles at the bottom of a cliff at this rally only two years ago, gave in to electrical problems that were related to her previous owner's crash. Nevertheless, Lisa's performance was superb and she earned a significantly higher speed ranking than she had before. She will contest the Gorman Ridge Rally next with Vegas and Piers co-driving. The entire team would like to thank Boshart Motorsports and Laengworks for their help!
4.28-29.06
Triumph and heartbreak at Rim of the World!
For her second crack at California's most famous rally, Lisa and Anakin paired up with 11-time Rim veteran co-driver Claire Chizma. Lisa had her first tarmac encounter on Friday night, enjoying the thrills of mountain driving and literally drifting into 22nd place overall, after batling terrible fog that brought the race to a crawl. Saturday brought the team good weather, although alternator and battery problems left Lisa and Claire crossing their fingers all the way back into lunch time service. Lisa felt very comfortable driving Anakin and before they knew it, they were in 12th place overall and second in Group 5! Lisa won each of her Super Special Stage battles, giving the crowd a riotous show during her last run with a huge jump. Fatigue and the approaching night ended the rally for the girls and their car. Unable to correct for a lack of power steering in a tight spot, Lisa was unable to keep Anakin from getting stuck on a high birm and they were later towed out by a sweep vehicle. Luckily Anakin sustained no damage. Thus another running of Rim brings disappointment to the team.
3.25.06
Victory at Desert Storm!
Round 2 of the CRS championship took team Rallye Star out into the wilds of Blythe, CA and Erehnberg, AZ for a grueling endurance test in the unforgiving Mohave desert. Co-driving for Lisa was Shea Burns. They got off to a rocky start, experiencing electrical problems possibly related to the beating Anakin took on the first stage. The problem resolved itself and they were back on the pace until a flat tire on Stage 6 cost them a minute. With their fellow G5 competitors experiencing trouble, Lisa and Shea erred on the side of caution and left the others in the dust. This is the first win for Anakin and Lisa this season.
3.6.06
Seed 9 Season Opener
The annual Seed 9 Rally event saw Anakin stretch his legs after a long sabbatical following the loss of his engine at the Ramada Express. The event was mainly a shakedown for the little Corolla and Lisa was able to sort out some lingering problems.
10.7-8.05
Success at Prescott brings WSRC title!
After a disheartening alternator failure and subsequent DNF on Friday night, Lisa and her co-driver Duffy Bowers charged through Saturday's fast stages to finish 15th overall, 3rd in the WSRC's G5, and 4th in the CRS's Open 2WD class. Lisa also set 11th fastest time around the super special stage, her personal best this year. The points that Lisa earned were enough for her to clinch the WSRC's Group 5 Driver's championship. "It was really good to go back out after not being able to start on Friday," Lisa said. "Saturday was awesome. We were trading times with our fellow competitors and things got really intense. But it was great to come back and realize that I had won the title." Team Rallye Star would like to thank their sponsorers and friends for helping us win this title!
10.1.05
Anakin Shines at Japanese Classic Car Show!
The Queen Mary bellowed and the morning fog lifted to reveal 250 of the country's best Japanese Classic Cars! Anakin was amongst the pre-1986 cars, after a long day of cleaning and polishing. Lisa made Anakin into a rallying display and spent the day teaching visitors about her favorite sport. At the end of the day, Anakin was voted third best Modified Corolla! Anakin had a blast and looks foward to sitting next to other great Japanese cars in future shows.
9.18.05
Death of Michael "Beef" Park Leaves Hearts Heavy
As the leader of the Rallye Star team I was shocked to learn of the death of notable co-driver Michael "Beef" Park, the long time partner of Markko Märtin. Beef and Markko have always been my favorite team and I have had the pleasure to have met Beef several times during my trips to WRC Mexico and WRC Australia. Beef was a very kind man who encouraged me to drive and was always willing to talk and give advice. His loss will be felt dearly. We send his family and friends our sympathy and I will proudly continue to fly his name and flag on my street car.
With a sad heart,
Lisa
9.11.05
Second Place at Wild West Keeps Rallye Star Ahead in WSRC!
After over sixty miles of grueling high speed stages, 25 miles without brakes and a sick co-driver, Lisa took Anakin to another podium finish at the Wild West Rally in Shelton, WA. They finished second in Group 5 and a career best 16th overall. She was joined by Duffy Bowers, an experienced co-driver from Virginia who battled a tough cold during the rally. Despite his illness, Duffy did a great job and with his excellent reading, Lisa was able to pass several cars during the day. Anakin performed well, his Techno Square engine purring after a few runs on Fast Freddy's Dyno. The team broke in their new Bilstein suspension and Lisa was very pleased with the impeccable handling that the Bilsteins provided.
8.22.05
Team Rallye Star proud to announce partnership with Bilstein!
On behalf of the entire Rallye Star team, we would like to welcome our new sponsor, renowned suspension experts Bilstein! Bilstein has a long history in the world of motorsports and continues their success in NASCR racing, the LeMans series, the World Rally Championship, the Baja 1000 series, and various types of circut racing. As racing technology rapidly expands, it takes superior susupension to provide the driver with a higher degree of control necessary for superior handling and safety at high speeds. Bilstein has met this challenge. From smooth tarmac raceways to rough uncharted roads, Bilstein offers a full line of competition shock absorbers, components and support to fit your racing needs. To learn more about our friends at Bilstein, visit www.bilstein.com.
Anakin will be sporting his new Bilstein suspension at the Wild West Rally, held September 10-11 in Shelton, WA. Stop by, check out his new suspension and get a few Bilstein stickers!
8.20.05
Victory at Gorman!
August 20 marked Lisa's first anniversary of her rallying career, the first milestone in a day filled with Rallye Star firsts. This year the Gorman Rally was confined to the Gorman Off-Road Vehicle Park, and with a large number of repeated stages, Lisa and her returning co-driver Rebecca Greek set to perfect their rallying skills. By the lunch break, Lisa and Rebecca were within stiking distance of the Milos' GMC Sonoma truck and wasted no time rushing towards second place. Unfortunately Jeff Rados' Ranger DNF'd on Stage 9 leaving Rebecca and Lisa in a slim lead over the Milos'. With more concentration, effort and guts than she had ever mustered before and with great coaching from Rebecca, Lisa finished the rally first in Group 5. This is the first class win for Lisa and her first finish at Gorman following her DNF last year at this event and at this year's Rim of the World Rally. "I was completely overjoyed to have finished the rally," said Lisa. "But it was even better to have won Group 5 for the first time. It felt very good to defeat a challenge that has been hanging over my head for a very long time." Their win at Gorman has propelled Rebecca into the lead of the co-driver's championship in the WSRC, and has solidified Lisa's lead in the driver's championship in the WSRC.
8.8.05
Happy Birthday, Anakin!
Yep, 23 years ago our beloved little Corolla was born somewhere in Japan. How do we know? We tried to buy him a replacement winshield for an '82 Corolla, but it didn't fit. The '83 windshield did, so with some VIN research, we discovered Anakin's birthdate. If Anakin makes it out of Techno Square to compete in the GC Rally X event this weekend, he'll be having a birthday party there along with cake and probably no ice cream. Hey, it's hot out here.
8.1.05
A letter from the Girl in Charge...
First off, I would like to appologize for the lack of updates recently. Many changes have happened for my team and I have had to deal with an illness in my family as well as unemployment. Despite these changes, I'm pressing on regardless and will continue to race and to bring you lots more diary entries, photos and especially merch!
Speaking of photos... It's not easy to take pictures when you're driving, so if anyone has any pictures of my team, we would love to post them on our site. Please send them to drivergirl@rallyestar.com. I don't have many from Rim of the World and only a few from Shitepoke. We appreciate your help.
Secondly, this is rallyestar.com's first anniversary and come August 20th the anniversary of my first rally! We would like to thank the countless people who have helped us out over the past year. Rallying really is a team sport and we couldn't do this without your help, be it working on Anakin or buying a sticker. THANK YOU!
My team is currently running strong in three championships. I sincerely hope that you will continue to return to my site and that I will deliver a strong ending to an amazing season.
Rally on!
Lisa
7.16.05
Success at Treeline leaves Rallye Star in WSRC lead!
In only his second rally, Anakin came out strong defeating the Treeline Rally's legendary tough terrain. Lisa drove her car with aggression to take third place in Rally America's Group 5 category and a career best 6th place in the California Rally Series' Open 2WD class. Her friend Rebecca Greek was in the co-driver's seat. This result was especially meaningful as Lisa explained, "I had taken Anakin to Techno Square to have new cams installed, but the parts didn't come in in time. We ended up switching to stock cams for more power low down and a ended up with a stock engine, maybe with 100 HP when the other G5 cars have around 200." This good result placed Lisa in the lead of the Western States Rally Championship for Group 5. Rebecca is currently in second place for Group 5 co-drivers. The girls will team up again for the next WSRC/CRS event on August 20, the Gorman Ridge Rally where Lisa made her rally debut last year.
6.5.05
Anakin scores after first rally outing! After a slippery beginning and a lost wiper blade, Lisa, Rebecca and Anakin charged into second place in G5 at the Shitepoke rally scoring valuable points for the WSRC and also winning a surprise third place in the Pacific Rally Groups' Class 3 category for new drivers. Fun was had by all!
6.4-5.05
Rallye Star heads out to the Dryad/Shitepoke Rally this weekend! The team will be contesting only the Shitepoke Rally on Sunday for points in the Western States Rally Championship. The event is held in scenic Shelton, Washington just east of Olympia and near the roads used for the Olympia Rally, the last round of the 1986 WRC season. Sunday's competition will feature an 8.27 mile stage ran twice and a whopping 23.93 mile stage also repeated. Joining the team for this rally are two new faces. Hailing from the awesome hills of Colorado is Rebecca Greek, an experienced and highly esteemed co-driver. This rally will also be the debut of Anakin, Lisa's new 1982 Corolla. Wish us luck and be sure to check out our stickers at the event!
5.17.05
NEW! NEW! NEW!
Team Rallye Star is proud to announce the opening of the merchandise page! The page features three unique rally themed bumper stickers as well as the famous beads. The team will use money generated from sticker sales to maintain the new car and to help with travel expenses. Please show your support and purchase a sticker!
5.14.05
We are sad to announce that on this afternoon, Prince's body was committed to the local recycling plant. His heart and other parts live on in the body of our new 1982 Corolla, who will make his debut at the Dryad/Shitepoke Rally on the first weekend of June.
5.6.05 - 5.7.05
Heartbreak at Rim of the World! Casey Blust joined Lisa in the co-driver's seat for this rally, the second round of the USRC and a points even for both the California Rally Series and Western States Championship. With fewer stages this year, Lisa started off on her attack on the first stage where she won the round. She took her energy out to the next two mountain stages, where she set competitive times that positioned her 37th out of 68 starters and third in Group 5. The next day, however was not so kind to Prince whose old parts could not keep up with Lisa's aggression and his own more powerful engine. One the second stage of day two, Prince lost an axle and his differential and Lisa and Casey were forced to retire. This was very difficult for the team, as they will now have to find a way to get to the third USRC round far away in New York and are now behind on points for the CRS and WSRC. Lisa, however is bound and determined to get her team to New York and to win back her championship points.
Despite the best efforts of Lisa's crew, the prognosis for Prince was grim. Not only was his rear running gear damaged, but also his chassis. The entire front portion of his frame was bent, broken and cracked. If it wasn't for the rear damage this problem could have led to a bad crash. Sadly, this would be Prince's last rally. His parts are currently being transplanted into a new 1982 Corolla rally car.
4.22.05 - 4.24.05
Hillsboro, OR- Rallye Stars Lisa Klassen and co-driver Amy Feistel charged up the leader board this weekend at the Oregon Trail Rally. They competed in the weekend's three Club Rally events, taking fourth in Group 5 on Friday's Oregon Ho! Rally and earning a podium third place finish on Saturday's Oregon or Bust Rally. Saturday's results earned Lisa and Amy valuable points in the Western States Championship. Sunday started with mechanical problems, which led to a DNF later on Stage 15. Despite the retirement, Lisa and Amy had a great time. "This was a rally of firsts," said Lisa. "I got to drive on tarmac and grass for the first time and then the bad weather was also new to me. I pushed myself very hard despite the rain and fog. I felt like things were really coming together and I'm really looking foward to keeping up this level of driving. I had a great time and Leon, Aaron, and Amy were great."
Team Rallye Star would like to extend a very special thanks to the crew of David Sutton Motorsports. On Saturday night, Prince suffered a severe exhaust crack and was in dire need of a welder. The DSM mechanics immediately came to the rescue and fixed the crack so Lisa and Amy could continue to race, reminding everyone just how friendly and generous even the most accomplished members of the rallying community are!
4.20.05
This Wednesday the Rallye Star team is packing up and taking a road trip to Hillsboro, Oregon for the Oregon Trail Rally which is the first event that Lisa will run for Western State Rally Championship points. Veteran co-driver Amy Feistal will be keeping Lisa on the right track. This event has many Group 5 compeitors and Lisa looks foward to the challenge as well as rallying with 1984 WRC champion driver Stig Blomqvist. Check out the rallying action at www.oregontrailrally.com!
4.16.05
Lisa will be out again today to contest the second points event of the CRS Rally Cross championship. She will be driving Prince, as Mr. Rogers is out with a blown head gasket.
4.1.05
Back to back rally action coming soon! Look for the Rallye Star team at a rally near you- they'll be coming to the Oregon Trail Rally in Hillsborough, OR on April 22-24 and to the Rim of The World Rally held in Palmdale, CA on May 7-8!
3.19.05
Lisa and Casey knock down another rally victory for Team Rallye Star!
After over 100 stage miles, Lisa drove over the finish line with her co-driver Casey Blust to finish 14th out of the 27 U.S. Rally Championship competitors at the Cherokee Trails International Rally. She placed fourth in her Group 5, missing third place by only 45 seconds. Friday's stages introduced the young driver to the Tenessee roads, "It was very tough," remarked Lisa. "We nearly spun out on the practice stage, so I had to be very careful. I learned something new on every stage and I really enjoyed the rally. Saturday was the real test of driving ability and mental and physical endurance. I really gave it my all." Look for Lisa and Casey at the second round of the USRC, the Rim of the World Rally held on May 7-8 in Palmdale, CA.
3.18-19.05
Lisa and her team will be heading out to the Cherokee Trails International Rally held in Chattanooga, TN this weekend to contest the first round of the United States Rally Championship (which also includes the Rim of the World Rally, Rally New York, and the Ramada Express International Rally, all of which will be broadcast on SpeedTV’s Motorsport Mundial program). Cherokee Trails is an FIA listed event comprised of night stages on Friday and a full day of stages on Saturday. This is a tricky gravel event and will be Lisa’s first rally on the East Coast. Veteran Casey Blust will be co-driving for her and she hopes that his experience will help her blaze a path to victory. Look for results and pictures soon!
3.5.05
Jean, Nevada- Prince went blazing through the desert during this his first event with his new engine. The Seed 9 Rally Sprint was a good warm-up for drivers and cars alike. Lisa enjoyed the event and pushed herself into full competition mode. Aaron Laeng co-drove and coached her on to win third place in Group 5 and set a fifth fastest stage time. “This event was very fun and very educational,” Lisa reflected. “With the new engine and all of the improvements done to the car, I really had to adapt my driving style. I now know my and strengths and weaknesses, but it was really something to race competitively against a 230 HP Neon and a Colt with a 2.6 L engine when I only had a 29 year old 140 HP Corolla.”
2.27.05
Team Rallye Star kicked off their first event of the season with the Ridgecrest Rally Cross 1 held in Ridgecrest, CA. This was Lisa’s first rally cross competing with her rally car. Lisa was up against tough competition- one national champion and two regional champions. The conditions were wet and slippery, but Lisa completed her three runs earning her enough points to start her rally cross championship season on a good note.
1.15.05
Technosquares bring Prince back to life!
Just last week, Prince was taken to Toyota experts Howard and Ritchie Wanabe at Technosquares to have a new cam shaft installed. While testing the new engine they discovered that the compression was dangerouly low. It would take a lot of work to repair the engine. Howard and Ritchie stepped up and volunteered their services to fix Prince. Only a week later Prince was up and screaming again, ready for the upcoming season. The Rallye Star Team would like to thank Howard, Ritchie and Technosquares for their help!
12.07.04 - 12.12.04
Lisa and Alex conquer the Ramada Express International Rally and take 3rd in Group 5!!
After a grueling three-day run through the deserts of Arizona and Nevada, Lisa and Alex crossed the ceremonial finish line of the FIA-listed rally. The event started on Wednesday and Thursday with recce, where the teams were allowed to slowly traverse the stages and revise their pace notes. Friday's stages were fast and open and concluded with a hillclimb. By Saturday, the crew had worked out the new engine's jitters and Lisa and Alex had a fine run up from the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Sunday featured the Super Special Stage, a small track similar to a rally cross, where Lisa excelled. Jeff and Jay from Chaste Automotive were there for the entire rally and were responsible for Prince's strong finish. Monster Energy Drinks joined Lisa for Sunday's stages where they haded out free drinks that kept the crowd and crew going. The surprise of the night came at the awards banquet where Lisa and Alex recieved a plaque for finishing 3rd in Group 5. "Since there were three different organizations represented in this rally," explained Lisa, "it was very difficult to interpret the results. I was sure we hadn't won anything and was happy just to finish, but when we got called up on stage I was immediately surprised and very happy." Stay tuned for pictures, diary enteries and interviews from Ramada!
12.05.04
There's only two more days until the Rallye Star team leaves for the wild weather and rough terrain of the Ramada Express International Rally! Prince's new engine is all fired up and ready to go while the crew collects supplies for his service area. Unlike most other American rallies, Ramada Express allows for a two day recce period, where crews are allowed to drive over each day's stages and make their own pace notes in the style of the WRC, which will be a new experience for Lisa and her team. Lisa is looking foward to working with co-driver Alex Kihurani and experiencing this unique event.
Watch the Ramada Express Rally unfold though the official web site for the event www.rallyusa.com!
11.23.04
Monster Energy Drinks joins the Rallye Star Team!
We are pleased to announce a partnership with Monster Energy Drink, a part of the Hansen beverage company based in Corona, CA. The company will support the team with product and gear which will be displayed and promoted at all rally events. Monster's first appearance with the team will be at the Sunday Super Special Stage of the Ramada Express Rally where they will be handing out free energy drinks, so be sure to try one while you're there!
Be sure to visit the Monster website at www.monsterenergy.com!
11.22.04
Worr Games signs on as new sponsor!
Bud Orr, owner of Worr Games, announced today his company will be providing financial support for the Rallye Star Team for the rest of the 2004 and the 2005 season. Worr Games, a leader in the paintball industry for more than fifteen years, manufactures the Auto Cocker Paintball Marker, the most popular choice of tournament level and recreational players of paintball.
Be sure to visit the Worr Games site at www.worr.com for all of your paintball needs!
11.20.04
Tonight marked the final round of the SCCA's Southern California division rally sprint championship. Lisa planned on running her Corolla to break in his new engine, but a lack of parts kept her car from making it to the event. Impressed by her dedication to practice and the improvements in her driving, Leon Styles, Lisa's coach, asked her if she would like to drive his ex-works Mitsubishi Evo 7 for the rally sprint. Although intimidated by the 400 HP car, Lisa rose to the challenge and spent Friday night learning as much as she could about the champion Evo before driving it the next day. Lisa focused solely on her driving during the competition and had no idea that she was tied for the lead after her second run or that she had set the first fastest stage time. "The car was so hard to drive," Lisa said, "I had a lot of issues during the second run that made me question why I was here and why I was driving this car." She relaxed during her final two runs and once again set two fastest stage times. Only after she drove the Evo back onto the trailer did she learn that she won the event. "I was in shock! I couldn't believe that I won the event, especially since I was having such a hard time in the car. I felt like I had to learn to drive all over again. And I was completely amazed that I stepped up to the challenge of a factory car only after driving for four months!".
11.07.04
Unfortunately for the team, Mr. Rogers broke his fuel pump and was unable to compete at the Jean, Nevada rally sprint. The problem has since been fixed and he is now in fine running order.
11.06.04
Lisa and Leon will take Mr. Rogers, the faithful car that took Lisa to her first win, out to Jean, Nevada today for the second to the last rally cross of the CRS season. Lisa is looking foward to the event, as it will allow her to finally get out of first gear!
After the event, Lisa will leave LAX for Perth and all the excitement of the Telstra Rally Australia, the final round of the World Rally Championship. Come back soon to see her pictures from the rally cross and her vacation!
10.16.04
LISA TAKES HER FIRST WIN AT THE TOMBSTONE 3 RALLY CROSS! After three mindblowingly fast laps around the Tombstone track, Lisa finished first out of 17 cars in the 2wd Street Stock division (unmodified street cars) and sixth overall out of 48 competitors. She drove her 1984 Toyota Celica GT-S against modified Subarus, Evos and even some full on rally cars. "I was completely overwhelmed," said Lisa. "Leon had kept me from paying attention to scores and getting distracted and I had the attitude that I was here to learn, to practice in a competitive atmosphere. I never thought that I would do so well." A big thank you goes out to our gracious sponsors and crew: Tombstone Paintball especially, Big Tom Laeng and his Laengworks boys, and most definitely Leon Styles and Tombstone Rallying, without whose support Lisa would not have been able to begin rallying. THANK YOU!
10.15.04
See Lisa in her element at the Tombstone Rally Cross 3 event! The event starts around 4:30 and is open to spectators. For more information, visit the CRS website at www.californiarallyseries.com.
9.26.04
Lisa would like to congradulate her instructor Leon Styles on his SCCA Pro Rally Open Class Driver's championship title!
Although rallying ultimately comes down to a driver and her car, it is very much a team sport. Without our technicians, we'd get nowhere and without our sponsors, we wouldn't leave the driveway. That being said, we would like to thank Chaste Automotive for their help and sponsorship. Seeing that Prince was puffing and wheezing up Del Sur, they have offered their help in performing an engine transplant. Prince will make the jump into the open 2wd class with his new 4 AG-E engine and transmission just in time to finish the season with flying colors.
9.23.04
Come one come all and get your exclusive www.rallyestar.com sticker! And the best part- it's FREE! Send Lisa your address and she'll hook you up!
8.20-21.04
This weekend Lisa and her brave co-driver Rob competed in a grueling test of endurance and skill, the Gorman Ridge Rally. The strong team and the sturdy car made it through eight of the ten stages, before retiring due to electrical problems. An exhaust leak had burned the starter motor out and the valiant Prince was unable to go on. At the time of their retirement, Lisa and Rob were among only 18 cars out of a field of 30 who had made through stage eight. Despite having the oldest and most underpowered car (70 hp!), Lisa retired ahead of five other drivers, some of whom were seasoned Gorman veterans.
8.5.04
Big Ez-Up canopy- $180, Big silver tarp- $20, ice chest- $25, snacks and drinks- $40, homemade sign- $7. Keeping your car and crew happy- priceless. Team Rallye Star is proud to announce the creation of their service area base camp! Please stop by at the Gorman Rally, say "Hi!," meet the team and enjoy free stickers and candy. See what we're all about.
7.28-8.01.04
Team Rally Star takes a trip to Maine to observe/learn from/help/cheer on Lisa's mentor Leon Styles and his navigator John Dillon as they tackle another round of the SCCA's ProRally series with the other members of the Widget Racing team. Lisa was thrilled to have been a part of Widget's gravel crew for their sweep of the Pike's Peak ProRally and International Hill Climb, a position that allowed her to learn and observe many things that have been invaluable to her driving career. Read about her adventures in her Diary of a Driver.
7.23.04
Team Rallye Star extends a warm welcome to co-driver Rob Marssdorf. He will be joining Lisa for the Gorman Rally where he hopes to gain valuable experience in navigating the California terrain. He has extensive experience co-driving for TSD rallies in his native state of Oregon and has recently competed in the Rim of the World Rally.
7.19-20.04
Training day! Lisa began training, learning the basics of rally driving and of the mental and physical stresses that she will have to negotiate during her first rally. See how a rally driver is made through pictures and videos in the 1-Hour Photo section. Relive the experience first hand in the Diary of A Driver as Lisa quickly realizes that rallying is not quite as effortless as the WRC drivers make it seem.
7.18.04
Team Rallye Star has entered the Gorman Ridge Rally! On August 21, 2004 Lisa will compete against roughly 30 other cars in a truly grueling test of endurance. Watch as her team comes together, as she learns how to drive and as she prepares her body for the extreme temperatures of this challenging event. Will she be able to reach the flying finish or will she fall prey to the sweeps!? Stay tuned to find out.
7.17.04
At last, the Car, heretofore known as Prince Charming, has permanently taken up residence with his mistress. He is joined by a number of spare parts and tires in a small, but comfortable space. They are currently getting to know each other. At the moment, Lisa is seeking a master technician to bring Prince up to spec.
7.13.04
What are rally drivers wearing this season? Find out with Lisa as she goes shopping in her Diary of a Driver!
7.11.04
IT'S A BOY!!! You can't have a rally team without a car, and this evening saw a sleek and handsome little 1976 Toyota Corolla come into Lisa's life. The production stock class, race ready car will become Lisa's main squeeze for the next few weeks as she prepares for the remaining rally cross and rally sprint events marked in the California Rally Series' schedule.Be sure to come back soon and watch (link to photos/videos) Lisa train, see pictures of her car and read about her experiences in the Diary of a Driver.
