Melbourne brothers, Ross and Scott Allan, have driven brilliantly to finish second in the two-wheel drive category of the Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally in Pennsylvania, round two of the Rally America National Championship.
The other Summit Rally Team Nissan Silvia, crewed by Will Orders and Toni Feaver, led the category until the 11th stages, when electrical problems forced their retirement.
This was the second event that the Australian team had contested in the United States, and right from the outset Orders and Allan were taking it to the leading two-wheel drive competitor, Chris Duplessis.
After winning the category at the Oregon Trail Rally last month, Orders was determined to take another victory, and after a see-sawing battle, he held a slender four second lead over Duplessis after 10 stages.
However, an electrical glitch in his 1989 Nissan Silvia halted his progress, leaving Allan to take up the fight.
In a car 21 years older than the Fiesta of Duplessis, and less developed than team-mate Orders’ Nissan, Allan did everything asked of him by the team, eventually finishing second in the category, and 11th outright.
This was despite Allan have problems of his own, including a slipping clutch that hampered his ability to push for the two-wheel drive class victory.
“It was another fantastic team effort this weekend, and while we had an unfortunate DNF (did not finish) due to an electrical problem, we were happy with the pace of the car,” Orders said.
“Well done to Rossco and Scotty on a fantastic second in two-wheel drive – they put in a great drive.”
Summit Rally Team’s next event in the USA is the iconic Pikes Peak Hill Climb in Colorado, on July 8.
Only Orders will contest the event, before both he and Allan line up for the New England Forest Rally in Maine on July 13 and 14.
Photo: Neil McDaid (www.rallyworldnews.com)
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