Subaru Claims Four of Top Five Spots at Rallye Perce Neige

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Feb. 6, 2012 /CNW/ - Subaru teams dominated the field at the opening event of the 2012 Canadian Rally Championship season. Eight Subaru vehicles placed in the top ten at the gruelling Rallye Perce Neige near Maniwaki, Quebec, this past weekend.

Subaru Rally Team Canada driver Pat Richard and co-driver Alan Ockwell had a strong start to the season, battling for the lead right off the bat and taking it on the fourth stage. Despite a heavy jump-landing on the second stage, the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI was poised for a fight to the finish when a mechanical issue forced the team to retire on the ninth stage.

"We had a good start to the rally and were in close second heading into the long night stages," said Alan Ockwell. "Unfortunately, our day ended prematurely but we'll be back in full force at the Rocky Mountain Rally in May."

Subaru Rally Team Canada's Richard and Ockwell are still buoyed by the pace the rally car set during this first event and see their performance in earlier stages as a positive sign for a good season ahead.

"Kudos to second-place finisher Leo Urlichich," said Richard. "As the top-finishing Subaru vehicle, he scored some valuable manufacturers' points. Of course we're disappointed we didn't finish, but we want to continue the winning tradition for Subaru at the next event."

The top ten finishers were:

1. Antoine L'Estage - Nathalie Richard - two hours, 45 minutes, 18.8 seconds
2. Leo Urlichich - Carl Williamson - 2:53:56.0
3. Sylvain Vincent - Simon Vincent - 2:59:11.5
4. Mathieu Dube - Eric Losier - 3:01:01.2
5. Simon Losier - Brian Maxwell - 3:02:43.7
6. Joel Levac - Stephanie Lewis - 3:02:58.8
7. Steeve Hobbs - Jean-Mathieu Tremblay - 3:03:38.9
8. Bruno Carre - Yvan Joyal - 3:04:17.2
9. Warren Haywood - John Hall - 3:15:07.9
10. Maxime Rochefort-Laframboise - Jereme Milette - 3:17:47.0

The 2012 season continues with the Rocky Mountain Rally, held May 25-26 in Calgary.

About Subaru Canada, Inc.

Subaru Canada, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of over 85 authorized dealers across Canada.

Image with caption: "Subaru Claims Four of Top Five Spots at Rallye Perce Neige (CNW Group/Subaru Canada Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120206_C9790_PHOTO_EN_9674.jpg

Image with caption: "Subaru Claims Four of Top Five Spots at Rallye Perce Neige (CNW Group/Subaru Canada Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120206_C9790_PHOTO_EN_9676.jpg

Image with caption: "Subaru Claims Four of Top Five Spots at Rallye Perce Neige (CNW Group/Subaru Canada Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120206_C9790_PHOTO_EN_9678.jpg

Joe Felstein or Julie Lychak
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Amyot Bachand
Media Relations, Quebec Region
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