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April 14, 2004 Rally racers make own tracks 70 mph through peaceful woodlands By Keith Goldberg Times Herald-Record kgoldberg@th-record.com Gardiner – Ahhhh ... early spring in the Hudson Valley. See the soft sunlight filtering through trees that are just beginning to sprout foliage. Smell the sweet country air, the dew-stained grass. Hear the throaty growl of a 1990 Eagle Talon TSI as it rumbles down the gravel driveway of Bernhard Obry's house in a secluded portion of this Ulster County hamlet, just steps away from the Wallkill River. Now picture this car careening through tranquil woods at 70 mph. That's what Obry and pal Gary Griswold will be doing Saturday when they compete in Rally New York, a road rally race based in Monticello that will cover 315 miles in Sullivan and Delaware counties. Most of the course is highway and local roads, transporting racers between the timed stages of the race. The local roads are open to the public, and rally drivers must obey local traffic laws. But there are also 75 miles of timed, or special stage roads – cordoned-off backroads in the towns of Forestburgh, Lumberland and Colchester. This is where the nearly 50 cars entered in the race will be zipping around trees, over ridges, dirt and gravel roads, some barely wider than a car. "It's a roller coaster that's not on rails," Obry says. "And it goes sideways. And it's not always on the tracks." A good bump, he says, will send a car airborne. Road-rally racing is a team competition. Griswold drives, Obry sits beside him, navigating. It's a big-time sport in Europe, but mostly a hobby in the states. That's fine with Obry and Griswold. They're not in it for money. They're just two middle-aged guys who love cars and love driving them fast. The late entry fee for this race is $450 and, since it's an amateur event, there is no prize money. With his graying, balding head tapered to a buzz-cut, a goatee and beefy arms and hands, Obry looks more like a bouncer than a racer. He works for an auto insurance appraisal firm. Appropriately, it's Obry's job to determine how badly a car is smashed up after an accident. Griswold, meanwhile, is tall and thin with a thin beard. He's an accountant. The two men have been racing together since 2001. They've been friends for two decades – they met while Obry was visiting a friend at a college in Vermont – despite being separated by 250 miles. Obry, 38, is originally from nearby Modena, while Griswold, 40, still lives in Vermont. Obry went to work at the family auto repair shop in Modena after graduating from Wallkill High School. Griswold became a road-rally fan watching local races as a kid. That's where their love of cars came from. But they had never done any racing – "at least, not legally," Griswold says with a grin – until Griswold bought the rally car three years ago. You don't have to be Michael Schumacher to race road-rally style. In this genre of racing, all cars must be street legal. The cars have plenty of safety modifications – a roll cage embedded into the car's frame, skid plates on its underside, custom seats with reinforced belts, suspension and brakes and off-road tires. Which are good things to have when you don't know where you're going. Road-rally drivers are generally not allowed to scout out the course before the race – Saturday's race is a rare exception. Usually the only thing a driver knows about the course is what he learns from the thick booklet he is provided that details every step of the course. That's where Obry comes in. It's his job to follow the book and inform Griswold what's coming up, a sharp left turn or a change from asphalt to dirt. The two chatter constantly over a two-way headset, all the while feeling every bump and swerve in a overheated car with all the comforts of a sardine can. "Organized chaos," Obry calls it. Despite the chaos, the duo hasn't had a wreck. Saturday's rally will be their fourth-ever race, and they hope to run in four more this year. Their best finish is a sixth place. But it's not all about winning for these two. And it's not about prize money, either. In fact, it'll be some time before they make up the $30,000 that, together, they've sunk into their car. This is about Bernie and his pal Gary, gleefully barreling through the peaceful woods in their 1990 Eagle Talon TSI. So, the name for their team couldn't be more appropriate: Loose Nut Racing. Inside Rally New York This is the third event of the seven-event National Auto Sport Association Eastern States Rally championship and will be run this Saturday. The race headquarters are at Mr. Willy's Restaurant, on Route 42 in Monticello. The 315-mile rally will begin and end there. Spectators are welcomed at designated areas (see schedule below). The 75 miles of special stages – the closed racing stages – are located in the towns of Lumberland and Forestburgh in Sullivan County and the Town of Colchester in Delaware County. The rest of the rally is run on public roads and drivers must adhere to all local traffic laws. For information, call 794-4096 through tomorrow, and 914-866-9971 on Friday and Saturday. Race schedule, route 8 a.m.: Ceremonial start at rally headquarters 8-10:30 a.m.: Lumberland spectator area, at Leers Road and Lebanon Road 8:30-11 a.m.: Lumberland spectator area, Hartwood Club Road 10-11:45 a.m.: servicing of cars at rally headquarters 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.: Colchester spectator area, Russell Brook Road and Morton Hill Road 2-4 p.m.: servicing of cars at rally headquarters 2:30-5 p.m.: second Forestburgh spectator area, King Road and Plank Road 4-5:30 p.m.: servicing of cars at rally headquarters 4:30-7 p.m.: Colchester spectator area, Russell Brook Road and Morton Hill Road 7-8 p.m.: finish in Monticello Event Web site: www.rallynewyork.com |
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