Flying Fast and Far at Baie-Des-Chaleurs

Posted on 28. Jun, 2008 by Dean in Baie-des-Chaleurs 2008

Perhaps the most recognised image of the Rallye Baie-Des-Chaleurs is the jump at the end of the Camp Brule stage. The longest jump in North American rally, it is where heroes are made and dreams are dashed.

This year, there was a lot of excitement over distance markers letting fans know just how far the teams were jumping. Distances markers came out of a partnership between Flatovercrest.com and DC Shoes. Signs were in place up to the 171 foot distance Ken laid down in his Stunt Junkies appearance.

Many of the more experienced drivers took it easy on the first pass, to get a feel for the jump, while less experienced crews along with locals pushed hard off the bat. Here’s how it all boiled down on the first jump.

Nick Mathew – 114 feet
Vittorio Bares – 112 feet
Martin Losier – 110 feet
David Legault – 105 feet
Tim Penasack – 102 feet
Patrice Potvin – 100 feet
Ken Block – 96 feet
Pat Richard – 92 feet
Marc-Andre Drouin – 88 feet
Mathieu L’Estage – 84 feet
Leo Urlichich – 84 feet
Martin Gauvin – 84 feet

While Antoine L’Estage didn’t fly far, he did come in right after a struggling Pat Richard, virtually closing the two minute gap. L’Estage had said he would be driving at maximum attack today, and that’s exactly what he’s doing! Pat appeared to be having transmission problems and fought with the car to pull away from the control.

On the second pass, the top teams started to be more committed to the jump, while the mid field entries were more cautious. Ken came flying through first, besting his previous distance by nineteen feet. One crew were able to beat him. Hold your breath, here’s the top ten on the second pass.

John Cassidy – 116 feet
Ken Block – 115 feet
Bruno Carre – 110 feet
Bruno-Pierre Allard – 103 feet
Nick Matthew – 100 feet
David Legault – 96 feet
Martin Gauvin – 95 feet
Patrice Potvin – 92 feet
Pat Richard – 90 feet arriving with a disintegrated rear tire
Leo Urlichich – 90 feet

We’re heading to service to catch up with teams before hitting the final super special and the podium. Get ready for the finish of the 2008 Rallye Baie-Des-Chaleurs! We'll have lots of photos and more news coming your way.

Tags: Antoine L'Estage, Baie-Des-Chaleurs, DC Shoes, distance, John Cassidy, Jump, Ken Block, Pat Richard