Ready for something new yet?
I had a post half done with lots of stats and stuff but it seems to have been lost in the shuffle. I'll do what I can in the time I have - I've been shooting and working with the team and sleeping a few hours per night but that's about it - no time for photo processing or blogging. Our hotel, in Balatonfüred, is amazing in some ways but sucks in the most crucial way of all: no internet! None! So don't plan to be very productive if you hit the Hotel Anabella. To add to that mess, we're 30+ minutes away from the service park, and the press center closes at 9 PM. I would be happy as a clam working from my van outside, but theyturn off the internet at night. As if.
We're in the press center now and just got hushed for our reaction to the following clip, where Roby Gordon's car piles through a curve and nearly plows over an event organizer out on the course.
One might say that this kind of thing is part of what makes this sport so exciting. Things happen. They could happen to you. Hey, I got a ride in one of the race trucks on my first day here...
So, on to the big news for Team Rally Pan Am...
First of all, David's out. In fact, he's in the hospital. Took a big spill at the end of the last stage yesterday, the very end. Today's stages were pretty easy so it's a big bummer. He's OK, just tore out ligaments in his thumb or something. Not really any English speakers at the hospital, which was certainly disconcerting when they put him under general anesthesia to do the surgery. He was moving up in the standings quickly, having finally hit his stride. He's a great guy and we all wish him a quick and full recovery.
Niles is going to ride his bike back to Budapest, where a KTM dealer will arrange to get to the giant orange KTM mothership in Salzburg, Austria. Though I am on a bit of a schedule to get to London before meeting up with the gang in Amsterdam, i sure would have liked to see KTM.
Jonah is kicking holy ass. He was penalized an hour for problems outside of his control, so we'll see how that turns out. It seems that protesting the penalty has worked a little - they lopped off 20 minutes of it, quietly, yesterday. Looking at his times he'd be FOURTH overall without the penalty. Sure we're biased, but it seems pretty unfair. As of now he's sitting ninth among the 71 remaining riders in the motorcycle class. Even without penalties that's a great result, for most anyone. No offense to my spectacular community of friends and colleagues, but Jonah's probably the most focused individual I've ever worked with. Well, that I've ever met, actually. That's probably because I've never met a pro athlete climbing to the top of his or her game, like Jonah is. Then again, I've met a number of pro athletes this week...
I'm pondering a run to the Baja 500 at the end of May. That'll take some doing, with regards to time, schedule, and money. It seems like a good idea.
Also I'm looking to expand Rally Chaser, since I can't attend everything out there, not yet. Far from it. No one could, I reckon. I've been pondering bringing on others to blog rallies. Any of you out there going to attend something in the near future? I can set up your own section. Just drop an email to rocky at rallychaser dot com if you're interested.
Time to go do some Rally Pan Am work, so I'm outta here. I'll leave y'all with this spectacular sequence that happened a couple hundred meters (when in Rome!) from our camp in the service park. Sadly, I wasn't there to shoot it:
Be well!
Comments
Hey April! Thanks for the words and following along. I have tons more pictures, so let me know if you want any of the full sized ones for prints or anything like that.
And to John, as to fighting the penalty, they went through due process. As for how fair things are, I only know what I see and hear. I haven't heard anyone complaining about that, though. This is motorsport, there is a process, and going beyond that process doesn't get anyone anywhere. Spirits are really high despite the penalty though.
Posted by: Rocky Rallychaser | April 26, 2008 11:00 AM
Hi Rocky, this is Jonah's wife and kids and we just want to thank you for all your hard work and all the great things you've said about Jonah. As a wife at home with two small kids, it's so cool for all of us to read and see pics of Jonah. He is very intense and focused about his racing and we are so proud of him. This is a great site and we appreciate you for doing it!!
April, Ava, and Mason Street
Posted by: April Street | April 26, 2008 06:21 AM
Rocky,
Thanks again for allt he updates. Its great to have a perspective you know. Please advise the RallyPanAm team to fight that penalty. I get the sense that they are looking for ways to keep our favorite local privateers off the podium. But maybe I am paranoid?
Posted by: john v | April 25, 2008 10:25 PM