OLYMPIA, WA -- Ramana Lagemann took over the Olympus Rally lead Sunday, after ending the first of the day's two critical 26-mile stages more than 20 seconds ahead of the rest of the field.

"I said the rally would be decided today, and so far it's gone our way," said Lagemann, who is co-driven by veteran Mark Williams.

Lagemann's Day 2 gain was Australian driver Andrew Pinker's loss. Pinker and co-driver Robbie Durant saw what had been a strong lead entering the start of the day dissolve into a six second deficit.

Pinker's Syms teammates Tanner Foust and co-driver Christine Beavis, meanwhile, were in third. But with the top three cars within 25 seconds of each other and the second critical 26-mile stage still to go, the race outcome was far from decided.

"You can't say what's going to happen with that long stage out there," said Foust. "That stage has three of everything."

Notably absent from the top three were the two Subaru Rally Team USA cars, both of whom were struggling from the early stages of the contest.

By mid-day Sunday, Ken Block and co-driver Alessandro Gelsomino found themselves in fourth, more than two minutes off the lead. Travis Pastrana and co-driver Christian Edstrom -- already out of the game on Day 1 after they apparently ran out of fuel midway through the seventh stage -- crashed hard on Sunday and had to retire from the contest. They were unhurt, but their car is believed to have suffered significant damage.

Also struggling was seven-time U.S. champion Paul Choiniere, who began the day with engine trouble and was consistently losing time to his challengers. Likewise, Andrew Comrie-Picard was well off the pace after dropping well back on the first due to problems with his turbocharger.

In addition to the 2007 Rally America National Championship title, drivers are competing for entry into X Games 13. For the second consecutive year, rally racing will be featured in the Summer X Games, with the first five races of the 2007 Rally America season serving as qualifying events for the popular action-sport competition.

A win here would return Lagemann to the hunt for a starting position at the contest. He has had a series of poor showings this season due to mechanical failure with the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution he drives.

Entering the Olympus Rally, the top four drivers in the 2007 Rally America standings were separated by just 10 points. After three of the series' nine events, Subaru Rally Team USA's Block is in the lead, followed by Foust, while defending champions Pastrana and co-driver Christian Edstrom are third.

Although a new addition to the Rally America schedule for 2007, the Olympus Rally was a World Rally Championship race from 1986-1988. Rally racing legends such as Rod Millen, Juha Kankkunen and American John Buffum have claimed victories at the famed event.

Rally America drivers compete in street-legal vehicles that are modified for safety. Six vehicle classes, ranging from stock to highly modified, compete under the Rally America banner. Eleven different automobile manufacturers are represented in Rally America events, led by Subaru, Mitsubishi, Dodge, Ford and Volkswagen.

Media Contact:
Alan Perry
Olympus Rally
[email protected]
206-499-5501