This is very sad news.

Live event coverage can be found here:

http://www.rally-america.com/

A thread has also appeared on www.nasioc.com .

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=390466



Here is an official release from the SCCA.

Series: SCCA Pro Rally

Subaru Rally Team USA superstars Mark Lovell, 43 , and Roger Freeman, 52, both of England, were fatally injured Saturday during the first special stage of the Oregon Trail SCCA ProRally event.

The first car away from the starting line, driver Lovell, and co-driver Freeman, left the prescribed course moments into the stage and struck a tree in their Subaru Impreza WRX. The two were pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical personnel. Details of the incident were held until the families were notified.

“This is a tragic day for the world of rallying and motorsports in general,� said Steve Johnson, SCCA President and CEO, who was in attendance at the event. “Mark Lovell and Roger Freeman were among the best crews in the world, but they were also great competitors as well. Our prayers go out to their families, Subaru Rally Team USA and all of their friends and supporters.�

The duo who had been rallying together for twenty years were competing in their third event together of 2003. They entered the Oregon Trail fresh from success winning the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb of June 27.

The 2001 Overall Drivers Champion, Lovell is survived by his wife, Julie, and his children Oliver and Thomas.

Roger Freeman is survived by his wife, Alison, and children Becky and John.

A decision was made to finish Day One of the rally while information regarding the accident was gathered and after rally organizers had consulted with SCCA national staff, national safety stewards and at the request of Subaru Rally Team USA Manager and close personal friend of Lovell and Freeman, David Campion. The field then ran an abbreviated schedule of stages later in the day. The rally will continue with the completion of the final six stages on Sunday as scheduled.


Source: SCCA

[Edited by mattinfl - 7/13/2003 6:33:14 AM]

I`ve just read this elsewhere,sad news indeed.

:(

I remember Mark in an RS200, seems such a long time ago. Very sad news indeed.

:(

http://www.scca.org/news/press03_64.html

stunned n shocked!!!

Andy :(

:(

Thanks for posting Matt.

My condolences to the family and friends of Mark and Roger. They have had a great impact on the sport of Rallying in the US and they will be missed.

Jeffrey Ligon
Remlap, AL, USA

Absolutely terrible news, I came home from my friends wedding last night to be greeted by this news. I couldn’t post at the time; I didn’t know what to say.

My friend drives the rally car I service in British rallies and it was a wonderful day with lots of our friends we know through rallying in attendance, everyone involved in rally joins an extended family, it's a wonderful sport for friendships. Mark was very much a part of making that camaraderie happen in USA rallying and showed his love of the sport to all the fans he met, at the same time he was determined to win, he managed to be able to combine both sides of the sport so well.

Mark and Roger will be sorely missed by everyone involved in Rallying in the USA and UK.

I first saw Mark and Roger competing in an RS200, becoming British rally champions in 1986, I remember Mark competing in the early pre restricted 2WD Sierra Cosworths; he could make that car dance too. He shot back into the limelight with his drive with Subaru and it seemed a perfect match with him becoming Pro Rally champion.

I was fortunate enough to be at Rim Of The World rally in California this May and listened to Mark at the awards ceremony, he was a class act in the car showing a massive talent to drive a rally car quickly, he was also a class act out of the car, I cant think of anyone who could have been a better ambassador for the Sport or British drivers, he was a gentleman.

RIP Mark and Roger. :(

Oh No.
Very upsetting this.
First Possum and now Mark Lovell – both great characters in the world of rallying.

Mark was one of the stars of the BRC many years ago and I will always remember the interview when he was driving a Sierra Cosworth and him being asked if he was cracking on a bit, to which he replied he was going “balls out” !!!!

Roger Freeman, another well-respected and long-standing name in the world of rallying.

Sympathies and Condolences to family and friends of all.

:(

My thoughts are with the family and freinds.

Absolutely stunned by this sad news.

:(:(:(

Dreadful news...
I've fond memories of them in the RS200.

I would like express my deepest condolences to both families and friends and everyone connected with the Subaru USA team.

Rallying has lost so many top crews in the last few years and as cars become increasingly safer and stronger built it is hard to understand. I believe the Subaru cars used in the States are GpN versions? Does this mean that the roll cages are not as comprehensive as WRC cars?

I also had the privelege of watching Mark during his days as a works Ford driver and he was always a true gentleman and a great ambassador for our beloved sport.

We all know motorsport is dangerous but I still find it hard to take in this tragic news.

Have only just read about this on Ceefax....

Very sad news. The '86 British Rally Championship will be remembered not only for the GpB cars but also of Mark & Roger's overall victory in their RS200.

Tragic that they died while competing in the sport they obviously enjoyed so much.........

:(

Andy, the cars used in the USA are built in Banbury by Prodrive to a very similar spec to the WRC car, it has a very comprehensive shell and cage. In some respects the USA version is a faster car, running with a 40mm turbo restrictor rather than 34mm, it is less complex on the transmition systems due to rules in Pro Rally but it is far removed from a GroupN car.

There is only so much you can do within the confines of a cars chassis, the most vulnerable part of the cage system is the side door area and it seems that the car hit a very large tree side on in Marks door at in excess of 80MPH, the car then landing in a ditch on the oposite side of the track. Building a car to withstand that kind of direct hit is sadly very dificult if not imposible to achieve, the car would have been the best of the best in terms of safety and equal to anything in the WRC.

http://i.xanga.com/DjBunny/In%20Remembrance.jpg

Our sport has lost two true gentlemen, I have a lasting memory of sharing a little guest house with Roger on the 99 Manx International. A very modest and genuine character. Im shocked and saddened. Condolences to both families and all that were close to them.

Rest in Peace

:(

Very sad to hear this :( I remember his comment on the rally ireland (still got it on video) when he went off and had to get the car re-built at the side of the road by the mechanics :D he was on slicks in the rain "going balls out" :D He was also the only driver to damage a car on the Mobil 1 rally challenge by ripping the rear bumper off of the car. Very fast and spectacular driver and a sad loss :(

RIP :(

For those interested in paying last respects, Details are here: http://www.rally.subaru.com/rally/data/funeral.jsp


[Edited by Opie - 18/07/2003 21:11:38]

lost for words

Sad news... my thoughts are with their families