"Team Fugawi? Pace Team", with drivers Ron Sorem (Car 0) and Lee Sorenson (Car 00), founding members of the "Fugawi? Rally Team", headed north on Thursday with the intent of Recce (reconnaissance) of the "Thynne Mountain" and "Brook Creek" stages on their way into Merritt. Vancouver radio was announcing Highway 5 was closed... It wasn't for quite some time that we got the clarification that it was closed east of Merritt, by a big wreck, and 20cm of new snow. A collective sigh of relief at the news was short lived -- there was more and more snow as we cleared the Coquihalla Toll Plaza.

"Helmer" would prove "interesting" on gravel tires. I was sideways before the first Spectator Area. Lee commented on the beauty of a small lake off the outside of a corner 13.45km into the stage. At any other time we'd be fast enough that the road would hold our attention. For this pass we were just sightseeing at 50km/h. Tell-tale tracks pointed out the last night's problem areas, but all of "Warren's trees" were unscathed.

We completed our survey and compared notes on what might be problem areas -- all the while listening to radio traffic about Thynne/Brook. In the long run, the proper, and only decision was to cancel those two and make up the distance elsewhere -- getting workers into and out of Thynne Mountain would have been too risky.

While every effort was made to extract the two cars from Thynne Mountain, they would remain in place until after Friday's stages when Safety Sweep (Car 98) would take the two crews back out and carefully, successfully, get everyone back on the road for at least running the Saturday Regional. Meanwhile most available snow tires were in service at a "stud pulling party" (no studded tires are allowed for US or Canadian stage rallies).

"Merritt by Night" was the first half of the National rally and saw 32 teams entered (less the two left in the woods). "Nicola Lake" stage, east of Merritt, was first up with SS1 running 7.09km to a turn-around, then reverse course, 7.20km for SS2. Seattle area team of Gary Cavett and Alan Perry suffered motor failure on the high-speed stage very early in, becoming the first of several mechanical DNFs. Car 18 was "off" on Nicola South. Fast time both directions was Andrew Comrie-Picard at 4:03 -- averaging 106.67km/h on the downhill.

"Princeton Cut-off", running 9km, began at a relocated start position due to the VERY slippery mud hill at the original location. Without the move, starts would have been tough, with the very real chance of two-wheel drive cars sliding off before the end of the control zone. The balance of the stage was in good shape, with good grip. "Over cattle guard, ninety right onto pavement" at the Spectator Area provided a good show for the hardy souls in near freezing temperatures. Unfortunately for the Spectators, the best shows were on the third run of "Princeton", including a spin at the pavement, after nearly all of the Spectators had returned to Merritt's Railyard Mall for the in-town Spectator Stage. SS3 saw Car 19 "off" with mechanical problems, parked only a few km into the stage; and Cars 20 and 22 out as well. Car 6 suffered a differential failure on SS4 and was towed to a safe spot by Sweep at 7.64km, before the tunnel, only 1.5km from the finish. Car 9 ran out of fuel on the third running, SS5. With great consistency Antoine L'Estage ran 7:02, 7:02, and 7:03 -- averaging 76.77km/h.

"Helmer by Day" was the second half of the National with 4 DNFs from Friday. Driver Bulletin #2 outlined the changes for the day -- "Thynne/Brook" replaced by two additional runs of "Helmer".

"Comstock", west of Merritt, was run three times, separated by two "Active Mountain Raceway" Spectator Stages.

"Comstock" was fast , including a short section of pavement at top speed, dropping through a tunnel and continuing along the freeway, before "slight left, over crest, drops" through slippy gravel twists into the Flying Finish at 5.83km. Reports from competitors included: "The best I've seen it in years". ACP was the consistent driver here, with 3:30, 3:22, and 3:23 with a fast average of 103.9km/h. There were no incidents on "Comstock".

"AMR" ran as SS13 and SS15, at 1.86km. Car 25 "ditch-hooked" on the hairpin and landed on it's door. Photographers quickly righted the Mitsu and it continued, losing only 2:13 minutes. Car 27, in the same corner, was not so lucky -- a stall in the now muddy apex contributed to gearbox demise, game over.