FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 25, 2000

The Fourth of July is the biggest of American holidays.
For Northwest Autosport fans the 2000 fourth might be the biggest one ever.

The North American Rally Association is presenting a combination of the largest motorsports events that have ever occurred in the Northwest. The FIA listed Olympus Rally, the American Rally, the Celebrity Rally, the Pirelli Vintage Rally, The ArmorAll Classic Car Show and the Northwest Fender Blues and Rock Festival and several other attention-getting events will all happen in a three-day period from the 2nd through the 4th of July.

NARA Chairman, John Nagel said "This will be most important rally event in North America this year. The Olympus Rally was a part of the FIA World Rally Series in the mid 1980s, and NARA intends to bring the FIA World Rally Series back to America in the next few years. Our organization that put on the WRC event is still in tact and our organization is working full time finalizing all the aspects of the event. We have received a large number of inquires from overseas and hope to have a very large field of International and National rally cars at the Festival. We are also working with local classic car clubs to bring one of the largest classic car shows on the west coast to the festival. The Fender Blues and Rock Festival concerts are going to raise funds for a proposed technology training center in the Seattle area to retrain some lost talent in the area.

The Olympus Rally will bring World Rally class cars and factory teams to the United States for the first time since the 1989 Olympus Rally. The America Rally will allow card fitting the American, Canadian and Mexican Rally classes to compete. The Pirelli Vintage Rally will include rally cars from earlier than l989, including at least one of the awesome Group B cars. The Celebrity Rally will be run by well-known personalities in identically prepared rally cars.

Fans will be able to watch these races and keep in touch with all the action with the world's first Digital Nervous System. This is a combination of internet, photographs, video, chat sites, instant results and interaction with drivers and teams in real time, something that will allow the "virtual participants" to have more information, faster and more accurately than ever in any sporting event. You will be able to follow any car, team or driver with real time video, action photos, and when they aren't busy driving, live chats with the drivers. In car cameras and crews of videographers and photographers will provide up close action like you have never seen before. Results won't just be at the end of the race, but in real time, as the car finish each of the racing stages. Virtual Participants will be able to customize this to their tastes and interests. Follow a certain driver or follow them all, download live photos, watch multicast in-car videos, calculate up the instant results - You will be able to decide what you want, and when and how you want it.

There will be continuous action; every moment of every day will be filled with a variety of events that will run throughout Western Washington. Along with racing there will be a Rodeo, Concerts, fireworks and a Native American Potlach. Never a dull moment and with DNS you will always be in the center of it all. NARA believes this is the "promise of the Internet" with real time interactive information on a scale never before attempted in real time.

 

2000 NARA Motorsport Festival Schedule:

March 1, 2000
Entry opens - entry acceptance based on "date of entry"

May 15, 2000
Entries close, entrants notified of acceptance or refusal
Videos of Rally Stages mailed to competitors

June 24/25, 2000 (Sat/Sun) - Festival Kickoff

June 26, 2000 (Monday)

June 27, 2000 (Tuesday)

June 28, 2000 (Wednesday)
Governor's Reception Capitol Rotunda, Olympia
Competitor Contest - Seattle Center (tire changing contest)

June 29, 2000 (Thursday)
Media Center Opens
Digital Nervous System (DNS) comes on line
NARA Internet Radio Station comes on line

June 30 2000 (Friday)
Media Day - Rally car rides on special rally media stage(sponsors, media, VIPs)
Welcoming Party - Bellevue, WA
Fender Blues and Rock Festival - Key Arena (public concert)
Celebrity Rally Training shown on local television

July 1, 2000 (Saturday)
Rally News begins publication & distribution
12-6:00 pm Tech Inspection & Registration - Seattle Center - Classic Cars on Display
7:00 pm Fender Blues and Rock Festival Private Concert & Auction - Seattle Key Arena, rally cars on display, open to sponsors, workers, press, drivers, etc.

July 2,2000 (Sunday) - Festival Starts
Festival Rallies Start Day 1 - Seattle Center (Olympusrally, Rally America, Vintage Rally, Celebrity Rally)
Classic Car Rally to Seattle Gas Works Park

July 3, 2000 (Monday)
Rallies Start Day 2 - Gas Works Park July 4, 2000 (Tuesday)
Rallies Start Day 4 - Westport July 5, 2000 (Wednesday)
Prize Giving - Brunch - Bellevue, WA

More information can be found on the web at www.olympusrally.com or NARA can be reached at (425) 672 7204 or e-mailed at narally@wa.freei.net.

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RETURN to Press Releases.
Tim Winker
Wink Timber Media Agency
Created: 25 Feb 2000