Author: USRC Media
The United States Rally Championship is pleased to announce the 2006 Rookie of the year Driver, Kristopher Marciniak and Co-Driver, Christine Wittish. This recently engaged pair raced their trusty RallyNotes.com Dodge Neon to four strong finishes throughout the season to score maximum points towards the Rookie of the Year honors in their first year as National level competitors.
Their first event was the always-tough Rim of the World rally in Lancaster, CA. A brutal event for a Stock class car but surprised Kris and Christine found themselves spraying champagne at the end. A trip to the Pacific Northwest was next with the Olympus Rally. These roads were much easier on the Neon and another finish was in the bag. A trip to Prescott in October brought the team another finish and win and an unexpected proposal from Kris on the Limestone Canyon turn-around stage. The season ending Laughlin Rally held the most excitement for this duo. A miscue on the fast Black Canyon Stage put them in a ditch with broken parts and the very real possibility of their first National DNF. The ever-present “Red Army” service crew took over and readied the Neon for the final day’s competition. The “Super Rally” format allowed them to restart on Sunday and another fine finish was theirs.
Kris and Christine embody the spirit of rally and proved that a Stock class car can be reliable and competitive through a full year of competition. They will be honored, together with the United States All-Wheel Drive Rally Champions Seamus Burke and Christine Beavis, and the Two-Wheel Drive Rally Champions Bruce Davis and Jimmy Brandt at the United States Auto Club (USAC) Annual Awards Banquet at the Westin Hotel in Indianapolis, Indiana on Friday, January 19, 2007.
The United States Rally Championship, America’s premier rally championship, consists of Federation Internationale de L’Automobile (FIA) internationally listed events sanctioned by the United States Auto Club (USAC) and presented by the National Auto Sport Association (NASA). More information on the Championship is available at the series website at www.usrallychampionship.com. More information on USAC is available at www.usacracing.com, on NASA at www.nasarallysport.com and on FIA at www.fia.com.
Reply: Christine and I are absolutely thrilled to have won this award. If there is any testament to what a low cost production car with an awesome volunteer crew can do - this is it! For anyone out there thinking that rally is too expensive, you have to get yourself into a USRC Stock Class car and get out there and run it! We had a blast all season and this is just icing on the cake! Thanks again to everyone who organizes and runs the USRC - you made it a great year for two wheel drive!
If you haven’t already - book a hotel, sign up, and spend the best money on rally you ever will. 
The California Rally Series puts on a great event up in Ridgecrest, CA. March 3rd & 4th 2007. It covers just about everything. Stage notes, car prep, car control, MTC’s, safety items, etc. (You do know what an MTC is right? 
) If you are thinking of helping out at a rally, working a stage, building a car, co-driving, or even just want to know all about this awesome sport - get out there!