A few weeks ago we were invited by German Performance Service in Brighton, MA to a vintage rally event at Team O’Neil Rally School in New Hampshire. Below is just a small portion of the day’s action, follow us as we continue to publish stories!

This car has a lot of history- it was driven by Marku Alen in the 1973 1000 Lakes rally, and has been more or less active in international competition up through today. In the drivers’ meeting owner Charles makes it very clear that his car is not here to be driven. It is here to be beaten. It’s dual Weber carburetors, resultant 3,000rpm idle and lack of anything resembling modern electronics confirm the nature of this beast. With a limited slip and studded tires installed after lunch, it is also the fastest car of the day. These Canadian boys came prepared.

Charles takes me around for a few laps to give me a feel for the car. At this point the car is NOT on studs, but the course is thoroughly iced from tires polishing the track surface all morning. In these conditions the Volvo demands conventional driving methods take a back seat. Directional changes are made more with your right foot than anything. The basic formula goes like this: brake early to get weight on the front end, let off as you approach the turn, give it just a nudge of steering input, and get on the gas. As long as you got the first few steps right you can steer around the corner with the throttle, barely touching the steering angle. But you are balancing on a razor sharp edge.

There are a lot of things you expect when you head to Team O’Neil’s rally school, but being in the middle of the woods on a cold afternoon, D1 professional drift stars Ryan Tuerck and Chris Forsberg are not two of them. But sure enough, just as I’m ending my slow but sideways stint in the Volvo I spot the unmistakable Tuerck’d street car parked off to the side. I had yet to see this car in person, but Ryan runs our Rennline Steering Wheel Quick Disconnect (http://www.rennline.com/Steering-Wheel-Quick-Disconnect-Rev-B/productinfo/I18/) and I had the pleasure of dealing directly with Ryan while getting a custom bolt pattern drilled for this car.

After a few familiarization laps with owner Charles, Ryan brings his formidable skills to bare and lays down lap after lap in the 142, punishing the track and pulverizing the ice that has built up over the day into a dusting of snow and dirt. When you get to see someone of this talent driving something you were already behind the wheel of, it sets in just how high of a level these guys are functioning on. He consistently places the car mid-apex, throwing huge clouds of ice chunks for the entirety of every lap, balancing wheel spin with traction to keep momentum up through the tight course. It was truly awe inspiring and I’m thinking I just might have to check out some D1 events this summer.