30.6.2008 - Jussi Välimäki enters WRC Finland as a guest entry in PWRC

Flying Finn and highly experienced rally driver Jussi Välimäki, age 33, enters WRC Finland after a one year break. In seasons 2003 and 2006 Välimäki drove the rally with World Rally Car and in season 2004 he rallied with Junior World Rally Car. Now in 2008 edition of the fastest event in World Rally Championship series Välimäki measures his skills behind the steering wheel of group-N Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX rally car as a guest entry in Production World Rally Championship series. The rally car is very similar compared the car he achieved the title of FIA Asia Pacific Rally Champion in season 2005 as the first ever Finn.

WRC Finland was originally not in plans of Välimäki nor his STC-Meat rally team. However the rally organizer gave the so called wild card for Välimäki to enter PWRC as a guest entry. With very short notice Jussi and his background team build the package together so that Välimäki and his co-driver Teppo Vekka could show their skills against the very top rally drivers of the world. Jussi rallies with modern and very competitive group-N rally car and his goals are set only to be the fastest PWRC driver in the rally.

– Entry for the rally was finished at 27th June at 18:00 o'clock. In same day at 10 o'clock I heard that I was given the guest entry for PWRC. Therefore we had eight hours to collect the necessary budget and manage to sort the whole package. I left my entry three minutes before deadline and due the very positive support of my sponsors and partners I will show my best skills in WRC Finland, shared Välimäki his feelings.

– Because my goal in the rally is first position in PWRC the preparations for the rally has already began. In Finnish Rally Championship I'm in leading position of group-A with my homemade Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII group-A rally car. Due very successfull strategy I have been able to match my speed against high tuned World Rally Cars. On the other hand WRC Finland is a single event where I cannot do any strategy nor think about Championship standings. My goal is to show my skills behind the steering wheel and therefore I'm interested only for fastest special stage times in group-N and highest position in PWRC podium, Välimäki continued.

From Kouvola to legendary Jyväskylä

Fifth round for Finnish Rally Championship series is to be driven on second weekend of July in the region of south-east Finland. Reigning Finnish Rally Champion and current group-A Championship leader Jussi Välimäki enters the rally with his new co-driver Teppo Leino who also co-drivers Välimäki in WRC Finland. For Välimäki aswell as for several other rally drivers SM O.K. Auto rally in Kouvola is an excellent preparation for WRC Finland as the special stages in Kouvola are very similar like in Jyväskylä. In this summer Jussi Välimäki nor his team cannot be seen on the beach.

– In SM O.K. Auto rally we rally with STC Meat rally team group-A tuned Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII rally car and few weeks later we try to taim the very fast paced and highly demanding special stages of WRC Finland with group-N tuned Evolition IX rally car. On second week of July we start the preparations with tyre tests and after the event we seek perfect setup for WRC Finland. In Finland July is a holiday month for the people but for STC Meat rally team the month is the busyest in whole season. Sand is flown somewhere else than on the beach, Välimäki promises.

SM O.K Auto rally is driven on July 11th-12th and WRC Finland in July 31st - August 3rd.