Story: Evan Rothman
Rallying the United States of America is growing at a rapid rate. The Rally America series is most probably one of the most entertaining championships (and most competitive) in the world, and HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS was fortunate to track down ace co-driver Jake Blattner for an interview on rallying in his country.
H&H: Rallying in the USA is highly competitive and well established, and growing in supporters every year. With club, regional and national events, rallying is very healthy. Please tell our readers more about rallying in your homeland.
Jake Blattner (JB): “There is a great rally scene in the U.S., but it is still fairly underground. Most teams are on a shoe-string budget and are in it for the love of the sport.
“I am lucky enough to live in Oregon, which is part of the North West region of the country, that hosts many great events thanks to local rally groups, volunteers and competitors that make it easier to get in to the sport.”
H&H: As a co-driver in the thrilling Rally America series, how is your season panning out so far?
JB: “This has been a very hard season for me. The team I am part owner of and helped build up from the beginning began to self destruct shortly before the first race of the series. After bringing home 2009 Rookie of the Year as a rookie co-driver, I was hoping for a breakout season: all elements were there and I was intent on putting my driver in the X Games, but sponsor efforts, money, and egos… Mostly one ego set 2010 on another path.
“I took an offer to run with Evan Cline in the highly competitive SP Class, but the first two events were mechanical DNFs and the team went back to the drawing board. As the series headed west to my territory, and issues with my own team weren’t getting any better, I was planning to reunite with Mark Mager who I had won a few regional events with, but a recent back surgery put him out of the Olympus Rally.
“Luckily, Timothy Rooney of PMR Motorsports needed a co-pilot, and so my name came up and the combo resulted in a team tie for second on the SP Class podium with Pat Moro and my first mention in HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS. The tie was broken by stage wins and third place co-driver points were mine.
The following race, Oregon Trail, I reunited with Mark Mager and his RalliTEK-sponsored Subaru. We achieved fourth place SP Class position, Mark’s best National placing to date, and co-driver points putting me in fourth. Unfortunately, that is the high point.
“For STPR, I was driverless and on service crew for PMR Motorsport as Rooney got a chance to run with the worm (Jeremy Wimpy), ACP’s regular co-driver. It was a great run for the team and satisfying to be part of another second and third places, resulting in X Games qualification for PMR Motorsport, but for me and co-driver points it was not so great and I dropped to sixth with one race left and little hope of top three.”
H&H: What is your team’s plans and aims for the remaining 2010 Rally America season?
JB: “Short answer: I don’t know. Right now I am trying hard to find some sponsorship that PMR so deserves for the X Games, where I will help out in service. As for the series and team, I don’t know: it’s all in the works…big plans, little plans, bad plans, and good plans getting better I hope!
“Being out of reach for top three in co-driver points makes it less important for me to do the last race in the series. It becomes all about seat time and team building. I may opt for Idaho Rally, it looks like a great rally, but I have committed to a possible team building experience that may bring me to NEFR if the sponsor cash comes together to make it happen. Its all really a whirlwind right now…
“I’m just going to do the best I can at whatever I can do, and try and place the pieces in the right spaces. I am also helping the Max Attack Team North West effort.”
H&H: For 2010, you have not had too much disappointment, but how does a co-driver handle this? For instance, a driver makes a mistake while in a strong position, how do you handle that disappointment and frustration after a weeks-long preparation and hard work?
JB: “I have had plenty of disappointment, but it’s very rare that it gets to me. It can all be turned into a positive learning experience; its part of my job to make it go away as quick as possible, to look ahead and concentrate on being smooth and maximizing the outcome of the situation. What’s done is done. It’s about pulling it back together making note and moving on. If it’s really over then, there is plenty of time to think about and discuss what should have been as you wait for service to pick you up. It’s a disappointment but incentive and a lesson at the same time.”
H&H: What is your recipe for a successful partnership with drivers?
JB: “The driver is always right [laughs]! Really just making the driver comfortable and being as consistent as humanly possible and finding the groove then making and taking suggestions to fine tune as the comfort level rises.”
H&H: What is your pacenote reading style? Do you adapt your style for different cars and drivers?
JB: For sure, you have to. As cars and drivers improve things happen faster and are seen differently. I’m definitely not the most experienced co-driver out there, but I start with reading what I would like to hear if I was driving, building trust and establishing a groove then going from there. Recce is so important… Working out how a driver sees and likes to hear things, there description preferences, if they like a lot of information or as little as possible…”
H&H: A cool head is needed as a co-driver…
JB: “That is one thing I do have. An intense focus helps, and I don’t get motion sickness easily…. all a plus for the job [laughs].
Part Two of this EXCLUSIVE interview will be published in next week’s issue of HANDBRAKES & HAIRPINS. Stay Tuned!
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