Alright folks, time for some more of JoMo's musings.

Today's musings are about relationships, and specifically rally relationships. I fear there will be lots of cliche's bandied about, but I'm ok with that.

Last Ditch Racing has been around since 1999. That's a bit old in rallying. There are plenty of other folks that have been rallying longer, but I'm not sure there are many North American, "teams," that have existed for much longer.

Like any team, we've had people come and go over the years. Some have had life get in the way of their rallying. Others have transitioned from crew to driver/co-driver.

Through it all, the common thread is that LDR is a family. To see the guys gather in the shop in their off time, discussing the merits of a modification to the car or the latest alt-rock release is special.

In the shop, we do something that's not done much anymore. We talk to each other. We interact without a layer of electronica transcribing and morphing our original intent. We often stumble because it's somewhat foreign in this day and age.

Don't get me wrong, we still receive and send texts in the shop! We can't afford to go into complete tech detox!

But something else important happens. We share information and end up teaching each other skills. Things that you have to learn to do: welding, fabrication, reading a torque wrench(or how not to). The process of problem solving and collective bargaining that it entails is always entertaining.

We actually work with our hands and make things! Those hands get dirty, and usually bloody. The industrial hand cleaner on the wall in the bathroom of my house is a serves as a focal point for a barn session debrief. We often get 4-5 dirty, smiling guys in a small room with a cat box and appliances. Surreal...

The relationships on the team seem to have more import to them than others in my life not involved with rally.

Part of that is the shared experience. Most folks outside of rally don't understand it like those of us that do it. That shared experience causes us to seek each other out to talk about and do rally stuff.

Another important facet is that we're building something together that's unique. A rally team! And not just any rally team. One of the most consistent privateer teams in the sport with an awesome record. LDR has morphed itself into an entity somewhat synergistic of all our individual inputs.

The team members ebb and flow in terms of their investment of time, coming around when they can, and not when they can't. The team exists somewhat separate from our collective participation. Interesting...

I do not exaggerate when I say that I trust my life to the LDR crew. Every bolt that's torqued. Every modification to the car. Hurtling down a forest road in the dark at 100mph is not the time to wonder if Duncan remembered to torque the front balljoint! ;-)

And what about the Co-drivers?! That relationship is a whole different kettle of fish, and likely will be another blog installment.

So, to all the LDR crew: Bronson, Duncan, Eric, Dave, Maygen, Margaret, Jon, Drew G, Drew S, Nate, Cullen, Erik, John V, Zach, Kevin, Rob, Nate S. and all the others over the years....thanks for disconnecting from the internet and getting tired, dirty and bloody with me. You are all family and will always be considered a part of LDR and her history.

When you guys swarm on T-4 in a service and check every nut and bolt and then send us back up into the ether with reassurance that she's 110% and a mandate to push as hard as we can, it's a very proud moment for us in the car.

Together we've made a lot of memories! So many stories that some of us are starting to lose track of them! Be well my friends. See you in the shop at Triple Caution Farm when I see you! JoMo

For Immediate Release

Bangor, Maine USA

September 22, 2011

Maine's Last Ditch Racing rally team makes rally history in partnership with Canada's X-Vision. Working together, the two have pioneered the use of their 360 degree video technology in a stage rally car.

Driver John Cassidy and Co-Driver Jennifer Daly faced considerable adversity during the recent Rallye Defi, round four of the Canadian Rally Championship to obtain the video.

Said Cassidy, "When we were approached by X-Vision about pioneering the application of their technology in a rally car, we ware on board immediately. When I saw what the technology was capable of, I was blown away! The possibilities of this technology are mind-boggling for action sports like rally. Through this partnership, we're able to give the end user the ability to immerse themselves in the car and the event, panning and tilting the video through a full 360 degrees. There are views of the rally car that neither I, nor anyone else has ever seen!"

Last Ditch Racing is no stranger to pioneering technology. They were the first rally team in history to do a daily podcast from a WRC event, when they competed at the 2006 Corona Rally Mexico. "Although we're competitors, we're also huge fans of the sport in general. Anything we can do to promote the sport and expose it to new audiences is very exciting to us."

The team enjoyed a successful 2011, securing two podiums and two Open Class wins en route to Cassidy's win of the Rally America Eastern Regional Open Class Championship.

John and Jennifer want to extend a special thank you to their crew for the 2011 season: Drew Gladu, Duncan Matlack, Nathan Haskell, Jon Bolduc, Zach Sennett, Cullen Gillis, Bronson Crothers, Kevin Sennett and John Cassidy V and Craig Greenwell.

To see the result of Last Ditch Racing and X-Vision's partnership, please visit: http://www.x-vision.ca/LDR/

For more information on X-Vision, please visit: http://www.x-vision.ca

Last Ditch Racing would like to thank their 2011 Partners for their support:

DTECH Motorsport, http://www.dtechmotorsport.com/
Mirraco, http://www.mirrabikeco.com/
VP Racing fuels, http://www.vpracingfuels.com
Triple Caution, LLC, http://www.triplecaution.us
X-Vision: http:www.x-vision.ca

For more information on Last Ditch Racing: http://www.lastditchracing.com
Social Networking: Search for us on Facebook and Myspace.
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lastditchracing
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/LastDitchRacing

To Purchase Last Ditch Racing Gear, please visit:
http://www.cafepress.com/lastditchracing

For Immediate Release

September 18, 2011

Bangor, Maine USA

Last Ditch Racing overcame significant adversity to finish Rallye Defi, round four of the 2011 Canadian Rally Championship.

Driver John Cassidy and Co-Driver Jennifer Daly started Friday's stages with a failing front differential and an elusive oil leak near the turbocharger, which continued to cause considerable smoke in, and around, the car all weekend.

The front differential began to make odd noises on the transit to the first super special Friday, and the crew feared that their event could be over that day. The crew were concerned the turbo might be failing, so it was replaced with a spare unit prior to the event start. The spare turbo was a smaller unit and the only restrictor the team had that fit was smaller than the diameter required, meaning they'd be down on power all weekend.

The crew was also preoccupied with providing partner X-Vision with some quality onboard video to help showcase their immersive video technology. Said Cassidy, "We were definitely feeling stressed on Friday. The fact that the car wasn't running well, coupled with the very short stages and long transits, was difficult. Trying to balance some sort of pace with longevity through the day was quite difficult."

Cassidy/Daly made it through Friday, but an issue with a computer cable meant that no video had been recorded for the X-Vision crew. "X-Vision's Louis Charland was was devastated, but in true rally fashion, he and his crew regrouped and met us Saturday morning at 05:00 after returning to Montreal to troubleshoot the system. We were able to get footage for X-Vision on the first two stages of Saturday. Judging from the response from the X-Vision team, you would've thought we'd won the event!"

In spite of all the adversity, Cassidy/Daly pushed their Subaru STi throughout Saturdays' stages. The day had it's fair share of drama, however, when the Cassidy miscalculated on fuel load and ran out of fuel just outside of the service park in Montpelier. "I thought something was wrong with the engine-it sounded like it was detonating. I had a sick feeling in my stomach, but when I looked at the fuel gauge, I was actually relieved!" said Cassidy. Cassidy and Daly were forced to push the car about 40 yards uphill into the service park. "Jenn and I got a real workout pushing T-4 into service and the crew got theirs pushing us out of service."

The day continued with the team slowly rising up the order to gain 4 places on the final day. "We were off the pace all weekend, but I can't recall an event filled with this much adversity for quite some time." said Cassidy. "We we working with a car that was not 100% from the outset, while dealing with one issue after another. The crew was busy all weekend long, which is rare for us. They got 4 hours sleep in 48."

The event sees the team complete an ambitious 5 event season. Starting with the winter Rallye Perce Neige, followed by the Mt. Washington Hillclimb, Rallye Baie des Chaleurs and the New England Forest Rally. "To say we're ready for a break is an understatement. The car needs quite a bit of attention. That said, we're looking at some off season upgrades and a strong return in 2012. Jennifer and I have developed a great relationship in the car, and it has paid dividends with multiple podiums for us this season."

The team enjoyed a successful 2011, securing two podiums and two Open Class wins en route to Cassidy's win of the Rally America Eastern Regional Open Class Championship.

John and Jennifer want to extend a special thank you to their crew for the 2011 season: Drew Gladu, Duncan Matlack, Nathan Haskell, Jon Bolduc, Zach Sennett, Cullen Gillis, Bronson Crothers, Kevin Sennett and John Cassidy V and Craig Greenwell.

Last Ditch Racing would like to thank their 2011 Partners for their support:

DTECH Motorsport, http://www.dtechmotorsport.com/
Mirraco, http://www.mirrabikeco.com/
VP Racing fuels, http://www.vpracingfuels.com
Triple Caution, LLC, http://www.triplecaution.us

For more information on Last Ditch Racing: http://www.lastditchracing.com
Social Networking: Search for us on Facebook and Myspace.
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lastditchracing
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/LastDitchRacing

To Purchase Last Ditch Racing Gear, please visit:
http://www.cafepress.com/lastditchracing

For Immediate Release

Bangor, Maine USA

Maine's Last Ditch Racing completed an ambitious month of racing;
competing in three events in four weeks, in two different countries.
They clinched the 2011 Rally America Eastern Regional Open Class
Championship and two podiums in the process.

Driver John Cassidy of Bangor, Maine and Co-Driver Jennifer Daly from Kelowna,
British Columbia started their summer season with a second place in the R1 Rally
class at the Climb to the Clouds, a hill climb up New Hampshire's Mt. Washington
Auto Road.

First run in 1904, the Mt. Washington Hillclimb is the oldest
motorsport event in the United States. Last run in 2001, Cassidy
jumped at the opportunity to compete in the event. "Jennifer and I
had no idea what to expect on the mountain. What we encountered was both a
technical and psychological challenge. The weather and visibility
were constantly changing, forcing us to push in low visibility on
roads with significant exposures." The event marked the first time
that Daly and Cassidy have worked as a team since the 2008 Rallye Defi
in Quebec. "We were ecstatic with a podium finish at the event, as we
had no prior experience on the mountain. Having to run a restrictor
in the turbo certainly kept our speeds down at altitude, but we pushed
as much as we dared in the limited visibility at the top of the mountain.
Our rally experience definitely served us well on the often wet surface
and challenging visibility."

The following week found the team in New Richmond, Quebec for the
Rallye Baie des Chaleurs. One of LDR's favorite Canadian events, the
technical and rough stages of Baie suit Cassidy's driving style. The
team was setting top ten stage times on Friday night, until they
had an off, striking a bridge with their Subaru STi on SS6. The front
suspension suffered terminal damage, and they were forced to retire
from the event. "It was a bittersweet return to Canada. We had not
been at Baie since 2008, and we were having a great time on stage.
Jennifer and I were settling into the car and getting up to speed
quite well. I came into the corner with too much speed and
understeered into the bridge. It was a very heavy hit, and we were
very lucky not to have done more damage to the car or ourselves."

Two weeks on and many repairs later, the team attended their home event, the
2011 New England Forest Rally, headquartered at the Sunday River
Resort in Newry, Maine. The twelfth consecutive showing for Last
Ditch Racing at the event, the notoriously rough roads are home for Cassidy.
"The New England Forest Rally has a reputation for being rough, and this
year was no exception. For some, the rocks are intimidating, but I'm used to
pushing on rough events." The rough roads were new to codriver Jennifer Daly:
"During recce I was surprised by both the softness of the sand in some spots, and by the
size of the painted rocks on the road, but John hasn't missed this event in over 11 years,
so I was very confident in his ability to be fast through these strange conditions."

The National event spans both Friday and Saturday's stages, and each day is
considered a separate Regional Rally. Cassidy and Daly set quick
times on Friday, but unbeknownst to them, Jason Smith and Jared
Lantzy, driving LDR's original Subaru, T-1, held a lead of 7 seconds
on the LDR team going into the final stage of the night, the famous
Concord Pond stage. Cassidy and Daly were unaware of their overall
standing, and the team goal was to set a new personal record on
Concord Pond. At the end of the stage, the crew had bested LDR's stage
record; 12 seconds quicker over just 5.75 miles, and secured the win over
Smith/Lantzy by 13 seconds. "Having both LDR cars on the podium was
great. Concord Pond is an epic stage and we wanted to push for all
the fans that come out to spectate. Taking the overall win and first
in Open Class was a fantastic end to the day!"

Saturday's regional event opened with the longest stage of the day,
where the LDR team posted the fastest time of the regional competitors
by nearly 1.5 minutes over Smith/Lantzy. A flat on the second stage dashed
any hope of an outright victory for the day, despite setting the best time on every
other stage. "We had a flat and the tire started to delaminate quite quickly.
We had 5 miles left in the stage and it was a very technical section.
The car wasn't turning well and it would have been dangerous to continue.
Changing a tire on stage is always costly, but sometimes
it's the best choice." The team was awarded first in class for
Saturday's event.

2011 has been another development year for the team, with a new engine
and other technical changes to the car. The addition of Canadian co-driver
Jennifer Daly to the team has also had a significant impact on LDR's
recent success. "Jennifer strapped into the co-driver's seat like
she's always been there. The communication in the car is very good and
we both feel there's still more speed to be had on stage." The
team's future schedule is yet to be determined and likely won't be
finalized until damage assessment is completed on the car after this
difficult schedule of events. For Daly, the possibility of rejoining
the LDR team is attractive: "It's very exciting to have some success
early on with a new driver and codriver match. John and the LDR crew
are prepared and competitive; I was very happy to be a part of such a
fun and tight knit team. When we set out to do three events in four
weeks, it seemed a little crazy, but with the right people and some
hard work, just about anything is possible."

The team is appreciative of support from Mirraco, a BMX bicycle company founded
by actions sports athlete Dave Mirra. Mirra supplied the team some of his personally
autographed signature Bell helmets, which the LDR team gave to young fans at the rally.

John and Jennifer want to extend a special thank you to their crew for 2011:
Drew Gladu, Duncan Matlack, Nathan Haskell, Jon Bolduc, Zach Sennett,
Cullen Gillis, Bronson Crothers, Kevin Sennett and John Cassidy V.
"Rally is a truly brutal sport on the car and without the support of
our talented and dedicated crew, we wouldn't think about leaving the
start line!"

The team would also like to thank Dave Heerdegen of DTECH Motorsport
in New Zealand for his support in tuning the car's engine after all the recent
modifications. "Dave has been an invaluable resource for us over the past
two seasons, and we owe a lot of our recent success to his hard work."

Last Ditch Racing would like to thank their 2011 Partners for their
continued support:

DTECH Motorsport, http://www.dtechmotorsport.com/
Mirraco, http://www.mirrabikeco.com/
VP Racing fuels, http://www.vpracingfuels.com
Triple Caution, LLC, http://www.triplecaution.us

For more information on Last Ditch Racing: http://www.lastditchracing.com
Social Networking: Search for us on Facebook and Myspace.
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lastditchracing
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/LastDitchRacing

To Purchase Last Ditch Racing Gear, please visit:
http://www.cafepress.com/lastditchracing