Headstrong Athlete Ramana Lagemann Impresses on Return to Rally-America Championship

San Diego, CA, March 01, 2007 --(PR.com)-- Headstrong Interactive Marketing, Inc. Action Sports athlete and X Games star Ramana Lagemann returned to the Rally-America Championship this weekend at the 100 Acre Wood Rally, based in Salem, MO. 

Piloting a Dent Sport Garage sponsored Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution prepared by Cascade Autosport, Lagemann was teamed up with veteran co-driver Mark Williams. “This is my first time ever driving a Mitsubishi rally car, so there were quite a few areas to come to grips with,” recalls Lagemann. “Fortunately Cascade Autosport did an excellent job preparing and maintaining the car, and Mark Williams did an excellent job throughout the event.”

The 100 Acre Wood Rally, based approximately 100 miles southwest of St Louis, featured high speed stages in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. The nature of the roads posed a greater challenge, as Lagemann explains:

“As a driver, when you are presented with such quick roads, it is imperative to have the utmost confidence in how the car will react. And if you don’t have any experience in that type of car, it is hard to judge how it will respond- a very small mistake can lead to a very big accident. Thankfully, the Mitsubishi is an inherently stable car and gave us the ability to be competitive right from the start.”

During the first day of competition, Lagemann and Williams put in a strong performance, moving up to second place behind the factory-backed Subaru of Ken Block. They also led a strong contingent of Mitsubishi teams who were also vying for overall honors.

The second and final day of competition brought a host of new challenges for the team to contend with, not least of which were severe thunderstorms bringing downpours, hail, and even the threat of tornados into the area. The team started the day well prepared and with high hopes for a win. However, they were dealt a dose of bad luck when their engine experienced a freak failure and expired midway through the first stage.

Despite the disappointment of retiring from their first event of the season, the team certainly has many positives to take away from the event. They have proven they can compete with the best teams in the Rally-America Championship, and are looking forward to the next round of the series which takes place just outside of Hillsboro, OR, starting on April 20.

About Headstrong Interactive Marketing, Inc.
Headstrong Interactive Marketing, Inc. is a premier sports and entertainment management company which provides a suite of services ranging from action sports marketing and athlete management, to brand and sponsorship development. Headstrong specializes in managing and facilitating the “brand and image equity” of emerging sports athletes in a variety of action sports disciplines in Snow, Moto X, Paintball, Skate, Surf and Rally.

Offering a package of professional services and expertise to its athlete clients ranging in athlete management and marketing, endorsement/sponsorship development, negotiation, licensing, handling media relations, post-competition career planning, consultation and athlete appearances.

About Rally Racing
There are no ovals, pace cars or rain delays. Rally racing features real cars racing against the clock on closed-off sections of real roads that are usually unpaved and unforgiving. Events can last several days and cover hundreds of miles day and night through rain, snow, dust and mud. This extreme test of skill, speed and endurance is what makes rally racing the world’s most popular and most exciting motor sport, and one that is quickly growing in North America (source: Rally America).

###