Team Mitsubishi Motor Sports America attended a "hot weather test" they had planned for some time last week, only to have the event curtailed by a freak snow storm! In Hungry Valley, amongst the hills North of Los Angeles the team attended in force, but at over 4,000 feet above sea level and with two storms blowing in from the Pacific Ocean, the temperatures were well below those anticipated.
In fact throughout the United States the weather was re-writing the record books. Vermont Sportscar had just driven the Team's Mitsubishi Fuso support trucks the 3200 miles from their base in Colchester Vermont in search of hot weather, whilst their hometown experienced 75F on the scheduled first day of the test (ideal for the hot weather test), then freezing temperatures the next day!
The following day the snow and rain stopped and the Team Mitsubishi Motor Sports America drivers, David Higgins and Lauchlin O'Sullivan, were able to put the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution cars through their paces, testing new Dynamics shock absorbers prepared by Mellors Elliot Motorsport. Also tested were new engines by HKS, along with Ricardo Transmissions and Pagid Brake pads supplied by Co-ordSport. Tyre supplier Michelin supplied a range of tyres for the Rim of the World Rally, which has a wide variety of surfaces, and usually hot/dusty weather.
Whilst in the Hungry Valley region the team were able to experience the annual spectacle of a great array of wild flowers adding colour to the hillsides.
With a selection of purple lupins, yellow daisies and the orange Californian poppies the colour of the hillsides is really spectacular and a huge draw to many local spectators and photography enthusiasts. With the display only lasting around two weeks, it made the team feel quite privileged to be able to take part, despite the affects the bad weather had in delaying the team's tests. It really portrayed a new view of California for the visitors in the team, who are used to the hills just been a regular "baked brown" colour.
