Excitement for the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood is building with
more than 40 teams scheduled to participate in the two-day event
Feb. 25-26 in Dent and surrounding counties.
Host families are needed for rally teams and their crews.
The rally hits Salem Feb. 26. The action begins at 8 a.m.
downtown with a second Parc Expose'. That's essentially a car show
before the competition day starts.
Fans can meet drivers one-on-one and collect a spectator guide
providing driving instructions to nearby viewing areas.
For a third consecutive year, Mike and Jamie Homeyer, Salem, are
hosting two Wisconsin rally team drivers and co-drivers in their
home.
"It's been a positive experience for us. They are great people
and we've enjoyed having them," Mike Homeyer said. "They basically
just need a place to sleep. We recommend the experience to others
in the community."
For seven years, Sherry Manes at River Birch Lane Bed and
Breakfast hosts a team from Paris, Texas.
"My personal experience is that the visitors are grateful,
considerate, appreciative and thankful," Manes said. "They like
being in a setting where the walls don't have ears. This gives them
time to plan their strategy. It also gives the homeowner a chance
to become involved in this great community activity."
Salem resident Matt Femmer says he and his family enjoyed
hosting a team last year and plan to have them back again for this
year's race.
"They are real respectful, courteous people and are now friends
of mine and my family," Femmer said. "We really enjoy having them
and all of us go to the opening activities downtown and then go
watch them race from spectator points."
Homeowners interested in hosting a road rally participant for
the Rally are asked to contact the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce
at 729-6900. Local hotels are booked and most hotels in Viburnum,
Licking, Steelville, Cuba, Rolla and Potosi are quickly filling
up.
The spectator coordinator is making preparations for more people
to show up to the spectator areas compared to last year.
Press coordinator John Huebbe said more people signed up as
volunteers to work than last year, and in total more than in 2009
and 2008.
"The rally committee expects more volunteers to sign up and the
event to help stimulate the local economy more than in years past,"
Huebbe said.
The rally officially starts at 1 p.m. Feb. 25 at the Lions' Park
in Potosi with a first Parc Expose'. It's a great starting place
for a day full of rally action and an adventure in the Mark Twain
national forest.
Spectator maps and an event schedule are available at the
rally's website, www.100aw.org.
