PEACOCKS EDGE BETTINGERS FOR FIVE TRIBES WIN

The team of Jason and Tonia Peacock edged out Bruce and Charlene Bettinger by three seconds to win the 2005 version of the FIVE TRIBES TOURING RALLY. Although here were only five teams entered, four of the five teams led the event at one time or another making it one of the most competitive events in a long time.

The event started at the Harp's Food Store in Locust Grove. From there, it was straight up highway 82 for the end of the odo run at the Chouteau Museum in Salina. How many of you knew that Salina was the oldest white settlement in Oklahoma? Salina was founded in 1796!

The teams started the event from the museum with a highway 82 run up to Wickliffe School. This 7.21 mile leg was aptly called "OFF TO SCHOOL". The team of Larry Young and Cyndi McNutt took the early lead with a score of eight in their Miata. Ten seconds back were the Peacocks. The Bettingers were down eleven while Virginia Apker and Betty Martin were just twelve seconds behind the leaders. Carol and David Rountree were 40 seconds behind the ladies.

The second leg, "LODGE MEETING", saw wholesale changes in the running order. The leg was twelve miles long, but the last 1.61 miles had to be rallied at 18 miles per hour. Slow driving is NOT something rally drivers are good at!! The very wet low water bridge was interesting. Virginia and Betty showed the greatest amount of patience by scoring a one. The Peacocks managed a nine with the Bettingeres keeping pace with an eleven. Team Miata scored a 31 as the Rountrees maxed the leg in their BMW.

After two legs, Apker and Martin led the way with 21 points. The Peacocks and the Bettingers were six and nine seconds back, respectively. Team Miata was just eighteen seconds off the pace with Team BMW rounding out the field.

Leg three was called "BACK TO SCHOOL". The 9.31 mile leg took the rallyists back to the Wickliffe School for a second time. Team Bettinger scored the only zero of the day on this leg. Team Peacock countered with a two. The other three teams suffered with scores of 48 (Apker & Martin), 51 (Young & McNutt)and 60 (Rountree & Rountree).

That meant that a one second lead had been handed over to the Peacocks. The Bettingers were second with Virginia and Betty in their Monte Carlo over thirty seconds behind. Team Miata was now a minute behind and Team BMW was over two minutes behind.

"Holiday Break" was the final leg before the rest break back in Locust grove. This 18.81 mile leg was the longest leg of the event and included the only pause of the event. The Bettingers scored a one, but the Peacocks were right there with a three. Once again the other three teams did not do as well as they had hoped. Team Monte Carlo scored a 40. The Rountrees finally broke the string of maxes at three by earning a 49. Team Miata took a max.

The cast had been set. It was going to be a two team race for the win. "SLALOM SURPRISE" was the next leg to test the teams. This leg was named for a section in which the road actually slalomed the power poles several times. The leg was 15.14 miles long. The Peacocks took a two, but the Bettingers weren't as fortunate with a 14. The Rountrees had their best leg of the rally with a 14, as well. Virginia and Betty brought the Monte in for a score of 24, while Larry and Cyndi brought the Miata in for a 50.

This propelled the Peacocks into the overall lead by eleven seconds over the Bettingers. Team Monte Carlo was in a comfortable third place. They were over a minute behind second place, but over a minute ahead of fourth place. The fading Team Miata was now only 43 seconds ahead of Team BMW.

The final leg "KERR FINALE" a 15.92 mile run was to decide the event. The Bettingers did about as well as you could with a one. Apker and Martin were next best with a four, but the Peacocks did just well enough with a nine to seal the deal. Team BMW scored a 38, while Team Miata maxed for the second time.

So, after nearly eighty miles of competition, the Peacocks earned the first place honors by a mere three seconds over the Bettingers. Virginia Apker and Betty Martin finished a very respectable third. Larry Young and Cyndi McNutt managed to hang on for fourth, with Carol and David Rountree only 19 seconds behind them.

The final results of the FIVE TRIBES TOURING TSD RALLY