For the third year Rally in the 100 Acre Wood organizers will offer a $2,500 Honey Jar Challenge purse to the top five placing four-wheel-drive (4WD) regional teams on February 22-23rd. It is the only 4WD prize fund in the Rally America National Championship and it is a highly coveted prize at one of the fastest events on the schedule.

The Honey Jar Challenge was conceived to promote and support 4WD entries as fans clamor to see these exciting rally cars spray dirt from all four tires through spectator areas. The fund encourages spirited competition and helps offset costs to deserving teams with the lowest accumulated stage times over both competition days.

“Since the inception of the Honey Jar Challenge, it has always been our goal to raise the awareness of regional rally teams in a meaningful shootout style event,” said 100 Acre Wood organizer, Mark Huebbe. “In 2012 we wanted to try something new and offered a two-day challenge to any regional All-Wheel-Drive competitors, in a similar vein to the successful Sno*Attack and MaxAttack shootout events for Two-Wheel-Drive teams. We received exceptional feedback after last year’s rally from all the teams that participated, along with our sponsors; therefore it was an easy decision this year to continue holding this one of a kind event.”

The 4WD field to win the Honey Jar Challenge is deep. The previous Honey Jar Fund winner, Justin Pritchard from Granville, OH who won in 2012 will be back for more in his Open Light Class Subaru Impreza. The team’s success came after stepping away from rally racing for five years and entering the 100 Acre Wood Rally for the first time.

However, reigning six-time Central Region Championships, Henry and Cynthia Krolikowski, will be favored at the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood. The husband and wife duo have won a regional event in Missouri at least five times before in their trusty Open Class Subaru.

Open Class driver Rob Wier from Cincinnati, OH could potentially be a Honey Jar Fund contender. He won the 2011 Perryville Farm and Forest Rally and has placed on the regional podium in all but one event he entered, most recently winning the New Hampshire Regional Rally in July 2012.

To learn more about the Honey Jar Fund challenge please visit www.100aw.org.

Photo: Scott Rains