In 1996, Lee Shadbolt approached him with a plan to go ProRally racing again -- this time in an all-new Subaru Impreza--how could he pass that up? The team finished in third place in the 1997 Championship after a crash in the deserts of Arizona shortened their season. But they came back strong in 1998 and Paul won the Co-Driver National Championship in the Production GT class of the Michelin PRO Rally series! After co-driving for Lee Shadbolt on the Hairpin Racing team during 1997 and 1998, Paul intensified his involvement in PRO Rally and seeks a place in the World Rally series with his own Subaru Impreza USX.  But first ... autocross racing.

In 1998, Paul won another championship, this time in autocross ... different, but equally challenging. He won the E-Stock National Championship in SCCA Solo II. This came after finishing in the top 3 in his four previous National Championship visits. In 1997, for example, he was a mere 89 thousandths of a second behind first place! Talk about close racing. His autocross car at the time was a championship-level Toyota Celica GT which had been meticulously prepared by Primitive Racing and included BF Goodrich T/A tires, custom wheel spacers, and a Supertrapp exhaust.

The Primitive Racing Impreza USX was built in late 1998 and took the ProRally series by storm starting with an impressive finish at the 1999 Rim of the World event (6th overall). At the Wild West Rally 6 weeks later, Paul drove to 3rd place overall finishing behind the legendary John Buffum. The USX was improved over the summer and finished 1st at two regional events in Washington. The car suffered mechanical failures at the Prescott Forest Rally in September of 1999 and failed to finish, but the team looked forward for the Primitive Racing logo in the winner's circle in the upcoming season!  Paul also won his second SOLOII National Championship in 1999 driving the E-Stock Toyota Celica. Autocross and rally expert!

In February of the year 2000, Paul joined R.Dale Kraushaar's team to participate in the Alcan 2000 Winter Rally. Kraushaar's blue Subaru encountered many obstacles in this 5000-mile event (as did the other entries), and the standings of the leaders were very close as the teams entered Anchorage, with only the final slalom event (on ice, of course) remaining. Kraushaar and Eklund both did well in this event, and the team of Kraushaar, Eklund and Richarson won first place. Click Alcan 2000 for details.

     Follow Paul's more recent racing achievements -- Primitive Racing News
Racing Highlights  

2005

Thunderbird Rally, February 19-20, 2005, Merritt, British Columbia.  Paul teamed up with rally veteran Ben Bradley to contest the 2005 T-Bird snow rally on Cooper Tires.  The team held their own in the top 10 throughout the rally and finished 8th overall with a score of 21.  Teammates Glenn Wallace and Miller Duamol won in a Subaru STi.

NorthWest Region Awards Banquet, February 26th 2005.  Teammates Paul Eklund and Jeff Price were on hand to receive the first place honors for the Class 1 Championship in the tough NorPac Region.  The pair also fought hard during the 2004 season to earn the Western States Rally Championship for the second year in a row.  Jeff Price again won the CNRC Co-Driver Championship  in the Open Class

2004

Thunderbird Rally, February 13-14, 2004, Merritt, British Columbia.  Paul Teamed up with Alcan Navigator Kala Rounds to run a 2004 Subaru Forester XT in the Calculator class.  The team dominated the class with a strong win.

NorthWest Region Awards Banquet, January 25th 2004.  Teammates Paul Eklund and Jeff Price were on hand to receive the first place honors for the Class 1 Championship for the NorPac Region.  The pair dominated the 2003 season and were proud to bring home that championship as well as the inaugural Western States Rally Championship.  Jeff went on to win the CNRC for Open Class co-drivers (Club Rally National Championship) .

2003

Thunderbird Rally, February 15-16, 2003, Merritt, British Columbia.  Primitive Racing will be testing some new ice tires from Cooper Tire for use in the 2004 Alcan Winter Rally at this brisk TSD event.  Cooper tire is the first official sponsor for the defending Champions of the Alcan Winter Rally.  "We will be running some 16" ice and snow tires that we feel should work well on the new Subaru Baja we plan to run in the upcoming Alcan rally," says teammate R.Dale Kraushaar.  Primitive is again partnering with Challenge Driving Events to field a winning team.

NorthWest Region Awards Banquet, January 25th 2003.  Teammates Paul Eklund and Scott Huhn were on hand to receive the first place honors for the Class 1 Championship in the tough NorPac Region.  The pair dominated the 2002 season and were proud to finally bring home that championship.

Oregon Region RallyCross Awards Banquet, January 4th 2003.  Paul Eklund received the 2nd Place trophy for the Open Class of the RallyCross Series having won 3 of the 6 events outright and helping to design and put on the final event at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Hillsboro, OR.

2002
Rally Car Development, Winter 2002.  The Primitive team has begun a program to lighten their rally cars, rebuild all suspension units, replace under-car shielding, and tire test in order to be ready for the upcoming 2003 Rally season.  The team plans to compete in the entire Western States Rally Championship (WSRC).  This new series is made up of 9 ClubRally events in the Western United States and begins with the Doo Wop Rallies on March 1-2nd 2003.

Taste of Subaru Track Day, October 2002.  Subaru Western Region invited Paul Eklund and Mark Lovell to give VIP's "hot-lap" rides around the 1.9 mile Portland International Raceway as part of their Subaru Owners event.  The two rally cars made dozens of laps, thrilling the riders and letting the audience see what a rallycar can do on tarmac.  It was the first chance for team Primitive to test the Silverstone Tarmac tire which should prove terrific for autocross, hillclimbs or short tarmac stages.  "I plan to use these tires for the 2003 NHA Hillclimb series in 2003," states a beaming Eklund.

Mt. Hood ClubRally, October 19th, 2002.  Eklund paired up with automotive journalist Jerry Boone as co-driver to run this inaugural event.  The team was first on the road, but heavy pea gravel and a bit of the fear factor kept the team out of the winner's circle on this short, 2-stage event.  Rumor is that the event may use the impressive Cloud Cap road on Mt. Hood for 2004!

First Overall/First in Open Class, Tarmac Zone Rally Sprint, September 2002.  This short rallysprint featured 3 laps around the roadcourse at PIR (Portland International Raceway).  The rally cars all donned their light pods and put on a show for the roadrace corner workers and spectators.  Primitive racing collected first place and a bunch of "ooohs and aaahs" as they put the WRX onto 2 wheels as they rounded the notorious "Festival Curve".  The car landed back on all fours and they still took top stage time.

Seventh Overall/Fourth in Open Class, Wild West ProRally, Olympia, WA Sept 2002.  After a very near miss with fellow competitor Scott Tinder (also driving a turbo Subaru), Eklund and Huhn finished very well in this tough event after limping through the very first stage with a flat tire. They didn't give up.  The team won both days of the ClubRally events though, and took home the trophies!

First in Open Class/First Overall, Hood River RallyCross, Odell, OR September 1st, 2002.  Driving his bone stock white Subaru 2.5TS wagon with Silverstone rally tires, Paul Eklund won another round of the Oregon Rally Group RallyCross Championship at the farigrounds outside of Hood River, OR.

First in Open Class, Oregon RallyCross, St. Helens, OR.  Paul brought out a different rallycar this time and repeated his win in the Open class.  He currently leads the series.

First in Open Class/First Overall, Shitepoke ClubRally, June 16th, 2002, Shelton, WA.  The team of Eklund and Huhn came back from a dissapointing flat tire the day before on the Dryad Quest Rally (4th in class) to win the Shitepoke rally by almost a minute in their lizard-shod Subaru WRX rallycar.

First in Open Class, Oregon RallyCross, Hillsboro, OR.  Paul brought out a rallycar to the RallyCross and concentrated to win in the Open Class.

Sixth in Open Class/Sixth Overall, Rim of the World ProRally, May 4-5th, 2002, Palmdale, CA.  The Primitive Team stormed to a terrific finish in the Pro event after suffering a transmission failure during the press stage just before the presigious event.  Thanks to a generous Prodrive racing team for loaning a transmision, and Subaru Western Region instant support, the team got the new gearbox installed only 20 minutes prior to the start.  Primitive won BOTH days of the ClubRally and came home with the coveted Raybestos "Rim of the World" winner's jackets.

Seventh in Class/Sevententh Overall, Oregon Trail ProRally, April 22-23rd, 2002, Hillsboro, OR.  The first event for the new WRX had some teething problems (mostly brake choice and suspension settings) and the team finished off the pace--but finished.  The sister car driven by rookie rally driver Karen Price also finished and not dead last!

Final Preparation of 2002 Subaru WRX Open Class rallycar.
This yellow rallycar will sport a 300hp motor, DMS suspension and rally development by Primitive.
Second overall at Doo Wops ClubRally, Hoquiam, WA March 2002

2001
Sixth Overall/Third in Open Class, WildWest ProRally, Olympia, WA Sept 2001. With Scott Huhn co-driving, the team gained valuable Manufacturer's points as the highest finishing Open Class Subaru. Clocked at 121 MPH by radar on one stage near the end of a long straightaway. Was one second out of fifth place.
Made the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro(19340 feet elevation) on October 1st in Tarzania East Africa. Scouted Safari Rally roads in Kenya upon decent.
Eighth overall, Ojibwe Forest ProRally, Bernidji, MN August 2001. Set one of the fastest times on the 1/2 mile SuperStage and was the top finishing car on Silverstone Rallye Tyres. New 4.44 transmission worked well.
Eleventh Overall, Rim of the World, Palmdale, CA May 2001. Despite blowing a hole in the transmission, locking it into 3rd gear for two entire stages, the team made a tremendous 47-minute tranny change at service and gained back minutes of time. The team was heading for a top 5 finish prior to the tranny problem.
DNF, Oregon Trail ProRally, Tillamook, OR April 2001. Again, massive transmission failure early in the event spelled trouble for the Primitive team. Despite a valiant transmission change at the side of the road during a freak hail and snow storm. the team was time barred from the National and allowed to continue the next day in the Divisional.
DNF, Cherokee Trails, Chattanooga, TN March 2001. New engine gremlins caused a cracked piston ring landing prior to the event, and slippery clay roads caused driver Eklund to go off the road and down an embankment, bring a swift end to any FIA victory event hopes.
January 2001. Paul Eklund is selected as one of four US drivers to fly to England to be interviewed as a driver for Subaru Rally Team USA for Prodrive. Testing was conducted in Wales on the Sweet Lamb Stage from the RAC Rally. Eklund drove well in the new Group N Impreza and made good contacts within Prodrive and SOA during that memorable experience.

2000
First Overall, ALCAN 5000 Winter Rally. Teamed with R.Dale Kraushaar and Larry Richardson, Paul helped pilot the team Subaru Impreza to victory in the legendary 4600-mile winter event.
Two 5th place overall finishes in SCCA National ProRally Championship events. Primitive Racing campaigned its Subaru Impreza USX in five of the nine National ProRallies in 2000. Paul regularly ran in the top five, but suffered mechanical problems in the early events.
Carl Merrill Sportsmanship Award recipient from the organizers of the Prescott Forest Rally.

1999
6th place overall at the Rim of the World National ProRally, first event for the Subaru Impreza USX
3rd place overall at the Wild West National ProRally, driving the Subaru Impreza USX with co-driver John Allen in only its second event.
SCCA SOLO II National Champion in E-Stock, driving a white Toyota Celica GT. Repeat of previous year's Championship bid in a borrowed car.
Most Inspirational Driver Award, Oregon Region (first non-roadracer to win this award)

1998
SCCA SOLO II National Champion in E-Stock, driving the red Primitive Racing Toyota Celica GT. Virtually stock car on very sticky race tires.
SCCA Co-Driver National Champion in ProRally Production GT (equivalent to FIA Group N) in Hairpin Racing Subaru Impreza 2.2

1997
3rd Place SOLO II National Championship in E-Stock, driving the Primitive Racing Toyota Celica GT

1996
First in class, set record class time at the Larison Rock Hillclimb, driving stock Honda CRX

1993
NORPAC Divisional Autocross Champion in E-Stock, driving the Primitive Racing Honda CRX

Other
1996 3rd Place E-Stock SOLO II National Championships driving Toyota Celica GT
1995 5th Place E-Stock SOLO II National Championships driving Toyota Celica GT
1995 Solo Driver of the Year Oregon Region SOLO II
1994 3rd Place E-Stock SOLO II National Championships driving Toyota Celica GT
1994 Driver of the Year Oregon Region SOLO II
1988 Divisional Autocross Champion G-Stock driving Saab 900 Turbo
1985 Spirit of Stock Class Winner (California Rally Series) driving Opel Manta rally car