When you look at all that he has achieved already in his impressive rally career, you might want to think that Antoine L’Estage from St-Jean, Que. is a driven man — except for the fact that he is the one doing the driving.

The Quebecer’s list of accomplishments is truly extraordinary — six-time Canadian rally champion, six-time North American rally champion, American rally champion, and winner of 45 individual races over the last 10 years and a bit. The guy is a proven winner!

L’Estage returns to Merritt and the Nicola Valley this weekend to take part in the 37th anniversary edition of the Pacific Forest Rally — the fourth of six events that comprise the annual Canadian Rally Championship.

The two-time defending champion is looking forward to the 2014 competition.

“There will be quite a few fast cars and fast drivers at this year’s PFR,” L’Estage said earlier this week, prior to flying out west. “It won’t be an easy drive for me for sure.”

But don’t bet against him. L’Estage has won the Pacific Forest Rally six times in the last 10 years, and finished second the other four times. He is undefeated so far this season in CRC competition, having won the first three rallies on the schedule back east in the spring and summer.

Making matters worse for his opposition, L’Estage just plain likes racing the PFR.

“It’s an event I enjoy, and a rally that’s been good to me,” he said. “The stages seem to suit my style. Some of the roads are very technical; there is no room for error. I think perhaps I don’t have the most spectacular style, but I have a precise style. Maybe, it’s just luck also.”

Joining L’Estage in his Mitsubishi EVO X11 will be co-driver Alan Ockwell from Etobicoke, Ont. Their partnership is a relatively new one.

“Last year, I had a lot of success with a number of different co-drivers,” L’Estage said. “At the PFR, it was Craig Perry from Wales. We did well together, but it’s very expensive to bring these guys over.

“At the end of last season, I talked with Alan, and in March of this year we agreed that it would be nice to work together. We won Baie Des Chaleurs and Defi. Every event that goes by, we get more and more comfortable with each other. It’s a very good partnership.”

L’Estage’s Yokohama-sponsored team also includes manager John Buffen, a legend in the sport of rally car racing. The 71-year-old Buffen lives in Colchester, Vermont, about a 90-minute drive from Montreal.

“John means a lot to me,” L’Estage said. “He is the best rally driver that North America has ever produced. When I was young and going to rallies, he was always the man — a sort of hero to me. To start working with him in 2002 was very special. A very strong friendship has developed over the years. He is my mentor. He has played, and is still playing a big role in my career. He is a man that I love — almost like a second dad.”

The 2014 Pacific Forest Rally’s large field of 30-plus cars includes the Subaru teams of Alexandre Breland (Val D’Or, Que.) and Lyne Murphy (St-Constant, Que.), who are currently second in the CRC standings, and Martin Rowe (Whistler, B.C.) and Nathalie Richard (Halifax, N.S.), runners-up at the most recent CRC event in Ste-Agathe, Que.

Another team of note is the Calgary pair of Tanveer Deen, 17 and Michael Szewczyk, 19 — the youngest duo in the competition. In their very first event together, the Radium Hot Springs Rally, the team finished first in the open two-wheel drive class and seventh overall.

Local Pacific Forest Rally organizer Nicki Lachapelle (née Beverley), who was born and raised in Merritt, will also be climbing into a rally car this weekend following a two-year break from competing. She’ll be co-driver for Team RMT. The driver will be 59-year-old Ivan Kouzmin from Vancouver, who cut his teeth in the sport in his native USSR.

“I lived near Vladivostok on the east coast,” Kouzmin said. “We had rally racing every weekend. When you race at the provincial level and you podium [finish in the top three], you get sent to compete at the national level. Everything is paid for. We had a brand new car every year.

“When I came to Canada in 1991 and found out that you had to pay for everything yourself, I sort of put the sport to the side. I started getting back into rallies about five years ago. I found the stage rallies were something I could afford.”

From a spectator point of view, this year’s Pacific Forest Rally kicks off on Thursday evening with a car expo at the Nicola Valley Aquatic Centre parking lot as part of the pre-race scrutineering and mechanic’s check.

On Friday, the service park at the Wagon West Travel Plaza will be open to the public beginning at 1 p.m.

There will be another car expo on Friday in downtown Merritt on Granite Ave., starting at 4:30 p.m. It is from this location that the ceremonial start to the first stage of racing will take place at 5:30 p.m.

In total, there are eight race stages being run by the cars and drivers in various locations around the Nicola Valley (see below). Spectators are advised to read the schedules and directions very carefully if they plan to drive to any of the race locations on Friday evening and throughout Saturday.

Comprehensive PFR programs have been printed with all sorts of terrific information about the sport, the event and of course the cars and their drivers. Programs can be picked up at a multitude of locations in and around Merritt, including:

* Baillie House
* Best Western Nicola Inn
* Boston Pizza
* Chamber of Commerce
* City Furniture
* City Hall
* Frank’s Mechanical
* Kal Tire
* Knight’s Inn
* Lordco
* Mandolin’s Café
* Merritt Desert Inn
* Murray GM
* Travelodge & Super 8
* Ramada Inn
* Super 8
* West-Can

For much more information on the 2014 PFR, go to Facebook.com/pacificforestrally.