European-style wheel-to-wheel rallycross made its U.S. debut in thrilling style this past weekend in New Jersey with the help of a determined performance by Subaru driver Travis Pastrana in his 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI. Starting from the back of a six car grid after a restart, Pastrana worked his way through the field to finish 2nd overall in the final. Pastrana’s Subaru teammate, Dave Mirra, finished close behind in 3rd overall. The Rallycross, organized by RallyCar (formerly Rally America), was held at the Lightning Bolt course of New Jersey Motorsports Park, a 1.3 mile track which was modified to include three dirt sections. Pastrana’s performance wowed the thousands of fans in attendance and helped create a memorable debut for the sport in America.

Rallycross features wheel-to-wheel racing among production based cars on short tracks that feature a mix of tarmac and dirt. In addition to the dirt sections, rallycross tracks feature a “Joker” lap section that each car must take a once at some point during the race. A Joker lap is a small detour that typically takes the driver a few seconds longer to complete than the standard course lap. It adds a level of unpredictability to the race outcome and drivers must strategize on the optimal time to take the joker lap. Many of the cars competing in New Jersey were rally cars that also compete in the Rally America National Championship with the exception of a few purpose-built rallycross cars brought over from Europe. The sport is extremely popular in Europe, where the FIA’s European Rallycross Championship represents the highest and most competitive level of the sport.

This was an absolute blast, a lot of fun,” said Pastrana. “This series has a chance to be the most epic and the most fun thing that anyone’s ever raced and driven.”

Pastrana and Mirra were 2nd and 3rd quickest in qualifying, which determines lane choice and running group within three subsequent heats. Impressive performances in the heats solidified Pastrana and Mirra in 1st and 4th respectively for the A-Main, the final event.

On the first lap of the A-Main, whilst trailing close to Tanner Foust, Pastrana pushed wide on a tarmac-to-dirt transition and impacted a tire wall. Pastrana was able to continue and his Subaru was undamaged, but the A-Main was red flagged due to the damaged and now mis-aligned tire wall. Pastrana was penalized to the back of the six car grid and the race was restarted, with a new standing start. With just five laps on the 1.3 mile course Pastrana quickly went to work pressuring and passing each driver in front of him with a show of skill and aggression that thrilled the thousands of fans in attendance. Pastrana eventually reached 2nd place and trailed Foust, the race leader by just seconds, but Pastrana had yet to complete his Joker lap and in doing so ran out of laps to continue his fight toward Foust. Pastrana exited the Joker lap just ahead of teammate Dave Mirra who was pressuring from behind, and the Subaru duo crossed the finish line in 2nd and 3rd Overall, with Tanner Foust taking victory.

Travis Pastrana acknowledged the crowd’s intense enthusiasm, “I could literally hear the fans cheering from inside my car! But I had the best seat in the house having to start at the back of the grid and getting to battle everyone out there on this course.”

“My goal was to finish 3rd since I knew Pastrana and Foust had a small edge on my lap times all weekend, and so I stuck to my game plan and had a great, clean run. I’m very happy.” explained Mirra. “I’ve never done anything like this and have very little track experience so I’m happy withmy performance. It will be pretty cool to see the sport grow together with the fans and the cars and everything kind of matching up and going together,” said Mirra.

RallyCar’s U.S. Rallycross Event #2 will return to the New Jersey Motorsports Park October 2-3 and Event #3 will be held November 6-7. Tickets are available at: http://store.njmp.com/store/category/9/157/

Subaru Rally Team USA is proudly supported by Subaru of America, Inc., Subaru Tecnica International (STI), Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT), DC Shoes, BFGoodrich Tires, RECARO, Vision X, Alpinestars, Motul, Exedy, VP Fuels and Vermont SportsCar. For more information on Subaru Rally Team USA, as well as exclusive photo and video galleries visit www.subaru.com/rally and for the latest news follow the team on Twitter: twitter.com/srtusa.

Photos by Lars Gange | subaru.com/rally

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Returns to Rally America Series with 4-Time, Reigning Champ Travis Pastrana and Dave Mirra

Subaru Rally Team USA announced today that reigning four-time Rally America National Champion Travis Pastrana and BMX Freestyle legend Dave Mirra will both return as factory team drivers. Subaru Rally Team USA will contest the entire 2010 Rally America National Championship, ESPN’s X Games 16 Rally Car Racing event as well as participate in Rally America’s new and highly anticipated European-style rally cross exhibition events. Pastrana and Mirra will each pilot a 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally car prepared by Subaru technical partner Vermont SportsCar.

Action sports icon and rally champion Pastrana has driven exclusively for the Subaru brand since he first began to compete in rally in 2004. Pastrana has dominated rallying in the USA since 2006 and has amassed eighteen overall rally victories, thirty-six podiums and two Golds, a Bronze and Silver medals at the ESPN X Games Rally Car events. “Subaru is like family to me; they have given me every opportunity and resource available to help me become rally champion,” explained Travis Pastrana. “The sport has grown and the competition in 2010 will be better than ever and so I’m glad to be in the best car with the best team again to go for my fifth championship.” As in 2009, Pastrana will have co-driver Christian Edstrom at his side for his rally campaign.

Mirra, who became a pro BMX rider in 1992, holds the record for most X Games medals (including most Gold medals), and has medaled in every X Games since their inception in 1995. He is recognized as one of the World’s most well known Action Sports athletes and is credited with bringing freestyle BMX into the mainstream. Mirra began a transition to rally racing in late 2007 and joined Subaru Rally Team USA in 2008 where he earned Rally America’s Rookie of the Year. “I’m so excited to get back in my STI for the 2010 Rally America Championship!” exclaimed Mirra. “It’s great having the support of Subaru to race with the best drivers in North America and allowing me to develop as a rally driver. The Subaru Impreza WRX STI is the best car for rallying and my teammate and mentor, Travis Pastrana, is the four-time champion. Is that a dream or what?” Mirra will again team with former WRC champion co-driver Derek Ringer who has been instrumental in Mirra’s rapid ascension to a top driver in the Rally America Championship. Mirra will move up to an Open Class Subaru WRX STI from that of a lower specification Super Production class Subaru that he campaigned in 2009.

“We’ve made some significant gains in building both brand and team recognition while showcasing the performance capabilities of the Subaru Impreza WRX STI,” said James Han, motorsports marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc. “I’m pleased with our 2010 driver line-up comprised of Travis and Dave and excited at the prospect of retaining the Rally America National Championship title in what should prove to be an exciting rally season.”

Long time Subaru driver Ken Block will be departing Subaru Rally Team USA for 2010. “It was a pleasure having Ken [Block] as part of Subaru Rally Team USA (SRT USA) from the very start of his rally career and supporting him in securing Rally America’s Rookie of the Year honors for 2005,” said James Han, Motorsports Marketing Manager for Subaru of America, Inc.

Subaru Rally Team USA will be in action again in less than three weeks on the snow and ice-covered roads of Michigan’s Sno*Drift Rally. The team will then crisscross the country over the next seven months to compete in Rally America National Championship events in Missouri, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania and New England. In early August the team will star yet again at the ESPN X Games Rally Car racing event.

The team will also officially participate in Rally America’s new European-style rally cross events in the fall of 2010. Rally America have announced they will hold three European-style rally cross events in 2010, to be run as exhibition events in 2010 with the expectation of more events on the 2011 calendar. European-style rally cross combines disciplines from road racing, short-course off-road racing and X Games-style rally car racing.

For more information on Subaru Rally Team USA please visit rally.subaru.com or follow the team on Twitter at twitter.com/srtusalineup.doc

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Regional Rally Teams come from all over to claim their share of the MaxAttack! cash awards

With the first five rally events of the 2009 Rally America National Championship in the record books already, the top Regional and National rally teams from across the United States and Canada will soon be making their way to the tiny resort village of Newry, Maine for the New England Forest Rally – home to the Sunday River Resort and round #6 of the 9-event Rally America National Championship.

Set for Friday and Saturday, July 17 & 18, 2009, as many as 45 or more top-level rally teams are expected to be competing on some of the fastest gravel and forest roads in the country for top honors at this always-popular rally event.

Sitting atop the Rally America National points championship right now and expected to be competing at this year’s New England Forest Rally is 3-time Rally America Champion and Freestyle Motocross legend Travis Pastrana who drives for Subaru Rally Team USA – the factory-backed rally team based in Colchester, Vermont. Along with his teammates Ken Block, co-founder of DC Shoes USA, and X Games & BMX legend Dave Mirra, the Subaru rally team will be looking for another overall rally victory at this year’s New England Forest Rally.

Also expected at the top of the charts at this year’s event will be Canadian rally Ace Antoine L’Estage along with his Co-Driver and fiance’ Nathalie Richard driving their John Buffum-prepared & Rockstar Energy-backed Mitsubishi Evolution X. A former overall winner of the New England Forest Rally, L’Estage is a very technical driver as well as a multi-time Canadian Rally Champion who can’t be overlooked regarding the overall victory in Maine.

New to this year’s New England Forest Rally will be a large contingent of Regional rally teams from across the Northeastern United Sates and Eastern Canada. These teams will be competing for their share of $15,000 in prize money as the Maine-based rally will be just one of three rally events in the United States that make up the 3-round MaxAttack! Championship for Regional rally teams for 2009 – the other two rally events include Rally Idaho and the Ojibwe Forests Rally in Minnesota.

Although the New England Forest Rally will be contested over two days and 125 plus miles of gravel and forest stages for the National competitors, the Regional rally teams will compete on the very same roads as the National teams, but in two separate 1-day Regional rally events run simultaneously with the National rally.

Friday’s Regional rally will be known at the “Drive Your Future Rally” presented by the National Guard and will be highlighted by a “Super Special” in the town of Mexico, Maine. Taking place at the Mexico Recreational Area located just off Rt. 17 in Mexico, spectators will be have the opportunity to watch their favorite rally driver or team complete an entire gravel rally stage, complete with a jump, from start to finish right in front of them. Fans will also have the chance for an up-close look at the service crews as they take care of their rally cars at the Service Park which will also be based at the Mexico Recreation Area. As a special attraction for fans of all ages, National Guard units from Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont will be on hand at the Mexico Recreation Area with a large display of state-of-the-art military vehicles to check out.

On Saturday, July 18, 2009, the rally action moves west along Route 2 to Coos County and the city of Berlin in Northern New Hampshire where rally teams will compete on a series of gravel and forest stages from Berlin north along the Androscoggin River to the sleepy village of Errol and beyond. A number of scenic spectator areas will be available along the competition stages where fans will be able to watch their favorite drivers compete. They will also be treated to a “Super Special” in Berlin on Saturday morning where teams will test their skills on a half-mile course that winds its way in and around the old Berlin paper mill site located on the north side of the city.

Also available throughout the 2-day New England Forest Rally will be a number of spectator buses provided by the Sunday River Resort in Newry, Maine. The buses will depart from a variety of locations and take interested spectators out to the designated viewing areas along the rally course. Tickets for the spectator buses can be purchased the day of the event and will cost just $5.00 per person!

Amateur photographers will again have the opportunity to participate in Rally America’s popular photo contest where they can submit their best shots from the New England Forest Rally for a chance to win great prizes – visit www.rally-america.com for all the details.

For ongoing live updates through out the New England Forest Rally or for more information regarding a detailed event schedule, lodging and an on-line Spectator Guide, please visit the official Rally America web site at www.rally-america.com.

Sponsors for this year’s New England Forest Rally include Subaru of America; DC Shoes; Endless Brakes; Exedy Racing Clutches; Q Racing Oil; the Army National Guard; Sunday River Resort in Newry, Maine; the Team O’Neil Rally School from Dalton, NH and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Rally car racing is considered the extreme sport of automobile racing and is often described simply as “real cars, real roads, real fast.” This all-season motorsport sees drivers and their co-drivers taking modified road cars to the limit as they achieve blistering speeds over courses that cover more than 100 miles of gravel, dirt or snow-covered roads known as stages.

The 2009 Rally America National Championship series consists of nine exciting events that take place throughout the United States in many different weather and road conditions. Top teams in the Rally America Championship are also invited to compete in ESPN’s Summer X Games, the leading action sports event broadcast live on ABC and ESPN. Eight top teams have already been invited to this August’s contest. Among the marquees typically represented in Rally America events are Subaru, Mitsubishi, Dodge, Ford and Volkswagen.

About Rally America, Inc.:

Based in Golden Valley, Minnesota, Rally America sanctions the premier rally racing series in the United States, the Rally America National Championship Series. In 2009, Rally America will conduct nine National Championship events at venues across the country, from Portland, Ore., to Newry, Maine. Rally America competitors reach speeds well over 100 mph in modified street-legal rally cars on natural-terrain courses consisting of gravel, dirt or snow.

Additionally, through a partnership with the leading sports network regarding action sports, ESPN, qualifying Rally America drivers are invited to compete in the Summer X Games, the annual leading action-sport event that is broadcast live on ABC and ESPN. For more information, visit www.rally-america.com.

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After having competed in only a handful of rally
events, BMX legend Dave Mirra has won his first rally race, the 2009
Team O’Neil Rally, at the wheel of his 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI
rally car. Mirra dominated the New Hampshire-based snow rally by
setting fastest time on all but one of the event’s eight stages and
finishing with a lead of fifty seconds. The wins comes just over one
year after Mirra began his burgeoning rally career that has since seen
him be named the 2008 Rally America Rookie of the Year as well as earn
a Bronze medal at last summer’s X Games 14 Rally Car Racing event.

“I’m really excited to get my first win, the roads were a lot of fun
here,” explained Mirra. “Running in these snowy conditions was
perfect preparation for the Sno*Drift Rally [which serves as the first
round of the Rally America Championship] next week, so I will have a
lot more confidence from the start.”

Mirra’s rally program will expand in 2009 with increased support from
Subaru of America, Inc. and Monster Energy that will see him join
Subaru Rally Team USA drivers Ken Block and Travis Pastrana at all
nine rounds of the 2009 Rally America National Championship as well as
X Games 15. Mirra will compete in the new Super Production class and
will debut a 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI early in the race season.

Subaru Rally Team USA is proudly supported by Subaru of America,
Subaru Tecnica International (STI), Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT),
DC Shoes, BFGoodrich Tires, RECARO, Alpinestars, Motul, Exedy, GReddy,
and Vermont SportsCar.

About Dave Mirra:

Mirra became a pro BMX rider in 1992 and holds the record for most X
Games medals (including most Gold medals), and has medaled in every X
Games since its inception in 1995. With his current X Games medal
count at twenty one, Mirra is recognized as one of the World’s most
well known Action Sports athletes and is credited with bringing
freestyle BMX into the mainstream.

Mirra has always been a car enthusiast and became hooked on rallying
after friend and Subaru Rally Team USA driver Ken Block introduced him
to the sport. Mirra completed a test and training program with Vermont
SportsCar in late 2007 and entered a limited number of rounds of the
2008 Rally America National Championship, making an impressive debut
season to earn 2008 Rookie of the Year honors. He surprised rally
veterans and casual fans alike on his rally debut at X Games 14 where
he earned a Bronze medal, after defeating two championship-caliber,
North American drivers in separate head-to-head heats.

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