Subaru driver Travis Pastrana was nearly untouchable at the 2010 Rally in the 100 Acre Wood, convincingly pulling away from a strong field before a seemingly innocuous driving error late in the event damaged his 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI and forced him to retire. Pastrana’s Subaru teammate, BMX and X Games icon Dave Mirra, finished cleanly in 4th overall as he grew more familiar with his new higher-specification Open Class Subaru STI rally car. The 100 Acre Wood Rally, based in and around Salem, Missouri, was the second stop on the six-event 2010 Rally America National Championship series.

Named after the storybook home of Winnie the Pooh, the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood is set in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains of Missouri and features very high speeds on smooth and flowing gravel roads that are a favorite of many rally drivers. Pastrana, with co-driver Christian Edstrom, pushed hard from the first stage and pulled away from a very competitive field, winning the first seven stages of the event. After Pastrana’s closest challenger, former Canadian Rally champion Antoine L’Estage, lost time with a problem early on the second day Pastrana found himself with a comfortable lead of over one-minute on rival and former Subaru driver Ken Block.

However, late in the event, Pastrana’s run toward an expectant victory came to an abrupt halt. Damage to a suspension component on Pastrana’s Subaru resulting from a hard rear-wheel impact into a ditch cut Pastrana’s rally short. The incident occurred on the short spectator viewing stage held within a town park, and Pastrana was able to nurse his Subaru to finish the stage. Although they feverishly attempted a roadside repair, there was insufficient time for Pastrana and Edstrom to complete the effort nor was there a scheduled service stop where their Subaru Rally Team USA crew of mechanics could work on the car.

“This one is really tough to swallow. I had everything I needed to win here,” explained a dejected Pastrana. “Our Subaru was perfect and totally unbeatable. We were able to just pull away from everyone on the first half of the rally and then just had to cruise to the finish. It was a small mistake; I cut a corner and then exited too wide and didn’t know there was a drainage ditch there. I just can’t believe it.”

Pastrana’s Subaru teammate Dave Mirra adopted the strategy of gaining experience in his car rather than showcasing outright pace and did so successfully, finishing a trouble-free 4th Overall. The 100 Acre Wood Rally was Mirra’s first gravel rally in the higher specification 2010 Open Class Subaru after spending the 2009 season in the more restrictive Super Production class. Mirra was also sitting for the first time with veteran co-driver Martin Headland. “I’m very happy with the result. I wanted to just drive through this event and carefully learn the potential of the Open Class Subaru,” explained Mirra. “This car has better handling, braking and power than anything I’ve ever driven so it’s a lot to get used to and I still have to learn where the limits are. I took it easy and slowly increased my pace where I was comfortable.”

“Although SRT USA departs from this event without the win we were seeking, the display of performance and reliability from our Open Class Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally cars leads me to believe we were in a league of our own,” pointed out James Han, motorsports marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc. “Kudos to the team for having developed such an impressive yet very drivable package. Travis drove an aggressive but comfortable pace and was in a great position for the finish if not for that untimely error. Dave took a sensible approach to learning his car and finished just one position from the podium.”

Subaru Rally Team will compete next at the Olympus Rally, based in Olympia, Washington on April 23-25.

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 rally.subaru.com and for the latest news follow the team on Twitter: twitter.com/srtusa.

Photos: Lars Gange | rally.subaru.com

Four-time and defending Rally America National Champion Travis Pastrana will compete on Missouri’s high-speed back roads this weekend at the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood. The Subaru Rally Team USA driver, who leads the Rally America National Championship after a dominating win at the first round last month, will pilot a BFGoodrich Tires-shod 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI with co-driver Christian Edstrom. Pastrana’s Subaru teammate Dave Mirra, the BMX legend turned rally pro, will drive an identically-prepared Subaru in the event and will have veteran co-driver and former national champion Martin Headland sitting in the navigator’s seat .

Named after the storybook home of Winnie the Pooh, the 100 Acre Wood Rally is set in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. Based in and around the town of Salem, the 100 Acre Wood Rally features very high-speeds on smooth and flowing gravel roads that are a favorite of many rally drivers. However, in recent years the weather has unleashed freezing rain, sleet or snow in the days leading up to and during the event turning the roads treacherously icy. Weather reports for this weekend’s event currently indicate clear and seasonably cool conditions.

“Subaru has won the 100 Acre Wood Rally four years in a row so we know we have the right car and the right setup,” explained Pastrana. “Our goal here is to win and extend our championship lead. I think if the weather holds out this will be one of the fastest, most tightly contested events of the year.” Pastrana leads the six-round 2010 Rally America National Championship after a win last month at round one, the Sno*Drift Rally in northern Michigan.

Subaru driver Dave Mirra will have veteran co-driver Martin Headland alongside at the 100 Acre Wood Rally in place of co-driver Derek Ringer, with whom he worked with in 2008 and 2009. Headland, a former two-time Canadian Rally Champion has 35 years of co-driving experience and has entered over 150 performance rallies. Headland was a long time co-driver of one of Mirra’s key rally tutors, driving instructor Tim O’Neil. “The roads in Missouri are very fast and I drove really well there last year, but I was in a lower specification Super Production class Subaru STI at the time,” said Mirra. “This year I will have more power and even better handling with Subaru Rally Team USA’s Open Class car and am looking forward to adapting to the new car this season .”

The rally action kicks off at approximately 4pm CST local time this Friday, February 26th, and continues through Saturday, February 27th. For daily event photos and news updates visit www.rally.subaru.com or follow the team at www.twitter.com/srtusa. Results and other event news can be found at www.rally-america.com.

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, GReddy, Exedy, VP Fuels and Vermont SportsCar. For more information on Subaru Rally Team USA, as well as exclusive photo and video galleries visit rally.subaru.com and for the latest news follow the team on Twitter: twitter.com/srtusa.

Photos: Lars Gange | rally.subaru.com

Subaru Rally Team USA is pleased to announce today the selection of VP Racing Fuels products for their 2010 rally campaign. The partnership includes VP Fuels being designated the Official Fuel of Subaru Rally Team USA. Subaru Rally Team USA, managed by Subaru technical partner Vermont SportsCar, is headed by four-time defending Rally America National Champion Travis Pastrana and BMX legend Dave Mirra. The team is scheduled to compete in the six event 2010 Rally America National Championship, ESPN’s X Games 16 Rally Car Racing event as well as Rally America’s three all-new European-style RallyCross exhibition events this fall.

VP is the Official Fuel of American LeMans Series, NHRA, SuperDirtCar, World of Outlaws Sprint Car and Late Model Series among others, fueling championships in North America and around the globe for over 35 years. VP Racing Fuels was founded in 1974 by Steve Burns, who initially exhibited his aptitude for R&D in the early 1970′s as a young racer in San Antonio, Texas. Self-taught in chemistry and physics, Burns began experimenting with exotic blends of fuel, much to the dismay of his parents whose garage served as Steve’s laboratory. VP is now recognized by many as the world leader in race fuel technology, with a catalog of nearly 70 fuel blends and a growing roster of VP-fueled champions across the entire spectrum of motorsports.

“VP Fuel has been extremely successful in every form of motorsports they have entered and their international blends of rally fuel are second to none,” said Lance Smith, President of Vermont SportsCar. “The decision to switch to VP Fuels was made after we assessed the power their rally car products make and learning of the technical and developmental support VP could provide our team. We are looking forward to both the technical and performance gains that VP Fuel can provide our team as we aim to win a fifth straight Rally America National Championship title.”

Four-time consecutive and defending Rally America National Champion Travis Pastrana and his teammate Dave Mirra, the 2008 Rally America Rookie of the Year, both return to Subaru Rally Team USA and will pilot 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally cars. Vermont SportsCar will be working closely with VP Fuels on the build and development of the next evolution of their Rally America Open Class specification Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally car to maximize engine performance and power output.

“Rally Racing is probably the most challenging and most exciting form of car racing on the planet” said Jim Kelly, VP Fuels Regional Manager for Europe and the Northeast United States. “VP fuels championship winning teams in all types of racing and while we are in a lot of rally cars in Europe it will be particularly gratifying to see the Subaru rally cars of Travis [Pastrana] and Dave [Mirra] flying down rally stages with VP in the USA.”

Subaru Rally Team USA heads next to the second round in the Rally America Championship series, the 100 Acre Wood Rally, scheduled on February 26 – 27 in southern Missouri.

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 rally.subaru.com and for the latest news follow the team on Twitter: twitter.com/srtusa.

For more information on VP Fuels please visit www.vpracingfuels.com

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

Subaru Rally Team USA is pleased to announce that Vision X will become the official supplier of competition lights for Subaru Rally Team USA (SRT USA). The team, headed by four-time Rally America National Champion Travis Pastrana and his teammate Ken Block will begin utilizing Vision X HID competition driving lights this weekend at the Lake Superior Performance Rally (LSPR) in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. SRT USA’s new Vision X lights will play a pivotal role at LSPR where over half of the event’s 126 stage miles are run in darkness.

Vision X was established in 1997 with the mission to revolutionize the lighting industry and today has become one of the leading manufacturers of 12 and 24 volt lighting in the world. Not only will you now find Vision X HID driving lights on the rally cars of Subaru Rally Team USA but you will also find Vision X lighting on heavy equipment, off-road, emergency, military, public transportation, and commercial vehicles. Further, Vision X offers lighting for the computer industry and can be found in commercial lighting and even in underwater scuba diving lights all over the world. Vision X has warehouses in Seattle, Washington and Scottsdale, Arizona.

The Lake Superior Rally is the final round of the nine-event 2009 Rally America National Championship and is headquartered in Houghton, at the northern tip of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The rally is revered by rally drivers for its difficult conditions, which typically include high speeds on tree-lined roads with highly variable weather. Adding to the challenge are over seventy miles of night stages, where visibility on the dark tree lined roads is vital to achieving a good result. A unique challenge on their own, the night stages are typically complicated by the variable weather conditions that can include rain, snow, mud and slippery fallen leaves in the road.

SRT USA drivers Travis Pastrana and Ken Block, each driving a 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally cars prepared by Vermont SportsCar, will cut through the darkness with between four and six Vision X 8550 series HID lights housed in carbon fiber light pods mounted to the hood and front bumper. The Vision X HID 8550 series light is a 8.7″ round 50 watt HID competition specification driving light. It produces 5000 lumens while only drawing 5.6 amps at start up and 4.5 amps while operating and has a lifespan of 2500 hours. This HID light series is available in two beam patterns, euro and spot, and two housing colors, black and chrome, and has an input voltage of 9-32 volts. The HID 8550 Series boasts internal ballast and starter and are available with either a composite or aluminum body. All Vision X lights offer a lifetime warranty and all in include a borosilicate hardened glass lens. The HID 8550 lights have been race tested and proven by off-road racers including BJ Baldwin and Andy McMillin. For more information on Vision X please visit www.visionxoffroad.com.

Subaru Rally Team USA is proudly supported by Subaru of America, Inc., Subaru Tecnica International (STI), Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT), DC Shoes, BFGoodrich Tires, DiRT2, RECARO, Vision X, Alpinestars, Motul, Exedy, GReddy, and Vermont SportsCar. For more information on Subaru Rally Team USA, as well as exclusive photo and video galleries visit rally.subaru.com and for the latest news follow the team on Twitter: twitter.com/srtusa.

Piloting a lesser specification Subaru Impreza WRX STI at this past weekend’s Rally Colorado, Subaru Rally Team USA (SRT USA) driver Ken Block hovered near the top of the time sheets throughout the event. Block was without his usual high-powered Open Class 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI and instead drove the Super Production (SP) class Subaru Impreza WRX STI of fellow SRT USA teammate Dave Mirra, who did not attend Rally Colorado due to a schedule conflict with a BMX event. Block and his co-driver Alex Gelsomino put in an impressive drive in the lower specification SP class car, running a majority of the rally in 3rd overall and winning three stages outright. Unfortunately for Block, the impressive drive was annulled on the penultimate stage after his Subaru developed an engine problem, forcing Block to withdraw.

“I had to change my driving style to adjust for the power difference between the SP and my usual Open Class car, staying much smoother and less sideways,” explained Block. “I thought it would take a few stages to get used to it and get up to speed but we won the first stage of the rally which was really surprising, that gave me a lot of confidence for the rest of the event. It was satisfying that we were able to challenge for a podium position with the top Open Class competitors.”

The Super Production (SP) class, a new category in the 2009 Rally America series, features minimally modified, production-based cars. The budget-minded SP class features much more restrictive regulations on modifications than the Open Class, where Block has been driving for the past three seasons. The SP Subaru Impreza WRX STI features a stock engine, stock gearbox and very limited body shell modifications. Block crashed his Open Class Subaru heavily at the previous event, The Ojibwe Forests Rally, he and his co-driver Alex Gelsomino walked away unharmed but their Subaru rally car was terminally damaged. With insufficient time to prepare a spare rally car, SRT USA opted to provide Block with the team’s Super Production class Subaru in Mirra’s absence at Rally Colorado.

“Ken drove well in Colorado and further displayed the performance potential of the Subaru Impreza WRX STI in SP trim,” mentioned James Han, motorsports marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc. “By creating the competitive Super Production class, Rally America has established an attractive and more economical alternative to fielding an Open class-specification car for the privateer entrant.”

The SP class is always highly competitive with closely fought battles amongst privateers fighting for nearly $13,000 in prize money per event offered by Subaru of America, Inc. Block, however, was fighting his battle amongst the faster Open class cars at Rally Colorado. The first half of the rally saw Block amass a lead of well over two minutes to the closest SP challenger.

Block’s Subaru Rally Team USA teammate Travis Pastrana was comfortably leading Day 1 of Rally Colorado when a minor driving infraction incurred the driver of the #199 SRT USA STI a 7-minute penalty.

“A disappointing scenario, essentially a matter of Travis hitting three traffic cones in a chicane placed by event officials on-stage, amounted to a time penalty which would have been very challenging even in optimal circumstances to overcome on the 2nd day,” said Han. “Given the lack of spare cars within the team’s inventory, a decision to save the #199 STI for the final round of the Rally America National Championship was a prudent one.” Travis Pastrana mathematically secured his 4th consecutive Rally America National Championship with a win at last month’s Ojibwe Forests Rally.

Subaru Rally Team USA is proudly supported by Subaru of America, Inc., Subaru Tecnica International (STI), Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT), DC Shoes, BFGoodrich Tires, DiRT2, RECARO, Alpinestars, Motul, Exedy, GReddy, and Vermont SportsCar. For more information on Subaru Rally Team USA, as well as exclusive photo and video galleries visit rally.subaru.com and for the latest news follow the team on Twitter: twitter.com/srtusa.

Subaru Rally Team USA driver Ken Block will not be behind the wheel of his usual Open Class 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI at this weekend’s Rally Colorado and instead will pilot the Super Production class Subaru Impreza WRX STI of fellow Subaru teammate Dave Mirra. Mirra will not be competing at Rally Colorado due to a schedule conflict with this weekend’s Dew Tour BMX event in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Block crashed his Open Class Subaru heavily at the previous event, The Ojibwe Forests Rally. Although Block and his co-driver Alex Gelsomino walked away unharmed their Subaru rally car was terminally damaged. With insufficient time to prepare a spare rally car, SRT USA has opted to provide Block with the team’s Super Production class Subaru in Mirra’s absence at Rally Colorado.

The Super Production (SP) class, a new category in the 2009 Rally America series, features minimally modified, production-based cars. The SP class features much more restrictive regulations on modifications than the Open Class, where Block has been driving for the past three seasons. The SP Subaru features a stock engine, stock gearbox and very limited body shell modifications.

“It will be a big challenge to just get in and drive that car, the handling and power will be different and I won’t be able to be as aggressive with it,” explained Block. “But with Travis [Pastrana] having locked-up the Rally America Championship already, I have no pressure to win. We can treat this outing as an extended testing and development session for the SP car, but of course I’ll be trying my best to keep up with my usual Open class competitors!”

Subaru Rally Team USA driver Travis Pastrana mathematically secured his 4th consecutive Rally America National Championship with a win at last month’s Ojibwe Forests Rally. Pastrana and his co-driver Christian Edstrom will enter Rally Colorado with no pressure and have vowed to drive flat-out to put on a show for their fans this weekend. Rally Colorado is based in the picturesque resort town of Steamboat Springs, just 150 miles into the mountains west of Denver. The rally includes over 100 miles of fast, high-altitude gravel roads that are dusty when dry and notoriously slick when wet. The action starts Saturday morning and runs through Sunday afternoon. Fans can follow the rally live at www.rally-america.com and view daily SRT USA photo and news updates at rally.subaru.com.

Subaru Rally Team USA is proudly supported by Subaru of America, Inc., Subaru Tecnica International (STI), Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT), DC Shoes, BFGoodrich Tires, DiRT2, RECARO, Alpinestars, Motul, Exedy, GReddy, and Vermont SportsCar. For more information on Subaru Rally Team USA, as well as exclusive photo and video galleries visit rally.subaru.com and for the latest news follow the team on Twitter: twitter.com/srtusa.

Photos: Lars Gange | rally.subaru.com

Subaru Rally Team USA driver Travis Pastrana has mathematically secured his fourth consecutive Rally America National Championship with a dominating win at the Ojibwe Forest Rally in northern Minnesota this weekend. Pastrana and his co-driver Christian Edstrom cruised to victory in their 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI after several of their closest rivals hit trouble. The win, his fifth of the season, hauled in sufficient championship points to place Pastrana mathematically out of reach to his closest challengers and thus securing his fourth consecutive Rally America national title. Pastrana has won each of his Rally America championships (2006-2009) behind the wheel of a Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally car.

“It is game-on for the next two rallies,” said Pastrana at podium. “It’s great to drive without any pressure. A lot of the other drivers have had hard a season and bad luck, but things have just gone my way. My Subaru Impreza WRX STI has been perfect all year. It just works for me at every rally, it’s easy to drive and lets me focus on winning.”

“Travis really has transitioned into rally like fish to water ever since his first event with Subaru in 2004,” said James Han, motorsports marketing manager at Subaru of America, Inc. “To think that he has earned four consecutive national titles under Subaru Rally Team USA is all testament to Travis’ skills as a rally driver, thorough preparation by our team partner Vermont SportsCar, and consistent performance capability of the Impreza WRX STI regardless of terrain or driving condition.”

The Ojibwe Forests Rally featured over 130 miles of technical, sandy gravel, forest roads in northern Minnesota, around the town of Bemidji. The event is a favorite amongst rally drivers for its demanding fast and flowing roads and numerous stages run in darkness of night.

The rally began with a duel between Pastrana and his Subaru Rally Team USA teammate Ken Block. Entering the Ojibwe Forests Rally, only Block had a mathematical chance to catch Pastrana in the standings but needed to secure a win to keep his hopes alive. After the first two stages, the highly competitive friends and rivals were separated by just seconds. The challenge however was cut short on stage three when Block impacted a large rock while cutting the inside of a corner that launched his Subaru off the road, hitting a tree and rolling to DNF. Both Block and his co-driver Alex Gelsomino were unharmed in the crash. With Block out of the picture and several of his closest challengers experiencing small problems of their own, Pastrana found himself with a healthy lead early in rally. The driver of the #199 SRT USA car backed off his pace but was still able to win all but three of the event’s fifteen competition stages.

In 2nd place overall for the majority of the event was the third Subaru Rally Team USA entrant of Dave Mirra and co-driver Derek Ringer, driving a 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI in the Super Production class. Mirra drove one of his best events of his young rally career, consistently finishing each stage ahead of the rest of the field and chasing Pastrana while maintaining a healthy lead in the Super Production class. However, on the penultimate stage Mirra’s car suffered an electrical issue that brought his car to halt, ending his run to the podium prematurely. “Everything was going our way and I was driving really well so it’s unfortunate not to finish and get the result on paper,” said Mirra. “My Subaru was running great until that [electrical] problem forced me out of the event. But that’s rally, anything can, and does, usually happen.”

Subaru Rally Team USA is proudly supported by Subaru of America, Inc., Subaru Tecnica International (STI), Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT), DC Shoes, BFGoodrich Tires, DiRT2, RECARO, Alpinestars, Motul, Exedy, GReddy, and Vermont SportsCar. For more information on Subaru Rally Team USA, as well as exclusive photo and video galleries visit rally.subaru.com and for the latest news follow the team on Twitter: twitter.com/srtusa.

Photos: Max Lawton | rally.subaru.com

Subaru Rally Team USA driver Travis Pastrana overcame a close battle with his Subaru teammate Ken Block to win the New England Forest Rally, Round 6 of the 2009 Rally America National Championship. The Subaru duo of Pastrana and Block, each driving identically prepared 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally cars, fought all weekend with former Canadian Rally Champion Antoine L’Estage. Mechanical trouble for L’Estage and a late spin and tire puncture for Block handed Pastrana the victory on the final stages. The win extends Pastrana’s points lead and puts him one step closer to winning his fourth consecutive Rally America National Championship.

The 2009 New England Forest Rally featured highly technical and rocky gravel logging roads near the Maine/New Hampshire border. Pastrana, partnered with his co-driver Christian Edstrom, entered the rally with a 21-point lead over his closest challenger and said his strategy from the start was to avoid taking unnecessary risks and get his car to the finish in one piece. “I wasn’t the fastest driver here this weekend,” said Pastrana. “It was hard to keep up with Block, but we were just close enough to capitalize when he hit some trouble at the end of the rally.” The win at New England is Pastrana and Edstrom’s fourth win from six events this year.

Ken Block and his co-driver Alex Gelsomino were the pace setters for most of the 2009 New England Forest Rally, winning five of the eleven competition stages. However, a spin and a puncture on the final loop of three stages cost Block over twenty-five seconds and allowed Pastrana to slip into the lead. “It’s extremely frustrating,” said Block at the finish. “I put myself in the right position to win and it didn’t work out for us.” Although it wasn’t the victory Block had hoped for the strong 2nd place points haul lifts Block from 5th to 2nd Overall in the Rally America National Championship standings.

A highlight of the rally again this year was the Concord Pond stage, a favorite among drivers and fans for its numerous jumps and serpentine-like flow. Block was able to crush his stage record on the 5.6 mile stage by an impressive eight seconds. “Our Subaru was perfect and the grip was amazing,” said Block. “That stage means a lot to Alex (Gelsomino) and I so to break our record and by such a large margin was really exciting for us.”

In the Super Production Class, Subaru Rally Team USA driver Dave Mirra and his co-driver Derek Ringer were battling for the class lead all weekend when they were hit with an engine problem. With a long stage to go prior to the next service stop Mirra and Ringer opted to retire from the event in order to prevent further damage to the engine.

A contingent of Subaru Rally Team USA heads next to Germany for the Baja 300 Powerdays, where Ken Block will be in has been invited to compete in his Subaru Rally Team USA 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally car. The event will feature a stadium style, two-mile stage in Lausitz, Germany that will feature side-by-side racing with jumps similar to the X Games Rally event. Invited drivers include WRC stars Petter Solberg, Gigi Galli, and Kris Meeke as well as off-road racing and motorcycle racing stars.

Following the promotional Baja 300 Powerdays event will be the much-anticipated X Games 15 to be held again at The Home Depot Center in Carson, CA. The Rally Finals are scheduled to be televised live on ABC television on Sunday, August 2nd, from 3pm EST – 6pm EST.

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, Alpinestars, Motul, Exedy, GReddy, and Vermont SportsCar. For more information on Subaru Rally Team USA, as well as exclusive photo and video galleries visit www.rally.subaru.com and for the latest news follow the team on Twitter: twitter.com/srtusa.

Subaru Rally Team USA’s Travis Pastrana and co-driver Christian Edstrom sailed to their fourth win of the season at the New England Forest Rally Saturday, to further extend their lead in the national championship.

Pastrana entered Round 6 of the Rally America championship with a 21-point lead over his closest challenger, and said his strategy from the start was to avoid taking unnecessary risks and get his car to the finish in one piece.

“It’s hard to know you’ve got that little more speed in reserve and not use it, but it’s that little more that can get you,” he said. “We weren’t the fastest here this weekend, but I’ll take the win however I can get it.”

Ken Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino set a blazing pace at the start, but lost more than 20 seconds to a spin early Saturday afternoon, then had a flat tire. They were unable to make up for lost time in the final stages of the day and finished in second-place overall.

“It’s extremely frustrating,” said Block at the finish. “I put myself in the right position to win and it didn’t work out for us.”

Even so, the result moves Block into second place in the championship, behind teammate Pastrana.

Canadians Antoine L’Estage and co-driver Nathalie Richard were also in the running for a win early in this event, but they lost time to a power steering failure in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X Saturday afternoon and finished in third.

“It’s good to taste champagne again, but I really wanted to win,” said L’Estage after the ceremonial champagne spray. “I thought this morning we had a shot at it.”

L’Estage is developing a new Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X that debuted with Tanner Foust in the US earlier this season under a sharing arrangement. He hasn’t had much luck with the car so far, battling the teething problems that are typical with a new car build. But he says the car has potential and he’s looking forward to the next round.

Bill Bacon and co-driver Peter Watt finished in fourth place; Art Gruszka and co-driver Lukasz Wronski rounded out the top five.

The Super Production class win went to Roman Pakos and Maciej Sawiki in their Subaru STi, while John Conley and Keith Rudolph took the two-wheel drive win in their 2003 Dodge SRT-4.

The roads on this event are generally wide and fast, but peppered with massive rocks that can do big damage to competition cars. As is typical, attrition claimed a number of contenders. Subaru Rally Team USA’s Dave Mirra and co-driver Derek Ringer were out with engine trouble on Saturday, while Andi Mancin and co-driver Maciej Wislawski retired after Day 1, apparently with engine issues of their own.

It was tough luck for both drivers. This event presented a good opportunity for Mirra to make up some ground in the championship against Super Production rivals Piotr Wiktorczyk, Jimmy Keeney, Matt Johnson and Pat Moro – all drivers who are sitting out this round as they prepare for X Games.

The X Games contest is the biggest event on the calendar for invited teams and cars are due on the other side of the continent in just over a week. Open class drivers Andrew “ACP” Comrie-Picard and Tanner Foust have also opted to sit this event out while they prepare for the Los Angeles contest.

The two-wheel drive competition was fierce this weekend, with more than two-dozen drivers running the weekend’s two regional events: Friday’s “Drive Your Future Rally,” presented by the National Guard, and the “I Can’t Drive 55″ Rally on Saturday.

Among those teams is the interesting last-minute entry of Lucy Block and Chrissie Beavis in a Volkswagen Golf. Block is married to Subaru Rally Team USA driver Ken Block and this was her first-ever event as a competitor. Chrissie Beavis is a regular championship co-driver for Foust and competes in California as a driver in the regional series. The duo swapped driving and co-driving duties over the weekend.

Twenty-one teams also signed up to run this event for the MaxAttack! subseries, designed to raise the level of two-wheel drive rally competition. Chris Duplessis and Catherine Woods set the fastest two-wheel drive times in their 1990 Volkswagen GTi during the weekend’s regionals.

For 2009, organizers will pay out a total cash purse of $15,000 USD to be divided among the fastest teams competing in the MaxAttack! events.

All results are considered informational pending official race processes.

- Teammate Travis Pastrana Finishes 2nd and Retains Championship Lead -

Subaru Rally Team USA driver Ken Block earned his second Rally America victory of 2009 with a dominating win at the 2009 Waste Management Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally (STPR). Block and his co-driver Alex Gelsomino were untouchable in their 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, leading from the very first stage and going on to win eight of thirteen competition stages at STPR, round five of the 2009 Rally America National Championship. Block’s Subaru teammate and defending three-time Rally America National Champion Travis Pastrana with co-driver Christian Edstrom made it a 1-2 finish for Subaru Rally Team USA by placing 2nd Overall. Dave Mirra and co-driver Derek Ringer, in Subaru Rally Team USA’s Super Production Class Subaru STI hit a large rock while battling for the class lead and were forced to retire from the event.

The win at STPR is sweet redemption for Ken Block who has experienced hard luck early in the 2009 Rally America season and at past STPR events. The two-day STPR takes place on high-speed, tree lined roads in northern Pennsylvania. “I’ve rolled here, and I DNF’d last year; the year before that I crashed in shakedown and then only made it a stage and a half,” explained Block. “So, to win here with a good clean run is really satisfying. I’ve also had rough luck this season, not finishing three rallies. The win here really helps.”

Block set a blistering pace early at STPR, taking the lead on the first stage and never looking back. After winning all three of Day One’s stages Block had accumulated an impressive one-minute lead. Block could have afforded to throttle back on Day Two but he continued his rapid pace winning five of ten stages to take victory over Travis Pastrana by one minute and twelve seconds. “I’m always pushing myself and always trying to become a better driver so we didn’t really slow down on the second day. Everything was going well and my Subaru was performing flawlessly, so we just kept the pace up and drove smart,” explained Block. “This is such a tough event with really fast roads; you can’t afford to make any mistakes, and winning here means a lot.”

Block’s teammate Travis Pastrana may have been able to challenge Block for the win but a broken right front suspension on only the second stage of the rally cost Pastrana nearly a minute of lost time. Pastrana quickly fought his way from third to second overall and pulled away steadily throughout Day Two to secure a second overall finish. “The goal was to win if you can but podium for sure so we can extend our points lead in the championship,” said Pastrana.

The third Subaru Rally Team USA entry of driver Dave Mirra and co-driver Derek Ringer were gunning for a Super Production class victory in their 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI. The new Super Production (SP) class, a new category for 2009 that features minimally modified, production-based cars has showcased close battles at each rally thus far and STPR was no different. While battling for the class lead midway through the rally Mirra hit a large rock that damaged both left wheels of his Subaru, knocking him out the event. “It was like getting kicked out of a really good party early,” said Mirra. “We just hit a massive embedded rock on the inside of a turn and both left wheels were damaged.”

Vermont-based Subaru Rally Team USA stays close to home for round six, the New England Forest Rally (July 17-18), held on the dusty gravel logging roads along the Maine/New Hampshire border. Visit subaru.com/rally for all the latest team news and photos and follow the team on Twitter at twitter.com/srtusa. 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, Alpinestars, Motul, Exedy, GReddy, and Vermont SportsCar.

Photos: Lars Gange | subaru.com/rally

Subaru Rally Team USA driver Travis Pastrana is back atop the Rally America National Championship standings after winning the 2009 Oregon Trail Rally this past weekend. Pastrana, the three-time defending Rally America National Champion strode to victory in Oregon with a faultless drive behind the wheel of his 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally car, winning by nearly one minute. Pastrana and his co-driver Christian Edstrom have now won three of the first four Rally America rounds and are in prime position to challenge for a fourth consecutive championship with five rounds remaining.

The 2009 Oregon Trail Rally, round four of the 2009 Rally America National Championship, featured over 100 miles of competition on a course that included a mix of twisty, hard-packed forest conditions and wide-open farming roads. The event kicked-off with a night of fan-friendly mixed-surface stages at Portland International Raceway and then moved east to the Mt. Hood area for the remainder of the weekend. The conditions were sunny and bright, making for dry and dusty roads and a visibility challenge for teams.

Pastrana took the lead early on Day Two, and then set a blazing pace later in the day to increase his gap substantially. With a comfortable margin over challengers Tanner Foust and Andrew Comrie Picard, Pastrana was able to cruise to victory on Day Three while a battle ensued behind him for the remaining podium positions. “It was a near perfect rally for us, we fought hard early to establish a lead and then were able to take it easy through the rest of the weekend,” explained Pastrana. “Our Subaru was flawless again, and we have made good progress in finding more speed and drivability with our 2009 STI. My Subaru was an absolute blast to drive this weekend!”

Pastrana now vaults to the lead of the 2009 Rally America National Championship and is in an excellent position to challenge for his fourth consecutive Rally America National Championship. “In the past couple years I’ve had good success at each of the five remaining rounds, “said Pastrana. “The pressure is off just a bit now but this year the competition is much harder and the battles are tighter so I’m sure it won’t be easy!”

The pressure is now shifted onto the shoulders of Pastrana’s Subaru Rally Team USA teammate Ken Block and his co-driver Alex Gelsomino who ran into more bad luck at Oregon. The duo were forced to retire from the rally after sustaining damage to their front left suspension after going off the road due to a tire puncture. “Under braking after a high speed section the car suddenly didn’t want to turn and in an instant I realized it was due to a sudden, and very bad, front left tire puncture. I had no choice but to go off the road and over a ditch, which damaged the front left suspension,” explained a dejected Block. Block has failed to finish three of the first four events but his strong win at the 100 Acre Wood Rally and his commanding speed in each rally give him hope of fighting back. Block re-entered the Oregon Trail Rally on Day Three, for exhibition only, and won all five stages, proving again he has the speed to win.

In the Super Production (SP) Class the story was attrition. Nearly all of the top SP Class finishers encountered problems and failed to finish. But Subaru Rally Team USA driver Dave Mirra with co-driver Derek Ringer stayed trouble-free and drove a smart rally at the wheel of their 2009 Subaru WRX STI to finish first in the SP Class and 6th Overall. During post-race inspection, however, a minor specification infraction on Mirra’s car led race officials to penalize the #40 car of Mirra and Ringer one SP Class position, dropping him to 2nd in SP Class. “There were some great battles early on but then as everyone started to have trouble I just backed off and found a comfortable pace,” said Mirra. “I’ve gotten much more comfortable with the new 2009 STI and feel I was much more consistent with my driving. The best is yet to come.”

Subaru Rally Team USA now transits back to the east coast for the Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally (June 5-6) and then on to the New England Forest Rally (July 17-18).

Follow Subaru Rally Team USA on Twitter: www.twitter.com/srtusa

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, Alpinestars, Motul, Exedy, GReddy, and Vermont SportsCar. Visit www.subaru.com/rally for Subaru Rally Team USA photo galleries, news and team information.

Photos by Lars Gange

Subaru Rally Team USA driver Travis Pastrana took the win this weekend at the Oregon Trail Rally, and moved into the championship lead.

“It was an amazing rally,” said Pastrana. “That’s three wins and a tree this season – not so bad.”

The defending champion and co-driver Christian Edstrom set a blazing pace to pull into the lead early on Day 2, and held it there to the finish. It’s the third win in four starts for the duo in their Subaru WRX STi.

Second place went to Rockstar Energy’s Tanner Foust and co-driver Chrissie Beavis. The team put in a consistent drive all weekend and were cruising to their second-place finish when they spun out on the final stage and struck a rock with their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X – almost costing them a position. They managed to hold on, finishing just 3.6 seconds ahead of the Polish team of Andi Mancin and co-driver Maciej Wislawski.

“It was a pretty clean rally the whole way,” said Foust. “Subarus are known for being really tough and I think our Evo X has proven tough this weekend, too. She brought us all the way home after we hit the rock and we’re pretty pleased to get second.”

It was the first U.S. podium for Mancin and Wislawski, who have proven at this event that they can match the pace of Rally America’s top drivers. Mancin said late Sunday that racing with the Jemba system of notes – as is typical in this championship – is something that has taken some getting used to. This is the first full season in the series for the Polish duo, who are accustomed to making their own pace notes from scratch.

“I’m very happy, it’s a very significant result for our team,” said Mancin, who pilots a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX. “These were very difficult stages – but they were beautiful.”

A flat tire on Day 2 cost the NOS Energy crew of Andrew Comrie-Picard and co-driver Robbie Durant a minute to the leaders, and they finished in fourth place in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX, just 2.8 seconds behind Mancin. It was a disappointment for Picard, who had battled hard to regain the podium. The finish drops him from first to third in the championship standings, behind Pastrana and second-place Foust.

“That flat tire yesterday was really tough to overcome and the times were incredibly close the end,” said Comrie-Picard. “We had been clawing back time since yesterday but I have to hand it to Andi – he drove a great race.”

Rounding out the top five were Arkadiusz Gruszka and co-driver Lukasz Wronski.

Subaru Rally Team USA’s Dave Mirra and co-driver Derek Ringer took the win in the competitive Super Production class and finished sixth overall. Heavy attrition in the Super Production class this weekend saw Matt Johnson and Piotr Wiktorcszyk retire early and Mirra said all he had to do was hang on and keep it clean.

“A lot of it is just trying to find a pace,” said Mirra. “It’s great to be in this class with so many competitive drivers.”

Young Dillon Van Way and co-driver Benjamin Slocum scored another win in the two-wheel drive class. This is Van Way’s first season of competition and he’s proven a reliable finisher in his Ford Focus.

All results are considered informational pending official race administrative processes.

Ken Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino found themselves also out of the contest early after yet another bout of bad luck at this event. A flat tire and damage to a control arm meant their rally ended on Day 2. The poor finish makes three DNFs in four starts for Block. He and Gelsomino returned to the action Sunday for a fun run at the regional contest and even though they didn’t score points, they set some of the fastest times of the day.

“It’s getting a little frustrating,” said Block. “I have the speed, I feel, to win every single one of these… I thought I had some bad luck last year and it’s getting worse this year.”

Teams at this event are also competing for a shot at X Games gold this summer. With six drivers already invited, there are four spots open to top-scoring competitors after the first five rounds of the series. Pastrana, Block, Comrie-Picard, Foust, Mirra and Johnson are expected to return to the Los Angeles event. Mancin, Wiktorcszyk are among the top contenders for the remaining positions.

Rally America will also extend X Games invitations to two additional so-called “at-large” drivers, who have not yet been named.

The Oregon Trail Rally took place over 100 miles of competition on a course that includes a mix of twisty, hard-packed forest conditions and wide-open farming roads. The Mount Hood area’s hilly terrain meant plenty of elevation changes throughout the contest. The conditions were sunny and bright, making for dry and dusty roads and a visibility challenge for teams.

Many fans took advantage of the beautiful weather this weekend, turning out by the hundreds to take in the action at the Portland International Raceway, and the Mount Hood spectator areas.

Rally activities began on Thursday with a kick-off car show in downtown Portland. Key series players and their cars made an appearance Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse Square for a midday display where fans had the opportunity to meet with their favorite drivers and check out their race machines. The action continued at the Portland International Raceway on Friday evening, with a short super special stage that used sections of both the tarmac and motocross tracks and drew an estimated 1,500 fans.

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 take 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.

The 2009 Rally America National Championship series consists of nine exciting events throughout the country in many different weather and road conditions. The championship moves east to Pennsylvania for Round 5, the Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally in Wellsboro on June 5 and 6.

Top teams in the series are also invited to compete in the Summer X Games, the leading action sports event broadcast live on ABC and ESPN. Among the marques typically represented in Rally America events are Subaru, Mitsubishi, Dodge, Ford and Volkswagen.

Subaru Rally Team USA driver Travis Pastrana took his second win of the season at the Olympus Rally on Sunday, after a fierce Day 2 battle with Andrew “ACP” Comrie-Picard.

“It was awesome – we tied to the 10th of a second on the first stage of the last leg,” said Pastrana the finish. “The competition was amazing.”

Pastrana and co-driver Christian Edstrom hauled into the lead at the Olympus Rally early Sunday, after their Subaru teammate Ken Block suffered a turbo problem and dropped off the pace.

NOS Energy’s Andrew “ACP” Comrie-Picard and co-driver Robbie Durant finished in second place overall, unable to make up time to the Subaru crew in the final stages while fighting an ailing transmission.

“We lost third and fourth gear in the last two stages today, and had to hold it in fifth,” said Comrie-Picard late Sunday. “But this finish means we’re still in the championship lead, and we’re happy.”

Comrie-Picard and Pastrana traded times all weekend, entering Day 2 one-two, separated by only two seconds.

In third place was the Rockstar Energy Team of Tanner Foust and co-driver Chrissie Beavis, who had been in the hunt for the lead early on but suffered trouble with their transmission late Saturday that put them at a disadvantage.

After overnight repairs, Foust and Beavis were forced to start Sunday’s stages with a replacement synchromesh transmission and they spent the day fighting to stay on the pace. It’s the duo’s second run in the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X.

“It was pretty good out there,” said Foust. “We were battling on the first day and putting good time on Travis until we had our problem – it’s a promising thing for the car.”

Top Open class cars use a dog-engagement gearbox that allows the drivers to shift without using the clutch – saving them time on every corner. Teams say it’s worth a second per mile and while Foust’s technical skills meant he put up an able fight, he was unable to catch the leaders.

The result means Comrie-Picard holds onto the championship lead with 48 points, followed by Pastrana and Foust, who are tied for second with 45 points apiece.

In fourth place were Polish ace Andi Mancin and co-driver Maciej Wislawski, followed by Super Production class winner Pitor Wiktorczyk and co-driver Grzegorz Dorman in fifth.

Young driver Dillon Van Way and Joshua Knott took top honors in the two-wheel drive class in their 2002 Ford Focus

Wiktorczyk and Dorman had been battling with Matt Johnson and co-driver Jeremy Wimpey for the Super Production class lead on Day 1, but brake failure for the latter duo took them out of contention.

Subaru Rally Team USA’s newest member, Dave Mirra, and co-driver Derek Ringer were reported out of the rally late on Day 2. Mirra had said he was struggling to adjust to his new Subaru WRX STi.

Drivers smashed the stage record on the Brooklyn Stage on Sunday, with Pastrana, Foust and Comrie-Picard all wiping out Carl Jardevall’s top time of 6:33, set in 2004. After Sunday’s run, the new record holder is Pastrana, with a time of 6:27.9.

Subaru’s Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino suffered a turbo failure early Sunday and dropped out of podium contention. Team mechanics were able to repair the trouble, but they withdrew from the contest after further mechanical problems.

Weather in the region is notoriously unpredictable at this time of year, but the rally was clear and dry throughout. Teams lined up in Aberdeen, Washington, for the opening Parc Expose under sunny skies Saturday morning and, after a sprinkle of rain overnight, the sunshine continued until the Sunday finish.

The storied Olympus Rally is relatively new to the Rally America calendar, having returned to the national series in 2007. But the event has a lengthy history.

It was first run as a national event in 1973 and was a favorite stop on World Rally Championship calendar from 1986 to 1988. Rally racing legends including Rod Millen, Juha Kankkunen and American John Buffum are among those who have claimed victories at the famed contest.

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 take 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.

Top teams in the series are also invited to compete in the 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 marques typically represented in Rally America events are Subaru, Mitsubishi, Dodge, Ford and Volkswagen.

For the second straight year, Subaru Rally Team USA driver Ken Block has won Rally New York USA in dominating fashion, gapping the closest finisher by nearly three minutes in his Monster Energy 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI. Block and his co-driver Alex Gelsomino were nearly untouchable on the slick, rain-soaked tarmac roads and won an incredible 18 of 23 stages. Rally New York USA featured over 100 miles of high-speed technical asphalt roads in the southern Catskill Mountains of New York, about 90 miles north of New York City.

Rally New York USA does not serve as a round in the 2009 Rally America National Championship, where Block currently sits tied for 3rd overall in the standings after winning round two, the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood. Block entered Rally New York USA to extend his experience on tarmac, this being Block’s second full rally ever on the surface. The event also featured FIA style two-pass reconnaissance which Block and Gelsomino are always keen to gain more experience. Block entered the event with his older specification Open Class 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI because his 2009 spec Subaru STI is in-transit to the west cost for the upcoming Olympus Rally.

Rainy conditions throughout the weekend made for extremely slick conditions, but Block drove a mistake-free rally and was never seriously challenged. “This was only my second tarmac event and I think my experience here last year really helped,” explained Block. “We drove a clean and consistent rally and our Subaru was perfect as usual, so we were able to push when we wanted to. It all paid off with a great win.”

Subaru Rally Team USA heads next to the legendary Olympus Rally, round 3 of the 2009 Rally America National Championship, where Block will be in action with Subaru teammates Travis Pastrana and Dave Mirra.

For behind the scenes news and updates please follow Subaru Rally Team USA on Twitter: www.twitter.com/srtusa

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, Alpinestars, Motul, Exedy, GReddy, and Vermont SportsCar. Visit www.subaru.com/rally for Subaru Rally Team USA photo galleries, news and team information.

Ken Block action photos please credit: Neil McDaid
Ken Block candid photo please credit: Lars Gange

Subaru Rally Team USA driver Travis Pastrana and co-driver Derek Ringer have won the 2008 Oregon Trail Rally with a faultless drive at the wheel of their 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally car. Pastrana, the two-time defending Rally America National Champion, pulled away from the field on the very first stage and cruised to victory after a majority of his challengers retired from the rally due to a mixture of mistakes and mechanical difficulties. This marks the first victory for Pastrana this season and his first victory with his new co-driver, former WRC Champion Derek Ringer of Scotland.

The technical, dusty gravel roads of the Oregon Trail Rally, round four of the 2008 Rally America National Championship, proved extremely challenging for North America’s top rally drivers as nearly half the field succumbed to crashes or other off-road excursions. Included in this attrition was Pastrana’s teammate Ken Block and his co-driver Alex Gelsomino who slid their #43 Subaru wide and dropped into a ditch while sitting in second place overall on day two of the rally. "There was a misleading stage note that caught me out, we slid a bit wide and into a ditch and just got stuck there," said Block. "It was so frustrating because the car was totally fine and undamaged, and I had not been pushing at all."

It seemed as though only Pastrana made it through the rally unscathed as he drove mistake-free while his Subaru rally car ran flawlessly all weekend. Only a tire puncture near the end of the rally caused some concern for Pastrana, but with over a three minute lead over second place overall, Pastrana was not bothered by it. "We had some trouble finding our rhythm early in the rally, but then it all just came together and I just started driving smooth and fast while it seemed everyone around me was hitting trouble, it was a wild event," explained Pastrana. "The roads were just amazing, lots of fun but very challenging. This win puts us right at the front of the championship hunt." Pastrana moves up to 2nd Overall in the Rally America standings, just one point from first overall.

Pastrana and his Subaru Rally Team USA crew now head overseas to Greece for their second event of the 2008 Production World Rally Championship (P-WRC) campaign. The Acropolis Rally, May 30-June 1, is round seven of the 2008 World Rally Championship and will serve as Pastrana’s second P-WRC this year, having competed in Rally Argentina in March.

Further team information and photo/video galleries can be found at www.subaru.com/rally .

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