PRESS RELEASE February 18, 2022
2022 Sno*Drift Rally Preview
After a remarkable 2021 season that saw the team
capture national championships in both rally and rallycross,
Subaru Motorsports USA returns to the rally stages February
18-19 at Sno*Drift Rally. With the 2021 American Rally Association
(ARA) Drivers’ Champion Travis Pastrana sidelined by injury,
Brandon Semenuk will pilot his #180 WRX STI on the slick and
snowbank-lined forest roads around Atlanta, Michigan. He will
be joined by co-driver Keaton Williams in the pair’s first
competitive event together.
Sno*Drift is one of the most unique and challenging rounds
on the ARA calendar; it is the only true winter rally on the
National schedule, and traction-enhancing tire studs, commonly
used when rallying on icy surfaces, are not permitted due to
Michigan state law. The stages range from hardpacked snow to
polished ice, grip levels can change significantly throughout
the day as temperatures rise and fall, and snowbanks present
a constant danger to cars that stray too far from the correct
line. Tire choice is a critical concern to maximize the limited
grip.
Quote from Brandon Semenuk
"The end of the 2021 season feels like forever ago now,
and I have been patiently waiting to get back in the car! The
slate has been cleaned and everyone will be jockeying for position
for the 2022 season, but with Sno*Drift offering up the trickiest
conditions of the ARA championship, you never know what will
happen"
As a longtime competitor in the Canadian Rally Championship
before joining Subaru Motorsports USA in 2020, Semenuk brings
a wealth of winter rally experience to his second outing at
Sno*Drift. His second-place finish in 2021 included three stage
wins on a shortened one-day, 12-stage schedule. With the event
returning to its traditional two-day schedule for 2022, and
the return of spectators after a COVID-limited 2021 event, Sno*Drift
promises to be a tough and thrilling kick-off to the 2022 rally
season.
PRESS RELEASE: November 8, 2021
Subaru and Travis Pastrana Seal 2021 American
Rally Association Championship
Subaru Motorsports USA driver Travis Pastrana
secured the 2021 American Rally Association (ARA) overall driver’s
championship at this weekend’s Oregon Trail Rally, with
co-driver Rhianon Gelsomino taking the co-driver’s championship.
The 2021 crown represents the fourteenth overall U.S. rally
title for Subaru since 2006, as well as Pastrana’s sixth
and first since 2017. Subaru teammates Brandon Semenuk and John
Hall in the second Subaru Motorsports USA WRX STI rally car
took the Oregon Trail overall victory—their first of 2021—and
secured third in the driver’s and co-driver’s championships
behind the Hoonigan Racing Division WRX STI of Ken Block and
Alex Gelsomino.
“Great rally, great season!” said Pastrana after
the event. “This was such a blast to come out here and
be able to race flat out knowing we had done what we needed
to win the title. Rhianon did a great job all year and we worked
hard to elevate our game after we missed out on the championship
in 2020, so it’s an incredible feeling to have that payoff.”
“It’s such a good feeling to be top of the podium
in the overall championship!” said Gelsomino. “I’ve
been able to win titles in two-wheel drive before but this is
my first top class championship here in America--and it was
definitely extra fun to beat my husband in the process.”
Pastrana and Gelsomino took charge of the 2021 title race from
the outset, storming out of the gate with consecutive wins at
Sno*Drift Rally, 100 Acre Wood Rally and Olympus Rally to build
a commanding championship lead early in the year. After a second-place
finish at Southern Ohio Forest Rally in June and a roll at New
England Forest Rally in July, Pastrana and Gelsomino returned
to winning form with a fourth victory at August’s Ojibwe
Forests Rally to put the title virtually out of reach of their
competitors. A runner-up finish at Oregon Trail made it four
wins and two second-place finishes for a final tally of 122
championship points out of a possible 132.
Semenuk and Hall, competing in their first full season with
Subaru Motorsports USA after a pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign,
took second at Sno*Drift, followed by fourth at 100 Acre Wood
with mechanical issues and an event-ending crash while fighting
for the lead at Olympus. The crew of the #180 Subaru recovered
with a third-place finish at Southern Ohio and second at New
England. Oregon’s final round proved to be their best
performance of the year, with a fast and near-flawless drive
on Saturday to overtake Pastrana and Ken Block/Alex Gelsomino
for the lead early in the day followed by a well-managed Sunday
to lock up th
PRESS RELEASE: August 30, 2021
Subaru and Travis Pastrana Earn Ojibwe
Rally Win and Secure National Rally Championship
Detroit Lakes, Minn. – August 30, 2021 –
Subaru Motorsports USA driver Travis Pastrana and co-driver
Rhianon Gelsomino won Minnesota’s Ojibwe Forests Rally,
earning their fourth victory through six events of the 2021
American Rally Association (ARA) National Championship season
and repeating their 2020 win at the Ojibwe event. Since teaming
up for the first time at this rally last year, the crew of the
#199 Subaru WRX STI have racked up five wins and eight podium
finishes over nine events and have now earned enough points
to provisionally secure the ARA overall driver’s and co-driver’s
championships.
“It feels great, but it’s a relief!”
said Pastrana after the win. “The team did an amazing
job getting our car back in one piece after our roll in New
England last month. Rhi and I really went after it on Friday
since those are statistically my best stages in the championship
and managed to pick up a couple stage records in the process.
Good battle with Ken on Saturday but we did what we had to do
to bring it home!”
With 2020 ARA champion Barry McKenna of McKenna
Motorsport sidelined due to other commitments and teammates
Brandon Semenuk and John Hall retiring from the rally due to
a roll in pre-event testing, Pastrana and Gelsomino found themselves
in an ideal position to secure decisive championship points.
However, longtime Pastrana rival Ken Block and Rhianon’s
husband Alex Gelsomino had the opportunity to play spoiler in
their #43 Hoonigan Racing Division WRX STI. Knowing that no
less than a win on his favorite event would mathematically secure
the title, Pastrana attacked on the first two stages, storming
to a 20-second lead on SS1 and stretching it to nearly 40 seconds
after SS2. The 2017 ARA champion left no doubt of his aggressive
strategy or his raw pace on Friday’s sandy roads, winning
the next six to complete a clean sweep of all eight of the first
day’s stages.
Stormy conditions on Saturday threatened to put
the result in doubt, as the rain left the stages dotted with
slick and treacherous sections that produced a high level of
attrition among the field. Running first on the slippery roads,
Pastrana and Gelsomino adopted a more conservative strategy
in the rain and ceded two stage wins to Block in the morning
before winning back eight seconds of their lead on SS11. With
nearly a minute in hand and only two full-length stages plus
a pair of half-mile super specials remaining, the #199 crew
navigated cautiously through the afternoon stages to bring home
the victory by a margin of over 30 seconds. Subaru Motorsports
USA will be back in competition September 24-25 at Utah Motorsports
Campus as the Nitro Rallycross series kicks off its five-round
season. Pastrana and Gelsomino will return to the rally stages
October 15-16 at Lake Superior Performance Rally in Michigan’s
upper peninsula before wrapping up the ARA season at November’s
Oregon Trail Rally.
PRESS RELEASE: June 13, 2021
Subaru Claims Double Podium at Southern Ohio Forest
Rally
Subaru
Motorsports USA earned a double podium at Southern Ohio Forest
Rally after a chaotic weekend that saw fast-changing weather,
stage cancellations, mechanical issues and some of the tightest
and narrowest roads on the calendar. Travis Pastrana and Rhianon
Gelsomino took home second-place points to continue their lead
in the driver’s championship, while Brandon Semenuk and
John Hall finished third.
Southern Ohio again presented problems for the Subaru team
in 2021 after a 2020 event that saw Travis Pastana’s return
to the team spoiled by an engine fire. Unfortunately, Pastrana’s
chance to fight for the win ended early with stalling issues
on the Friday evening stages. The standout of the day was Semenuk,
who drove well in the rainy Friday conditions and led the rally
overnight, looking to be in a strong position for Day 2 sitting
first on the road.
Saturday morning brought an unusual shift in the rally schedule,
as communication system failures forced the cancellation of
five of the first six stages of the day. By mid-afternoon the
rally was reorganized with a new stage schedule—the three
stages originally planned to run in the morning would be run
in a double loop to complete the rally, cutting the event total
from 15 to ten stages. Semenuk, who had surrendered the lead
to Barry McKenna on SS6—the sole morning stage completed—stayed
in the lead fight with solid stage times until an electrical
issue on the second loop cost him more than two minutes and
dropped him to third behind Pastrana.
With three wins and a second-place finish in the books, Pastrana
now leads the ARA title race with 83 points over McKenna in
second with 50. Semenuk sits third with 43 points, with Ken
Block holding 34 in fourth.
Subaru Motorsports USA will be back in action in July at New
England Forest Rally, the team’s home event.
PRESS RELEASE: April 26, 2021
Olympus Rally
Subaru and Travis Pastrana Capture Third Consecutive
Rally Win to Open 2021 Season
Subaru Motorsports USA driver Travis Pastrana and co-driver
Rhianon Gelsomino took their third straight overall victory
to open the 2021 American Rally Association (ARA) season at
this weekend’s DirtFish Olympus Rally, giving the #199
crew a commanding lead in the ARA championship chase. Pastrana
and Subaru teammate Brandon Semenuk now sit first and third
in the season standings with three rounds of the nine-event
calendar complete.
“Great weekend here in Washington!” said Pastrana
after the event. “We came in looking for a podium to keep
us in good position in the standings and ended up coming away
with a win—sometimes it’s about being in the right
place at the right time. These roads are amazing and Brandon
was really on it, great to have Ken Block back in the fight
too. Rhi and I were happy to get the points and take a solid
lead in the championship with six rounds to go!”
A favorite of drivers and fans alike, Olympus Rally is notorious
for rain, fast-changing road conditions, and some of the most
scenic and challenging stages on the American calendar. With
defending champion Barry McKenna and his Ford Fiesta WRC unfortunately
sidelined due to a family issue, the fight for Open Class honors
was between the two blue and gold Subaru Motorsports USA entries
of Pastrana and Semenuk and the newly debuted #43 Hoonigan Racing
Division WRX STI of Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino.
With weather on Day 1 shifting between drizzle and hard rain,
Pastrana won SS1 and SS3 to open a lead of just under seven
seconds over Semenuk and John Hall on the first stage loop.
The Canadian crew struck back quickly on the second loop, taking
SS5 and SS6 and cutting the lead to 3.6 seconds, but the 18-mile
Wildcat stage would bring misfortune for the pair as Saturday
drew to a close. After taking a full second out of Pastrana
through the first sector of the stage to put the outright lead
into reach, Semenuk was caught out by a slippery transition
onto a bridge which left the car with a hard hit on the driver’s
side and ended his weekend.
With the hard-charging #180 out, Pastrana was left with a lead
of 47.3 seconds over Ken Block with only four stages left to
run on Sunday. A smart Day 2 drive highlighted by two more stage
wins gave Pastrana and Rhianon Gelsomino a win of just under
a minute. Block’s second-place finish in his first rally
in a Subaru since 2009 moved him past both McKenna and Semenuk
and into second in the driver’s championship, while Rhianon
Gelsomino now leads husband Alex in first and second positions
in the co-driver’s title hunt.
Subaru Motorsports USA will return to the ARA championship
at Southern Ohio Forest Rally, June 11-12.
PRESS RELEASE: March 22, 2021
Subaru and Travis Pastrana Take Second Consecutive
Win at 100 Acre Wood
Salem,
Mo. – March 22, 2021 – Subaru Motorsports USA driver
Travis Pastrana and co-driver Rhianon Gelsomino brought home
their second straight win to open the 2021 American Rally Association
(ARA) season at Missouri’s 100 Acre Wood Rally, outlasting
a strong Open Class field that included longtime Pastrana rival
Ken Block and defending champion Barry McKenna. Brandon Semenuk
and John Hall took a fourth-place finish in the second blue
and gold WRX STI rally car, securing first and second for Subaru
in the ARA championship standings.
“Two wins in two events, right where we want to be!”
said Pastrana after the event. “This weekend was always
going to be tough with the road conditions. Rhi and I had some
luck with other teams hitting trouble, but we had been pushing
flat out on day 1 on these super fast stages and put ourselves
in a good position to take advantage. The last two loops today
were really rough, so we focused on protecting the car and were
able to hang on.”
100 Acre Wood is a staple of the ARA championship, infamous
for high speeds, variable weather and road conditions and its
iconic Cattle Guard jump. The 2021 running delivered high drama
thanks to a fast entry list, pre-event rains that created slick
surfaces and large water crossings, and high attrition over
the fourteen-stage event.
Pastrana found himself in an early fight for the lead on day
1, winning two of the six Friday stages and settling into second
place just behind McKenna. Semenuk, just off the pace early
in the day, settled into a rhythm on the second loop and managed
to overhaul Ken Block for third.
The rough conditions began to take a toll early on Saturday,
as Semenuk damaged a radiator fan on an SS8 water splash and
dropped behind Block with cooling issues. McKenna had a catastrophic
tire failure on SS9, surrendering first to Pastrana and Gelsomino.
With conditions growing rougher later in the day, the #199 crew
carefully defended their lead for the last two loops and finished
with a 29-second margin over Block in second. Semenuk and Hall
held third through SS11 but were eventually outpaced by a hard-charging
McKenna, ending a streak of five consecutive podiums for the
Canadian pair but still bringing critical championship points.
Subaru Motorsports USA will be back in action April 24-25 at
Olympus Rally in the forests of Washington state.
About Subaru Rally Team USA
Subaru Rally Team USA is managed by Vermont SportsCar and proudly
supported by Subaru of America, Inc., Subaru Tecnica International
(STI), Method Race Wheels, DirtFish Rally School, DMACK Tires,
and PIAA. Follow the team online at www.subaru.com/rally
About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy
Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered at a zero-landfill office
in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru
vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than
600 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are
manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of
Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production
plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National
Wildlife Federation. For additional information visit media.subaru.com.