RALLY AMERICA TEAM UPDATES featuring Ken Block and Travis Pastrana.

Hello everyone. I recieve these press releases from Rally America and Vermont Sportscar who makes the Scoobies. what better group than MNSubaru to share them with. If you like them I will continue to update as I get them. I also recieve pictures of the event if anyone wants to see them, let me know. thanks.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ken Block Earns Dominating Win on Tarmac Rally Debut

(April 7, 2008) Subaru Rally Team USA driver Ken Block dominated this past weekend's Rally New York USA event, earning a convincing win by over four minutes in his Monster Energy 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI. Block and his co-driver Alex Gelsomino entered the event with the intent to gain FIA-style reconnaissance experience and for personal enjoyment. This rally does not serve as a round in the 2008 Rally America National Championship, where Block currently tops the standings after winning round two, the 100 Acre Wood Rally.

Rally New York USA featured over 100 miles of high speed and technical asphalt roads in the Catskill Mountains of New York. Rainy conditions on the first day of competition made the roads slick, but it was mechanical troubles that caught out Block's closest rivals early into the event. Block and Gelsomino then ran away with the event, winning 23 of 27 stages on their way to a nearly four-and-a-half minute victory.

"I really enjoy the tarmac form of rally because it is so different and more technical than gravel, you have to be so precise, but that challenge is what made it such an amazing experience.", said Block. "We were here primarily to get some more reconnaissance experience but I have wanted to run a full tarmac event for a long while now. I adapted better than I expected to the tarmac and I am looking forward to racing some more tarmac events again sometime in the future." The Rally America National Championship does not feature any full tarmac rallies, although several of the gravel events do incorporate one or more tarmac or mixed-tarmac stages.

Block and Gelsomino, along with their Subaru Rally Team USA teammates Travis Pastrana and co-driver Derek Ringer, will be back in action at the Olympus Rally, round three of the 2008 Rally America National Championship, April 19-20, 2008, in and around Pomeroy, Washington.

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. Visit www.subaru.com/rally for Subaru Rally Team USA photo galleries, news and team information.

 

Nice. But Rally New York isn't a Rally-America event

 

It was covered

 

thanks

I will post them as I get them, there are usually 3 per event depending on how Travis and Ken are doing.

 

Rally America update. Block and Pastrana finish 1-2

complete web photo gallery: http://www.rally.subaru.com/event_2008_olympus_gallery1.html

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Subaru Rally Team USA Dominates Olympus Rally with 1-2 Finish

(April 20, 2008) Subaru Rally Team USA dominated this weekend's Olympus Rally, in eastern Washington with drivers Ken Block and Travis Pastrana scoring an impressive 1-2 finish. Rally winner Ken Block, at the wheel of his BFGoodrich Tires-shod 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI led from the start of the rally and was the class of the field, winning or tying 12 of the 16 total stages. Block's teammate, two-time defending Rally America National Champion Travis Pastrana finished just twenty four seconds behind in second overall. This is the second 1-2 finish in a row for Subaru Rally Team USA, and Block now has a commanding lead in the championship, with Pastrana moving up to fourth with 6 rounds remaining in the Rally America National Championship series.

The Olympus Rally, round three of the 2008 Rally America National Championship has traditionally been held near Seattle, Washington, on technical forest logging roads. But the event's roads recently sustained storm damage and the rally organizers scrambled to find an alternative venue. The solution was a move to the high speed, wide-open gravel roads of Pomeroy, Washington, over 270 miles east of Seattle.

Block has proven himself a dominant force on high-speed roads like those in Pomeroy and he and co-driver Alex Gelsomino continued that trend from the start of the Olympus Rally by grabbing the lead on the opening stage and never looking back. "The speeds here were amazing," said Block. "We hit 135mph on one stage and later had some drama on another when we drove on the rim at over 120mph after losing a tire due to a puncture!" This is Block's third successive rally victory after winning The 100 Acre Wood Rally (Round 2), and Rally New York, an all tarmac, non-championship event. "This is a great way to start the season, and it gives me a lot of confidence going forward." explained Block at the podium.

Running first on the road, Pastrana and his co-driver Derek Ringer were slowed as they were forced to contend with sweeping the loose gravel roads clean for the drivers behind them after starting the rally first car on the road. "The roads all had a lot of loose gravel on the surface so being first on the road was difficult," said Pastrana. "We were just trying our best to keep within reach of Ken [Block], but he was just flying. On day two, with better road position, we started to win stages and claw back some time but there just were not enough miles left to catch him. But the points here help our championship hopes, we are back in it."

Subaru Rally Team USA will remain on the west coast for the next round,the Oregon Trail Rally, May 16-18th, 2008, in Hillsboro, Oregon.

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. Visit www.subaru.com/rally for Subaru Rally Team USA photo galleries, news and team information.

 

Subaru Rally Team USA In Current Subaru Television Commercial fo

In case nobody has seen this commercial yet!!

(April 29, 2008) Subaru of America, Inc. has released a new 30-second television commercial featuring footage of Subaru Rally Team USA! The new spot, for the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, includes some of the best video highlights the team has garnered over the past few years, with jumps, slides and action from drivers Travis Pastrana, Ken Block and the late Colin McRae.

The commercial aired nationally last week on ESPN and Versus channels and can also be found on YouTube here:


The YouTube version currently has over 280,000 views in just two weeks! Here are some impressive YouTube stats as of April 29th:

#3 - Most Viewed (This Month) - Autos & Vehicles
#2 - Top Favorites (This Month) - Autos & Vehicles
#5 - Top Rated (This Month) - Autos & Vehicles
#36 - Most Discussed (This Month) - Autos & Vehicles

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. Visit www.subaru.com/rally for Subaru Rally Team USA photo galleries, news and team information.

 

New Rally America Team Gear And Apparel From Dc Shoes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



DC Shoes Debuts Subaru Rally Team USA Gear and Apparel

(May 1, 2008) Subaru of America, Inc. and DC Shoes are proud to announce a new partnership that will bring Subaru Rally Team USA (SRT USA) gear for sale to the consumer public. The partnership in creating the official SRT USA Gear program will establish DC Shoes as supplier for Subaru Rally Team USA and SRT USA-branded consumer gear plus apparel. DC Shoes, known worldwide for their performance skateboarding shoes and skate/snow apparel has been a major sponsor of Subaru Rally Team USA and both team drivers, Travis Pastrana and Ken Block, since 2005.

For the very first time, the same apparel that DC Shoes supplies to SRT USA will now be selectively available for sale to the public and will include shirts, jackets, hooded sweatshirts and shoes. The apparel line will also offer exclusive items inspired by SRT USA drivers Travis Pastrana and Ken Block.

"With the growing notoriety of our rally team, it became increasingly apparent that a market demand exists for consumer-accessible team gear and even a separate line of Travis and Ken branded apparel under the SRT USA umbrella," cites James Han of Subaru of America, Inc. "Considering DC Shoes' sponsorship commitment to Subaru Rally Team USA along with their strong reputation for quality and producing desirable apparel, partnering with them on this program was a natural fit."

"We are excited about this new partnership with Subaru and the rally team," said Nick Adcock DC President. "The team and products are very popular, and it's great that fans now have the opportunity to buy this authentic DC/Subaru rally gear that was formerly exclusive. Our goal is to make this some of the most innovative gear and merchandise in the market, while reflecting DC's authentic style and commitment to quality and function."

SRT USA Gear will be sold through Subaru dealerships across the USA as well as through DC Shoes' online store. Initial roll-out of the apparel line will feature t-shirts that are available immediately, with additional items scheduled to debut the summer of 2008 to coincide with X Games 14. Go to http://www.dcshoes.com/rally to view the items currently available.

About DC Shoes:

Founded by Ken Block and Damon Way in 1993, DC Shoes has grown to be one of the leading action sports brands in the world. The leader in performance skateboarding shoes, DC's product line includes men's and women's casual apparel, snowboards, snowboard boots and outerwear, and a full line of accessories. DC Shoes is a major sponsor of both Subaru Rally Team USA and of Travis Pastrana. The company provides Subaru Rally Team USA with custom shoes, clothing and apparel.

About Subaru of America, Inc.:

Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes all-wheel drive Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of nearly 600 dealers across the United States. Subaru is the only car company that offers Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive as standard equipment on every vehicle in its model line.

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New Shirts for Rally America

Chris who is the head promotion dude for Vermont Motorsports was weaing the main t-shirt that is black with the DC logo's on the shouldersat the Bemidji event last year. I begged him to make this available to the public. So now it is! (Not that i had anything to do with it) I have ordered 2 last night. I think the regular clothes that Rally America sells at the events is kinda lame. I do have one that features the cars of Ken, Travis and Tanner that is autographed but i hope the new clothes from DC will be cool. I will send updates as I get them.

 

^ where can we get this gear?

 

the link is on the upper thread

http://www.dcshoes.com/rally

 

Bemidji, my home town. Every summer rally cars start driving through town, reminding me of the fact that I can never make it to the events... Until this year :biggrin:

 

Subaru Rally Team in Oregon Trail Rally

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Subaru Rally Team USA Hits The Oregon Trail


(May 14, 2008) Subaru Rally Team USA lands in Portland, Oregon, this week for the Oregon Trail Rally, round four of the 2008 Rally America National Championship. The event kicks off on Friday, May 16th as Subaru drivers Travis Pastrana and Ken Block first tackle several mixed surface stages at Portland International Raceway. Then, on Saturday and Sunday, the real rallying begins, with competition covering nearly 120 miles of serpentine gravel logging roads west of Portland in the Tillamook State Forest. Pastrana and Block will be at the wheel of their Open Class, BFGoodrich Tires-shod 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally cars.

Ken Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino will be looking to extend their lead in the Rally America National Championship after winning the last two rounds in convincing fashion. "This will be the first event in many races where there is no pre-event recce (reconnaissance), so that will make it tricky not just for us, but for everybody," explained Block. "We are going to rally with an eye at collecting more championship points to increase our championship lead."

Pastrana and co-driver Derek Ringer sit 4th Overall in the championship, after finishing 2nd overall behind Block in the last two events. "I am looking forward to the more technical mountain roads of Oregon," said Pastrana. "The season is just getting started but Ken Block has set himself as the man to beat. If we can't stop him here, I think the rest of us are in for a long season!"

Subaru Rally Team USA and other leading Rally America drivers will be signing autographs alongside their rally cars at Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland on Thursday from 11am-1pm. Pastrana and his Subaru rally car will also make an appearance at the Thursday Night Motocross at Portland International Raceway from 7:00pm-8:30pm where he will sign autographs. The Oregon Trail Rally begins at 5:00pm on Friday at the Portland International Raceway and then continues through Saturday and Sunday with gravel stages near Vernonia, Oregon.

Further event info 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.

 

Pastrana Earns First Win of 2008 Season at Oregon Trail Rally

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Pastrana Earns First Win of 2008 Season at Oregon Trail Rally

(May 18, 2008) 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.

 

Just went to check out which shirts are for sale and got this message when I clicked on a shirt.

I may just have to try and take it off Travis' back at Ojibwe.

Rats! Amy

 

Ken Block to race new 2008 STI at next event

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dave Mirra and Ken Block Swap Rally Cars At Oregon Trail Rally

(May 21, 2008) BMX legend and burgeoning rally driver Dave Mirra got his first chance to drive a top specification Open Class Subaru rally car in competition on the final day of last weekend's Oregon Trail Rally, after swapping cars with Monster Energy teammate Ken Block. Mirra was northing short of impressive at the wheel of Block's BFGoodrich Tires-shod 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, netting a 3rd and a 4th fastest overall stage time on two of the four competition stages run on Sunday. Block, who was leading the Rally America National Championship points standings entering Oregon 'stepped-down' to drive Mirra's lower spec, non-turbo Subaru Impreza.

The swap was possible only after Block and Mirra found themselves officially out of the Oregon Trail Rally, round four of the Rally America National Championship, after they each slid their usual rally cars into ditches and became stuck off the road. Neither rally car sustained damage and the duo had the option of re-starting the event the following day for the final four stages of competition. Although they could not score national championship points the roads and the competition would be the same.

So the two friends kept things interesting by arranging a car swap with each other! Block literally signed his top-spec Open class rally car over to Mirra on Sunday with a message on the hood that read; "Congrats Dave, it's graduation day… here's your new car. Keep the shiny side up!" Block then spent some time with Mirra pointing out a few of the differences and unique features of his car before handing over the keys. Block's Subaru Rally Team USA backed Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally car is built to the limit of the Rally America Open Class rules, with nearly double the power of Mirra's 'rookie spec' Subaru. Block's car is also lighter and features a dog-engagement transmission enabling quicker, clutch-less gear shifting.

Mirra was slated to begin driving this higher-spec rally car at the next round in Pennsylvania (the Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally, June 6-7th ) after having started off his rally career with a much lower specification, non-turbo Subaru Impreza. After competing in five rallies over the past six months Mirra recently earned a full unrestricted Rally America competition license, allowing him the opportunity to drive a much more powerful machine such as Block's Subaru.

With a huge grin, Mirra and his co-driver Alex Kihurani jumped into Block's rally car and cautiously attacked the four remaining competition stages on Sunday. "That Subaru was just amazing to drive, it's a whole different ball game than the car I've been learning with," explained Mirra. "I had to be really careful because I kept getting stuck in the dust of cars that I was catching up with ahead of us, but we had a clean run on one of the stages where I got 3rd fastest overall. It was an amazing opportunity to get to test this car on some real rally stages ahead of the next rally in Pennsylvania, where I'll be driving this car again. I'm still buzzing from this drive, it was incredible."

Ken Block, with co-driver Alex Gelsomino, will debut the much anticipated all-new 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI at the next round, making his 2007 Subaru available to Mirra for the remainder of the 2008 season. Mirra will run a limited number of the remaining 2008 rally events due to BMX competition schedule conflicts.

While Mirra was learning to tame Ken Block's wildly powerful rally car, Block had to contend with driving Mirra's much slower Subaru through the technical loose gravel roads of Oregon. "We had a good time with it, even if it was painfully slow!," said Block. "It was a good lesson in how to keep momentum up through the turns, because the car just lacks the raw acceleration of my usual ride. Most of all it made me really appreciate my own Subaru! I was glad to see Dave didn't put a scratch on my car and he set a few very impressive stage times, so it was very encouraging."

Dave Mirra's rally program is made possible with support from Monster Energy, Vermont SportsCar, DC Shoes, BFGoodrich Tires, RECARO, Exedy, PIAA, Motul, Greddy, Alpinestars and Subaru of America.

 

Pastrana Ready For The Acropolis Rally of Greece

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Subaru Rally Team USA's Pastrana Ready For the Heat of The Acropolis Rally of Greece

(May 29, 2008) Subaru Rally Team USA is on the ground in Greece this week with driver Travis Pastrana for the legendary Acropolis Rally, round seven of the 15-event World Rally Championship. Pastrana, the two-time defending Rally America National Champion is entered in the Production World Rally Championship (PWRC) and will be at the wheel of a Group N-spec 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI prepared by Vermont SportsCar. The Acropolis rally features rocky mountain roads and scorching heat making it one of the most demanding rounds in the WRC for rally car machinery, teams, and drivers.

The opening leg of the Acropolis will utilize roads north and west of Athens. The second day is the longest of the event and takes competitors west of the city, passing close to the Corinth Canal, while the final leg on Sunday will return to roads north and west of Athens. Crews will run a total of 20 stages that cover over 211 miles, nearly double the competitive miles that Pastrana traverses on a typical Rally America National Championship round.


Acropolis is the 2nd PWRC round of 2008 for SRT USA with Pastrana again partnered with his new co-driver, former WRC Champion Derek Ringer. The Scottish born Ringer has competed in the Acropolis Rally several times before and is a previous winner, taking the top spot in 1996 with the legendary Colin McRae driving. "It is still a learning experience for him [Pastrana] because the nature of the WRC events are vastly different and more difficult than the American rounds," said Ringer. "We are going to stick to our game plan of running a clean rally and pushing a bit harder as the conditions allow."

Pastrana's confidence was buoyed at the last PWRC round in Argentina after setting highly competitive stage times on several stages. "I'm really looking forward to the Acropolis and having Derek (Ringer) at my side, his experience here should help me a lot," said Pastrana. "In the last PWRC round in Argentina, we were able to finally set some strong stage times but it was only on a couple stages where we had clean runs. Here in Greece I just want to do more of that, I need more clean runs and I need to stay out of trouble as best as I can!"

Fans can follow the rally live at www.wrc.com beginning early Friday morning.

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.

 

+1 TY rangestrider!

 

Subaru Rally Team USA to Debut 2008 STI Rally Car

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE





Subaru Rally Team USA to Debut 2008 STI Rally Car This Weekend at STPR

(June 5, 2008) Subaru Rally team USA will enter their all-new 2008 Subaru WRX STI Open Class Rally Car at this weekend's Waste Management Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally (STPR), round five of the 2008 Rally America National Championship. The team's two new 2008 Subaru STI rally cars will make their competitive debut in the capable hands of two-time defending Rally America Champion Travis Pastrana and his teammate Ken Block. The high-speed, tree-lined dirt roads of STPR, based around Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, will provide a fitting challenge for the duo and their new rides.

The 2008 STI, the third generation of the legendary Subaru WRX STI model line, features a new 5-door hatchback design making it strikingly different visually compared to the outgoing 2007 model. Some key differences from the 2007 model include a longer wheelbase for improved high-speed stability, a wider track for increased maneuverability, and the addition of a double wishbone rear suspension for even better road-holding capabilities. Add to this better front-to-rear weight distribution plus an even lower center of gravity and the all-new 2008 Subaru WRX STI Open Class rally car is expected to perform even better than the outgoing 2007 model it replaces.

"Basing our new rally cars on the 2008 STI platform provides distinctive advantages that are obvious on paper and proven in rigorous testing," mentioned James Han, Motorsports Marketing Manager for Subaru of America, Inc. "The team has simply built upon and enhanced the STI's inherent performance abilities for the rigors of rally."

"We are all really excited about the new car and it looks amazing," said Pastrana. "It has a few things that carry over from the 2007 car but also a lot of new improvements as well. We'll be cautious here at STPR as we develop the car and get used to driving it more." Pastrana and his co-driver Derek Ringer currently sit in 2nd Overall in the Rally America National Championship standings after winning the Oregon Trail Rally last month.

Ken Block meanwhile was able to get comfortable with the new 2008 STI Open Class Rally car at a recent test session. "The new 2008 STI is definitely a step up from the 2007 model, I could feel the handling difference immediately, its easier to drive fast and I think a lot of it has to do with the weight distribution and center of gravity being optimized over the 2007 car," explained Block. "STPR is a tough rally, the roads are very fast but they are lined with trees, so there is no margin for error. We'll play it safe at first with the new car and increase our pace from there." Block and his co-driver Alex Gelsomino have had a strong start to the 2008 season with two wins from four events.

Now in its 32nd running, STPR is a high-speed classic taking place in north central Pennsylvania on smooth, flowing gravel and clay-based roads. STPR is one of the fastest Rally America events, but the roads are narrow and lined with trees, making the event notoriously dangerous. The action begins Friday afternoon at the Tioga Fairgrounds east of Wellsboro, PA. The bulk of the competition stages will take place the following day with an early evening finish. Fans can follow the rally with live updates from www.rally-america.com, and live video streams from www.drivingsports.com. Daily photo galleries and Subaru Rally Team USA reports 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.

 

The new Sti Rally Pictures

Check out the new 2008 STI pictures at http://www.rally.subaru.com/ and check out the new Petter Solberg #5 Machine at www.swrt.com if you haven't already!

 

Subaru Rally Team USA Encounters Challenging Roads At STPR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Subaru Rally Team USA Encounters Challenging Roads At STPR

(June 9, 2008) The 32nd annual Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally
(STPR) proved a battle of attrition that claimed many top teams including both Subaru Rally Team USA entries of Travis Pastrana and Ken Block. Pastrana and co-driver Derek Ringer were unhurt after a high-speed impact into a road-side dirt embankment ended their rally. Teammate Ken Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino damaged the suspension on their new 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI on an uncharacteristically rough stage, forcing them to stop. Block was able to continue on day two and complete a bulk of the event's 120 competitive stage miles but was ineligible for any national points.

Fortunately for SRT USA, the top of championship standings remain unchanged after several of the other championship front runners failed to finish as well. Pastrana remains just one point adrift of the championship leader in 2nd overall, while Block sits just two points behind Pastrana in third overall.

STPR is a high-speed classic that takes place on north central Pennsylvania's fast and flowing gravel and clay-based forest roads. Regarded as one of the fastest Rally America events, this event features narrow, tree-lined roads that are notoriously dangerous.

That danger proved true for two-time defending Rally America Champion Travis Pastrana who ran wide on a deceptive high speed corner and slammed his new #199 BFGoodrich Tires-shod 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI into a road-side dirt embankment. Both Pastrana and his co-driver Derek Ringer emerged un-injured from the shunt, but their car sustained heavy damage and was unable to continue. "I made a mistake listening to the notes and just came into a sharp turn at the end of a fast section way too fast," explained a somber Pastrana. "Luckily for us a lot of other guys had problems here and the championship standings remain pretty much the same at the top. The new 2008 STI felt amazing to drive and I am confident that we'll be at the top of the podium with it very soon."

The other official Subaru Rally Team USA entry of #43 Ken Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino retired from the national portion of the event after damaging their 2008 STI's suspension on an extremely rough stage on day one. The SRT USA mechanics were able to make repairs overnight and Block entered day two of the rally without the chance to earn national points. With no points to gain and in the interest of testing towards further development of the new car, Block maintained a conservative approach yet still performed very competitively, winning one stage and finishing in second on two others. "The two rough stages early in the event were brutal, and we damaged our suspension on something," explained Block. "It's a brand new car with so many new and custom components so it's understandable, but the good thing is we ran day two virtually trouble- free and got some great test time in the car."

Subaru Rally Team now has a four week break before traveling for the New England Forest Rally, July 11-12. For exclusive photos and video of Subaru Rally Team USA please visit 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.