The second event of the 2008 Rally America Championship, the 100 Acre Wood Rally, has drawn to a close. The results are amazing. Subaru Rally Team USA has achieved an impressive dual podium finish as they snagged first and second place finishes today.

It is an astounding margin by which SRT USA took the win. Having established solid leads yesterday, the Subaru Rally Team USA drivers set consistently high scores for a greater lead over their closest competitors. While other teams experienced mechanical issues or went off the road, SRT USA had two flat tires. On stage 13, team #199 had a flat which caused them to lose the stage by forty-one seconds; and team #43 lost twenty-two seconds from a flat on the last stage of the rally. Both teams had amassed such a gigantic lead over the rest of the field that these minor inconveniences were largely inconsequential.

Winning the 100 Acre Wood Rally for the third time in a row, Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino snared first place on six out of ten stages today. At the end of the rally, Block and Gelsomino were a minute ahead of teammates Pastrana and Ringer. Car #43's success can likely be attributed to Ken's love for these fast Missouri roads. The smooth stages are conducive to Block's aggressive driving style and the icy conditions didn't make much of a difference. His familiarity with these roads gave him the confidence to commit to setting fast times while remaining wary of the consequences of crashing out of the race. Upon returning to Salem for the awards ceremony, Block and Gelsomino were delighted. "I love Missouri," said Block this evening, "I'll gladly come back and rally here any time."

In second place, Travis Pastrana and Derek Ringer were nearly three and a half minutes ahead of the competition. This was Travis's first rally with World Rally Champion Derek Ringer and the pair worked together excellently. "He did amazing," said Pastrana. "It didn't take him more than three corners before we were right on." They managed to steal a few stage wins from Block and Gelsomino and were rarely more than fifteen seconds behind the event leaders. Although pushing harder to overcome team #43's lead was a possibility, Pastrana's top priority was to gain championship points by finishing the race. Second place to a teammate was certainly an acceptable compromise.

In the Production GT class, Subaru Championship Cup drivers fought a close battle for first place. Ultimately, Stephan Verdier and Scott Crouch made it to the top of the podium in their 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX, but Travis and Terry Hanson were challenging opposition in their 2002 WRX. In third place, Pat Moro and Mike Rossey persevered through a string of bad luck including a stage which left them with four punctures.

This event has been a thrilling and unpredictable follow-up to the season start last month. The road conditions were surprisingly similar to Sno*Drift and Subaru Rally Team USA got a chance to show that they have the skill and the equipment to thoroughly dominate a winter rally.

The results are in for day one of the 100 Acre Wood Rally, and Subaru Rally Team USA are already well in the lead. Competitors at this rally have faced a multitude of problems. Spin-outs, flat tires, and mechanical issues have compounded the difficulty of this rally's perilously icy roads. For SRT USA, it's a different story. This rally has, so far, been flawless. The cars are in perfect running order, the drivers are characteristically in control, and the stage times reflect it.

After spending Thursday in St. Louis meeting fans at a Subaru dealership, Subaru Rally Team USA is set to compete this weekend in this year's 100 Acre Wood Rally in Salem, Missouri. This marks the second event of the 2008 Rally America National Championship and the stakes are high. Against historical odds and current predictions, the weather this weekend will likely be the worst all season. Anyone who was expecting the ice and snow to be finished at Sno*Drift is in for a harsh surprise. The usually clear roads of Salem have been frozen and completely iced over with a brutal combination of sleet, rain, and temperatures consistently below freezing.

What does this inclement weather mean for Subaru Rally Team USA? Well, it's probably a bit of a disappointment to Ken Block. For the past two years, this has been Block's favorite rally. He has performed excellently here and taken first place both times. The fast, gravel roads are perfectly suited to his driving style and, along with co-driver Alex Gelsomino, he has been able to go all out to cinch the win each time. Throw an inch of ice on the roads, however, and it's an entirely different rally. Greatly reduced traction means Ken won't be able to attack the stages with his usual ferocity. He'll have to find the perfect balance between maintaining competitive speed and reigning in the power of his Subaru Impreza WRX STI. Although it will change how Ken and Alex run the rally, it doesn't mean they can't win this one a third time. Remember, they completely dominated most of the final stages of Sno*Drift without a trace of gravel about.

Although he hasn't won this event in the past two years, Subaru Rally Team USA teammate Travis Pastrana isn't just going to hand this rally to Ken. After an errant deer got in the way of what seemed like an unbeatable lead at Sno*Drift last month, Travis wants those first place championship points to get him back on the track to defending his two time Rally America National Champion title. Sitting in the co-driver's seat with Travis at this rally is someone who is no stranger to winning rally championships. Derek Ringer won the World Rally Championship (WRC) in 1995 with rally legend Colin McRae. With the 1993 FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship and three British Rally Championships under his belt, Ringer brings invaluable experience in to car #199. Pastrana and Ringer won't likely be fazed by the snow and will be extremely tough competition for the top of the podium here at the 100 Acre Wood Rally.

Speculation as to who will win this event would be entirely unreasonable. When recce began today, some of the competitors hadn't even arrived due to crippling airport delays in nearby cities. It is yet to be seen whether those who make it to the rally are prepared to face the unpredictable forces of nature and the prevailing competition of Subaru Rally Team USA. Whatever happens, it is certain that this race will be a great challenge and an excellent rally.