Saturday: Second Race Day
Weather: Overcast, snow flurries
Temperature: 20 degrees
Road Surface: Fresh snow on ice



Sno*Drift, the first event of the 2008 Rally America National Championship has concluded today in Michigan. Winter rallies are some of the most difficult driving in the sport, and Subaru Rally Team USA have driven extremely well.

Building on the success of yesterday's race, Travis Pastrana and Christian Edstrom dominated the rally all day. They had amassed an insurmountable lead and did not intend to relinquish it. Everything went according to plan: they were consistently quick and there were no mechanical issues to hold them back. Alas, this is rally and it can never be expected to go as planned. Once the sun had set on Saturday, Travis and Christian experienced an unavoidable catastrophe. Half a mile in to stage 16, Car 199 hit a deer and was disabled. This unforeseen hazard ended the race abruptly for Travis and Christian, and that quickly they went from imminent victory to unintentional retirement.

Although it was a huge disappointment that Travis and Christian did not make it to the podium at this event, the team was in good spirits. Car 199 may not have earned any significant championship points, but they demonstrated the ability to establish a lead ahead of more experienced rally teams in the most difficult conditions the Rally America National Championship has to offer. Team 199 is definitely prepared to take on the 2008 season and defend their twice-won series champion title.

Travis and Christian will face extremely fierce competition from their own teammates. Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino ran a terrific rally. They placed first on seven out of ten stages today and were on their way to a very strong finish. Unfortunately, they lost significant time on Stage 10 when they became stuck in a snow bank. Consistently high times set on other stages were essential in securing a beneficial finishing position. They managed to place fifth overall and earned a share of Rally America championship points. Team 43 will benefit from this early points gain, as the teams who finished ahead may not run the entire Rally America Championship season.

In the Production GT Class, the competition was very close. Each place on the PGT podium was filled by a Subaru Contingency Program member in a Subaru Impreza WRX. First in the class were Patrick Moro and co-driver Mikey Rossey who piloted their Subaru through the treacherous, slippery conditions to an impressive ninth place overall. Second in class and tenth overall were Bryan Pepp and Jerry Stang. Closing up the tight grouping of PGT winners were Robert Borowicz and Mariusz Borowicz who took eleventh place overall and third in class.

Next month, Subaru Rally Team USA travels to Salem, Missouri for the 100 Acre Wood Rally. Check back here at subaru.com/rally for updates during the event. In the meantime, enjoy the photo galleries from this year's Sno*Drift, here.

Friday: First Race Day
Weather: Mostly Sunny
Temperature: 10-20 degrees
Road Surface: Fresh snow on ice



The results are in for day one of the 2008 Sno*Drift rally and Subaru Rally Team USA is in the lead! The team's pair of Subaru WRX STIs have run flawlessly and the teams have climbed to first and second place. Today has been a wonderfully positive start to the new season. The skies were clear over Atlanta, Michigan as the Rally America 2008 National Championship kicked off.

Travis Pastrana and Christian Edstrom are in first place with Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino forty-six seconds behind in second. SRT USA cars came in first on five out of six stages today, securing at least a second place finish on every stage. Such success today is an excellent achievement for Subaru Rally Team USA, who face very strong competition from seasoned snow experts such as Canadians Antoine L'Estage and Andrew Comrie Picard. Travis and Christian are ahead of third place L'Estage by a staggering minute and thirty-seven seconds. Although many of their strongest competitors encountered trouble caused by the perilous road conditions, neither team 199 nor 43 experienced any significant setbacks.



Much of the current SRT USA success in this rally can be attributed to the cautious manner in which both teams have approached the rally stages. Unlike many rallies where fast-paced, all out driving is requisite to winning, Sno*Drift requires drivers to focus on completing the stages safely and efficiently, rather than setting excessively fast times. An attempt to gain a few seconds on a stage by driving faster than necessary could end up costing the race.

Also, last year's second place Rally America National Championship finalists Andrew Pinker and Robbie Durant were out of the race after only one mile due to engine issues. If the two Subaru Rally Team USA teams can finish tomorrow's race as well as they have fared today, they will begin 2008 with a very positive advantage over last season's top title rivals.



Taking it easy and proceeding steadily wasn't just SRT USA's modus operandi. The practice has also been adopted by BMX legend Dave Mirra, who is making his Rally America debut at Sno*Drift, in an Open Class Subaru fielded by Vermont SportsCar. Mirra was turned on to rallying through his friend and Subaru Rally Team USA driver Ken Block. The wise rookie didn't just take to the stages and go flat out, though: for this rally, he's "just a BMX rider in a rally car," said Mirra after Stage 6.

The weather forecast for tomorrow predicts snow flurries throughout the day and temperatures in the low twenties. With variable snowfall and only mildly cold temperatures, the road conditions will be difficult to predict and the outcome of the rally is equally uncertain. SRT USA hopes to build on the success of today and finish up round one of the 2008 Rally America National Championship with a win.

Thursday Recce
Weather: Mostly Sunny
Temperature: 0-20 degrees
Road Surface: Packed snow on solid ice



Today, Subaru Rally Team USA performed their stage recconnaisance, or "recce" as it is called in rally. On recce, drivers and co-drivers traverse the stages and review their stage notes. This practice is uncommon in US rallies, as the competitors and event coordinators are usually not allowed on the course prior to the race. By driving the stages ahead of time, Alex and Christian can tailor the notes to the driving styles and abilities of Ken and Travis, guaranteeing that the notes will be as effective as possible.

The race starts tomorrow after a shakedown stage in the morning and a "parc expose" in Lewiston. Then it's on for the 2008 Rally America National Championship. SRT USA is primed to battle again for the title and the team is focused on winning. If you can't make it to join the flocks of spectators in Atlanta, Michigan tomorrow, check back here for results, photos and event news.

Wednesday Test
Weather: Mostly Sunny
Temperature: 10 degrees
Road Surface: Packed snow on solid ice



Subaru Rally Team USA have arrived in Atlanta, Michigan for Sno*Drift 2008, the premier event of the new year's Rally America Championship. Having won two championships in a row, SRT USA returns to defend their title a second time. This season will certainly be exciting, as two-time champs Travis Pastrana and Christian Edstrom face fierce competition. It seems that the strongest challengers to the crown are SRT USA teammates Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino who nearly stole the championship last year. The two teams are certain to continue pushing and supporting each other throughout the season.

Today, Subaru Rally Team USA convened for their first bout of testing before Sno*Drift 2008. The cars were in excellent running order and the testing proceeded without hitch nor hindrance. The sun was out most of the day, but freezing temperatures persisted and the test stage was icy and slick. The SRT USA cars quickly tore through the thin layer of hard packed snow and revealed a thick layer of ice on the stage road. Such conditions make Sno*Drift a rally which is entirely unique to the Rally America Championship. With limited grip, stage times must be pared down by the driver's ability to maintain speed without pushing past the limits of their traction. This rally will not be won by horsepower. It will be up to the drivers to perform deftly and the team to make wise decisions regarding car setup and tire choice. Sno*Drift is truly a test of driver skill and could quite possibly see an SRT USA car taking first place again this year.



Stay tuned to this site for more updates during the course of the rally. With a bit of snowfall expected to accompany consistently low temperatures, the conditions will be perfect for an intense and challenging winter rally. Sno*Drift 2008 will be an exciting start to a brand new season of Rally America!