Travis Pastrana Secures First Win Of The Season At Ojibwe Forests Rally

Published: Tuesday, August 27, 2024, 2:54 [IST]

In their first season back in the American Rally Association (ARA), Subaru Motorsports USA's Travis Pastrana and co-driver Rhianon Gelsomino secured their first win of the ARA season at the 2024 Ojibwe Forests Rally in Minnesota. Meanwhile, two-time defending ARA champions Brandon Semenuk and co-driver Keaton Williams faced significant challenges on Friday, complicating their quest for a third consecutive title.

The 2024 Ojibwe Forests Rally proved to be one of the most demanding events on the ARA calendar. Weather conditions varied from light showers and temperatures in the 70s on Thursday to humid conditions in the 80s on Friday, testing both drivers and teams. The rally began with a car going off on Stage 4, leading to the cancellation of Stage 5. On Stage 6, a large rock caused substantial damage to Semenuk and Williams’s WRX ARA24, effectively ending their chances for victory at Ojibwe.

Pastrana capitalised on Semenuk’s misfortune, navigating through Saturday’s stages despite some engine issues to clinch the win at Ojibwe. Reflecting on his performance, Pastrana said, "I’m really happy with my first win in three years and my eighth win here." This victory raises questions about whether Pastrana can secure an ARA championship this season. "We’ve done some math," he noted. "It could be close."

Semenuk and Williams managed to salvage some points by super rallying on Saturday. "It was nice to get those five extra points and salvage something from our weekend," Williams remarked. Despite their setbacks, they remain determined to continue competing. "We got some power stage points," said Semenuk. "We’ll take this fight to Tennessee."

The next event on the ARA calendar is the Overmountain Rally Tennessee, formerly known as the Bristol Forest Rally. Scheduled for September 14-15, this new addition promises intense competition as teams prepare for another challenging race.

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About Subaru of America

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"Not the rally we wanted," said Semenuk after their challenging weekend but added his congratulations: "Congrats to Travis on a great win."