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Travis Pastrana Achieves Class Victory And Overall Podium Finish At Southern Ohio Forest Rally
Travis Pastrana and Rhianon Gelsomino, representing Subaru Motorsports USA, secured first place in the Limited 4-Wheel Drive (L4WD) category and third overall at the Southern Ohio Forest Rally (SOFR). Meanwhile, Brandon Semenuk and Keaton Williams, the defending American Rally Association (ARA) champions, faced setbacks on the second day but managed a Powerstage win, earning crucial championship points.
The 2025 SOFR began with Thursday's tarmac stages in Chillicothe. The event concluded with a jump that resulted in some competitors finishing in unusual positions, including one crossing the line backwards. Friday's forest stages presented challenges due to changing conditions, shifting from dry and loose gravel to wet with intermittent rain.
Semenuk and Williams encountered difficulties during Friday's SS5, which forced them off-course. However, they returned for Saturday's final stages with their WRX ARA25 ready for action. "Obviously, yesterday wasn’t a great day for us but we came back today," said Semenuk early Saturday. "The boys got the car back together and it was awesome."
Pastrana and Gelsomino's new WRX ARA25L, affectionately named "Stitch," also faced its share of challenges. "Started off the day really well," said Pastrana on Friday. "Super excited by how the car is handling – unfortunately we had a little bit of a mechanical issue," he noted as Ohio's hot June weather tested the ARA25L.
Despite these initial hurdles, Pastrana and Gelsomino showcased their skill by pushing their vehicle to secure first place in their class and third overall. Bucky Lasek, another Maryland native and former Subaru Rally Team USA driver, finished second in L4WD. "A lot of stuff happened to a lot of people," said Pastrana afterwards. "But at the end of the day we’re super excited. Learned a lot, had a lot of fun."
Semenuk and Williams experienced significant improvement on Saturday: "Really enjoyed the driving, really enjoyed the stages," said Semenuk, who aims for his fourth consecutive ARA title. "The Powerstage, it rained but we managed to win that and get the points. We’ll look forward to Ojibwe."
Upcoming Events
The Ojibwe Forests Rally is scheduled for August 21-23 following a brief summer break for ARA National events. Pastrana, Gelsomino, and Stitch will return to L4WD competition at the ARA Super Regional Rally Colorado event from July 19-20.
Subaru Motorsports USA operates under Subaru of America, Inc., managed by Vermont SportsCar with support from partners like MOTUL and Yokohama Tires. Subaru of America markets vehicles through approximately 640 retailers across the U.S., emphasizing community support through initiatives like the Subaru Love Promise.
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