July 15, 2020
, Scioto County, O.H.
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SUBARU MOTORSPORTS USA RETURNS TO RALLY AT SOUTHERN OHIO
SUBARU MOTORSPORTS USA RETURNS TO RALLY AT SOUTHERN OHIO
- New 2020 Driver Line-Up
Subaru Motorsports USA will kick off its 2020 American Rally Association (ARA) season at Saturday’s Southern Ohio Forest Rally (SOFR), debuting the team’s new driver line-up of Travis Pastrana and Brandon Semenuk after a nine-month off-season hiatus. Five-time national rally champion Pastrana and 2018 North American Rally Cup title-winner Semenuk will take to the stages in the team’s signature blue and gold WRX STI rally cars in pursuit of the team’s fourteenth overall American title.
The field at SOFR promises big challenges, with current championship leader Barry McKenna at the top of the list. Pastrana and Semenuk will need to be in top form early to narrow the championship points gap. Ford’s Ken Block will also make his 2020 rally debut at SOFR, looking to notch a win in his ongoing rivalry with Pastrana. Also returning is 2018 ARA Limited 4WD national champion Jeff Seehorn, who will debut a WRX STI newly updated to Open spec.
"Couldn’t be more excited to get my rally season kicked off!” said Pastrana. “It’s been a while since Brandon and I have been on the stages and we’ve had to make changes to our team because of the current travel restrictions. Neither of us have done this rally but the long twisty stages should be a good fit for my driving style!”
"It’s been a long wait and a lot of anticipation,” Semenuk said. “I’m excited to finally tackle my first event in the Subaru WRX STI! Ohio looks like a great area for rally and a worthy addition to the ARA championship. With a strong field of cars expected to show up, John and I are preparing for an all-night fight.”
Although the Subaru Motorsports USA team is anxious to return to rally, the Southern Ohio event will be a departure from business as usual. In accordance with state and local guidelines, spectators will be prohibited and no parc exposé will be held. The Subaru/Vermont SportsCar team itself will follow strict social distancing guidelines including mandatory mask-wearing in the service area, and staffing has been shuffled due to restrictions on international travel. The most visible change will be in the #199 WRX STI, where Pastrana’s usual co-driver Robbie Durant will be replaced by 2014 teammate Chrissie Beavis. Semenuk will pair with co-driver John Hall in the #180 car.
About Subaru Motorsports USA
Subaru Motorsports USA is managed by Vermont SportsCar and proudly supported by Subaru of America, Inc., Yokohama Tires, Method Race Wheels, DirtFish Rally School, KÜHL and RECARO. Follow the team online at www.subaru.com/motorsports.
Follow Subaru Motorsports USA on Facebook, on Instagram @subarumotorsportsusa, and on Twitter @subarums_usa.
The field at SOFR promises big challenges, with current championship leader Barry McKenna at the top of the list. Pastrana and Semenuk will need to be in top form early to narrow the championship points gap. Ford’s Ken Block will also make his 2020 rally debut at SOFR, looking to notch a win in his ongoing rivalry with Pastrana. Also returning is 2018 ARA Limited 4WD national champion Jeff Seehorn, who will debut a WRX STI newly updated to Open spec.
"Couldn’t be more excited to get my rally season kicked off!” said Pastrana. “It’s been a while since Brandon and I have been on the stages and we’ve had to make changes to our team because of the current travel restrictions. Neither of us have done this rally but the long twisty stages should be a good fit for my driving style!”
"It’s been a long wait and a lot of anticipation,” Semenuk said. “I’m excited to finally tackle my first event in the Subaru WRX STI! Ohio looks like a great area for rally and a worthy addition to the ARA championship. With a strong field of cars expected to show up, John and I are preparing for an all-night fight.”
Although the Subaru Motorsports USA team is anxious to return to rally, the Southern Ohio event will be a departure from business as usual. In accordance with state and local guidelines, spectators will be prohibited and no parc exposé will be held. The Subaru/Vermont SportsCar team itself will follow strict social distancing guidelines including mandatory mask-wearing in the service area, and staffing has been shuffled due to restrictions on international travel. The most visible change will be in the #199 WRX STI, where Pastrana’s usual co-driver Robbie Durant will be replaced by 2014 teammate Chrissie Beavis. Semenuk will pair with co-driver John Hall in the #180 car.
About Subaru Motorsports USA
Subaru Motorsports USA is managed by Vermont SportsCar and proudly supported by Subaru of America, Inc., Yokohama Tires, Method Race Wheels, DirtFish Rally School, KÜHL and RECARO. Follow the team online at www.subaru.com/motorsports.
Follow Subaru Motorsports USA on Facebook, on Instagram @subarumotorsportsusa, and on Twitter @subarums_usa.
About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan. Headquartered at a zero-landfill office in Camden, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts, and accessories through a network of more than 630 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. is the only U.S. automobile manufacturing plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. SOA is guided by the Subaru Love Promise, which is the company’s vision to show love and respect to everyone, and to support its communities and customers nationwide. Over the past 20 years, SOA and the SOA Foundation have donated more than $300 million to causes the Subaru family cares about, and its employees have logged nearly 88,000 volunteer hours. As a company, Subaru believes it is important to do its part in making a positive impact in the world because it is the right thing to do. For additional information visit media.subaru.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.