CNC Macho
Saturday: Day 2
Weather: Overcast, Snowy
Temperature: 30s
Subaru Rally Team USA''s Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino have done it again! With an unbelievable four wins in four years, Ken and Alex seem untouchable at this event—in rain, shine, or snow. Prior to entering the last few stages of the event, Car #43 had extended their lead to well over a minute. With an amazing eight inches of fresh snow, Ken was faced with the tough task of churning through unplowed accumulation. Fortunately, the buffer built up by his speed and determination was sufficient for them to still end the event with a fourty-three second lead. When asked what he thought about the snow, Ken said, "I was terrified that the rally was going to end in the trees, but we made it!"
The other Monster Energy team of Dave Mirra and Derek Ringer also had a hugely successful weekend. Scoring top-tier stage times, Dave Mirra was first in the Super Production class for nearly the entire event and has proved to be a formidable rally driver. Starting at third overall on Day 2, Mirra held his position for most of the day until the snowy weather threw him a curve-ball and he was out-paced by his top competition who have more snow experience. Choosing a safe strategy, Mirra wisely slowed down and drove within his means, still finishing second in-class, missing first by only three seconds. For a rally driver who has yet to complete a full season, this is an outstanding result and Dave and Derek should be proud of their performance at this rally. Placing first in the new Super Production class were Matt Johnson and Jeremy Wimpey in their Subaru Impreza WRX. In third were Piotr Wiktorczyk and Grzegorz Dorman, also driving a Subaru.
Despite the moderate chaos caused by the snowstorm, this year''s 100 Acre Wood Rally was a terrific success with a greater fan presence than ever. With Ken Block and Travis Pastrana having won an event each, they are tied for points in the Rally America National Championship. As Subaru Rally Team USA heads for the west coast, the pressure on the two teams to gain the upper hand for the championship title. Rest assured there will be plenty more action to come from SRT USA this season.
Friday: Day 1
Weather: Overcast, Windy
Temperature: 30s
The 100 Acre Wood rally kicked off to a fast start with Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino once again dominating the fast stages. The combination of wide roads and relative lack of sharp turns makes for a predictable and flowing pace. Ken Block''s ability to commit to the tempo of the roads has enabled him to trump the competition three years in a row. Although only five of fifteen stages have been run today, Ken and Alex are once again on track for an incredible addition to their winning streak.
Despite high hopes to break their teammate''s winning streak, Travis Pastrana and Christian Edstrom fell short of their goal on Stage 4. Car #199 was first on the road all day and had the stage conditions to their disadvantage. Being first on the road is a huge asset in dusty conditions, but the roads were damp and there was no dust to reduce visibility and slow their competitors. Also, there had been no cars ahead of them to clear the road of loose gravel in order to create a grippier surface. In this difficult predicament, the already small margin for success was greatly reduced by the intensity of Pastrana''s push for the win. With these factors against them, Car #199 rolled on Stage 4, causing minimal damage but unfortunately rendering the team unable to continue. Travis and Christian were uninjured, though they were forced to retire from the race.
Excited to be at another Rally America event, BMX Superstar Dave Mirra and co-driver Derek Ringer attacked the back roads of Missouri. With Dave''s driving skills significantly increasing with each event, it won''t be long before we see a third SRT USA car in the top standings. In day one of the 100 Acre Wood Rally, they started out with very fast stage times, finishing fourth on SS1 and SS2. On both stages, Mirra held an impressive lead over seasoned veterans like Tanner Foust and Matthew Johnson.
Overnight thunderstorms ushered in a drastic change in the weather with temperatures dropping thirty degrees to near freezing. A continued decline in the conditions has been forecast for tomorrow with snow and rain threatening Missouri. Even a small layer of snow would significantly change driving conditions of the race and challenge the teams to make essential decisions on tires and car setup. Still, Ken Block may once again hold his reign as 100 Acre Wood champ. Last year''s icy roads were an unexpected surprise but did little to slow Car #43.
Wednesday: Pre-Race
Weather: Clear, Sunny
Temperature: 60 - 70
Travis Pastrana and his convoy paid a visit to Lou Fusz Subaru today in St. Peters, Missouri. Throngs of fans flocked to the dealership to check out the Subaru Rally Team USA showcar and the newly customized 2009 Travis Pastrana Edition Subaru Impreza WRX STI. There was no shortage of memorabilia for the rally star to sign, and with the weather as pleasant as it was fans urged Travis to tour the parking lot and sign their cars.
This year''''s 100 Acre Wood Rally is not all sunshine and signatures though. Both figuratively and literally, today''''s festivities were the calm before the storm. Ken Block has won this event for three years in a row and Travis Pastrana is determined to crush that winning streak. As the weather reports indicate a foul turn in the skies, Subaru Rally Team USA prepares to do battle.
