Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

I - I Happ€ni ngs' Pastrana and BIoclr Io leail Rally Assaull Vermont Sportscar is pleased to announce that it has signed a multiple-year contract with Subaru of America, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuii Heavy lndustries, to manage the Subaru Rally Team USA program. Subaru Rally Team USA will be a factory effon to showcase the 2005 Subaru WRX in the Rally America National Championship. All team operations, including the preparation of the rally cars, will be managed by Vermont Sportscar at its new facility in Colchester, Vermont. ''lt is ver), gratifyin8 for us to compete as the factory team for Subaru in the USA'explains Lance Smith, founder and President of Vermont Sportscar. "We have been involved with factory teams in America in recent years, but never at this level." The team will run two 2006 Subaru WRX STI rally cars for team drivers Travis Pastrana and Ken Block in all nine rounds ofthe 20O6 Rally America National Championship. One ofthe team's primary goals will be to help an American driver reach rallying's highest level, the World Rally Championship- Selected to lead Subaru Rally Team USA is Tnvis Pas- trana, a }l-year-old multiple-sport phenom, who has Sained worldwide fame as a Supercross and Motocross Champion as well as a multiple-time X-Games gold medalist at Freestyle lvlotocross. Pastrana began rallying in 2004 with Vermont SPortscar and finished an amazing fourth overall at his flrst gravel rally. 2005 marked Pastrana's flrst full season of rallying where he reached the podium several times and proved himself capable of challenging accomPlished rally veterans. "Pastrana is a perfect fit for us because not only does he clearly have the talent, which he proved in 2005, but he also has a huge dedicated worldwide fan base," exPlains Smith. "Growing the awareness of rallying is a maior objective for Subaru, and Pastrana will attract many new fans to the sport- l'm confident that he has what it takes to not only become the RalV America Nat'onal Champion, but also make an impact in the WRC one day." Joining Pastrana is Ken Block, the "2005 Rally America Rookie OfThe Year," whose day iob is co-founder and president of DC Shoes. The 38-year-old Block finished third in the GrouP N Class and fourth overall in the 2005 Rally America National ChamPionship. "2005 was Ken's first year rallying and he rearly was a huge surprise to everyone," said Smith. "He drove at a consistent and conser tive pace, yet, was at the toP ofthe leader board at every rally." Subaru Rally Team USA will run both cars in the Open Class ofthe Rally America National Championship. 'Although our team will compete in the OPen Class, the cars will be prepared closer to the production-based Group N carc for now," explains Smith. "We are not here to win by outspending and out- engineering the many very good privatee. teams in the U.S., but we will have a very competitive car that is exciting to watch." ln addition to running Subaru Rally Team USA, Vermont SponsCar will continue to manage the Suba.u Rally Suppon Program, which offers privateer driv- ers significant prize money as well as a Subaru parts support truck at every Rally America National Championship event. New for 2005 is a $500 start fund for Suba.u entrants in Group N and PGT classes that will effectively cut entry fees by up to 50 percent for eligible competitors. Full details on the Program have been posted to Vermont Sportscar's website www.wcar.com. Vermont SportsCar wishes to thank their many team sponsors and suPPorters, including Subaru of America, DC Shoes, Red Bull, Michelin, STI (Subaru Tecnica lnternational), PIAA, SPT (Subaru Perfor- mance Tuning), lulotul, Meguiars and Recaro. Pqitlonq o q : s j o I - fhir is whor Subqru ond Vermonl SportsCor ore bonking on wilh Pqslronq, height ned intere5t in rolly ro f.' @ sr:tF$ rJ / \ I r { I \ d ? J a D t 7 A

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