TP Wins at NEFR

Subaru Rally Team USA driver Travis Pastrana overcame a close battle with his Subaru teammate Ken Block to win the New England Forest Rally, Round 6 of the 2009 Rally America National Championship. The Subaru duo of Pastrana and Block, each driving identically prepared 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally cars, fought all weekend with former Canadian Rally Champion Antoine L?Estage. Mechanical trouble for L?Estage and a late spin and tire puncture for Block handed Pastrana the victory on the final stages. The win extends Pastrana?s points lead and puts him one step closer to winning his fourth consecutive Rally America National Championship.

The 2009 New England Forest Rally featured highly technical and rocky gravel logging roads near the Maine/New Hampshire border. Pastrana, partnered with his co-driver Christian Edstrom, entered the rally with a 21-point lead over his closest challenger and said his strategy from the start was to avoid taking unnecessary risks and get his car to the finish in one piece. ?I wasn?t the fastest driver here this weekend,? said Pastrana. ?It was hard to keep up with Block, but we were just close enough to capitalize when he hit some trouble at the end of the rally.? The win at New England is Pastrana and Edstrom?s fourth win from six events this year.

07.20.2009