In the News: Around the Track and On the Street

Another exciting event was laid upon this country's growing car culture by way of the great state of Texas who always seems to do things bigger and with more flair by default. Billed as the "Biggest Subaru Enthusiast Festival In Texas" by its organizers at SubieEvents, LLC, the Subiefest Texas event on October 11, 2025 brought individuals from far and wide to show off, reconnect, observe, and participate with those like-minded enthusiasts who are dedicated to the iconic brand and their platforms. As one of the final Subiefest events of the season, this gathering at Lone Star Park in Dallas proved that if an enthusiast wanted to get closer to others who wake up living for their Subaru, getting on the road to attend this meeting of community, premiere vendors, iconic personalities, performance providers, and people directly from Subaru would not be a waste of time and effort. As always, Subiefest delivered an array of offerings, entertainment, and thrills that can only be sampled up close and personal without losing the unique connection between the most dedicated fan base on the planet. The event stuck tightly to its traditions with crowds of Subaru owners, drivers, and automotive industry influencers weaving through the expanse to gain some inspiration or needed connection which serves them both educationally and personally. Most notably, the clear presence of Subaru of America on site connects the community with some of their latest offerings, specifically the 2025 Outback Wilderness. All in all, when a first time visitor enters this event through the welcoming gate, they immediately see why Subiefest is known as an all inclusive, family friendly gathering filled with everything the dedicated Subaru lover would want. Between the human interaction and exposure to primal performance, those in attendance got their wish.

Like past events, the crowd got a healthy helping of the latest aftermarket offerings, merchandise, and performance upgrades from providers including Subimods, COBB, Kartboy, Overtake, LP Aventure, and many more. The auto show paddock displayed a sea of examples of some of the Subaru community's most inspired vehicles and representatives from some of the regions most popular car clubs including TXIC San Antonio, DFW Subies, Texas Roo, Lonestar Subies, and Space City Subies who showed both the power of dedication and support to those in attendance. The Subimods.com sponsored All-Subaru Car Show was a really impressive collection of both old and new styles and models which seemed to open eyes wide and make even the most experienced personalities sweat with envy. Driver and influencer Bucky Lasek was on site not only to demonstrate some driving skill and vehicle performance, but also to judge the competition and choose some of the standout rides in the lineup. Some of the first place winners of the event's assorted classes included Priscilla Gray's 2016 Impreza WRX STI Limited in the "Best WRX/STI 2015-2021" class, Michael Moehler's 2013 BRZ in the "Best BRZ/FRS" class, and Marisa Ramon's 1993 SVX LSL in the "Best Old School Pre-1995" class, which Lasek commented on his video coverage as "the best SVX in the country". The "Best of Show" prize was captured by Ray Thill's 2002 Impreza, the top one of many stunning cars shown in the event. Also, of course, as always, these events always deliver a platform for those who want to observe or participate in some exciting motorsports action. The Flat Four Showdown Autocross event which allows drivers both experienced and novice to test their skills and clock some impressive time around a safe and well-designed course stayed on course with one tradition that brings folks back for more every year. Whether you were interested in digging into the experience, sitting on the sidelines, or spending the day meeting a greeting, Subiefest Texas turned up the southern heat in more ways than one. 

A beautiful experience for the true enthusiast is an event that combines many tastes built from ingredients they hold dear. The spirit of community, a sense of collaboration, an intense injection of thrills and excitement, and a collection of performance platforms proudly piloted by dedicated, hard working practitioners of motorsports are enough to create the delicious stew we all crave. We all know that there is a fully packed schedule of events each year that provides a nice choice for those who wish to have their desires for extreme performance fed. For those who are experienced at the motorsports journey either at a regional or national level, they would agree that GridLife is one of those creative and exciting organizations who provide more than enough nourishment for the discerning gear head. As we broke through into the Fall portion of the year, we were fortunate enough to attend and participate in the 2025 GRIDLIFE Pitt Race which was held on October 17th through 19th at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex in Wampum, Pennsylvania, a venue launched as BeaveRun Motorsports Complex over two decades ago in July of 2002. Over the years the icon location hosted events including the MazdaSpeed Miata Cup in 2003, the F3 Americas and F4 USA championship races in 2018 and 2019, and others such as MotoAmerica, and Trans-Am Series until 2024. Up until this year, events including the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, the ChampCar Endurance Series, and the Atlantic Championship, which began in 2015 were held at this iconic park. This year's launch of Pitt Race brought a mix of popular textures and elements that always satisfy the modern car enthusiast, including multiple on-track events like the highly anticipated TrackBattle, Drifting, and festival-like atmosphere including music, camping, and the feeling of true car culture in vivid color. GridLife brought an event that would attract anyone, car fanatic or not, into the fold forever. Although being an event that historically brings victory and defeat to only those who brave its challenging and intelligent course designs, this year had more finality woven into its fabric for the community who has cherished its existence for a generation. The final weekend truly proved to be a significant and memorable event for the motorsports community. 

The most experienced attendees and participants alike walked into Pitt Race with a bittersweet taste knowing that this would be the last run at the historic motorsports complex since the cherished track has been sold and will close at the end of 2025 to prepare for construction of a data center on the property. With all the melancholy and memory hanging over the expanse, Pitt Race 2025 gave the audience something to remember with plenty of action, activity, and performance that help punctuate this point in history leaving only a positive, rich future for all who competed during the weekend. As always, the traditional GridLife environment provided a vibrant and inviting look into modern car culture with all generations of seasoned and novice enthusiasts sampling a world of brands including Subaru, Honda, Mazda, Porsche, Toyota, BMW and many others. Whether they took the long but fulfilling walking journey through the grounds to explore the offerings from vendors including  Subimods, Turn14, BC Racing, Eibach, Falken Tires, and others, decided to concentrate on the impressive show of inspiration, creativity, and collection by sampling the Motoring Meet on Spectator Hill, or simply check out the many teams who populated the paddock for TrackBattle competitions, full-course drifting, or wheel-to-wheel racing, and other high speed challenges, it was evident that this year's event brought complete joy to those who ventured out to the region. In concert with the many brands and models represented on the track that weekend, it was expected that some true champions would shine in their individual categories including drivers like Falken Club SC's Mike Janssen who set a new track record at the helm of his Honda Civic with a 2:09.505 time, along with competitors like Mario Mirone , Stan Fayngold, Evan McLaren, and Peter Granberg. In addition to these top performers driving assorted brands, one car labeled boldly with the Subaru patch that showed some definite muscle was Dewey DeWitt in his 1995 Subaru Impreza L, a dominant force in the Street Mod category in 2025 with four wins and four track records. Dewey took the Podium Sprint with a 1:49s run under challenging wet conditions, but, as always, with true Boogeyman spirit fueling his momentum. In a weekend filled with unexpected circumstances, mechanical challenges, and unpredictable competitive turns, this event brought the GRIDLIFE season to a close, but delivered the goods and settled the dust in memorable but historic fashion.

Even the most passive Subaru enthusiast would have to admit that the brand has experienced a nice year of accolades, successes, and victories which adds to the pride and spirit of anyone attached to the community. The team at Subaru Motorsports USA went into 2025 punching hard and fighting with grit bringing back precious memories of historic battlegrounds and competitive edge that fans still speak about at gatherings and meetups everywhere. Now that the year is coming to a close and the American Rally Association (ARA) season for 2025 has ended, Subaru has a lot to celebrate. Subaru Motorsports has piled up some impressive victories over a relatively quick nine month span. A nice chain of success including several major wins and two new national championships can be forever branded on the chassis of the iconic Subaru WRX. Travis Pastrana and his co-driver Rhianon Gelsomino became class winners overall rally victors at Michigan’s Lake Superior Performance Rally (LSPR) the final event of the ARA season which has definitely added the sweetest frosting on an already luscious cake of provenance. According to a recent press release posted by Subaru this month, Pastrana was overwhelmed with pride regarding their performance and the incredible competition he and his partner experienced during the event. Per the release, Pastrana said, "LSPR was an absolutely epic event. Some of the most beautiful stages we’ve seen, and some of the rockiest and toughest, so the best of everything!", he added. "Our new ARA25L held up so well, and the overall win was a fantastic bonus!” Rhianon shared her excitement as well as quoted by Subaru's statement. Gelsomino added, "It’s been an awesome season, and the team have done a great job. It’s a great feeling, and we’re looking forward to seeing what we can achieve next year.” This achievement and the continued success of the team has place an impressive marker on the WRX platform competing in ARA events, but also shines a very positive light on Subaru's ongoing American rally stronghold.

To solidify these amazing accomplishments from driver and platform, we should note that while Pastrana and Gelsomino were taking the ARA’s Limited Four-Wheel Drive class (L4WD) at September’s Overmountain Rally Tennessee championship, associate WRX ARA25 driver Brandon Semenuk and co-driver Keaton Williams, Subaru Motorsports USA teammates, also brought home victories. They successfully captured the Open Four-Wheel Drive (O4WD) title at the Ojibwe Forests Rally in August which amplified the level of performance and championship prowess this team carries under their belts. First, in February, Semenuk and Williams grabbed and swept the stages with rewards at the Sno*Drift Rally in Atlanta, Michigan. Then, in April at the Olympus Rally, Pastrana and Gelsomino unleashed the new WRX ARA25L which would prove itself to be a formidable competitor in the L4WD class. They settled in nicely with the new platform and showed the playing field from the beginning that this chariot brings real competitive edge to faster runs like the Rally2 and Open Class. On the battleground over only a four month span at a number of events including the Oregon Trail Rally, the Southern Ohio Forest Rally, and Ojibwe in August, the combination of these two team forces began to show their metal by racking up points and pushing their speed onward. The titles achieved by both the Pastrana/Gelsomino and Semenuk/Williams teams documented the 19th and 20th national championships captured by Subaru over the last 25 years of competition. The cherry on top of the year was definitely the Pastrana/Gelsomino locking down 2025's class title. As this year closes and we think about another season and another set of challenges for Subaru Motorsports USA, we cannot deny how 2025 has illuminated the great history that has embedded itself in the hearts of all true Subaru enthusiasts around the world. These performances have definitely ignited an important flame that will continue within the planning for the 2026 season as both driving partnerships of champions look onto the field and face the unpredictable world of competition and extreme performance.

According to a recent press release published by the Subaru Corporation on October 15th, the automaker has officially announced the plans for their exhibit at the Japan Mobility Show 2025 which will host visitation dedicated for the press and media, scheduled for October 29th and 30th, and also for the public, planned for October 31st through November 9th. The automaker announced that “Driving the Subaru Difference" will be their exhibit concept for this event. Per what was noted within the release, Subaru notes that, "Guided by our philosophy of human-centered manufacturing, Subaru has long been committed to continuously refining our technologies and products to deliver “Enjoyment and Peace of Mind,” always staying close to our customers’ lives." Subaru added that they will build on a foundation of “Enjoyment and Peace of Mind” with a goal of elevating "two experiential worlds". These worlds are defined by Subaru as the “Performance Scene", or simply "the enjoyment of driving", and what they refer to as the " Adventure Scene", which, per their statement, "conveys the exhilaration of embarking on an adventure." Demonstrating Subaru's desire to make a more solid and meaningful relationship with those purchasing their products via the "world concept", the company went on to state, "we aim to deepen the bonds and emotional connection with our customers." To make this announcement more exciting, Subaru promises to feature several offerings which are encompassed by each individual world concept. The press release continues to elaborate by confirming, "The booth at this year’s Japan Mobility Show will feature the area showcasing the Performance Scene for the world premiere of two STI concept models, and the area showcasing the Adventure Scene with highly distinctive Wilderness models, highlighting the unique appeal of the Subaru brand." During the event, on October 29th at 12:30 PM (JST), Atsushi Osaki, the Subaru Corporation President is scheduled to host a press conference at the Subaru booth in the East Exhibition Hall 5 to discuss several topics related to the Subaru models categorized under both world concepts. The Subaru models slated to be featured at this exhibit include the world premiere of both the "Performance Scene" E STIand the B STI concept vehicles along with the "Adventure Scene" models including the Forester Wilderness and Outback Wilderness prototypes which will be premiere appearances in Japan.

Per Subaru's latest press announcement related to the Performance-E STI concept vehicle, the company stated that this model is "A Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV)concept model that represents the future of the Performance Scene, spearheading Subaru’s new generation." The car maker goes on to say, "A concept model representing Subaru’s Performance Scene, with an internal combustion engine (ICE) base. The design achieves a balance of advanced performance and power with practicality. By flexibly incorporating the assets Subaru has honed over many years, including a horizontally-opposed engine and Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, this model expands the range of options that deliver the Subaru difference, offering more customers the chance to experience the joy of driving." Subaru has also announced the Japanese premiere of the anticipated Trailseeker model which stands as the second in its lineup under the "global battery electric vehicle (BEV)" category. They proudly exclaimed in their announcement that the Trailseeker "brilliantly combines the precise driving control unique to BEVs with the practicality of a crossover utility vehicle. Ideal for both everyday outings and extraordinary journeys, the Trailseeker is a perfect partner for those seeking new, active lifestyles." While already an impressive array of new and future offerings, the automaker will officially unveil two overland favorites for the press and public to examine during this historic event. Both the Forester Wilderness and Outback Wilderness will no doubt cause a lot of necks to crane as these models have become a popular choice for consumers and enthusiasts who have a passion for outdoor life. Their comments on the Forester outline the model by stating, "The Wilderness prototype builds on the Forester’s value as a traditional SUV by adding new elements—including a tough, rugged design and enhanced off-road capability and functionality—that give the model a distinctive character", adding that the Outback, inherits the models's design concept of “accompanying customers diverse lifestyles, in harmony with nature, while further enhancing off-road capability and functionality for tackling the great outdoors, taking the model’s tough and rugged character to a new level." Finally, to further excite the future audience in Japan, Subaru will also bring along the " 1983 Subaru GL Family Huckster" which, per Subaru, has been recently "revived" to incorporate, "the latest technology to create a machine that channels Subaru’s DNA in its appearance while delivering unparalleled performance." With all things considered, this event in Japan promises to be a historic illumination of the Subaru Brand.