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Time to read 5 min
Photo by Andy H
Our enthusiast community is well aware of their favorite car maker's impressive history in the motorsports world. Many conversations amongst fans and followers during events around the globe guarantee the inclusion of affectionate memories regarding Subaru's first victory in the World Rally Championship over three decades ago. This championship run in New Zealand back in 1993 was delivered by the iconic Subaru Legacy RS and its driver Colin McRae and co-pilot Derek Ringer establishing a historic first WRC win for a British rally driver since 1976 when Roger Clark took the prize. McRae would again take another first with the WRC manufacturers' championship trophy in 1996 with the beloved Subaru Impreza 555 as the victorious chariot that generations of drivers and enthusiasts of all levels have proudly placed in their vault of inspiration while moving forward in their own personal journeys. Simply, Subaru is no stranger to victory over the past few decades and has not lost that spirit or ability as we continue through a new year of competition.
At this year's Oregon Trail Rally, both Subaru Motorsports USA teams recaptured the powerful dominance they have experienced during many past contests. Climbing to the podium once again in the middle of May showed that this team is not close to slowing down in any genre of motorsports or level of challenge. A press release distributed by Subaru Motorsports USA on May 19th proudly reported that Brandon Semenuk, American Rally Association (ARA) championship leader, and co-driver Keaton Williams took first place overall under the Open 4-Wheel Drive (O4WD) class event. In the Limited 4-Wheel Drive (L4WD) class event, Travis Pastrana and co-driver Rhianon Gelsomino captured first and third place overall while driving both a new car and competing in this new class. Celebrations came to the team after some unfortunate delays and issues came to the event's opening night, including a serious accident causing a competitor's vehicle to overturn.
These incidents prompted Portland International Raceway to consolidate its planned two stages into one, but the adjustments, cooperative spirit, and obvious dedication of the participants and onlookers pushed the event forward successfully. Attendance was solid and the overall atmosphere created an electric environment which obviously contributed to a positive spectacle of performance. The overarching energy of the event seemed to feed the competition and make it a memorable place in history for everyone involved. The Subaru team noted, "Saturday saw the Oregon Trail Rally unleash its true character, as competitors traded the smooth asphalt for the high-speed gravel and relentlessly rocky terrain...", confirming the event's historic fame and challenging environment. Regarding Saturday's portion of the event as reported in Subaru's PR, Brandon Semenuk was quoted to say, “Tricky, fast stages but really fun. Ending the day up Maryhill Road was so much fun. That’s the best the car’s ever felt up there.”
Riding into the Sunday half of the Oregon Trail Rally brought thrills and speed to all the drivers and audience looking on with amazement. It was obvious to all observers that both Semenuk and Williams were running at peak performance and ability during this event as the results brought their team to satisfaction and success through a very challenging and aggressive set of runs that they conquered without a shudder. The press release reported Semenuk's excitement and quotes regarding the day's results noting his quotes explaining, "Great weekend!" Semenuk proclaimed, "Really happy with the car. Clean sweep on all the stages and a Power Stage win. Amazing." Semenuk and Williams showed an obvious spirit of dominance, confidence, and extreme performance proficiency to grab victory and sharply mark another ARA championship in their book. According to team Subaru, Semenuk declared the Oregon Trail Rally as having "America's fastest stages", which was evident by performances across the board.
In addition to the successful showing by drivers Brandon Semenuk and Keaton Williams, team Subaru's other championship duo, Travis Pastrana and Rhianon Gelsomino appeared at only their second event driving the new Subaru WRX ARA25L while trying to solidify their comfort level and overall piloting rhythm in this cutting edge platform. The press release reported Pastrana's thoughts about the event and the vehicle's performance progress by noting his encouraging comments. "We're working our hardest to do the best we can and have a lot of fun with this vehicle," Pastrana said confidently. "Third overall, first in class. This vehicle right here - absolutely awesome! So stoked to be able to drive it. Looking forward to seeing what it can do in the next races!" Rhianon added some positive confirmation and hope for future events by saying, "Travis and I had a great event! We're pumped. We love this event and we can't wait for Ohio...It's gonna be awesome." With this weekend of challenges, victories, and encouraging experiences behind Team Subaru, they can look forward to more events in 2025. As mentioned by Gelsomino, these top performers will roll into the Southern Ohio Forest Rally on June 12 through 14 where Semenuk, Williams, Pastrana and Gelsomino will continue to pursue victory and spread pride throughout Subaru's massive community of fans and inspired enthusiasts.
Learning about the success and continued momentum delivered by some of your favorite motorsports influencers can be very inspirational for enthusiasts at all levels of experience, knowledge, or willingness to take the next steps on their journey as a Subaru owner. It is always best to have a dependable, helpful, and knowledgeable team behind your dreams to assist in making well-informed decisions regarding the modification of your vehicle. The team at Subimods allows you to take a more detailed look at the parts, accessories, and components that can bring your Subaru to the next level of performance. Inspiration is so much sweeter when you have a support team to help you reach your goals along the way. Our team has been put in place to bring you to that moment where you and your car can perform beyond your expectations.
For more information regarding aftermarket parts for your Subaru, please visit our website and explore the section dedicated to your platform.
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Bryon Turcotte - Managing Editor/Writer
Turcotte has worked as a writer, journalist, and digital content developer for 30 years. He began his career in music journalism in 1995 then worked for several years as both a staff writer, managing editor, and a freelancer for both regional and national music publications. Over the next three decades his contributions extended beyond the music industry as he served within the realms of higher education, science and technology, manufacturing, and finance. He has been serving as a content developer and writer on the Subimods Marketing team since August 2023.
