All-new Subaru WRX rally car wins debut at 2023 Ojibwe Forests Rally

August 29, 2023 by Subaru

The next-generation Subaru WRX rally car won its debut rally, taking first-place in the 2023 Ojibwe Forests Rally. Driver Brandon Semenuk and co-driver Keaton Williams not only secured a victory but also cemented their second straight American Rally Association (ARA) Championship win in the process.

Friday saw the start of competition at the 2023 Ojibwe Forests Rally, with long, fast stages kicking off the event. It was a banner day for Semenuk, Williams, and the new car: across Friday's eight stages the team stayed on top of the leaderboard without a single mechanical issue – a remarkable debut for an all-new platform. Saturday's remaining stages were a collection of shorter, more technically demanding runs that took place over narrow, rocky trails. A punctured tire near the end of the day was the only unexpected challenge for the team to overcome and was quickly resolved without drama or damage. Semenuk and Williams brought the new WRX rally car home to a first-place overall finish and the entire team celebrated an overall 2023 ARA Championship victory at weekend's end.

The performance of the all-new Subaru WRX rally car at this year's Ojibwe Forests Rally is a testament to the months of building, planning and testing on the part of Subaru Motorsports USA and Vermont SportsCar, and team drivers Semenuk and Williams. The team looks to replicate the top-notch performance all around at the Lake Superior Performance Rally in Michigan October 13-14, the final event of this year's ARA calendar. Then it's on to preparing for the 2024 ARA season, when Brandon and Keaton will be joined by a second car piloted by extreme sports legend Travis Pastrana. For more news and updates between now and the Lake Superior Performance Rally, follow Subaru Motorsports USA on Facebook, on Instagram @subarumotorsportsusa, and TikTok @subarumotorsportsusa.

Driver Quotes

Brandon Semenuk:

'Perfect debut for the next-gen rally car! First event with the new car, and a nice summer day to wrap up its first win. Thanks to the entire team for the mega effort this year!'

Keaton Williams:

'This is a tricky event to bring a new car to. The weekend has been all about the team: they've done an amazing job to develop a car like this, so hats off to them. It's been a really good weekend.'