Pastrana picks up first season win in at a challenging Ojibwe Forests Rally

In their first season back in American Rally Association (ARA) action, the Subaru Motorsports USA team of extreme sports icon Travis Pastrana and co-driver Rhianon Gelsomino garnered its first win of the ARA season at the 2024 Ojibwe Forests Rally in Minnesota. Two-time defending ARA champions Brandon Semenuk and co-driver Keaton Williams ran into significant trouble on Friday, making their pursuit of an ARA three-peat that much more difficult.

'Not the rally we wanted,' said Semenuk, 'but congrats to Travis on a great win.'

The 2024 Ojibwe Forests Rally lived up to its reputation as one of the more challenging and unpredictable events on the ARA calendar. Shifting weather saw teams and drivers adapting to conditions in the 70s with light showers for Thursday's kickoff Special Stage to 80s and humid on Friday, when the difficult stages themselves tested competitors.

Trouble started with a car going off on Stage 4 leading to the cancellation of Stage 5. Then on Stage 6, a rock described by one competitor as akin to a 'small moon' did significant damage to Semenuk and Williams's WRX ARA24. Effectively out of the running for a victory at Ojibwe, the team came back Saturday to super rally to claim any championship points it could: 'It was nice to get those five extra points and salvage something from our weekend,' said Williams.

Pastrana, meanwhile made the most of Semenuk's misfortune, piloting himself and Gelsomino through Saturday's stages to claim the win at Ojibwe even despite struggling with some engine issues. Moving forward, the question becomes can Pastrana find a way to eke out an ARA championship? 'We've done some math,' says Pastrana. 'It could be close.'

Formerly known as the Bristol Forest Rally and a new addition to the ARA calendar for 2024, the Overmountain Rally Tennessee takes place on September 14-15. The competition is heating up and things are getting interesting; keep up with the latest by following Subaru Motorsports USA on Facebook, on Instagram @subarumotorsportsusa, and TikTok @subarumotorsportsusa.

Photo credit: Subaru
posted on conceptcarz.com

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