BLOCK AIMS FOR SEVENTH CONSECUTIVE WIN IN FIESTA H.F.H.V. AT SECOND RALLY AMERICA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT RALLY

Company press release.

Block Aims for Seventh Consecutive Win in Fiesta H.F.H.V. at Second Rally America National Championship Event Rally in the 100 Acre Wood

The second Rally America National Championship event, Rally in the 100 Acre Wood, takes over the foothills of the Ozark Mountains of Missouri this weekend (Feb. 22-23) with a combined 15 Fords out of 63 cars entered in the rally.

Ken Block is going for a seventh consecutive win at Rally in the 100 Acre Wood with co-driver Alex Gelsomino in the Hoonigan Racing Division Fiesta H.F.H.V. The Hoonigan Racing Division team had an unlucky start to the championship season with a technical issue at Sno*Drift last month. With an epic return on Day 2 of the event, Block was able to win six of the 12 stages and earn sixth overall. Block admits Sno*Drift is not his favorite event and was happy to have finished the rally in the top 10 and head to one of his favorite rallies sixth in the championship standings.

Rally in the 100 Acre Wood is a notable event, demonstrating some of the fastest rally racing in North America. A favorite rally for Block who has dominated the roads since 2007 with six victories, the most 100 Acre Wood Rally wins by a Rally America driver.

'I would say that these are the sort of roads that I dreamed of as a kid that I would want to drive,' Block explains. 'They're fast and flowing and fit my flat-out style of driving. These are basically like video game roads to me; they're a ton of fun.'

The quick pace of the rally in 2012 was set by Block and Gelmosino who piloted the Fiesta H.F.H.V. to victory and tallied 15 stage wins out of 17 in the event. So how is Block planning to take win No. 7? 'My main goal is to come here and race smartly,' said Block. 'The goal isn't to win every stage; the goal is to win the race. I picked up a puncture last year from pushing a bit too hard, so my goal this year is to avoid putting myself into situations like that and just stay focused on winning the overall race.'

Controlled driving will be the key to Block's continued success at 100 Acre Wood especially when the 2012 Rally America National Champion, Subaru's David Higgins, is determined to break his winning streak.

'I've got a lot of respect for David,' said Block. 'He's the four-time national champion, and he's got a ton of experience. But, when we're here at a race, I'm here to win, and I will push him as hard as I can!'

Beyond the ever-present challenge expected from Higgins and current championship point leader Antoine L'Estage, it will take an abundance of self-motivation and discipline for Block to win the event once again.

'I'd say that I'm always looking to improve myself as a driver,' said Block. 'That's one of the things that I truly enjoy about doing this amazing sport of rally. And when I get tired of learning and tired of pushing myself, that'll probably be when I retire. But for now, I'm gonna continue to do the best job I can and continue to push myself.'

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Rally America's two-wheel drive class has earned fan attention and grown immensely the past few seasons. A Ford to watch out for at Rally in the 100 Acre Wood is Dillon Van Way's 2011 Fiesta. Van Way and co-driver Andrew Edwards had a top-10 finish at Sno*Drift earning second in the 2WD class. Since 2009, Van Way has earned top-three finishes in the 2WD class at all four 100 Acre Wood rallies entered.

Ford's own Tim O'Neil of the Team O'Neil Rally School, will enter the 2WD class in a 2012 Fiesta R2 for his first start at Rally in the 100 Acre Wood. An overwhelming number of Rally America drivers have attended O'Neil's rally school and will compete this weekend against the instructor.

Amongst the fleet of Fiestas fielded by Team O'Neil this weekend, Ed McNelly and co-driver Ole Holter will battle in their 2011 Fiesta R2 after a third-place finish in the 2WD class at Sno*Drift. Verena Mei and co-driver Leanne Junnila, the only all-female team competing in Rally America's National Championship, will start Rally in the 100 Acre Wood fifth in the 2WD class championship standings after a solid performance at Sno*Drift.