Sno Drift Rally 2007 Sno*Drift: Real cars, Real fast, on Real roads
February 06, 2007
Sno*Drift: Real cars, Real fast, on Real roads
What do you get when you combine a bunch of rally cars and some snow covered roads in Michigan? You get the Sno*Drift! The Sno*Drift is the first event in the Rally America National Championship, an event full of snow and ice covered roads that can lead to a great time out in the woods. It takes place every year in the towns and back roads of Atlanta, Lewiston, and Hillman in the upper area of the Lower Peninsula.
Well this year?s conditions for the event have been called near perfect, lots of snow and ice on the roads. Conditions tend to vary for this event ranging from snow, ice, and frozen gravel. The turn out for competitors and spectators were high as well. People drive for hundreds of miles to stand out in the cold and the snow to catch a few glimpses of their favorite driver or car.
If you have been following the Rally America Series in 2006, then you know who has been at the top as of late, Travis Pastrana and his co-driver Bjorn Edstrom. This year is no exception, Pastrana and Edstrom took first place this year in the Sno*Drift, giving them their first Sno*Drift win, last year they took Second with the their teammates Ken Block and Alessandro Gelsomino taking Third last year, yet this year they took Sixth. Both Pastrana and Block drive 2006 Impreza WRX STi rally cars in the Open Class prepared by the Vermont Sports Car company who has building rally cars since 1988. Subaru Rally Team USA is sponsored by DC shoes, SPT, Motul, Alpinestars, PIAA, Recaro, BFGoodrich, and partners Vermont Sports Car Rallying and Subaru Tecnica International.
The event did have some minor set backs, running mostly on time throughout the first day, yet the second day during one of the stages some snowmobiles where on the closed roads and Pastrana had to throw a red cross, this stopped the race at that point and it had to be restarted which had caused an hour or so delay.
Travis Pastrana?s overall time was 1:53:44.3. Second was Tanner Foust, running a 2006 Subaru WRX STi (Sponsored by Rock Star Energy Drink) only +0:06.3 seconds behind, and the last spot on the podium was Andrew Pinker in a 2004 Subaru Impreza (Sponsored by Abode) at +0:32.5. A Subaru in all three spots on the top three is something all of us like to see. Pastrana?s teammate Ken Block?s time for sixth was +2:15.2. Good job Subaru Rally Team USA!
If you would like to see some of the Highlights of this year?s Sno*Drift, it will be broadcasted on ESPN 2 on 5-11-07 @ 5:30pm along with highlights for the next events the 100 Acre Wood Rally (Feb. 23-24) and the Oregon Trail Rally (April 20-23). Check out www.rally-america.com for event details and upcoming rally events near you, and get out there and check out all the action! Don?t forget, there is no cost for admission, it?s free!!!
Also this year Travis Pastrana will be entered into select World Rally Championship (WRC) races as well as his Rally America series. So look out WRC! Here comes the first American based team with an American driver competing in the WRC. It looks to be another good year for Subaru Rally Team USA
