Purpose: To attend the RallyCarTM Rally in the 100 Acre Wood in Missouri with Subaru Rally Team USA (SRT USA)
Start/Finish: Drive Performance headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Distance:
- According to mapping services -- 1,016 miles point to point
- Actual (with drives to parc expose, service, and spectator stages both rally days) -- 1,383 miles
Major routes to Rally in the 100 Acre Woods:
- Wisconsin: State Trunk Highway 83, Interstate 43, Interstate 90
- Illinois: Interstates 90, 39, 55
- Missouri: Interstates 55, 44
Fuel consumption: 56.8 gallons
Mileage: 24.3 mpg
We left snow-covered southeastern Wisconsin for Missouri, which was supposed to be stormy. We anticipated warmer weather, too. As we entered St. Louis, we encountered rain. It didn't stop raining until we reached Rolla, which was our destination for the next three nights. The rain changed to harder rain, then to rain mixed with blobs of snow. Even though the snow let up, the heavy rain accompanied us all the way. The DP WRX all-wheel drive and the Bridgestone BlizzakTM tires cut through the water without missing a beat.
The predicted warmer weather didn't appear, with temperatures well below the promised highs. It didn't do much for convincing family members that rally can be a lot of fun. When we awoke on Friday morning, a dusting of snow gave tree branches definition when viewed from the west. Temperatures never rose higher than the mid-30s, and I didn't have the appropriate gloves and boots to keep my fingers and toes from going numb while standing at spectator points.
The Super Specials at the park in Potosi gave everyone a chance to watch the cars hit water, left over from the previous day's drenching. Everything was soaked and muddy. But that's what helps to make this a pure form of racing.
Travel to the spectator points was as much fun as watching the cars plow through mud and potholes and water. Lane-and-a-half-wide gravel/rock/mud roads gave DP WRX a workout, highlighted by fording a stream that was at least as high as the floor. (The car took it all without a wince.)
In a road atlas of Missouri, take a look at the area surrounding Potosi, Steelville, Salem, and Viburnum. These state and county roads can be tortuous, with plenty of curves and steep hills. Although not mountainous, this part of the county provides great fun for driving enthusiasts.
We emerged cold and muddy from our two days following SRT USA, and I'm ready to do it again!
At the end of the rally weekend, Travis Hanson/Terry Hanson still lead in the 2011 National Championship standings with their Super Production WRX STI. They led the Super Production group and finished 4th overall.
SRT USA's David Higgins finished 2nd to Antoine L'Estage/Nathalie Richard by only 17.7 seconds, and Dave Mirra followed in 3rd. Here's how the team stands after the second of six rounds.
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SRT USA Performance in the |
||||
|
Event |
Date/Location |
Drivers |
Finishing Position |
Driver Standings |
|
Round 1 |
January 28-29 |
David Higgins |
DNF1 |
— |
|
Dave Mirra |
2 |
2 |
||
|
Round 2 |
February 25-26 |
David Higgins |
2 |
4 |
|
Dave Mirra |
3 |
2 |
||
1 Engine
The field consisted of a large number of Subaru rally cars. Most of them are shown below. Plus, find more coverage online on the YouTube and RallyCar sites.
Next trip: March 5 -- Homestead-Miami Speedway (Homestead, Florida) for the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race with Subaru Road Racing Team (SRRT)
Next trip for DP WRX: April 9 -- Barber Motorsports Park (Birmingham, Alabama) for the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge with SRRT
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SUBARU BOXER Sports Car Architecture Introduced at the 81st Geneva International Motor Show
Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI) debuted the SUBARU BOXER Sports Car Architecture yesterday at the 81st Geneva International Motor Show. Read the press release.
-- Ric Hawthorne
