Subaru Motorsports USA Triumphs at Rally in the 100 Acre Wood
Potosi, MO — Subaru Motorsports USA driver Travis Pastrana and co-driver Rhianon Gelsomino claimed overall victory at the 2026 Rally in the 100 Acre Wood, prevailing on Missouri’s high-speed gravel roads against one of the deepest fields the American Rally Association (ARA) National Championship has seen in recent years. Competing in the Limited 4WD class with their Subaru WRX ARA25L, the pair fought through a field that included a record nine Rally2 entries in the championship’s top class, to secure a hard-fought win.
With its wide roads and sweeping open stretches, the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood has long been known as one of the fastest events on the ARA calendar, requiring drivers to challenge themselves and commit fully to flat out corners over rolling blind crests and hills from start to finish.
Opening the rally first on the road, Pastrana and Gelsomino immediately faced the disadvantage of sweeping loose gravel from the racing line. Even so, they came out of the gate with real pace, finishing the first stage at 6th overall and 2nd in class and continuing to work their way through the pack as the day went on. A stage-winning run at the culmination of day 1 set spirits high but was retroactively erased late the next day due to complaints about dusty conditions, negating the team’s tire strategy and pacing through most of day two. That late push brought Pastrana within seconds of the overall lead heading into the overnight halt, placing him firmly in contention before the revised results reshuffled the order for Saturday.
The WRX ARA25L showed its speed early Saturday morning, charging through the opening stages and surviving the notoriously punishing Loop Southern stage. Pastrana and Gelsomino continued to press forward as the rally unfolded, climbing the leaderboard and moving into third overall by the end of the first loop as they steadily reeled in the Rally2 cars ahead.
Driving with total commitment on the final loop, Pastrana and Gelsomino seized the overall lead on its opening stage, taking a 16.4-second advantage over Tom Williams, whose Rally2 car had led much of the day. They added another five seconds before the finish, securing the overall win and placing the Limited 4-Wheel Drive Subaru WRX ARA25L on the top step of the podium.
“That was a heck of a rally,” Pastrana said. “The top four were within 23 seconds, so it was absolutely right down to the wire. Rhianon absolutely crushed it.”
“Huge thanks to the entire Subaru team,” he added. “We took some pretty big chances out there, and it all worked out. Sometimes you’d rather be lucky than good. That rally was such a battle all the way to the end.”
The result gives Subaru Motorsports USA crucial early-season momentum as the 2026 championship fight begins to take shape.
With 100 Acre Wood in the books, the ARA championship now turns to the Kubota Olympus Rally, April 17–19, where Shelton, Washington’s tight, technical roads will provide a very different challenge.
This year’s event expands to a full three days of competition and more than 200 miles of stages, making it the longest rally on the 2026 ARA calendar.
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About Subaru Motorsports USA
Subaru Motorsports USA is directed by Subaru of America, Inc., managed by Vermont SportsCar and proudly supported by MOTUL, Yokohama Tires, R53 Suspension, Triple-R Lights, and Peplink. Follow the team online at www.subaru.com/motorsports.
Follow Subaru Motorsports USA on Facebook, on Instagram @subarumotorsportsusa, and on TikTok @subarumotorsportsusa.
About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan. Headquartered in Camden, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts, and accessories through a network of about 640 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill plants, including Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc., the only U.S. automobile manufacturing plant designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. SOA is guided by the the Subaru Love Promise ®, which is the company’s vision to show love and respect to everyone and to support its communities and customers nationwide. Over the past 20 years, SOA and the SOA Foundation have donated more than $340 million to causes the Subaru family cares about, and its employees have logged over 115,000 volunteer hours. Subaru is dedicated to being More Than a Car Company ® and to making the world a better place. For additional information visit media.subaru.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube.
