DC Shoes Co-Founder Ken Block commissioned Vermont SportsCar to make the world’s fastest cat track operation automobile for back-country snowboarding access. The creation was dubbed the TRAX STI.  The TRAX STI pulls a custom hand-built sleigh with room for four. The duo made its public debut at the 2009 SEMA show in the Subaru of America booth.

THE CAR: The TRAX STI  is rally-prepared and very close in specification to  Subaru Rally Team USA’s competition rally cars, with the exception of the Mattracks rubber track system.  Vermont SportsCar first begins with a stock 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI right off the showroom floor. The car’s interior is then stripped bare and the shell lightened then fully seam welded for added strength. A multipoint roll cage, manufactured from T45 steel, is then welded into place.  The interior features lightweight carbon/Kevlar RECARO SPA ProRacer competition seats (w/HANS- Head and Neck Restraint System), carbon fiber door panels and an onboard Fire Suppression System.

The car features Group N competition rally dampers made by EXE-TC and a KAPS 5-speed close-ratio dog-engagement gearbox. Under the hood sits a 2.5 liter, 4-cylinder, turbocharged and intercooled STI engine tuned with a MOTEC M800 ECU.

THE SLEIGH: The sleigh’s body is 100% custom designed and constructed with hand-laid fiberglass using sandwich-core construction.  It features a carbon fiber dashboard, center tunnel cover and rear-cooler cover. The interior floor surfaces are covered with a spray-on polyurethane bedliner.  Protected beneath the padded roll bars are four heated and embroidered leather RECARO Speed seats with Sabelt 4pt harnesses.

A marine grade water resistant Alpine digital media receiver is coupled with marine grade Kicker speakers and 10” subwoofer.  The rear of the sleigh features a large cooler and a grab-bar for towing any snowboarders.  Cup holders and LED lighting finish-off  the interior and tucked into a glove-box within the custom carbon fiber covered dashboard are two Viosport POV.1 camera systems.  One camera lens is flush mounted within the dashboard to film the passengers, while the other camera is mounted high on the roll bar to record the action unfolding around the sleigh.

ENGINE
STI 2.5 liter, Horizontally opposed 4-cylinder
Turbocharged and intercooled
Approx 400hp and 400ft-lbs

WEIGHT
Approx 3100lbs (without track system)

ENGINE MANAGEMENT
MoTeC M800 ECU

TRANSMISSION
KAPS 5-speed dog-engagement gearbox

DRIVE SYSTEM
Programmable DCCD (Driver Controlled Center Differential) ECU

TRACKS SYSTEM
Mattracks 105M1-A1 rubber track conversion
Custom machined hubs
Drivetrain dropped 3” to accommodate tracks system

CLUTCH
EXEDY single plate racing clutch

DIFFERENTIALS
Homologated front and rear STI Group N differentials

SUSPENSION
EXE-TC Group N competition rally suspension (with pressure sensitive damping/hydraulic bump stop)

ROLL CAGE / SHELL PREP
Seam welded shell
Vermont SportsCar / Custom Cages FIA spec roll cage

BRAKES
STI Group N Gravel Rally Brakes – 4pot front / 2pot Rear

SEATS
RECARO SPA ProRacer w/HANS (Head & Neck Restraint)

INTERIOR
Modified STI Dash
Carbon fiber door cards and carbon fiber co-driver footrest
Sabelt 6pt harnesses
Hydraulic handbrake
Coralba C-Giant rally computer
Viosport POV.1 Camera System

BODY
STI carbon fiber roof scoop
1/4 inch Aluminum sump guard
Carbon fiber rear wing

SNOWBOARD RACKS
Yakima FatCat 4 Snowboard Rack
Yakima Landing Pad rack base
DC Shoes XFB-C Snowboards

FLUIDS
MOTUL 15w-50 fully synthetic motor oil
MOTUL GEARff Competition 75w-140 gear oil
MOTUL RBF600 brake fluid