What is Rally?
Stage rally is real cars, on real roads, going real fast. It’s a point-to-point race against the clock as drivers and co-drivers work together in production-based vehicles to compete on closed public roads. Day or night, teams tackle dirt, snow, gravel, or tarmac roads and obstacles like water crossings and jumps at incredible speeds.
Co-drivers use stage notes, which are detailed instructions about the course. Every turn, jump, crest and hazard is noted in order for the co-driver to accurately communicate to the driver what to expect. Most rally events allow the team to pre-run the course in a non-competition car at legal public speeds prior to the event in order to write their stage notes; this is called a “reconnaissance” or “recce.”
10,000 Turns Once
A circuit driver takes one turn 10,000 times, while rally drivers take 10,000 turns once. This format tests a driver’s reflexes, endurance and precision, leading many to consider rally drivers the most skilled drivers in the world.
Rally cars must be street legal as there are stages on open public roads and the rally cars must transit on open public roads (at legal speeds) between the competition stages. After several stages the cars visit the Service Area where team mechanics may have anywhere from 10 to 60 minutes to perform any necessary repairs. While outside of these service areas only the driver and co-driver may work on their car. Seasoned professionals compete alongside weekend warriors and press on, regardless of the challenge, to finish the event with the lowest time possible.
A Brief Look at Vermont SportsCar’s Rally History
Although today Vermont SportsCar is synonymous with Subaru’s motorsport efforts, VSC’s history includes early VW Golfs, Toyota Celicas, Mitsubishi Eclipses, and Galant VR4s, before getting to Subarus in the late nineties.
Travis Pastrana and co-driver Christian Edstrom signed to the roster and campaigned a Vermont SportsCar Subaru Impreza WRX STi in a successful 2005 season.This was also the year a DC Shoes co-founder Ken Block, with Alex Gelsomino co-driving, took Rookie of the Year honors in another Subaru rally car.
Signing With Subaru
In January of 2006, Vermont SportsCar and Subaru signed a multi-year contract to become the technical partner for Subaru’s official U.S. motorsports efforts: Subaru Rally Team USA. Rebranded in 2019 as Subaru Motorsports USA, this is currently the world’s largest Subaru motorsports program. With 20 rally national championships, it is also the most dominant rally program in North America.
2006 also saw the introduction of rally into the X Games. VSC ran three Subaru WRX STI cars and it was the site of the famous McRae rollover — where Colin McRae flipped his car and still came in second, after Pastrana and just ahead of Ken Block. Pastrana won the Rally America Championship in 2006.
Other Notable Milestones
- Travis Pastrana got his start in rallying with Vermont SportsCar in 2004. He went on to win four consecutive Rally America championships with Subaru from 2006–2009, often battling teammate and friend Ken Block, before adding two more U.S. rally titles with VSC in 2017 and 2021.
- Ken Block earned 10 U.S. rally wins, three X Games medals and three Rally America championship podiums with Subaru
- BMX legend Dave Mirra joined Subaru Rally Team USA in 2009, earning multiple national rally podiums and helping lead the team’s expansion into rallycross
More Notable Milestones
David Higgins became one of the most successful drivers in U.S. rally history during his nine seasons with Subaru Rally Team USA, earning eight national championships with the team alongside co-driver Craig Drew. The pair also amassed more than 35 outright rally victories, including an undefeated eight-win season in 2015.
Freeride mountain biking champion Brandon Semenuk joined the team in 2020 and, with co-driver Keaton Williams, won his first rally that October before going on to claim four consecutive ARA National Championships from 2022–2025.
