Subaru Motorsports USA Win at Olympus Rally
Shelton, Wash. – Subaru Motorsports USA driver Brandon Semenuk and co-driver Keaton Williams claimed overall victory over a wet weekend in Washington, sealing a three-race winning streak in the 2023 American Rally Association (ARA) championship. The team managed to stay at the top of the leaderboard through both race days, placing first in each of the twelve long stages.
Semenuk and Williams started strong, feeling at home in the steady rain that made up much of Saturday’s weather. The day yielded new competition, including the 454-horsepower Ferrari-powered WRX of Sam Albert and Krista Skucas, which sounded otherworldly but tragically spun the rear wheel completely off the car seconds after launch at stage 1, forcing an early retirement. Contending with heavy mud and fog, the Subaru Motorsports USA duo focused on keeping a clean and steady pace, managing to capture first on each of the six long stages and wrapping up near 8:30 PM with lights blazing through the flying finish at dusk.
Day two opened on the rally’s long and technical Wildcat stage, with brisker temperatures but clear skies that helped hide just how slick the stages still were from days of rain before. Recent road maintenance exacerbated the problem, leaving a loose top layer in place of hard-packed dirt and making things greasy and rough. Tire choice was a bit more complicated as soft rubber was best for conditions, but the stage length demanded a compound choice that would make it to the end.
Consistent rain returned mid-afternoon on Sunday. Wet or dry, the driving strategy remained the same: clean lines and a steady pace would allow the team to hold top position. “We had a wet weekend; you never know what you’re going to get here at Olympus,” said Semenuk after the victory. “We’re really happy to get the win, and happy to be back!”
Five rounds remain in 2023’s eight-round calendar, with Semenuk and Williams currently leading the championship. Be sure to catch Subaru Motorsports USA back on the rally stages at Oregon Trail Rally, May 19-21.
About Subaru Motorsports USA
Subaru Motorsports USA is managed by Vermont SportsCar and proudly supported by Subaru of America, Inc., MOTUL, KMC Wheels, Yokohama Tires, DirtFish Rally School, KÜHL, AT&T Business, weBoost and PepLink. Follow the team online at www.subaru.com/motorsports.
Follow Subaru Motorsports USA on Facebook, on Instagram @subarumotorsportsusa, onTikTok @subarumotorsportsusa, and on Twitter @subarums_usa.
About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan. Headquartered at a zero-landfill office in Camden, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 630 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. is the only U.S. automobile manufacturing plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. SOA is guided by 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 $270 million to causes the Subaru family cares about, and its employees have logged nearly 78,000 volunteer hours. As a company, Subaru believes it is important to do its part in making a positive impact in the world because it is the right thing to do. For additional information visit media.subaru.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
