PGT Car 125 Wilburn/Crescenti win Finger Lakes Regional Rally Overall  - Saturday, June  7, 2008
PGT Car 125 Wilburn/Crescenti win Finger Lakes Regional Rally Overall

The remaining podium positions are as follows:
565 Hodges/Krolikowski (2nd overall and 1st in Open)
684 Markut/Gordon

G2
Car 319 Greenhouse/DeRose

Race for the X Games  - Saturday, June  7, 2008
STPR is the final qualifying round for X Games 14 Rally Car Racing. 12 teams will be invited. The breakdown is as follows:

The top 3 finishers from X Games 13 have automatically qualified to return. The top three respectively are Foust, Block, and Pastrana.

Rally America will reserve two spots for special invites, yet to be announced.

This will leave 7 spots, of which 6 will be decided from the top spots in the overall leaderboard. 1 spot will be the result of a last chance qualifier - the details have not yet been finalized.

Prior to this event, ACP leads the points. It appears that, despite a DNF due to engine failure, that he will retain the top sport.

Johnson and Sarasin are high enough to be safe in their bid for X Games 14.

After that, things get interesting...Bartram, Moro, L'Estage, and Nathan Conley all need good finishes here to qualify for a spot in the X Games.

Andrew Pinker could also be a threat, despite repeated mechanical issues throughout this season. Jeff Moyle also has potential.

Within the hour we will know 6 of the final 7 X Games 14 invitees for Rally Car Racing.

Notes from the stages  - Saturday, June  7, 2008
Car 444 Moyle/Yarroch incurred some damage to the front of the car when they came into a tight corner and the car got light. They were able maintain their 11th place position.

Car 125 Wilburn/Crescenti came into the service after SS8 with left front damage and a flat tire. They were working hard in service to repair the damage.

Car 17 L'Estage/Richard replaced the turbo in service and all should be good. If so, they will be in position to win this event.

Car 625 Spaulding/Chute is still running through their suspension issues. They have secured a first place in class in the Sherwood Forest Regional Rally.

Car 699 Sorenson/Jenny have rolled. They have no comment at this time.

Car 182 Alva/Slocum helped Car 125 Wilburn / Crescenti to the final control and incurred a 3 minute penalty.

Car 46 Johnson/Wimpey are in third place overall. Unofficially, they are 40 seconds out of 2nd; however, a timing inquiry has been ruled in their favor and will put them within 5 seconds of Car 34 Foust/Beavis. It is the team's strategy to not brake the car. "We are trying to let the car do the work (not the driver)...I am working to improve my driving skills as always" stated driver Matthew Johnson. "The Hankook tires are working good in the heat...we are going to try and have a good, clean run."

Car 204 Arce/Chevalier were running for fun this morning due to their issues yesterday. Early in the race last evening, they lost their intercom (and subsequently, co-driver Chevalier's voice). Arce flew the car in front of the spectator stage and bent the front end up, crushing the skid plate into the drain plug. With the help of crew Ken Anctil and Nate Soukalexis and several large hammers, they are back out on the course today and running good.

Car 494 Pakos/Sawicki damaged the left side of the car as well as the suspension. They were confident they would be able to fix it in service. The team won G2 in the Sherwood Forest Regional Rally.

Car 477 Conley/Nunnemacher are having a blast. They are right on the notes. This is the first event for the team and in fact, Heidi was a backup co-driver after their first co-driver was replaced. The team is gelling well together. Heidi would like to say hi to Rick.

Car 116 Conley/Conley are absolutely loving their new car. They are starting to pick up speed and are going really fast. The team would like to go to the X Games so that really want to finish well here.

Car are starting to arrive - carnage continues  - Saturday, June  7, 2008
Cars have finished stage 8 of the Waste Management STPR; Stage 8 is also the finale for the Sherwood Forest Regional Rally.

The leaderboard for the Waste Management STPR is as follows:

Car 17 L'Estage/Richard 1:11:19.9
Car 34 Foust/Beavis +0:09.7
Car 46 Johnson/Wimpey +1:04.4

Three of the top five cars are having turbo problems. L'Estage came in smoking heavily. His turbo is blown; it is unknown if he has a spare for his one of a kind 2007 Hyundai Tiburon. In addition, Car 34 Foust/Beavis experienced the same problem on SS8 (an interecooler not connected to the turbo) that Car 2 Pinker/Durant experienced on SS4. Car 2 is still experiencing the those same issues.

Car 20 ACP/Goldfarb have blown a motor and are being listed as a DNF. If Matthew Johnson wins, then ACP will be tied for the overall drivers championship; otherwise ACP will maintain his lead.

Car 40 Mirra/Kihurani, previously reported as stopped on stage, has now been confirmed to be off on SS7. Both are OK. Car 59 driver Pat Moro stated "all we saw was tracks."

Car 80 Kemp/Hendrickson are being listed as DNF due to a transfer case.

Car 55 Sarasin/Johansson have broken differential and gearbox problems. The team replaced a gearbox prior to the last service, but unfortunately, it seems something is amiss as they are now DNF'd after they lost 5th gear. With all the carnage here, it was hoped that this fan favorite would have been able to score his first overall win, but unfortunately, it was not to be here at the Waste Management STPR.

Car 811 Sozanski/Sawicki is stopped on the side of the road on the transit after SS8. Apparently, they have a flat and are unable to get the wheel off.

Rough Weekend for SRTUSA  - Saturday, June  7, 2008
a picture is worth a 1000 words...

PGT points Leader Moro is leading here with a lot of racing to go  - Saturday, June  7, 2008
PGT points leader Pat Moro leads the PGT class at STPR by 47 seconds over Car 64 Borowicz/Borowicz after SS3.

Car 116 Conley/Conley experienced their first top 5 overall at Oregon Trail Rally and showed great potential for giving Moro a run in the PGT battle, but they driving their new car, an Open Class 2004 Subaru STi – (the same car that Matthew Johnson ran at Sno-Drift).

Additionally, Car 429 Verdier/Crouch has not entered, (due to the DNF at Oregon).

With his closest competitors out of the picture, Moro could gain a commanding lead in the PGT lead. Moro can miximize his chances if he maintains his position here at the Waste Management STPR, Pat notes “there are still 100 miles in the race, it is still far from over”.

New car for Sarasin/Johansson  - Saturday, June  7, 2008
Car 55 Sarasin/Johansson are driving a higher powered Subaru, AKA CPD1, this weekend for CPD Racing. “I am impressed with this car. The car has more top end power and I can turn in at way higher speeds than I can with CPD2” stated driver Kyle Sarasin “It is like driving an explosion – it is so cool. I would love to continue driving this car, but right now the plan is just to drive it for this event until CPD2 is fully re-prepped after our off at Oregon.”

The team’s initial goals were to make it through the rough stages last night without any major trouble. They set the 4th fastest time on SS1, but suffered from intermittent power issues on SS2. While intermittent issues are hard to diagnose, the team changed the turbo and some other components and are confident they have solved the issue. Self admittedly, they have some catching up to do, but are hoping to salvage a podium finish tonight.

Sarasin’s car is sporting a new wide angle camera from VioSport which will be broadcasting in car footage on the teams www.youtube.com as well as www.metacafe.com

Stage 1 and 2 Tough on Car 724 McClelland/Price  - Saturday, June  7, 2008
“Stage 1 and 2 were rough on the car, but not the driver and co-driver” stated driver Jim McClelland.

There was severe damage to the rear suspension but thanks to the late night work of our crew chief, Brandon, and the rest of the crew, Mike, Matt, and Beth. The car is back in action and read for Saturday’s smoother stages.

Jim and Jon want to thank their crew, our logistics officer, Kelly (Jim’s wife) and our fans, family, and friends back home.

Cars have completed SS3 - Subaru Super Special  - Friday, June  6, 2008
The cars have just finished running the third and final stage of the day - the Subaru Super Special. The cars ran in reverse order.

Car 477, Conley/Nunnemacher, was the car to not finish the Subaru Super Special. They got towed from the super special and as such, will be timed at the slowest cars pace minus one minute.

The crowd of spectators, about 2100 strong, will now be treated to a motorcycle jump from Cowboy Kenny Bartram.

Control Arm issues for the SRTUSA teams  - Friday, June  6, 2008
As is common with new car development, thereare niggling problems with the new 2008 Subaru STi. The STi problem is with the lower control arms.

Despite being aware of the possibility of these issues, SRTUSA was hopeful that they could overcome them. Unfortunately, that was not to be.

The team was abuzz with activity very early into SS1 with concerns that they had not been able to overcome the rear suspension issues and were prepared and hopeful they would get through the first two stages.

As it turns out, Car 43 Block/Gelsomino are stopped on SS2 at about 1.3 miles in with "no rear suspension" as reported by net control.

Car 199 Pastrana/Ringer were able to continue, but are some 2 minutes off the pace. They were "dog-tracking" badly, meaning the rear tires were not lined up with the front (or each other, in this case).

They were able to make it to service, and the crew has the rear suspension out of the 199 car and are hopeful they can fix their issues in this 30 minute service before the Subaru Super Special (SS3).

Stage 2 cleared to start  - Friday, June  6, 2008
Car 43 Block/Gelsomino are scheduled to start Stage 2 at 1624.

Subaru Rally Team USA Debutting 2008 STI Rally Car  - Friday, June  6, 2008
Subaru Rally team USA will enter their all-new 2008 Subaru WRX STI Open Class Rally Car at this weekend's Waste Management Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally (STPR).

The team's two new 2008 Subaru STI rally cars will make their competitive debut in the capable hands of two-time defending Rally America Champion Travis Pastrana and his teammate Ken Block. The high-speed, tree-lined dirt roads of STPR, based around Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, will provide a fitting challenge for the duo and their new rides.

The 2008 STI, the third generation of the legendary Subaru WRX STI model line, features a new 5-door hatchback design making it strikingly different visually compared to the outgoing 2007 model. Some key differences from the 2007 model include a longer wheelbase for improved high-speed stability, a wider track for increased maneuverability, and the addition of a double wishbone rear suspension for even better road-holding capabilities. Add to this better front-to-rear weight distribution plus an even lower center of gravity and the all-new 2008 Subaru WRX STI Open Class rally car is expected to perform even better than the outgoing 2007 model it replaces.

"Basing our new rally cars on the 2008 STI platform provides distinctive advantages that are obvious on paper and proven in rigorous testing," mentioned James Han, Motorsports Marketing Manager for Subaru of America, Inc. "The team has simply built upon and enhanced the STI's inherent performance abilities for the rigors of rally."

"We are all really excited about the new car and it looks amazing," said Pastrana. "It has a few things that carry over from the 2007 car but also a lot of new improvements as well. We'll be cautious here at STPR as we develop the car and get used to driving it more." Pastrana and his co-driver Derek Ringer currently sit in 2nd Overall in the Rally America National Championship standings after winning the Oregon Trail Rally last month.

Ken Block meanwhile was able to get comfortable with the new 2008 STI Open Class Rally car at a recent test session. "The new 2008 STI is definitely a step up from the 2007 model, I could feel the handling difference immediately, its easier to drive fast and I think a lot of it has to do with the weight distribution and center of gravity being optimized over the 2007 car," explained Block. "STPR is a tough rally, the roads are very fast but they are lined with trees, so there is no margin for error. We'll play it safe at first with the new car and increase our pace from there." Block and his co-driver Alex Gelsomino have had a strong start to the 2008 season with two wins from four events.

Now in its 32nd running, STPR is a high-speed classic taking place in north central Pennsylvania on smooth, flowing gravel and clay-based roads.

STPR is one of the fastest Rally America events, but the roads are narrow and lined with trees, making the event notoriously dangerous.

Fans can follow the rally with live updates from www.rally-america.com, and live video streams from www.drivingsports.com. Daily photo galleries and Subaru Rally Team USA reports can be found at www.subaru.com/rally.

Subaru Rally Team USA is proudly supported by Subaru of America, Subaru Tecnica International (STI), Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT), DC Shoes, BFGoodrich Tires, Boost Mobile, Recaro, Alpinestars, Motul, Exedy, Greddy, PIAA and Vermont SportsCar.

History of STPR  - Friday, June  6, 2008
Rochester, New York has always been a very active area for Rallying. In the 1960s and early 70s the local Rochester clubs presented two annual performance night rally events, run out of Rochester, down into the Finger Lakes area of the State. These events were part of the M.O.N.Y. series (Michigan, Ohio and New York) and were the forerunner of the Pro Rally series as we know it today. Even though these events were mainly held at night on remote roads, using a set average speed, they did often attract the attention of the local police and the occasional resident.

The route instructions might have indicated an average speed of only 49 mph, but careful adjustment of the odometer factor by the Rally Master often boosted the actual average speed well into the 50's. In those days there were no separation of transits and stages - it was more like one big stage on open roads. To increase the average speed even more, you had to stop at the controls, get your time, get back in the car and leave. The perfect time for a control was usually on the 55 second mark, and your out time was the top of the minute you entered. It was often almost impossible to make the required speeds, especially for the Snowblower, which was run in similar ice and snow conditions to that of the Maine Forest Rally. These events were run from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and were around 500 miles long, with the only service a gas station about every 150 miles.

The last of these events to be run out of Rochester, was in 1972, and while the exact reason they were not held anymore is not known, it was probably a combination of pressure from the authorities, lack of insurance, and lack of National organization.

In the next few years a conversion to stage events was beginning to take place around the country. There was a desire of the Rochester rally following to join this conversion, but a major road block in New York State, was a law that was on the books, which banned the use of the roads for motorsport racing. This law was put into place after a spectator was killed at Watkins Glen in the early '50's, during an annual race there, which was run through the streets of the town in the days prior to the track being built.

In 1975-6, a SCCA Finger Lakes Region member by the name of Bill Leathersich, tried to restart the night performance rallies, but when he found that the interest was not there, he turned to starting to organize a stage event. He found that Pennsylvania did not have a law regarding motorsports, and also found that there were an abundance of great rally roads in the forests just south of New York State. Bill made some great selections in those early days, many of the roads we use today were found by him and of course probably the most important choice was that of selecting Wellsboro to be the Headquarters of the Rally. From that starting point the relationship between the Finger Lakes Region and Wellsboro has grown to point now where the Rally is jointly organized by two committees, one in Wellsboro and one in Rochester.

In May 1977 the first Susquehannock Trail PRO Rally, or as it is mainly known today, STPR, was held. In those early days, it was the members of the Rochester clubs such as, Triumph Touring Club, Corvair Owners Club, MG Car Club, SCCA and several others, that worked together to get that all important first event off the ground.

From these beginnings, the event has grown to become one of the "Classic" stage rallies in the country, winning the SCCA's "Best ProRally" award an unprecedented seven times, in 1993, 1998, 1990, 1995, 1997, 2000 and most recently in 2003. We are proud to have continued the tradition of putting on a top-quality event for 25+ years.

Rally America became the Sanctioning body in 2005. Since 2006, STPR® has stood for Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally® to celebrate the alliance with Rally America.

Start Order for the Waste Management STPR  - Friday, June  6, 2008
The seeded draw has been completed and the start order is as follows:


43 Block/Gelsomino
2 Pinker/Durant
34 Foust/Beavis
199 Pastrana/Ringer
17 L'Estage/Richard