Rally America - Top Teams


	#17 – Antoine L'Estage St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC CAN Rockstar Royal Rally Team Mitsubishi EVO X – Open Class The 2010 Rally America Champion! Antoine L'Estage hails from St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Canada and has been a regular competitor in the Rally America Series and at the X Games. Born into the world of rally as a young boy, he and his siblings Mathieu and Laurence-Fanny, would watch their father compete as a driver. Now, many years later, Antoine has more than 10 years of rally experience and is the leader of the L'Estage rally family. Antoine opened some eyes even at the beginning of his rally career in a 2wd car, and he has since progressed into one of the fastest drivers in North America. He is now among a short list of drivers who can say they've won every event in the Canadian championship. Antoine is the 2008 and 2007 North American Champion, as well as the 2007 and 2006 Canadian Champion. In 2008, Antoine won two Rally America events - SnoDrift and STPR and won STPR and NEFR in 2010. Antoine lives with his co-driver/girlfriend, Nathalie, in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec and hopes to one day continue the family dynasty by passing his passion on to his two children.

	#68 – William Bacon Chelmsford, MA Bacon Motorsport 2006 Mitsubishi Evolution IX – Open Class http://www.baconmotorsport.com/ Whenever Bill Bacon shows up on the entry list, top national drivers get nervous! Bill is the ultimate family-run rally team pushing top competitors to the brink with his incredible car handling skills and willingness to hit top-speed. With Bill in the line-up expect to see him in the top 5 spots. Inspired by watching WRC on TV with his brother and seeing Carl Merrill and Paul Choinere drive in the late 1990s, Bill quickly converted an Acura Integra into a rally car and began driving in regional rallys and hill climbs in the USA and Canada. Bill is used to taking risks considering that he works as a fire fighter, which translates into success for this dynamic driver. Bill secured the #1 driver spot with the Suzuki Swift rally team in Canada and won the Production Class in 2004 despite being severely underpowered. Since then, Bill took 2nd overall at the 2008 Defi Ste-Agathe Rally and 3rd overall at the 2009 STPR Rally for his best Rally America result. Back for 2010 Bill Bacon is looking to take a run at the drivers championship. Bill and his team are planning to run the entire 6 event season. With a 3rd overall finish already at Sno Drift this year the team is positioned to make it a real possibility. In addition, Bill has also finished 4th overall in a group N Subaru in the 2005 SCCA ProRally Series, 5th overall at 2008 STPR and 4th in NEFR 2008.

	#199 – Travis Pastrana Davidsonville, MD Subaru Rally Team USA 2010 Subaru WRX STI – Open Class www.rally.subaru.com Travis Pastrana is world famous because of his success on two wheels. He has dominated freestyle motocross at the X-Games, while being a top contender in the AMA Supercross Championship. But the 23 year old motorsports phenom also has a thirst for rallying. Vermont SportsCar provided Pastrana a Group N Subaru in 2003, and entered him in 3 rallies to simply see how the youngster would fare. Pastrana put aside any doubts about his abilities behind the wheel when he finished his first gravel rally an amazing 4th Overall and 3rd in Group N. In 2006, at only 23 years old, he became the youngest ever American Rally Champion, and then defended his crown in 2007 and 2008. At the X Games rally car competitions, Travis continued his rally success with two gold medals and a bronze against some of the world's best.

	#40 – Dave Mirra Greenville, NC Subaru Rally Team USA 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STi – Open Class http://rally.subaru.com/rallyteam.html#dave Mirra, who became a pro BMX rider in 1992, holds the record for most X Games medals (including most Gold medals), and has medaled in every X Games since their inception in 1995. He is recognized as one of the World's most well known Action Sports athletes and is credited with bringing freestyle BMX into the mainstream. Mirra has always been a car enthusiast and became hooked on rallying after friend and Subaru Rally Team USA driver Ken Block introduced him to the sport. Mirra completed a test and training program with Subaru Rally Team USA in late 2007 and ran half of the 2008 Rally America National Championship, earning 2008 Rookie of the Year honors. Mirra impressed everyone in his rally debut at X Games 14 last year where he earned a Bronze medal, after beating two top North American drivers in head-to-head heats. Mirra's rally program was expanded in 2009 with increased support from Subaru of America, Inc. and Monster Energy that saw him join Subaru Rally Team USA drivers Ken Block and Travis Pastrana at seven rounds of the 2009 Rally America National Championship as well as X Games 15. Mirra spent the 2009 season competing in the new Super Production class. For 2010 Dave Mirra will pilot an Open Class Subaru Impreza WRX STI with co-driver Martin Headland at all Rally America events and also at X Games 16 in Los Angeles.

	#43 – Ken Block Encinitas, CA Monster World Rally Team 2010 Ford Fiesta – Open Class http://www.monsterworldrallyteam.com/ Ken Block co-founded skateboard shoe and apparel company DC Shoes 11 years ago in Vista, California. Block grew up skateboarding, and now, at 41, is an avid snowboarder, motocross rider and rally car racer. Block has only been competing as a rally driver since 2005, but you wouldn't know it from his strong results. He was Rally America's Rookie of the Year in 2005, earned one silver and two bronze medals at the X Games, while adding a career best second-place overall finish in the 2008 Rally America Championship. Notably, he has won the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood five times in a row! After driving for the Subaru Rally Team USA, Block switched to the Monster World Rally Team powered by a Ford Fiesta in the Rally America Series.

	#70 – Chris Duplessis Mason Township, ME 1991 Volkswagen GTi – 2-Wheel Drive As New England’s top local driver, Chris Duplessis grew up in Bethel, Maine and is considered to be the most underrated rally driver in the country. His driving style mimics the flat out style of Ken Block and can be seen going full throttle through every stage corner with minute adjustments. Chris has been known to beat more powerful cars when his 115hp GTi through pure tenacity and grit. At just 25 years old, Chris is a two-wheel drive ace having won the 2007 Group 2 Rally America National Championship and the Overall Eastern Regional Championship. He successfully defended his 2007 two-wheel drive championship the very next year and is now the 2010 Rally America 2 Wheel-Drive Champion! When his is not racing Chris is an instructor at the Team O’Neil Rally School in New Hampshire or taking care of the family pet Wallaby named Roo.

	#600 – Dillon Van Way Carencro, LA Team 600 2002 Ford Focus – 2-Wheel Drive Dillon Van Way is the latest motocross athlete to make his way into the world of rally, but what makes him different from other “crossover” athletes is that he’s only 17 years old! As soon as he received his drivers license, Van Way was driving a newly purchased rally car at the Sno*Drift Rally earlier this year. Van Way is used to being the youngest in his sports but his resume reads like a pro. He has a career high 9th place national SuperMoto finish and was invited to X Games 14’s SuperMoto competition where he crashed in qualifying. Rally has always been on his mind ever since his family got a Subaru RC car. Naturally, he discovered rally soon after, bought a rally car and won the 2009 2 Wheel-Drive Championship in his first year competiting! Keep an eye on Dillon as this promising driver continues to develop!

	#17 – Nathalie Richard St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC CAN Rockstar Royal Rally Team Mitsubishi – Open Class Nathalie Richard is one of Rally America's most accomplished co-drivers having shared seat time with many championship caliber teams. Nathalie is a 5 time North American Rally Champions, 2 time Canadian Rally Champion, and three time American Rally Champion! You may have also seen her on television hosting numerous shows and commentating on ESPN for rally related programs. She is currently the 2010 Rally America National Co-Driver Champion.

	#68 – Peter Watt Peterborough, ON Canada Bacon Motorsports 2006 Mitsubishi EVO IX – Open Class www.baconmotorsport.com Peter Watt has had a lifetime of experience from being a driver and co-driver, which he now shares with teammate Bill Bacon. With Peter in the co-driver seat, the Bacon Motorsports team has been a front runner in the standings and a competitor other teams are constantly on the look out for. Peter's motorsports interest began at an early age simply from reading magazines, which occasionally reported on rally events. Not being an idle observer, he began experimenting with all sorts of racing on ice, dirt and tarmac before building a Datson 200 and entering the Tall Pines Rally, where he rolled in his first event! Since then, Peter improved and won the Production Class in the North American Rally Championship in 1995 and 1996 as a Suzuki Swift driver. Afterward, Peter switched to co-driving and partnered up with Bill Bacon in 2000. He accompanied Bill Bacon when they were a Suzuki factory team to win the 2004 Production 2 Championship. Peter's partnership continues to flourish to this day and the co-driver of choice for Bill Bacon.

	#199 – Christian Edstrom New York, NY Subaru Rally Team USA 2010 Subaru WRX STi – Open Class rally.subaru.com Born in Sweden, and educated in the United States, Christian first began rallying in 1997. His debut was alongside Kenyan driver, Bill Malik, in a Volvo 240. Christian has been an active co-driver in both the US and Canadian series, contesting events with Bill Malik, Steve Gingras, Andrew Comrie-Picard, Mark Nelson, Lauchlin O'Sullivan, Otis Dimiters, Travis Pastrana, and Ken Block. In 2003, Christian co-drove for Lauchlin O'Sullivan on the US (SCCA ProRally) Manufacturer champion Mitsubishi team, and finished 2nd overall. In 2004, Christian co-drove selected events with Travis Pastrana, Otis Dimiters, Bill Malik, and Ken Block. Travis and Christian finished 4th overall at the 2004 Rim of the World Rally. In 2005, Christian co-drove Travis Pastrana in a seven event Rally America effort, supported by DC Shoes, Red Bull, Vermont SportsCar, and Subaru of America. In 2006, Christian co-drove Travis Pastrana, as part of Subaru Rally Team USA. Travis and Christian won the X Games 12 Rally. Christian is the 2006 Rally America overall and open class co-driving champion. For 2010, Christian returned to the co-driver seat with Travis Pastrana and helping to deliver Sno*Drift and Olympus Rally overall wins.

	#43 – Alessandro Gelsomino Los Angeles, CA Monster World Rally Team Ford Fiesta – Open Class www.alexgelsomino.com Alex Gelsomino is one of the most experienced co-drivers competing in the USA today. Beginning at the tender age of 17, Italian native Gelsomino plunged into rallying while most kids were just getting comfortable with their driver's permits. After competing in his home country for three years, he moved to California and took his passion for rallying with him. Alex has raced against the driving greats and consistently stakes out a place on the podium. In 2005, he and teammate Ken Block won the "Rookie of the Year" honors for their stellar performance during the season. Gelsomino is not just a great co-driver. This college graduate with a degree in accounting and business administration, also speaks three languages fluently.

	#59 – Patrick Moro Dublin, OH PMR Motorsports 59 – Super Production http://pmrmotorsports.com Pat Moro’s first rally racing experience began at SnoDrift 2004 in the PGT Class where he finished in 2nd and 3rd place in the regional rallyes even though they had 12 minutes of penalties! Throughout the entire rally Moro did not know they had to check into a control zone on a specified minute and collected the penalties without even realizing it. Moro has significantly improved since then and has won SnoDrift, Ojibwe Forests Rally, Oregon Trail, STPR, and LSPR in 2008 to effectively lock up the PGT championship! Moro is no stranger to X Games competition with appearances the last three years. He is scheduled to appear at X Games 16 once again after winning the 2010 Rally America Super Production Class title!

	#74 – Ramana Lagemann Boston, MA Team RallyTire.com 2007 Subaru WRX STI – Super Production www.rlagemann.com Not everyone has the opportunity to drive for a factory team, but Ramana Lagemann had that very opportunity when he was chosen to drive for the Subaru Rally Team USA in 2002 - 2004. As the lone American on the team, Lagemann contested the SCCA ProRally Series and select WRC events. Lagemann was one of the drivers in the inaugural X Games 12 rally racing events before taking a break from the sport. Even though he returned halfway into the 2010 Rally America season in a Super Production car, Lagemann still drove exceptionally to secure 2nd place in class and 4th overall! Imagine what he could have done competing the entire Series!

	#418 – Jimmy Keeney Colorado Springs, CO Able Planet Rally Team 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STi – Super Production Able Planet's Jimmy Keeney had a break-out year in 2009 when he won the first ever Super Production Class title and was invited to compete in his first X Games. With his family as his crew members, Keeney is known for consistency and the epitome of the phrase, "to win you must first finish." In 2010, Keeney returned to compete in Super Production and finished 3rd overall in the class. He also returns to X Games 16 as the "alternate" Rally Car Racing entry. With the main goal of having fun, Jimmy looks to always end the season with a big smile on his face!

	#523 – Travis Hanson Littleton, NH Hanson Motorsports Subaru – Super Production Travis Hanson has achieved much as a privateer team having pushed for a Super Production Class Championship and being invited to compete at the X Games in 2008 and 2010. Arriving as an "alternate" entry at X Games 14, he was paired against with Subaru Rally Team USA's Niall McShea, who was also a WRC Production Champion, in a "David versus Goliath" moment. Just like David, Travis Hanson came out victorious! Today, Hanson competes in the Super Production class and a serious contender for podium finishes.

	#693 – Carl Decker Bend, OR Subaru – Open Class

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