Ojibwe will Decide ARA Championship

It's been a few years since a Rally Championship in the US came down to the line like this.  When the newly-formed American Rally Association (ARA) kicked off their inaugural season in early 2017, Subaru Rally Team USA had both of their driver duos ready to battle it out on even terms.  David Higgins and Co-Driver Craig Drew have won the last 6 National Championships with Rally America while Travis Pastrana and Co-Driver Robbie Durant have been making a more committed return to rally.  After 5 rounds battling it out in identical rally cars, the two teams have been locked in close competition and, after a crazy battle in New England, it looks to come down to the line!  Ojibwe will decide the ARA Championship!

The story so far between the #75 and #199 Subarus has been a rollercoaster so far.  Higgins and Drew took the first win at Perce Neige in Canada only to be edged out a few months later at Oregon Trail by Pastrana and Durant.  At the following Olympus Rally in Washington State, Higgins regained the lead with a dominant win and another win at the Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally.

At that point it was looking like the veteran team in the #75 Subaru would take the Championship until the New England Forest Rally when things got interesting.  It started with a rough finish to Day 1 when Robbie Durant was injured during the last stage of the day.  Unable to finish the rally, Subaru Rally Team USA employed the help of one of their crew, Greg Dorman, to sit in for Durant and finish the rally.  Day 2 was especially tough on the cars.  Higgins' lead disintegrated when the rear passenger wheel was ripped from his car.  During service, the crew was unable to make full repairs needed to get his car back to 100%.  With only a second separating Higgins and Pastrana, the #199 Subaru took the win to clinch the ARA Championship Points.

David Higgins and Craig Drew have won the Rally America National Championship 6 years in a row.  With Travis Pastrana's improvements and commitment getting results, he's got a shot to win it all at the Ojibwe Forests Rally.  It's too close to call and, with the unpredictable nature of rally, it's still anyone's championship to win!  When the dust settles in northeastern Minnesota, who will take the ARA Championship home?