Latest news with #TravisPastrana
Motor Trend
an hour ago
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
Future and Past Collide—Confusingly, Excitingly—at the World's Best Car Meet
Uncertainty is everywhere in the automotive industry. On-again off-again tariffs, flat sales, the looming threat of Chinese automakers, and yes, electrification all present hurdles. Uncertainty on the latter—frequently conflated with automotive technological progress by enthusiasts—was top of mind for me at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed. A ride-along over the weekend with Travis Pastrana in a 2025 Subaru WRX ARA24 and with Max McCrae in his uncle Colin's 1990 Subaru Legacy RS at the festival's Forest Rally Stage and watching the Festival's signature timed shootout has me thinking a bit differently about the march of progress. The 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed showcased automotive progress with Chinese EVs, rallying with Travis Pastrana in a Subaru WRX, and debates on electrification's impact. The event also highlighted new car debuts and significant Chinese automaker presence, reflecting industry shifts. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next Pastrana, to most Americans, needs little introduction. Some know him for his Hall of Fame motocross career, a fearless freestyle motocross X Games champ, stuntman from Nitro Circus, or as a NASCAR racer. But rallying and rallycross, now that he's retired from competitive motocross due to a frightfully long list of injuries (including, as he was quick to point out, a broken urethra), has long seemed to be his second love. Pastrana recently rejoined Subaru Motorsports USA where he's competing in the American Rally Association. At Goodwood, he took me for a ride in Subaru's Open 4WD WRX ARA24 car. These cars are heavily modified from stock WRXs, featuring restricted 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-4s good for 320 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque, running through a six-speed sequential transmission and mechanical differential to all four wheels. At each corner the stock suspension is swapped for new springs and dampers with a foot of travel and 15-inch wheels on gravel rally tires. Short of the hybridized million-dollar tube frame rally cars now running in the World Rally Championship, the open class WRX ARA car is about as bleeding edge as you can get in the rally world. The WRX ARA's runs—and those of the Toyota and Hyundai WRC teams— wouldn't be officially counted on the Forest Rally Stage, but the fact that the festival was posting times was enough to bring out the full competitor in Pastrana and the rest of the Subaru team as they sought to post the fastest time in one of their laps. Slower and wider than the Rally1 WRC cars (not to mention cheaper, too), the WRX ARA24 would have its work cut out for it. Our run was, in a word, quick. I have no idea of the time of our particular run, but Pastrana and the team would go on to post the second-quickest time on the course of the weekend at 2.33.2, just a couple seconds behind a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 (which the Subaru team was quick to point out cut the Gymkhana barrel out of its unofficial run). The car felt phenomenally fun from the passenger seat, seemingly reacting instantaneously to Pastrana's steering, braking, and throttle inputs, while the rally suspension soaked up the ruts, berms, and jumps on the course as softly as a dune runner might. Watching an elite athlete such as Pastrana work up close was equally fascinating, as he wielded the WRX like Shohei Ohtani does a baseball bat, or Connor McDavid does a hockey stick—using their tools' strengths to improve their individual performances and knowing when they might need to make up for any weaknesses in their equipment. While not yet quite as accomplished as his father Alister, grandfather Jimmy, or uncle Colin, Max McCrae has already set out to make a name of his own in the WRC's Group Rally2, where he runs a Citroen C3 Rally2. He was at Goodwood, however, helping honor the legacy of his uncle. That's where the Legacy RS comes in. In many ways both Colin McCrae's and Subaru's rally journeys began with this car, which was piloted to a second place finish in the 1992 Rally Sweden by Colin. Subaru would soon replace the Legacy with the Impreza, marking a direct lineage to Pastrana's WRX. On paper, it should prove a match for the modern ARA car. Simpler, and lighter than its modern descendant, it's powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-4 with 290 hp and 289 lb-ft of torque. But some of its other mechanicals are simpler, both in terms of how they operate and how they're manufactured. The Legacy lacks a modern anti-lag system and puts its power down through a five-speed dogbox manual transmission. Its all-wheel drive system also features permanently locked differentials that make low speed maneuvering difficult, and a hydraulic handbrake without the responsiveness of a modern unit. Despite the, uh, legacy of this particular Legacy, McCrae didn't take it easy on the car during our ride along with him. To be honest, I didn't get the sense that he could if he wanted to maximize its performance because nothing seemed to happen instantly or easily in the Legacy RS. On straights McCrae needed to manage the body's balance as the car skipped down the stage, gearshifts in a shift pattern the motorsports world has long moved past, and brakes without the feel or stopping power of their modern counterparts. In corners, McCrae had to balance the hydraulic hand brake, diffs, and also keep the engine in the sweet spot of its powerband where he could minimize lag. McCrae had to work twice as hard to get every last bit of performance out of that Legacy, which leaves less room for the driver to actually focus on driving and maximizing their own performance. Progress rears its head again during the Festival of Speed's headlining timed shoot out on Sunday afternoon, where competitors vie to post the quickest time up the 1.16-mile, nine-turn hillclimb. Last year the Subaru Project Midnight WRX, a highly modified WRX ARA rally car, built, like the rally car by Subaru Motorsports USA technical partner Vermont Sports Cars, with 670 hp designed to dominate on this single event and driven by Scott Speed came in second to a quad-motor electric Ford Supervan. This year, the team, facing a 2,000-plus horsepower quad-motor Ford F-150 Lightning Supertruck, expected the same results despite some changes based on Speed's feedback from last year. As Vermont Sports Cars technical director Yannis Loison told us, 'With [an] internal combustion engine only we'll never reach what [Ford has] with the EV. If we really want to compete against them, to try to beat them, we need a combo with [an] internal combustion engine and something electric.' Unfortunately for the Subaru Motorsports USA team, Loison proved prophetic. Despite improving by 1.04 seconds to 45.03 versus last year, the Ford truck still beat the souped-up Subaru, finishing in 43.22 seconds. And that's through no fault of Speed. Like Pastrana earlier in the WRX ARA car, in-car footage of Speed showed him methodically wringing every last ounce of performance out of Project Midnight, shaving grass on corners where he could, and narrowly skirting the unforgiving walls near the top of the climb on the unforgiving course. But the Supertruck, driven by Romain Dumas, made up for any disadvantage it might have in its weight with power, simply eliminating any straight in a blink while still somehow managing to carry high speeds through corners. In a lot of ways what the driving loving public and motorsports is going through in trying to figure out how much—if at all—to embrace electrification mimics what other sports have gone through as technology progressed. Professional baseball, when faced with introducing home run–friendly aluminum or composite bats, opted to preserve the tradition of wood bats instead. That makes it much more difficult for pros to hit home runs, and as an indirect result the league has tweaked the game's rules to improve offense. Professional hockey, meanwhile, allowed the introduction of aluminum and eventually composite sticks in the '90s. The long term result is a game that's faster, and more offensive, thanks to players who've since learned how to maximize the whippier, more responsive sticks and improve their own games. I'm not advocating one way or the other, but at some point we're going to have to decide collectively as driving enthusiasts whether we want to embrace the excitement and promise of new technologies or preserve the past in stasis. Other items from the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed The auto show is alive and well: Big international auto shows have been shrinking in significance for about a decade now, with COVID nearly decimating them entirely. The Goodwood Festival of Speed perhaps shows a way forwards for the future. The infield of the festival featured stands from the likes of BMW, Ford, Honda, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lotus, MG, Renault, and more, where folks could hop in and out of cars back-to-back. In between, they could enjoy hillclimb runs, festival food and drinks, live music, shopping, and kid play areas. Some automakers even took the opportunity to debut new cars, such as the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 6 N and Ioniq 6 N Performance, Honda Super EV concept (a little Kei-sized city EV), and the Porsche Cayenne Electric, and run them up the hill for the public. Where else can you see a new car debut and hit the road in the same day? Goodwood, that's where. Hot commodities: When it comes to the infield auto show–like section of Goodwood, we think the three individually most popular vehicles were the Ioniq 6 N, the Renault 5 E-Tech, and the Renault's sporty cousin, the Alpine A290. Hyundai's large display featured both new Ioniq 6 N iterations front-and-center and there was never a time we walked by where they weren't surrounded by throngs of people. Even the tech talk Hyundai did on the cars seemed well-attended. The Renault and Alpine, meanwhile, are stylish Volkswagen Golf–sized EVs that look stellar in person. Well-proportioned outside, inside they featured high quality body-colored textile seats and accent stitching, and even an optional baguette holder on the Renault version. The Renault 5 E-Tech has 40 and 52 kWh battery packs and up to 150 hp from a single front-mounted motor with up to 249 miles of range on the generous WTLP cycle. The sportier Alpine A290 keeps that 52 kWh pack and ups power to 217 hp in its hottest configuration, dropping to 236 miles. The Renault starts at around $30,000, while the Alpine nearer $46,000, though both notably include British VAT. Foreign journalists we've spoken to adore driving both cars. The Chinese are coming, the Chinese are coming! With the United Kingdom officially out of the European Union, its own automotive industry in distress, and the Chinese looking for more markets for their EVs, BYD, Chery, Geely, SAIC, Xiaomi, and Xpeng had a sizeable footprint at Goodwood. SAIC, which owns MG, has had a growing presence on UK roads for years and its booth, headlined by a bumblebee-yellow Cyberster, was packed all weekend. Ditto Lotus' (owned by Geely), with the Electre and Emiya, swamped. Even brands without a British legacy had the public's attention. Xiaomi and XPeng ran cars up the hill (MG did, too). BYD's Denza luxury brand's booth had a DJ and electric violinist playing all weekend and featured a steady line of folks who wanted to sit inside the luxury D9 van. Chery also had a clever way to get folks into their cars. It provided a fleet of Jaecoo and Omoda SUVs—both from two new export-only brands—to shuttle folks to and from parking lots and around the sprawling grounds. We asked one driver, an older gentleman driving an Omoda 5 compact PHEV SUV, about his perception of Chinese EVs. He responded, 'That's the question, isn't it? My friends and I have been talking a lot about that, and we've come to the conclusion that they're perfectly alright.' According to the BBC, one in 10 new cars sold in the UK thus far this year are Chinese. MG and Polestar represent the bulk of those sales.
The Drive
a day ago
- Automotive
- The Drive
Riding With Travis Pastrana in a Subaru Rally Car Is Chaos at Its Most Graceful
The latest car news, reviews, and features. I am not a thrill seeker, and nobody would ever describe me as one. I drive slower than anyone I know who cares about cars. On the other end of the spectrum is Travis Pastrana. He's the foremost authority on risk-taking, and he's here, at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed's Forest Rally grounds, conducting stage runs with lucky passengers in the Subaru WRX ARA25 rally car. This is the same machine that competes in the American Rally Championship's Open Class, and it's one of the fastest vehicles that will tackle the 2.1-mile course over the weekend. Goodwood is and isn't a serious competition. Outwardly, it's an all-ages celebration of cars, motorsport, and the cultures that surround them. But the hillclimb has a leaderboard, as does the rally stage. The second that those times are posted on a massive screen for the public to see, it gets serious, even for the factory-backed teams that theoretically have nothing to prove. 'They're 'demo' runs,' Rhianon Gelsomino, Travis' co-driver, said to a small group of journalists on Sunday afternoon. 'But they go on the board and then post them on YouTube. With competitive people, the first thing they do is go and find their time.' Rhianon Gelsomino explains how she records pace notes. Adam Ismail Rhianon said that the WRX's times on Friday were only about a second behind those of the top-flight World Rally Championship cars from Toyota, Hyundai, and Ford that were also contesting the stage this weekend. That's a pretty striking similarity, considering how different the two classes are, and that they'd never get the chance to compete with each other under normal circumstances. Modern WRC cars weigh 2,600 pounds and make 365 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque; they're also quite short, which means they're better suited to chase the optimal line on a narrow stage. On the flip side, ARA Open Class cars produce about 45 fewer horsepower, but 50 lb-ft more torque. That would seem to give the latter an upper hand on a Goodwood course that Travis described to me as 'tight and slow,' but the WRX's extra 300 pounds makes a huge difference, as does its extra length. A Toyota GR Yaris WRC car is 17 inches shorter than a production WRX, and the ARA25—with its massive fenders and aggressive aero—is even longer than that. While Travis was driving this Subaru WRX ARA25 Open-class car for Goodwood, he normally drives the ARA25L in the actual championship. The 'L' stands for 'Limited,' as it's more similar to a production WRX. Adam Ismail I'm no rally coach, but I'd guess Travis had to be leaving a little something on the table during our go. There's no other way to explain deltas of 10 seconds or more between his slowest and fastest runs. That's the penalty of my presence, quantified. But god , it didn't feel like he was letting up. Sitting in the car together, before the countdown hit zero, he was telling me how slippery certain sections of the stage were, comparing the surface to ice. 'You'd honestly do better with winter tires,' he said on a sticky and surprisingly sunny July afternoon in England. The next roughly two and a half minutes were both the shortest and longest of my life. Short because I struggle to recall specific sensations, and I selfishly wanted to go for another ride; long because I felt like we were on the ragged edge through the whole damn thing. You're almost never pointing straight, for starters, and the acceleration is astonishing. The phrase 'no margin of error' is used a lot in motorsport, but let's be honest—in most circuit disciplines, it refers to the margin between triumph and defeat. In rally, it means that too, but it also means the difference between staying on a path barely wide enough to fit a sedan, or a wreck. You can watch Travis' fastest run of the weekend at the 45-minute mark in the video below. I've probably traveled twice as fast on asphalt, but it feels much quicker when you could almost reach your arm out and graze a hay bale with your hands. There was a portion about halfway through where we briefly blasted out of the forest to pull a donut around a barrel, and it just emphasized that calculated, precise flamboyance of rally driving that makes it so special. Just before our journey came to an end, Travis gave me a friendly warning that he liked to lean on the banking on the outside of the final chicane to help position the car. What followed were a pair of elbows-out shunts to the right side, then the left. He apologized that they were a little more forceful than he planned, which I thought was unnecessarily kind. Honestly, I expected more bumps like it, but sharing a car with him was a very graceful chaos. Subaru hosted me on this trip to Goodwood, and I'm grateful to them for the ride. But even if I'd never met Travis, I'd still have loved my time at the Festival—and especially the rally portion. Traveling to races, meets, and concours events, you might see one or two of these cars. But nowhere else will you be able to walk right up to a Delta, Celica, Impreza, 037, RS200, 205, Evo, Escort Cosworth, Quattro, A110, or Metro 6R4, all in the same lot, and then see them compete. (That's to say nothing of Toyota, Hyundai, and Ford's modern WRC machines there, too.) This year marked the 30th anniversary of Colin McRae's 1995 WRC drivers' title, and some of his cars were present. Adam Ismail The ease of access at the rally area, which is just past the far end of the hill climb, also seems generally better than elsewhere at the Festival, where the crowds are considerably larger and the cars themselves are cordoned off. The paddock is pretty much open for fans to browse and, if you grew up worshipping these machines like I did, it's just heaven. I'd say that Goodwood is worth a visit for any car or motorsport fan, but the Forest Rally Stage is a must visit if you love rally—whether you seek thrills yourself, or consider it best left to the professionals. Got a tip? Email us at tips@
New York Times
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- New York Times
Chase Elliott on his consistent season and staying true to himself: 12 Questions
Each week, The Athletic asks the same 12 questions to a different race car driver. Up next: Atlanta winner Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports, who is currently second in the NASCAR Cup Series point standings. This interview has been edited and condensed, but a full version is available on the 12 Questions podcast (which is now available on all major podcast platforms). 1. What was one of the first autographs you got as a kid, and what do you remember about that moment? I grew up around the racetrack, so I don't really remember getting many autographs. I really liked Tony (Stewart) a lot, but I don't ever remember asking for an autograph. I was a huge Travis Pastrana fan. I grew up riding dirt bikes and all that stuff — loved it. He was the guy. He was reinventing action sports. Anyway, he was racing at the Prelude (to the Dream, at Eldora Speedway) one year, and Dad (Bill Elliott) was running it. I took a hat and asked (Pastrana) to sign it. It was obviously a really cool thing for me, being a kid and really being a fan of his and him taking the time to do that. I appreciate it a bunch. And I've still got it somewhere. Advertisement 2. What is the most miserable you've ever been inside of a race car? In 2015, I ran a handful of Cup races in the No. 25. At Indy, I ran something over and it punctured one of the headers underneath the car. I obviously didn't know that, and I was hot. I was just miserable and got really sick there toward the end of the race. That was as bad off as I can remember — like getting out of the car and just not feeling good, having a hard time changing clothes. Just in a bad way. And then I found out the next week there had been a puncture, and ultimately, I was getting all kinds of fumes inside the car along with just being really hot. That combination was not fun, for sure. 3. Outside of racing, what is your most recent memory of something you got way too competitive about? I went through a period where I was pretty competitive with golf, and then I realized how bad I am, and since then, I've tried to just enjoy my outings. But occasionally, if you're going out golfing with some buddies or whatever, and you've got $100 on a game or something, it can be competitive — but it's in a much better place now than it was a year or two ago. 4. What do people get wrong about you? I don't really ask enough to care to know, honestly — and that's fine. I'm totally OK with that. You have the folks who are around you — your team and the people you go to battle with each week — and it's about showing up for them at the end of the day. I have really learned to put less and less stock in that. You do have some true fans out there who are going to support you and appreciate you on your good days and your bad days. Those folks have got your back all the time. Outside of that, the outside stuff just is what it is. I don't ask. I just try to do my thing and be me, and to make sure I'm showing up for the folks who show up for me, who are ultimately going to be in your life beyond all this stuff. That's important to me, and I don't go too far past that. Advertisement 5. What kind of Uber passenger are you, and how much do you care about your Uber rating? The way I think about that is I don't ever want to be in a position where I need a ride somewhere and have somebody not pick me up because I'm a bad Uber rider. Like, they look at your rating and they're like, 'I'm not picking up this guy.' I don't want to put myself in that position. And also, I'm not trying to cause a fuss in the back seat of ultimately some stranger's car. I just appreciate whoever it is taking me to wherever I'm going and hopefully get there safe and let him go on his way, and I'll go on mine. Do people recognize you in the Uber sometimes? Not often. Usually when I do Uber, I'm in a big city or something. Most of the time, NASCAR is not recognized in large cities. … But most places we go, we have rental cars or you drive or whatever. 6. This is a wild-card question. You have been remarkably consistent over and over, but that gets overshadowed by the lack of wins. But if you look at the stats, it appears you're getting more consistent each year. You still haven't finished outside the top 20 this entire season. How are you doing this? How are you more consistent than seemingly anybody? (Note: This interview was conducted before he won at Atlanta.) There's a certain component in being able to make a bad day all right that really matters as it pertains to being a real contender. Sometimes that element can be really hard to get. For some people, that element can be harder than the pace or the wins in some cases. For me, it's just a really good reminder that we have a really good team. I really do believe that. We have a really good team behind the wall, over the wall, and before we get to the racetrack each week. All that stuff ends up making a difference. Look, I understand the points and the wins and what it means. But there are times you can get into the playoffs and you might get caught up in a wreck or have a bad day. And for you to be able to really lean on your team and say, 'Hey, let's just dig a top-20 out of this' — that can be important. 7. This is the 16th year I've been doing these 12 Questions interviews, and I'm going back to an earlier one and seeing how your answer compares. In 2014, I asked what you'd do on a day off where you could do anything in the world, but you weren't allowed to do anything with racing. You said you'd go to a baseball or basketball game. Would you answer that the same way now? (Laughs.) I could see going to a baseball game, for sure. I don't know about a basketball game, but maybe. I love sports. Love watching sports. … I value time at home. That's high on my list for sure. Especially 12 years since that question of being gone on the weekends, it's nice to be home when you have the opportunity to enjoy a nice evening at the house. To sit around home and watch (an Atlanta) Braves game on the porch or whatever — that's a pretty nice night for me. Advertisement 8. Other than one of your teammates, name a driver whom you'd be one of the first people to congratulate them in victory lane if they won a race. (Ryan) Blaney, Bubba (Wallace) — just friends more than anything. Folks I've grown up racing with. But in a lot of cases, it's when you have relationships with guys who maybe haven't gotten that first win yet. Having been through that, I remember how important and special it was to me to see so many of my competitors and people I've admired come and congratulate me for my first win. It was such a great sign of, 'Hey, I've earned their respect enough for them to come tell me 'Good job.'' 9. How much do you use AI technology, whether for your job or daily life? Are you a ChatGPT guy? I'm not. I just don't find myself in many situations where I need it. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've messed with it, and honestly, probably the majority of those two or three times I've just been curious what it is. You could Google stuff before and get your answer if you're looking for information or whatever. So it's kind of just a streamlined Google, is kind of how I look at it. 10. What is a time in your life that you felt was really challenging, but you're proud of the way you responded to it? Professionally, the road to that first win was one. I think both myself and our team should be proud — because a lot of those guys are still here. There were a lot of tough days in that journey and that trek. Just keeping our heads down and showing up each week and continuing to believe and trust in the process we had. There's a lot to be proud of in that. 11. What needs to happen in NASCAR to take the sport to the next level of popularity? Man, if I had the answer to that, boy, we'd be selling it. But I don't know. I really don't have the answer. I don't think anyone does, truthfully. Anything from my perspective is just an opinion, and there's probably 150 different opinions in here. The No. 1 thing for me has always been a really good on-track product. When I boil the rest of it off and look at just what we have, you have to have a product that is enticing and exciting to watch. Because if not, then what are we selling? It has to be something people are drawn to watch — that's interesting to them, that gives them a sense of, 'Wow, I've never seen that before,' or, 'Wow, I can really get on board with that.' Advertisement We have elements of that here and there. There are elements that could be better. But if I was to give one answer — and it's broad and there's a lot of things that go into it — it's a good on-track product. 12. Each week, I ask a driver to give me a question for the next interview. Last week was your buddy Blaney. His question for you is: 'When are you ever going to get better at golf, and how many hours will you have to put in to get to my level?' (Laughs.) Wow! Wow. It's a valid question. It really is. I go through these little pockets where I get better and then I fall back apart again. For the record, I've hung with him a few times. I'm not as good as him. … I'd love to get out more and play and try to give him a run. But listen, I want to be able to go beat him. There's nothing like going to play somebody like him who's going to give you a bunch of crap for it and him have to give me strokes. That just sucks. So maybe one day. We'll keep chipping at it. The next interview I'm doing is with Shane van Gisbergen. Do you have a question I might be able to ask him? I don't know if he'll even answer this to the depth I would want, but what is the No. 1 habit that works for him in road-course racing that he feels like works against him in oval racing? (Top photo of Chase Elliott celebrating Sunday's win at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Sean Gardner / Getty Images)
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
All-New Subaru Motorsports USA WRX ARA25L to Debut at Olympus Rally
SHELTON, Wash., April 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The all-new WRX ARA25L from Subaru Motorsports USA makes its racing debut at Washington State's Olympus Rally this weekend. Piloted by extreme sports legend and Subaru Motorsports USA driver Travis Pastrana, the WRX ARA25L will compete within the fast-paced and accessible American Rally Association (ARA) Limited 4-Wheel-Drive (L4WD) class. L4WD competition cars are heavily modified compared to their stock counterparts but must adhere to specific parameters and restrictions. As such, they remain closely related to the WRX models on the showroom floor – particularly when compared to the cars found in the Open 4-Wheel-Drive (O4WD) class, where Subaru Motorsports USA driver Brandon Semenuk and co-driver Keaton Williams are currently chasing a fourth straight ARA championship. Expertly designed and assembled by performance partner Vermont SportsCar, the WRX ARA25L showcases what is possible with a much closer to stock Subaru WRX while offering drivers the chance to compete with Travis Pastrana at a significantly lower price point than that of the O4WD class. The heart of the WRX ARA25L is its turbocharged and intercooled 2.4-liter Subaru FA24 BOXER engine. With its factory turbocharger, ARA L4WD class-mandated 33mm restrictor and 2.5-bar absolute boost limit, the ARA25L's engine produces roughly 315 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels via a 6-speed sequential gearbox with a 3-plate carbon race clutch. Suspension duties are handled by R53 motorsport springs and dampers along with a combination of OEM and VSC hardware, and the WRX ARA25L's 15-inch O.Z. Competition wheels wear Yokohama ADVAN A053 rally tires. Brembo 4-piston brake calipers and 300mm brake rotors front and rear bring everything to a halt. According to Pastrana, fresh out of the car on day one of testing, the WRX ARA25L is "a really fun car to drive" with "less downforce than the open car, which adds even more to the fun factor. It drives like a 125cc 2-stroke – you're always shiftin' and movin'!" The anticipation for Pastrana's 2025 ARA debut has been building, and now with the reveal of the WRX ARA25L and Subaru Motorsports USA's participation in L4WD there are more reasons than ever to go spectate – or enter – a rally. Look for Pastrana and the WRX ARA25L at ARA events all season long, including some Super Regionals like July's Rally Colorado, and for the latest news and updates be sure to follow Subaru Motorsports USA on Facebook, on Instagram @subarumotorsportsusa, and TikTok @subarumotorsportsusa. About Subaru Motorsports USASubaru Motorsports USA is directed by Subaru of America, Inc., managed by Vermont SportsCar and proudly supported by MOTUL, Yokohama Tires, R53 Suspension, Triple-R Lights, DirtFish Rally School, and Sparco USA. Follow the team online at Subaru Motorsports USA on Facebook, on Instagram @subarumotorsportsusa, and on TikTok @ Subaru of America, of America, Inc. (SOA) is an indirect 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 $300 million to causes the Subaru family cares about, and its employees have logged nearly 88,000 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 Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. James TateMotorsports Marketing ManagerSubaru of America, Inc.(856) 488-8622jtate@ Dominick InfanteDirector, Corporate CommunicationsSubaru of America, Inc.(856) 488-8615dinfante@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Subaru of America, Inc. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Cleetus McFarland Gives Travis Pastrana A C8 Corvette Z06
Read the full story on Backfire News Now a force of nature, YouTuber and racecar driver Cleetus McFarland draws in big names for events, like Travis Pastrana. The cross-discipline racer and stunt performer participated in the Freedom 500 race at McFarland's Freedom Factory track in Bradenton, Florida, winning a new C8 Corvette was the fifth annual Freedom 500, if you can believe that, with other car YouTubers, racecar drivers, and athletes taking part in the 100-lap race. But the event is even more interesting because it's spec racing with each participant getting an old Ford Crown Victoria with the same setup. Because this is Cleetus McFarland's event, the cars are race-prepped and come with nitrous, just to make things interesting. As the winner of the race, Travis Pastrana had the option of either getting a Mercedes Sprinter executive or a C8 Corvette Z06. We think he made the only right choice. Right after choosing the mid-engine sports car, he declared that he and anyone else who wanted to help were going to spray paint it. And Pastrana along with other racers did just that, spray painting an abstract American flag on the pricey ride. That's the sort of craziness which make people come back for more races, burnout competitions, and other gatherings at the Freedom Factory. McFarland started off managing 1320Video's social media, then launched his own YouTube channel that was grown to over 4 million subscribers. He's raced in NASCAR and rubbed shoulders with some big names in motorsports, so we expect him to continue being an influence for some time to come. That includes hosting crazy events at the Freedom Factory, a track which had gone under and was neglected but has been revived by the YouTuber. It's nice to see race facilities rescued instead of being replaced by another luxury condo development for a change. Lead image via garrett_1320video/Instagram
