Driving Sports

Rallyists have cause to rejoice today as Subaru announced increases to its cash contingency award payouts for Subaru drivers in the 2010 Rally America National Championship.

The Subaru Rally Support Program, which was created in 2005, continues to be the most lucrative contingency program in North American rallying, with over $20,000.00 available per event for eligible Subaru drivers to earn. The program will again focus support on the popular Super Production class (SP) within the Rally America National Championship, where the top finishing eligible Subaru SP driver can now earn $7,000.00 at each round.

The Super Production class was created in 2009 by Rally America to offer a compromise between the top-tier Open class and the more restrictive Production GT class. This new category provides a cost-effective means for models such as the Subaru Impreza platform-based WRX and STI to compete not only head-to-head with but also be capable of challenging the top of the leader board at any Rally America National Championship event.  The class was hotly contested in 2009 and moving into the new season, Subaru hopes to attract even more new entrants to the sport and the SP class with substantially increased award payouts. Under the revised 2010 program the top finishing eligible Subaru SP class driver can now earn $7000.00, more than double the $3,000.00 payout the program offered in 2009.  Prize payouts in 2010 will be awarded to the top ten finishing Subaru SP class registrants.

The eligible first place driver will receive $7,000. Second place nets $4,000, third gets $3,000, fourth gets $2,500, fifth gets $1,500, and positions 6-10 in class receive $500 each. As always, Subaru's eligibility rules apply. For complete rules, regulations and car eligibility restrictions please visit the official rules page of the Subaru Rally Support Program.

One of the key attractions of the SP class for Subaru drivers is the allowance of several key modifications to Subaru Impreza WRX and STI model rally cars to make them more affordable and competitive to prepare and run as compared to meeting compliance for the PGT class. This includes but is not limited to: allowing vehicles to be updated or backdated within a body style of the model, fitting of hydraulic handbrakes, and granting broader brake system modifications. The SP class also features a larger turbo inlet restrictor than the PGT class, 34mm versus 32mm, positioning SP cars to potentially produce more power.

"The healthy number of SP-classed Subaru entries throughout the 2009 season speaks to the relevance and popularity of this relatively new class specification," explains James Han of Subaru of America, Inc. "We are pleased at the impact our Subaru Rally Support Program has made within the Rally America National Championship and proud to continue our role in supporting Subaru rally entrants for the 2010 season.”

In addition to this continued support to SP class participants at Rally America National Championship events, Subaru of America Inc., will also offer a $200.00 'start fund' to any class of Subaru entered in a Rally America Regional rally that runs concurrent to a national event weekend.  That's not much compared to the costs of entering even a regional rally, but it's more than any other automaker is providing.

The 2010 Subaru Rally Support Program is administered and managed by Vermont SportsCar. For complete rules and information on how to register please visit Subaru's website.

For more information about the Rally America's  Super Production class please refer to the Rally America rule book and rule bulletins.