Subaru Rally Team USA's Dave Mirra and Marshall Clarke have started off the 2011 Rally America National Championship season with an outstanding second-place podium finish.

After a puncture last night dropped them to fifth place, Dave and Marshall ran an exceptionally clean rally and worked their way up the ranks. It was a close race to the finish for SRT USA #40 as they entered the final two stages in third place, a mere 1.8 seconds behind their closest challenger. In a gravel rally, a gap that small would have been cause to push for the lead; however, with treacherous conditions stealing minutes from anyone who exceeded the narrow margins of error on these slippery roads, the best course of attack was to barely attack at all. By employing a cautious approach to the final stages, Dave and Marshall fended off the elements and bested their rival to emerge one step up the podium.

This event's result is an excellent start to the season for Subaru Rally Team USA and will award the #40 WRX STI with a good base of championship points upon which to build throughout the season. Next month, the team heads to Missouri for The Rally in the 100 Acre Wood. With extremely fast roads and unpredictable weather, it always provides an exciting challenge for racers and demands a dramatic mix of horsepower and fearlessness.