CHERRY HILL, N.J., Jan. 23, 2012 -- Subaru of America, Inc. announced today the continuation of their contingency program, the Subaru Rally Support Program, for the 2012 Rally America National Championship. The Subaru Rally Support Program is managed by Subaru of America Inc., partner Vermont SportsCar and continues to be the most lucrative contingency program in North American rallying, with over $20,000 available at each Rally America National Championship event for Subaru drivers to earn. The program focuses support on the popular Super Production class (SP) within the Rally America National Championship where the top finishing eligible Subaru SP driver will earn $7,000 at each round while second through 10th placed SP drivers receiving generous payouts as well.

The Super Production (SP) class was created in 2009 by Rally America to offer an enticing compromise between the top-tier Open class and the more restrictive Production GT (PGT) class. The SP class provides a means for cost-effective competition for Subaru models such as the WRX and WRX 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.

SP class driver Travis Hanson drove this point home with an impressive 2011 season at the wheel of his SP class Subaru WRX STI becoming the first SP class driver to win a national rally outright (2011 Sno*Drift Rally) and leading the championship points standings for nearly half the season.  Hanson went on to finish third overall in the season standings after consistently battling the top Open class cars on each round. 

One of the key attractions of the SP class for Subaru drivers is the allowance of several key modifications to Subaru WRX and WRX 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 34mm turbo inlet restrictor versus the 32mm in the PGT class.

"Subaru as a brand, and our WRX and WRX STI models in particular, are widely recognized as having rally-DNA and being associated with performance and rallying in general," said James Han, motorsports marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc. "By announcing a continuation in the [Subaru] Rally Support Program, Subaru reaffirms our commitment to privateer entrants campaigning our products in Rally America events and to the growth of rally in the United States."

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 'start fund' to any eligible Subaru entered in a Rally America Regional rally that runs concurrent to a national event weekend.

**Eligibility rules apply. Please read complete program rules and regulations here: http://vtcar.com/rally/subaru-contingency-program/

For more information about the Rally America Super Production class please refer to the Rally America rule book and rule bulletins found at http://rally-america.com/rules.php.

About Subaru Rally Team USA

Subaru Rally Team USA is proudly supported by Subaru of America, Inc., Subaru Tecnica International (STI), Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT), BFGoodrich Tires, RECARO, PIAA, Motul, VP Fuels, and Vermont SportsCar. For more information on Subaru Rally Team USA, as well as exclusive photo and video galleries, visit subaru.com/rally and for the latest news follow the team on Twitter: twitter.com/srtusa.