Subaru and Travis Pastrana Win Nitro Rallycross Phoenix

November 15, 2021

November 15, 2021 , Phoenix, AZ - Subaru Motorsports USA took a second consecutive Nitro Rallycross event win and double podium at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park with drivers Travis Pastrana and Scott Speed, as Pastrana dominated the weekend in his blue and gold #199 WRX STI on the all-dirt Phoenix layout and earned his first rallycross victory since 2012. The Nitro Rallycross mastermind, fresh from locking up his sixth U.S. stage rally title last weekend at Oregon Trail Rally, captured the top qualifying spot on Saturday and made it a flawless weekend with wins from pole position in both the first heat race and the Sunday afternoon final.

Scott Speed entered the weekend tied for the lead in the NRX driver’s championship lead after a win in Minneapolis in October, but was forced into an unusually early exit in the qualifying battles. The four-time U.S. rallycross champion fought back to finish second in his heat race and earn pole for one of the two semifinal rounds, and a win in that semi put Scott into fourth position on the final starting grid. A fast and patient drive in the dust translated into a strong third-place finish in the final and crucial championship points.

“Amazing weekend--I’ve been wanting this for a long time!” said Pastrana after his victory. “This really was the perfect weekend, and the whole team was clicking, the car running really well. I knew yesterday that Scott had a tougher path to the final so it was my time to step up, and he ran a great race in the final today so we both get on the podium again—what a feeling to be back on that top step!”

The Nitro Rallycross driver’s championship race is now ultra-tight, with Pastrana just five points back of championship leader Timmy Hansen and a single point ahead of Speed in third. The team championship is similarly shaping up to be an all-out fight between Subaru Motorsports USA and the Hansen team.

Subaru Motorsports USA will return to the NRX grid at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California next weekend before the season wraps up at The FIRM in Florida, December 3-4.