Semenuk Clinches Third ARA Championship, Pastrana Wins Inaugural Overmountain Rally Tennessee

September 17, 2024

Newport, TN - Subaru Motorsports USA driver Brandon Semenuk and co-driver Keaton Williams clinched their third-straight American Rally Association (ARA) championship while extreme sports legend Travis Pastrana and co-driver Rhianon Gelsomino captured their second event win in a row at the inaugural Overmountain Rally Tennessee.

“Travis was on it today – he killed it,” said Semenuk after the event. “But we got second place and won the Power Stage, which gets us enough points for the championship. Pretty relieved to lock that up.”

“What a heck of a day,” said Pastrana after garnering a second event win in he and Gelsomino’s return season to ARA action. “We had a chance to win the championship – or at least keep hope alive – but Brandon on that Power Stage, he was just gone!” 

Overmountain Rally Tennessee’s debut on the ARA National calendar proved to be among the most exciting events of the year. Not only did the promised challenges of the event live up to their billing, but WRC driver Josh McErlean was on hand to push a Rally2 Hyundai i20 N to its limits, trading stage wins and giving the Subaru Motorsports USA teams a real run for their money. Had McErlean not suffered a mechanical failure on Sunday, he’d very likely have stood on the podium.

There’s one event left in the 2024 ARA season: October 11-12’s Lake Superior Performance Rally (LSPR) in Michigan. While Semenuk and Williams may have the championship sewn up, the excitement is far from over: “We’re pumped to win two in a row and heading to LSPR,” said Gelsomino.

Pastrana is also looking forward: “Brandon and Keaton – well deserved championship this year, and for Rhi and I to get two wins back to back with a chance at another one [at the] next round is gonna be awesome.” Stay on top of the latest as we reach the end of the ARA season by following Subaru Motorsports USA on Facebook, on Instagram @subarumotorsportsusa, and on TikTok @subarumotorsportsusa.

About Subaru Motorsports USA
Subaru 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, Sparco USA, weBoost and Peplink. Follow the team online at www.subaru.com/motorsports.

Follow Subaru Motorsports USA on Facebook, on Instagram @subarumotorsportsusa, and on TikTok @subarumotorsportsusa.

About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru 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 media.subaru.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.