December 7, 2018 (Speedway, Indiana)
Lake Superior Performance Rally, Southern Ohio Forest Rally, and Missouri Ozark Regional Rally have been welcomed to the American Rally Association schedule of events for the 2019 season. The trio of rallies join an ARA calendar packed with the best stage rally events in the United States.
Lake Superior Performance Rally (LSPR), scheduled for October 18 – 19, 2019, will serve in its traditional role as the final event of the National Championship Series next season. Based in Houghton, Michigan, LSPR is a world-renowned event and a favorite for many. Fall foliage provides a colorful backdrop to the rally's gravel stages and the street stage through downtown Houghton lets fans get close to the action. The weather provides an interesting variable too; sunshine, rain, and snow are all possibilities at this dynamic event.
Southern Ohio Forest Rally (SOFR), the reincarnation of an SCCA Pro Rally event that ran from 1973 to 1996, took the North American rally scene by storm in 2017. The Chillicothe, OH based rally is one of the most popular in the country among drivers thanks to its twisting gravel stages and smooth roads. A favorite for spectators too, 2019 will see the resurrection of the famous “City Park” stage.
Due to conflicts with the existing ARA schedule, SOFR joins the 2019 ARA season as its first-ever Super Regional event on May 16 – 18, 2019. Super Regional is a new event classification that is not a national championship stop, but optionally awards roughly 50% national championship points. More details on Super Regional events will come soon. SOFR will be an ideal round for East Coast and Midwest competitors looking for a shorter tow during the West Coast swing of the national championship.
Missouri Ozark Rally (MOR) is a one day regional event based in Eminence, MO and nearby Echo Bluff State Park. Operated by members of the teams that put on the 100 Acre Wood Rally (100AW) and Show Me Rally, MOR is scheduled for February 2, 2019. The spectator-friendly event welcomes fans along its stages to cheer as competitors tackle vintage 100AW rally roads. The event is the perfect primer for Missouri-based teams ahead of March's national championship round. It's also a great option for Sno*Drift competitors looking for more stage miles before winter's end.
“Adding these three events gives ARA a busy schedule running from January through December with little down time,” said ARA President Doug Shepherd. “Each event is unique and will be conducted to the ARA standards for competition and safety. It will be a challenge to ramp up from our seven 2018 events to sixteen, but we are in position to manage it. I look forward to working with the organizing teams from all these events.”
With these three additional rally events, the ARA calendar has become jam-packed with sixteen high-caliber events; nine National Championship rounds, five one-day Regional events, and two Super Regional rallies. 2019 will be the most exciting year yet for the American Rally Association. We hope to see you on the stages.
The updated 2019 ARA calendar:
2019 ARA National Championship Series
Sno*Drift Rally
January 25 – 26, 2019
100 Acre Wood Rally
March 15 – 16, 2019
Olympus Rally
April 27 – 28, 2019
Oregon Trail Rally
May 31 – June 2, 2019
Idaho Rally International
June 22 – 23, 2019
New England Forest Rally
July 19 – 20, 2019
Ojibwe Forests Rally
August 23 – 24, 2019
Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally
September 13 – 14, 2019
Lake Superior Performance Rally
October 18 – 19, 2019
ARA Super Regional Events
Southern Ohio Forest Rally
May 16 – 18, 2019
Tour de Forest Rally
September 21, 2019
ARA One-Day Regional Events
Nemadji Trail Rally
December 1, 2018
Missouri Ozark Rally
February 2, 2019
Headwaters Rally
TBA May, 2019
Show Me Rally
October 5, 2019
Nemadji Trail Rally
December 7, 2019
Photo Credit: Alex Wong
About American Rally Association
American Rally Association is a member-driven organization dedicated to the sport of Stage Rally. The ARA provides a transparent, inclusive, and growing sanctioning body to competitors throughout America. A 501 (c)(3) non-profit and wholly owned subsidiary of the United States Auto Club (USAC), ARA is led by seasoned Stage Rally professionals who work hand-in-hand with an experience Board of Directors to deliver a framework for: safety, competition, promotion, and education for all aspects of the sport. The common goal for our members, volunteers, and organizations is a thriving Stage Rally program in America. To connect with ARA, go to americanrallyassociation.org.