ARA’s Summer Starts with Southern Ohio Forest Rally

Photo by MeleMedia

(Chillicothe, OH – June 11, 2025) ~ This weekend the American Rally Association (ARA) National Championship presented by Kubota enters both the summer stretch and the second half of the 2025 season with Round 5: the Southern Ohio Forest Rally (SOFR).

Despite rallying roots in Ohio dating back to 1968 through the MONY series and a rich history with the SCCA Pro Rally Championship, SOFR in its present form only debuted in 2017. It became an ARA Regional event in 2019, before joining the National calendar for the first time in 2020.

Now in its sixth year as an ARA National round, SOFR’s surprisingly tight and technical stages, significant elevation changes, and often unpredictable weather have made this hidden gem of the Ohio Valley both a challenge and a favorite among competitors.

The unique three-day format returns for 2025, with day one once again focused solely on the Yoctangee Park Super Special Stage, where spectators can get up close and personal with the action. Consisting of 20 stages across three towns and 113 competition miles, this year’s itinerary packs a lot of high-speed thrills into a convenient schedule that avoids early mornings and late nights.

With Parc Exposés in Chillicothe on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and McArthur on Saturday at 11:00 a.m., fans will have plenty of opportunities to interact with teams and see the cars up close.

Thursday sees teams take on the “Yoctangee Street” Stage twice in a row for the first time ever, before heading into iconic stages like “Pound the Alarm,” “Top Gun South Short,” and “Hello Hairpin North” on Friday. Saturday’s itinerary includes “Courtney’s Web,” “Irish Ridge,” “Will Tract South,” and “Church of the Raccoons,” which also serves as the Power Stage to close out the rally for National competitors.

RC2 Class Competition Heats Up With Big Names, New Entries

While reigning champions and current points leaders Brandon Semenuk and Keaton Williams of Subaru Motorsports USA (SMSUSA) are favorites for the overall win at SOFR, their larger Open four-wheel-drive-class (O4WD) Subaru WRX may be at a slight disadvantage to the more nimble RC2 machines thanks to the tight, technical turns of Southern Ohio.

Notable among the strong, seven-car RC2 field is the No. 21 Martell Racing entry of Conner Martell and Alex Gelsomino. After scoring podium finishes in every round so far this season in their O4WD Subaru WRX STI, the duo is switching to a top-spec Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 car with championship-winning French team 2C Compétition.

“This is the kind of opportunity every driver hopes for,” said Martell. “Getting time in a Rally2 car has been a goal of mine, and to do it with a team like 2C – with all their experience and success – is an incredible step. I’m excited to keep learning, improving, and pushing at the front of the field.”

SOFR will mark Martell’s first run in the Rally2 entry, but it will be a homecoming of sorts for 2C, which last ran in ARA competition in 2022 with superstar Ken Block at the wheel of a Hyundai i20 WRC, scoring second overall in the championship.

While they’re expected to be contenders at the front, Martell and Gelsomino will have to fend off a field stacked with big names to reach the top.

Points leader Patrick Gruszka, co-driven by John Hall in the Green APU Hyundai i20 R5, arrives at SOFR with high expectations. Having won the RC2 class at this event two years running, Gruszka will certainly have a target on his back for the 2025 running.

Ryan Booth and Nick Dobbs return in their Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, aiming for their third win of the season after victories at both 100 Acre Wood and Olympus. Meanwhile, Javier Olivares and KJ Miller are riding high off their first class win in their Ford Fiesta Rally2 following a tight battle at last month’s Oregon Trail Rally, making them the fourth team expected to challenge for stage-winning times.

Also filling out the RC2 field are 2019 ARA RC2 Cup winners Dave Wallingford and Leanne Junnila in their Ford Fiesta R5, Alastair Scully and Stefan Trajkov continuing to play underdogs in their Hyundai i20 R5, and Roberto Yglesias and Michael Szewczyk, who will be working to dial in their Audi A1 Maxx.

Lasek Joins LN4; Rally3-Subaru Battle Gears Up

One of the most exciting stories at this year’s SOFR is the return of 20-time X-Games medalist Bucky Lasek, making his first ARA appearance since 2022.

The professional skateboarder and former Red Bull Global Cross competitor has made occasional stage rally appearances since 2016, but this weekend will mark his debut on the challenging stages of Southern Ohio.

Lasek joins Argonaut Motor Club, piloting the No. 810 WRX STI with co-driver Aris Mantopoulos by his side.

“I’m so stoked to get back into wheeling a rally car at SOFR thanks to Argonaut Motor Club and their amazing rental program,” said Lasek. “I’ll be driving their L4WD 2011 Subaru Impreza alongside my co-driver Aris Mantopoulos. Huge thanks to my sponsors: Subimods, Wagner Subaru, Black Rifle Coffee, Sunoco Fuels, Hoosier Tires, Rally Ready, and Panda Motorworks. I look forward to roosting everyone attending the rally with a good time. See you there!”

Of course, Lasek will have to take on recent L4WD debutants Travis Pastrana and Rhianon Gelsomino in the Subaru Motorsports USA WRX ARA25L, the fastest pairing in their class at every event they’ve entered so far in the new car.

That said, both teams will be facing a similar problem to that of Semenuk and Williams, size. While the Subarus will be up on power, they’ll also be up on bulk compared to the Rally3 cars that have been taking the LN4 class by storm the past few years, especially on technical rallies like SOFR.

One of those cars will be the Ford Fiesta Rally3 of Madelyn Tabor, now joined by Krista Skucas. Tabor made waves at Olympus by doubling her speed factor and showing her best pace yet. Ohio’s similar stages could provide the perfect setting for continued momentum, despite a soft roll at Oregon Trail Rally (OTR).

I'm excited to return to SOFR for a second time, and this time with the Element Rallysport Rally3,” Tabor said. “The car performed exceptionally well on the tighter, more technical roads at Olympus, so I'm feeling confident and thinking we'll have a great event.”

“After my roll at Oregon Trail, I'm certainly looking forward to redemption and (more than ever) finishing the event! I'm also very excited to have the opportunity to have Krista as my navigator for this event, and to be able to learn lots from her and further my racing experience.”

“I’ve been racing alongside the Tabors since my first event in 2010, so I am thrilled to join Madelyn at SOFR while Sophia is on her honeymoon in Europe,” co-driver Skucas added. “Madelyn’s passion for the sport and desire to learn and develop is inspiring and impressive. I hope to introduce her to some new tips and tricks while helping her to hone her competitive side. These types of roads suit Madelyn (and the Rally3) very well, so it’ll be the perfect event for us to get in together and for her to dust off from OTR.”

Also in the Rally3 camp this time, Sean Donnelly and Zach Pfeil will be piloting the Garage 126 Renault Clio Rally3, looking to extend the 12-point lead they hold heading into Ohio.

FWD vs. RWD Showdown in L2WD

With seven cars entered, the Limited Two-wheel-drive (L2WD) battle will once again be one to watch at SOFR. This accessible class attracts a diverse range of machines, creating some of the most intriguing matchups in the field. This year, entries are split nearly evenly between front-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive, each offering its own advantages on Ohio’s technical stages.

Four Ford Fiesta STs make up the front-wheel drive entry, with 2025’s undefeated crew of Chris Cyr and Glen Ray considered the favorites as they look for their fifth perfect event in a row.

While Cyr suspects the RWD cars could have an advantage, it’s possible the technical stages might actually tilt the odds back in his favor.

“Ohio has a fun mix of fast and technical. We should see the high horsepower RWD cars dominate on fastest stages. Based on past rallies the FWD cars should be able to manage the technical stages better and could put us above the RWD cars. We will need to wait and see.

“I'm pumped to see Santiago [Iglesias] bringing his fast L2WD RWD car to Ohio, and Henry Tabor beat me in all but one stage on Day 3 in Oregon. As one of the largest national classes, L2WD should be very exciting in Ohio!”

Meanwhile, leading the RWD entries, three-time SOFR L2WD winners Santiago Iglesias and Robert Kassel will be aiming for a fourth win in their 2013 Subaru BRZ.

“I think RWD can be very helpful on certain stages that have a lot of hairpins and acute turns because we can swing the car around in a very precise way with the throttle and not need to rely on the handbrake so much,” Iglesias said. “I'm sure it balances out in other places, but we're all limited by the grip we have at the end of the day, and we're all still powered by two tires.

“We're trying a bit of a setup change on the car to try and get more performance on dry gravel. We have a great setup for muddy rallies, but it punished us last year at the very dry Overmountain and LSPR events. I'm sure Cyr will be pushing hard as usual, so we'll try to keep him honest.”

The two Lexus IS250s of Casen Pedersen and Ryan McGrath will be joining Iglesias in the RWD camp this weekend.

Swedes Invade O2WD Field

One step up from them in the Open Two-wheel-drive (O2WD) class, Michael Hooper and Michael Hordijk will be leading the charge against an all-RWD field in their Lexus IS350. The pair have a chance to take over the championship lead from the absent Matthew Nykanen if they can secure 20 points, either by winning the class or finishing second with a Power Stage victory.

Looking to take them down will be last year’s L2WD champions Richo Healey and Michelle Miller in their IS350, while Seamus Burke and Gary McElhinney continue to flesh out their own 2025 Championship in their crowd-favorite Ford Mk 2 Escort.

Playing spoiler to the championship regulars are Daniel Hayes and Boyd Smith in their 2006 Ford Mustang GT, which landed on the podium three times in 2024.

Joining the fun all the way from Sweden, long-time rallyist Thomas Hansson has teamed up with co-driver Nicklas Jidflo to bring their Volvo 944 stateside for SOFR. With experience dating back to 1987, Hansson is one of the most anticipated competitors this year, as fans and drivers alike are eager to see how he handles the Ohio roads.

“Thomas was successful in the 80s and 90s in a Swedish team developing the Volvo 240 for rally,” Jidflo explained. “For three years, he has had an idea to go to the US for a rally. After some investigation, the best rally with conditions most like in Sweden seemed to be the South Ohio Forest Rally. Since December 2024, both we have put in months of hard work, Thomas, building a new Volvo 940 and me administering the shipping of a Swedish-registered car to the US. Now the team and the car are here. Let the fun begin!”

Tight NA4WD vs L4WD Battle Tops Regional Entry List

Alongside the National event, the ARA East Region Championship continues with its second round of the 2025 season, following the opener at Sno*Drift in January.

Thirty-four teams will take on the 17-stage, 110-mile Southern Ohio Forest Super Regional Rally, running the full National route except for the final Power Stage.

This year, the top of the regional entry list features two Normally Aspirated Four-wheel-drive (NA4WD) cars alongside two L4WD entries, a battle of classes that’s expected to be a standout, as each brings their own advantages to Ohio’s technical stages.

First on the road will be the L4WD Mitsubishi Evo X of Martin Spanhel and Claudia Barbera, who topped the L4WD class and finished third overall in the SOFR regional event last time on stage in 2023.

As part of the L4WD class, the turbocharged Mitsubishi boasts a power advantage that could pay off on Southern Ohio’s steeper climbs, delivering more output once it hits the sweet spot of the power band. Nevertheless, the tight and sometimes-slow corners may tip the scales toward the naturally aspirated entries, like second-on-the-road Kevin Allen and Elizabeth Cordera.

Their GC Subaru Impreza may lack a turbo, but under ARA regulations, it benefits from a lower minimum weight. Pair that with the instant throttle response of a naturally aspirated drivetrain, and the turbo charged teams will have their hands full.

In addition to these two teams, the NA4WD Subaru Impreza of Ryan Pryzbylkowski and Betsy Nguyen, and the L4WD Subaru WRX Wagon of Nick Balzer and Jon Schrage have shown closely matched pace, enough that any of them could be fighting for the top spot, with stage times likely to shift depending on the conditions.

“I’m incredibly excited to be back on the amazing stages at SOFR,” Pryzbylkowski explained. “I’ve made some significant improvements to my 3.0RS and can’t wait to battle with some amazing competitors. After three consecutive DNFs in 2024, I really want to make it to the finish, but a podium is the real goal. I consider SOFR my favorite rally on the schedule, and I’ve never stood on the podium there.

“I might be higher in speed factor but I know Nathan, the Williamsons, and the rest of the class will be battling hard for those podium spots as well. I think the NA4 cars have a slight advantage on the incredibly twisty stages at SOFR, but there’s some fast drivers and cars in the L4WD class as well. Overall, I’m just excited to get back in the car and be surrounded by the amazing rally community and have some fun!”

As an additional threat, the HART Rally Team is back with a long-time fan favorite, the Honda Passport used by Chris Sladek to win the 2022 ARA LN4 National Championship.

While it may not win on pace alone, the Passport stands as a long-running testament to the importance of reliability in rally, often pushing through tough conditions and surviving obstacles that faster, sportier cars fail to overcome.

“Designed and raced by Honda associates in Ohio, there’s no better place for the Passport to make a return,” the team said.

With Charlie Discoe in the co-driver’s seat, the duo already have a podium finish together in the L2WD class at SOFR last year, and they’ll be looking to bring that experience into this year’s event.

Overall, the NA4WD and L4WD entries make up 18 of the regional competitors, split evenly at nine apiece, ensuring each team has someone to battle with throughout the rally.

McGee Looks for Three

Winner of the Ken Block Flat Out 43VER Award at the 2024 Southern Ohio Forest Rally, Matt McGee earned the honor after being cleared to race just three weeks after undergoing surgery for masses on his neck.

The award came in recognition of his determination to press on and win the Regional L2WD class for the second year in a row. Now, he’s back and aiming for even more.

Joined this time by his usual co-driver’s 14-year-old daughter, Indy Lambert, in her first event, McGee, Lambert, and their 2008 VW Rabbit are ready to take the gold again.

“I get the chance to give another first-time co-driver their first shot in the silly seat,” McGee said of the young Lambert. “I’m stoked and nervous at the same time, but excited to see her grow, learn, and love the sport, following in her father, [Jamie Lambert’s] footsteps. I’m really grateful to be able to give her this opportunity.

“The car is as ready as it can be. This past year has been extremely trying and tough for me, so I’m just looking forward to settling into the car and locking into that happy place, to push ourselves one more time, enjoy the rally family, and see what happens. There’s a very good chance this might be our last event, unfortunately. So I don’t want to leave anything on the field, as they say. Good luck to everyone, go fast, take chances, be safe, and rally on!”

While McGee enters as the favorite in the L2WD class, seven other competitors, including the HART Rally Team’s Acura Integra and Honda Civic, will also be vying for the win on stage.

In the O2WD class, Indy’s father, Jamie, will be co-driving for the ever-exciting Mike Cessna in their E46 BMW M3. The pair are known for their sky-high jumps in Yoctangee Park and their always-sideways driving style through the forests, which earned them class wins in three of the four rallies they entered together last year, SOFR being the only one that got away.

In 2025, they’re looking to rectify that and take the win for themselves—but they’ll need to fend off the likes of Brian Katz and Matt Vaught in their Lexus IS350, as well as 2024 class-winning driver Doug E. Shepherd and co-driver Cindy Krolikowski.

Meanwhile, lone O4WD entrants Michael Carr and Jared Nix will be making their stage rally debut at SOFR, taking to the stages in their 2004 Subaru WRX STI.

~Mason Runkle for the ARA

Media Contact:

Scott McKee

news@ara-rally.com