(Salem, Mo. March 13, 2025) ~ The second round of the 2025 American Rally Association (ARA) National Championship Presented by Kubota—The Rally in the 100 Acre Wood in Salem and Potosi, Missouri, March 14-15—promises a high-speed return to gravel roads after the season-opening Sno*Drift Rally tested competitors’ ice- and snow-driving skills in Northern Michigan’s Winter Wonderland.
Stormy weather is expected in the area, approximately an hour southwest of St. Louis, but the high-speed, wide-open stages of the Show-Me State await fans and competitors alike as they descend on the beautiful forests of the Salem Plateau and the storied Ozark Mountains.
A long-standing fixture on the ARA National Championship calendar, Missouri’s wide, flowing stages make 100 Acre Wood one of the fastest rallies in the world, and an interesting challenge for cars that are typically built and tuned to prioritize maneuverability over straight-line speed.
Always subject to the unpredictable spring weather across the Midwest, this year’s event is sure to be challenging as expected storms will likely make Friday and Saturday’s stages extra slick and cause the road surfaces to change dramatically with each high-speed pass. Additionally, standing water—which can become treacherous, massive pools—and deeper-than-normal water crossings will test the adaptability and durability of both man—and woman— and machine as they work together to traverse the 123 miles of special stages.
Despite the forecast, nearly 60 teams are ready to take on the challenge across both the National and Central Regional rallies.
Starting at noon on Friday with a Parc Exposé in Downtown Potosi, competitors will leave to take on a four-stage loop including the Pigeon Roost West and Floyd Tower East Short Stages before returning to the Twin Eagle Lake service area to re-prep and head back out again for a second pass of the loop at 4:40 PM. Both loops together will total just under 60 miles, leaving just over half of the itinerary for Saturday’s competition.
Saturday’s Parc Exposé will take place in Downtown Salem, from which competitors will depart for their first loop of stages at 10:30 AM.
After Ashbridge Hollow Long, Nova Scotia North, and Southern Loop, competitors will refuel and continue to Deep Ford and Crooked Truck before finally pulling into service at the Dent County Commons at 2:45 PM. Those ready for more will revisit the first three stages of the day for a second run. At this point, the Regional Competitors will continue to the Dent County Commons for podium celebrations while the National Competitors continue to the Power Stage, Crooked Truck, before returning to the Dent County Commons themselves for National Podiums.
New Series Partners Announced
In addition to the on-stage action, 100 Acre Wood will see multiple new and returning series partners world-renown racing brands like Pirelli Tire, joining as the Official Tire of the ARA, a contingency sponsor and title sponsor of the inaugural Pirelli Privateer Cup.
New this year, the Pirelli Privateer Cup is intended to recognize and honor the passion and drive of competitors who mount a national campaign without the benefit of OEM automotive support, rewarding the privateer with the highest overall point total at the end of the season with $5,000.
The Pirelli Privateer Cup is open to all competitors who race in the National Championship in LN4 (L4 and NA4), L2, and O2 classes. Use of Pirelli tires is not mandatory, but if the eventual winner was also eligible for the Pirelli contingency program during the 2025 season, they’ll receive an additional free set of Pirelli Tires.
Alongside Pirelli is Subaru of America, renewing its support for ARA and extending a multi-decade relationship with American Rally.
New partners also include Michelin Tire and American Outdoors (AO) Coolers.
Growing Rally2 and Rally3 Fields Highlight National Entry
With 56 entries total, and 30 of those in the national rally, there’s plenty of excitement and competition across the field.
Championship leaders Brandon Semenuk and Keaton Williams return in their Subaru Motorsports USA WRX O4WD car, with Semenuk looking to take his fourth straight 100 Acre Wood win, having taken the gold at each event since 2022, and getting his first ever National win on the similar roads of the Show-Me Rally in 2020.
“100 Acre Wood is always an exciting event—it’s the first gravel rally of the season,” Semenuk said, “and the fast, flowing roads make for some incredible racing. Subaru Motorsports USA and I have had some good success here in the past, but it’s never an easy rally. Right behind them in points in the No. 21 Kubota Subaru WRX STI prepared by Vermont SportsCar is Nitrocross star Conner Martell, and veteran co-driver Alex Gelsomino.
Underdog competitor to Semenuk, Martell has been getting steadily faster---thanks in part to Gelsomino’s world-class skill as a co-driver. Together, the pair are looking to extend that progress at 100 Acre Wood and continue to take more and more time out of Semenuk and Williams.
“It’s great to be back here. It’s an event where I’ve had a lot of success with Ken [Block]. Over the years we won this rally seven times, and so it’s great to be back. It’s Conner’s first time here, and I’m helping him with feedback prior to the event, and last year's on-boards, and things like that.”
“Every year at this rally, the roads get improved here and there, so you never know where you’re going to find a fresh layer of gravel here, or this particular section which was rough in the past has been fixed.”
One of the most exciting things to see on the entry list of the 2025 Rally in the 100 Acre Wood is the increased interest in the RC2 class, as well as additional Rally3 cars joining after a strong trio showed up to Sno*Drift.
Rejoining the Rally2 fun for the first time since 2021, reigning O2WD National Champion Ryan Booth will be taking a 2024 Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 to Missouri with long-time co-driver Nick Dobbs alongside him.
Booth has been behind the wheel of his Ford Escort MkII for the past few years, but is poised and ready to return to the RC2 world this weekend.
Another set of reigning 2024 National Champions will be joining the fun as well, as two-time L4WD Champions Javier Olivares and KJ Miller enter their first event of the 2025 season in their Ford Fiesta Rally2.
“We are really excited to get back in the car,” Miller remarked in the lead-up to 100 Acre Wood.
“Lake Superior Performance Rally (LSPR) was the last time in the Rally2 car and that was almost 5 months ago. We are excited to have Gruszka back in the class and looking forward to Scully and Booth also joining the fun. We expect a pretty good fight and we’re looking forward to it!”
The Green APU team will be bringing out a one-two punch of Hyundai Rally2 cars as for the first time they will be entering two in the same event.
Leading the RC2 Championship after being the lone entrant at Sno*Drift, Pat Gruszka and his Hyundai i20 Rally2 will be back for 100 Acre Wood, this time with co-driver Danny Persin by his side.
And finally, fresh off an overall Regional win at Sno*Drit, Alasdair Scully is making his Rally2 debut with Stefan Trajkov in the co-driver’s seat.
Trajkov provided some insight as to what he and Scully are thinking as they head into this weekend's event.
"As this is our first rally of the season in our Hyundai i20 R5, we have set our targets in the way of development at the 100 Acre Wood Rally,” he said. “The 100 Acre Wood roads, ‘American Rally Highways’ as I like to call them, are a great venue to build confidence and kick off our season in the RC2 class. I am looking forward to the RC2 class battles with the diverse entries."
With three manufacturers represented, and a strong driver line-up, the RC2 battle at 100 Acre Wood is expected to be one of the most exciting the class has seen in recent years.
Fighting with similar pace will be the LS3-powered Chevy Sonic of Pat Moro and Ole Holter, as well as the Ford Fiesta RS of Cam Steely and Alix Hakala.
The L4WD class is also expected to be an interesting and exciting competition, as the traditional turbo Imprezas take on the European Rally3 Cars, four of which have entered for this weekend’s rally.
Sno*Drift class winners Nick Allen and Martin Brady are back in the No. 46 Eagle Rock Racing Ford Fiesta, looking to extend their championship lead after their first rally in the car together last month.
“We hope to go faster at 100 Acre Wood than Sno*Drift,” Brady said, “if not because of the better grip but the fact we have one rally under our belts and we have settled in very well together in the car.”
“[Allen] is a very good driver with a measured speed. He knows when to push and when to consolidate. The pace at 100AW will be high, but I think we can be up at the front of the class battle.”
Two other Fiestas will be looking to take them down, the No. 209 Tabor Racing Team car of WRC’s Beyond Rally Women's Driver Development Program graduate Madelyn Tabor and Sophia McKee, and the No. 133 Fiesta Rally3 of Liam McNelis, returning to the stage for the first time since 2023, this time with Matt James co-driving.
And of course, the Renault Clio Rally3 of Sean Donnelly and Zach Pfeil will be returning to the L4WD fight after a second-in-class finish at Sno*Drift.
Taking on the Rally3 machines for L4WD rights will be the WRX of Camerion Gholson and Jeremy Agostino, the WRX of Nick Balzer and Zach Goldstein, and the WRX STI of Niall Donnelly and Emmet White.
International Champion Takes on US Favorites in Two-Wheel Drive Competition.
Global automaker Stellantis has had a hand in helping a very special entrant compete this weekend, as 2021 Swedish INT 2WD and 2023 ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup Champion Calle Carlberg and co-driver Torbjörn Carlberg will be piloting a 2024 Peugeot 208 Rally4 in their US debut.
“I've always dreamt about visiting the US, so when I got the call from Stellantis asking if I wanted to participate in the 100 Acre Wood rally, I didn't hesitate,” Calle said.
“From what I've seen, the stages look really fast and flowing, which I like. I don't know what to compare them to in Europe, but maybe a mixture of Finland, Sweden, and Hungary. This will be a perfect test before our European Championship campaign starts.”
“Whilst I still have no idea how the competition in the Open 2wd class is, I don't want to let Stellantis and Peugeot down. It's clear that we are here to fight for a top result. We will do a small test on Wednesday, just to get back to speed, and then we will see what the little Peugeot can do on the Missouri stages.”
“I can't wait for the rally to start and to experience the American rallying scene.”
To top the podium, the Swedes will have to fight their way through a field of highly experienced domestic competitors, including previous event winners, class champions, and rally legends.
Micah Nickelson and Tyler Ptacek’s 1986 VW Golf is back after two straight 100 Acre Wood class wins and an extra podium in 2022. The pair’s fearless mentality and expertly prepped machine has been a mainstay on the Ozark Roads for years, a frequently successful combination, and a force to be reckoned with.
Current O2WD points leader Matthew Nykanen, who won the 100 Acre Wood Regional rally last year and took the Central Region O2WD Championship, is back this year with more power and a National Championship in his sights.
Nykanen and co-driver Lars Anderson’s BMW 328i will be joined by three-time O2WD Champion Seamus Burke and co-driver Gary McElhinney in their 302-powered MkII Escort, as well as the legend himself, Tim O’Neil in his 1969 AMC AMX with Mika Rajasalo in the navigator’s seat.
The L2WD battle also carries over strong from Sno*Drift with points leaders Chris Cyr and Glen Ray defending their lead against Mark and Henry Tabor, each returning in their own Fiesta STs, Nicholas Tippman, John Concha, and more.
Hartmann Returns to Defend Regional Win
The 26-car 100 Acre Wood Regional field is stacked with some of the best grassroots competitors in the country, but topping the entry list is Todd Hartmann and Shawn Callahan’s Ford Fiesta Proto, which took the win in 2024’s event.
The pair are returning to the stage for the first time since a DNF at last year’s Olympus Rally, meaning it’s been nearly a year since their last time on stage, but with a history together spanning 25 years, the duo will surely have no issues getting back up to pace on the Missouri roads.
Looking to take down the reigning event winner, Ryan Rethy and James Dallman will be second on the road in the regional rally lineup with their NA4WD Subaru Impreza Wagon. Known for its massive wing, and impressive pace, the No. 890 will be fighting for the top spot after coming second to Hartmann and Callahan in 2024, looking to add a third win to the team’s repertoire.
“This year has some seriously stiff competition for the regional overall podium,” Rethy said. “We are looking to keep it clean and push where we can. We unlocked some speed at Show-Me [Rally] in the form of note refinement, so we are hoping to carry that over into 100AW.”
“It is probably going to be dusty, but maybe the potential storm on Friday will bring some wind that keeps the roads visible! That would be really nice.”
Rethy and Dallman will have to hold off the NA4WD Impreza of Dustin Peterke and Robert Judge if they want to be number one though. Though Peterke is a new face on the rally scene, three Rally Ready Sprints and a class podium at Show-Me Rally in 2024 have proven the newcomer has pace capable of earning his team a podium, or even a win at their first Super Regional event.
In L4WD, James Randall and Andrew Rausch will be defending their class win from last year against the likes of Chris and Lori O’Driscoll, Robert Dupree and Betsy Nyguen, and even Hollywood stunt driver Tyler Witte, co-driven by multi-time Canadian 2WD Champion driver Chris Greenhouse.
The five-car O2WD field will be led in start order by the 1986 BMW 325 of Levi and Griffin Johnson, who have competed once before at 100 Acre Wood in 2023, where they took the gold medal in their class in Levi’s third-ever rally.
“We won our class two years ago, when we first ran it,” Levi explained. “We didn't realize it, but the car was only running on five cylinders. It was a fairly new build and didn't throw a check engine light, so we didn't know any better.”
“The race started off great with some awesome competition in our class. We were leading our class up until day two when we sucked up a bunch of water into the engine on a water crossing and spent seven minutes cranking the car over until it started. We put the pedal down to try and regain positions. At this point, much of our competition had either crashed or had a mechanical problem, so it was just us and another team (Matthew and Richard Shinn) left in our class. Unfortunately, on Stage 14, their clutch system gave out, leaving us the last ones remaining. It was our first time of many being top of the podium.”
“With more miles under our belts and a car that is now running on all six cylinders, we're excited to see how it goes this year. Our main competition, Mike Hurst, is really fast on these roads and definitely has the horsepower advantage, so it should be a really exciting fight that I'm very much looking forward to!”
Griffin added, “We haven’t raced it together since 2023, when we were pretty new to working together in the car, and that was an absolute blast, overcoming some challenges and taking home the win in O2WD Regional.”
“Now that we’re more comfortable working together and have the car more dialed in, we’re more confident and very excited to be flat out on some of the best roads in the country!”
Levi and Griffin Johnson will have to take on the 1974 Ford Capri of Mike Hurst and Randall Short that won this event in 2023, as well as competition from Brian Katz and Mike Vaught’s Lexus IS350, and more.
Finally, the L2WD class sees five teams starting, including the HART Racing Team Integra piloted by Gabriel Nieves and Charlie Discoe, and even two first-time drivers, Doug Leibman navigated by Kevin Schatz in their 1971 VW Super Beetle, and David Chenot co-driven by first time navigator Eric Silkwood in their 2003 Ford Focus.
To follow along with the Rally at the 100 Acre Wood live, find live results on our website, follow along on our official Facebook and Instagram, or check out our media partners at DirtFish for their on-site coverage.
`Mason Runkel for the ARA