Regional Championship Battles Converge at LSPR
(Marquette, Mich., October 7, 2026) — Alongside the 2026 American Rally Association (ARA) National Championship finale taking place at Lake Superior Performance Rally (LSPR), October 9-10, the event also serves as the penultimate round of the ARA Central Regional Championship.
The 44-car Regional field will take on nearly the same itinerary as their National counterparts, minus the rally-ending Power Stage, making for a two-day, 15-stage, 116.05-competition-mile event. The same grueling and unpredictable conditions facing the National entries will test the Regional teams as they chase their own podiums and championship results.
Every Central championship remains open entering the weekend, with Tyler Matalas and Peter Farrow tied atop the overall driver standings, while Scott Crouch arrives with an opportunity to seal the L4WD title one round early.
Many East Regional Championship competitors also have plenty at stake despite their in-region season already being complete. Tom Mayer has secured the overall title, but only seven points separate Chris Nonack, James Pryzbylkowski and Ryan Pryzbylkowski in the fight for second, with all three entered at LSPR. Ryan Pryzbylkowski can also put the NA4WD championship out of reach, while Nonack has an opportunity to secure O2WD with a strong result in Michigan.
Heavy hitters across the field will also be present, including Blind Deer Rallysport’s Jimmy Pelizzari, Sisu Racing Team’s Silas Himes, and Nolan Abell and Leah Brisset in a 2016 Ford Fiesta R5.
A Parc Exposé Thursday at Fox Marquette Subaru from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. precedes competition, which begins Friday afternoon with the field departing the Sidnaw Service Area at 1:00 p.m. Competitors tackle a five-stage loop consisting of “Passmore Short,” “Teepee Tower Short,” “Far Point,” “Bob Lake,” and “Markey Lake” before a one-hour service and a second run through the same stages into the evening.
Saturday begins with another Parc Exposé at the Northern Michigan University Berry Events Center from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. before competitors tackle the fan-packed “Mt. Marquette” stage, followed by “Al’s Playground” and “Menge Creek.” After service, the field repeats the latter two stages before the rally finishes in downtown Marquette, with awards scheduled for 6:15 p.m.
R5s Evos and STIs Line O4WD Class
The LSPR Regional field features one of the largest Open Four-Wheel-Drive (O4WD) classes of the 2026 season, with eight cars entered. O4WD is unique as the top class of the ARA, with cars competing for the overall classification rather than a dedicated class podium or championship.
Leading the O4WD field in the start order, Nolan Abell and Leah Brisset enter in a 2016 Ford Fiesta R5 prepared by Steven Redd Racing (SRR). Classified as O4WD rather than RC2 due to the WRC wing fitted to the car, Abell and Brisset got acquainted with the R5 platform at Olympus Rally earlier this year, where they finished sixth among 12 RC2 entries in their first event with the car in homologated specification.
One of the biggest threats to Abell and the rest of the field, however, is the 2015 Subaru WRX STI of Zachary and Ronald Jacques. While Hardknock Rally Team has been away from the stages for several years, its last start ended with an overall Regional victory at LSPR in 2023, following two more overall victories from three starts in 2022.
“This is our first race back together after three years away from competing, so for us it’s all about having fun and trying to finish,” Jacques said. “LSPR is the rally for us. The heritage of the event, set against a fall weekend in the U.P., makes it something special. We have a lot of cousins in the Ishpeming and Houghton-Hancock area, so it’s kind of our second home rally. Sno*Drift will always have a special place in our hearts as our first.
“We’re really just trying to remember how to do the dang thing and have a good time as a father-son duo while we can. The car has had a lot of updates during our three years away, with most of the work crammed into the last three months to fix previous issues and improve performance.
“The driver has two kids now, and the co-driver officially has an AARP membership, so there’s that as well.”
Representing the Mitsubishi contingent, Canadian rallyist Landon McDonald brings his Mitsubishi Evo VIII to LSPR with Jamie Willetts in the navigator’s seat. McDonald has shown strong pace during his first few years competing in Canada, but LSPR will mark his first trip across the border to compete in the ARA.
“We’re coming down from Western Canada with ProStar Performance and our O4WD Mitsubishi Evo 8,” McDonald said. “We’ve spent this season competing in Canada, and after a strong run at the Rocky Mountain Rally, we wanted to challenge ourselves against a new field and experience one of the most iconic rallies in North America.
“Our goal is to run a clean, competitive rally, learn the ARA format and see where our pace stacks up against the Open 4WD field. At the 2026 Rocky Mountain Rally, we finished fourth overall, third in O4WD and first among the National and Regional novice competitors, so LSPR gives us an opportunity to build on that progress against a different field and on completely unfamiliar roads.”
Other O4WD entries include Joshua and Danielle Kemp in their 2004 Subaru WRX, Evan Mosley and Brandon Opperthauser in their 2002 Subaru WRX, and Michael Carr and Stephanie Bish of the American Veterans Racing Organization in their 2004 Subaru STI, using their rally program to support veterans across the U.S.
Pelizzari Ready to Break LSPR Bridesmaid Streak
Being the “open” four-wheel-drive class doesn’t guarantee O4WD will top the Regional results. In fact, the highest-seeded Regional entry comes from Limited Four-Wheel- Drive (L4WD), as Jimmy Pelizzari and Bryce Proseus bring the Blind Deer Rallysport 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX to LSPR with a strong history of finishes at the event.
Last year, Pelizzari and Proseus piloted the same car to second overall at LSPR, behind only the O4WD Mitsubishi Mirage of National RC2 competitor Alastair Scully. Two 10-second penalties ultimately proved decisive in their 16.4-second loss, one for exceeding the virtual chicane speed and another for a late check-in.
The year prior, Pelizzari and co-driver Kate Stevens finished second overall again, falling just 17.7 seconds short of John and Michael Farrow’s 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX. Pelizzari and Stevens also finished second overall at LSPR in 2019 in Pelizzari’s former Naturally Aspirated Four-Wheel-Drive (NA4WD) 2000 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS, missing the victory by only two seconds. After coming so close on three separate occasions, 2026 could finally be Blind Deer’s year to take the overall win.
Tom Mayer and Dillon McKenna, along with Scott and Elizabeth Crouch, enter in their own 2002 Subaru WRXs. Mayer and McKenna arrive at their first rally since sealing the 2026 ARA East Regional Overall and L4WD championships in their RallySport Direct-backed machine, while the Crouches enter LSPR just seven points off the Central Overall Championship lead and leading the L4WD Central Championship by 13 points over Peter Farrow.
Farrow also enters LSPR tied for the Central Overall Drivers’ Championship lead in his 2002 Subaru Impreza, this time co-driven by Cole Clements. A strong performance could put him alone at the top of the standings heading into the season finale.
James Pryzbylkowski and Ethan Curtis also have plenty at stake, but primarily in the East Regional Championship. Pryzbylkowski enters LSPR second in East L4WD and third overall, with the opportunity to add as many as 17 out-of-region points to each championship total.
Other L4WD entries include Jason Cook and Margaret Tu’s 2004 Subaru WRX, Alec Martell and Morgan Sheahan’s 2003 Subaru Impreza WRX, and Kevin Kahl and Samantha Jacques’ 2017 Subaru WRX, with Kahl making his annual trip to LSPR.
“I’m a Regional competitor, and my current racing budget only allows for one big rally per year, so I choose LSPR because I know the roads and love the stages, atmosphere, area and time of year,” Kahl said. “It’s the one rally I’ll keep doing every year as long as I have a car to enter.
“LSPR is the rally that really got me into the sport. I attended Michigan Tech back when LSPR was in Houghton and remember seeing the cars driving around town to go to parc, and I had to see what it was all about. After spectating my first LSPR, I knew I had to compete someday.
“My approach is just to finish. This is my third year competing, and I’m working to find a happy medium. My first year I went out too optimistic and had a few excursions into ditches, and my second year I played it too safe and went too slow. This year I’m hoping to have a little more pace while still keeping it on the dirt and making it to the finish ceremony.”
NA4WD Heavyweights Aim for Overall Honors at LSPR
Like L4WD, Naturally Aspirated Four-Wheel-Drive (NA4WD) has proven more than capable of challenging the Open-class cars for overall Regional honors. At LSPR, seven Subarus and a lone Mitsubishi make up a deep eight-car field looking for both class and overall podiums.
Silas Himes of Sisu Rally Team has earned multiple class podiums at LSPR as an L4WD competitor in his 2008 Subaru STI, but now enters in a new NA4WD build alongside co-driver Annika Nykanen as the pair look to make their mark in the class.
Joining them are teammates Connor Himes and Charlotte Himes-Nykanen in their 2001 Subaru Impreza. Connor took the NA4WD victory and finished third overall Regional at LSPR in 2025, and he’ll be looking for another strong result against this year’s stacked field.
“LSPR is my hometown event, and I’ve been watching it with my dad and siblings for as long as I can remember, so getting to have my sister in the co-driver’s seat this time around is really special,” Himes said.
“After taking first in NA4WD and third overall Regional at LSPR last year, we’d love to aim for something similar again. More than anything, though, the goal is to bring the car home and have a good time.”
One of the biggest threats to both Sisu cars will be the 2006 Subaru Impreza of Sam Jacques and Kyle Cooper.
“Everything about LSPR is a call to compete,” Jacques said. “For us, it’s our hometown rally, and one of the only events we’ve been able to fit in with my schedule. The stages are amazing, the colors are unbelievable and the downtown finish adds a bit of electricity that some events don’t have. All in all, it creates a crazy, one-of-a-kind event.
“We’re approaching this with as much preparation as possible. The NA4WD class has become extremely competitive, and we’re still running our tired four-cylinder and trying to keep up with the high-horsepower six-cylinders that are taking over, so it’ll be a fight for every second. Connor Himes is our obvious competition, but there are some fresh faces coming into this weekend that could definitely play spoiler.
“This will be my 10th career rally, and we’re still riding a zero-DNF streak with seven consecutive class podiums. We’d love to keep that going. This also marks the last event with my current co-driver, who’ll be moving into the driver’s seat in NA4WD very shortly with his own car and program.
“We were also able to fit in some pre-event testing at our new property west of Ishpeming. It gives us a two-mile test stage where we could knock off some rust and get back into race shape instead of waiting for the first stage. Our last event was Sno*Drift, so getting that seat time beforehand was important. We’re hoping to have the facility open for private testing by this time next year.”
Ryan Pryzbylkowski and co-driver Betsy Nguyen bring another of the six-cylinder-swapped Imprezas and enter LSPR able to secure the East Regional NA4WD Championship with two points. Pryzbylkowski also sits just one point ahead of Vilko teammate James Pryzbylkowski in the East Regional overall standings, adding another layer to the friendly rivalry between the two crews.
Brothers Richard and Greg Donovan are also entered and ready for another LSPR weekend together.
“LSPR is a classic,” Donovan said. “The two-day recce is almost as much fun as the rally itself. Getting the chance to drive the roads and take in the scenery is really the icing on the cake.
“We’ve had plenty of highs and lows at LSPR. The logistics can be a challenge, the roads can be a challenge, and the weather has definitely been a challenge at times too.
“It’s my brother’s and my favorite event, and moving the post-rally party downtown with that iconic backdrop has only made it better. For us, even the lows at a rally are still better than not being there at all.”
Matt and Jackie James’ 2006 Subaru Impreza and Mark Lietha and Brayden Samis’ 1993 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS round out the Subaru contingent, while Michael and Angelica Miller’s 1991 Mitsubishi Galant “6R4,” a naturally aspirated V6-swapped VR-4 build, stands alone as the class’ only non-Subaru entry.
Proven Winners Lead O2WD Field at LSPR
In stark contrast to the NA4WD class, Open Two-Wheel-Drive (O2WD) features 10 cars across nine different chassis, ranging from classic Volkswagens to custom-built cars from the last decade.
2025 O2WD Central Regional Champion Mike Hurst enters the field as the pace-setter, riding a streak of nine consecutive finishes of second in class or better, including a victory at LSPR last year. Hurst and Randall Short bring the iconic 1974 Ford Capri back to LSPR with a chance to climb from sixth in the Central O2WD standings, with only one competitor ahead of them in points entered this weekend.
That competitor is Josh Nykanen, co-driven this weekend by Elliot Prusi in their 1987 Volkswagen Golf GTI. Wins at Headwaters and Nemadji Trail this season prove Nykanen knows how to get results on these roads, but asking the Golf to overcome some of the higher-powered machinery in the class will be a tall order.
Chris and Sara Nonack will also draw plenty of attention as they continue to campaign the recently completed ANY% Scion 2GR-86, a V6-swapped FR-S that has won both rallies it has entered.
“Excited to get back to LSPR. It’s been a few years!” Chris said. “We’ve got the new car hopefully reprepped in the short turnaround time since Overmountain, and with some really strong Regional O2WD competition and both Pryzbylkowskis positioned to push us off the East Regional Championship podium, my plan is just to do my best and see how it shakes out.”
Adam Vandamme and Morgan Engle bring their 1985 Volkswagen Golf to LSPR as another potential threat. The lightweight build may be unassuming, but it has more than enough pace to impress beyond its looks.
The unique rally cars continue throughout the field with Fabrizio Mirandola and Drake Kress’ 2014 Fiat 500 Abarth, Larry Parker and Elisha Papanicolaou’s 1981 Porsche 911 SC, and Bryce and Braxton Murphy’s 1983 Toyota Celica.
“Competing at LSPR has been a life goal for both Bryce and me,” Murphy said. “This is our first season competing in stage rally after purchasing our 1983 Toyota Celica, and LSPR is especially important to us because it was the first stage rally we ever spectated, back in 2018 while visiting Michigan Tech during our senior year of high school. We’ve spectated every year since, so 2026 will be our first year not watching from the sidelines as we finally get the chance to compete ourselves.
“First and foremost, our goal is to finish, and anything else that happens along the way will be a treat. The last time the Celica competed at LSPR was also our first time attending in 2018, so having our first LSPR as competitors coincide with the car’s return to these stages makes the weekend especially meaningful.”
L2WD Champion Returns to LSPR
A 10-car contingent makes up the Limited Two-Wheel-Drive (L2WD) field for LSPR’s Regional competition. While the class features a wide range of experience, one of the primary targets will be the Honda of America Racing Team (HART) Rally Team’s 2023 Acura Integra, driven by 2025 Central Regional L2WD Champion Gabriel Nieves with Patrick Connolly as co-driver.
The highest-seeded challenger on the entry list is the Renegade Rallysport Ford Fiesta ST of Nikhil Thakur and Zachary Goldstein, making its first ARA appearance since LSPR in 2023. Behind them, Joe Boburka and Seth Rowley enter in a 1995 Ford Escort for their ARA debut. Boburka brings experience from a handful of other rallies, while Rowley makes his first-ever rally start.
Tevfik Peker enters LSPR with championship implications in two regions. Just three points can secure the East Regional L2WD Championship, while a second-place finish or better could put him atop the Central Regional standings with one round remaining. Co-driver Jamie Beliveau is also in contention alongside him.
The driver most likely to complicate Peker’s East championship plans is Jason Kodat. He and co-driver Phil Marsh sit seven points behind Peker in their 2019 Ford Fiesta, leaving them well within striking distance with a strong finish.
“This is our second LSPR,” Kodat said. “Last year, we came into Michigan after failing to finish SOFR, STPR and Overmountain. On Day 2, we were in position to get both our first finish of 2025 and our first podium together, but we hit a big rock, appropriately enough on Flat Rock, snapped an A-arm and sent the half-shaft out of the chat. I note with some glee that stage isn’t being run this year.
“This year, we’ve concentrated on finishing rallies. We’re three-for-three so far, including our first podium together at STPR, and the main goal is simply to make it four-for-four instead of last year’s zero-for-four. I do have a secondary goal of not being the slowest to reach the finish, but I’d take a slow finish over no finish.
“Consistency in rally is just as important as pushing hard, and so is simply showing up, which can be a challenge for amateur teams. Even though we’ve never been the fastest finishers, Phil is third in the East Regional L2WD co-driver standings and I’m fifth in the driver standings. If I’m doing the math and understanding the rules correctly, we’re still within reach of the championship in both if we finish high enough.”
Other L2WD entries include Luke Quilliams and Eric Dieterich’s 2002 Ford Focus, Imogen Thompson and Steven Harrell’s 2012 Ford Fiesta, and Matthew Heirtzler and Soren Olsen’s particularly distinctive 1984 Porsche 944.
SISU Challenge Adds Extra Stakes for LSPR’s 2WD Field
Beyond class victories and championship points, LSPR’s two-wheel-drive competitors, both National and Regional, will once again have another competition running in the background throughout the weekend: the SISU Challenge.
Organized by Tower City Race Team (TCRT), the SISU Challenge is a grassroots prize pool open to any 2WD competitor at LSPR. Drivers and co-drivers can enter for $20, with the entry fees going toward cash prizes for the top three finishing teams. From there, members of the rally community contribute additional prizes tied to individual challenges that can reward anything from outright pace to simply surviving whatever LSPR throws at them.
“SISU is a Finnish term that can be roughly translated into English as strength of will, determination, perseverance, and acting rationally in the face of adversity,” TCRT’s Shanti Witt explained. “SISU is not momentary courage, but the ability to sustain that courage.”
The SISU Challenge was created in 2018 by TCRT member Al Dantes Jr., an Upper Peninsula rallyist of Finnish descent whose own history with LSPR stretched back to his first rally at the event in 2007. Over the years, Dantes became both a successful 2WD competitor and one of the grassroots rally community’s most welcoming figures, giving competitors including Keegan Helwig and Andrew Sims some of their first opportunities in rallying.
Dantes tragically lost his life in an accident in his hometown of L’Anse on the eve of the 2022 rally, where he had planned to compete in his unmistakable LS-swapped Mazda RX-7, “Rexine.” His teammates have continued the SISU Challenge in his honor and memory, while his name now lives on directly within the rally through “Al’s Playground,” the former Herman Nestoria stage renamed in his honor in 2023. Regional competitors will run the stage twice this year, while National competitors tackle it a third time as the rally-ending Power Stage.
“The entry fee goes toward cash prizes for the top three finishing teams,” Witt explained. “Then, many people contribute prizes for individual challenges. For example, the fifth-finishing car on SS12 might get a case of Spotted Cow beer, the team with the most flat tires could get a torque wrench, or the first car to DNF could get $100.
“The challenges vary year to year, but every year it adds just a little extra excitement for the already exciting 2WD classes. The 2WD competitors have to live up to the SISU mentality to race the treacherous LSPR roads.
“For me personally, it is a great way to remember Al and his big smile. My first time competing at LSPR was in 2018, driving a 1990 BMW E30. It was a fight and truly a SISU event for myself and my team.
“I remember being at the awards dinner after the rally, completely exhausted, listening to Al announce the SISU winners. I was entirely shocked when he announced that I was the fifth-place finisher on SS12 and had won that case of Spotted Cow.
“My team and I were immediately reenergized and thrilled to walk away from an event with more than a broken car and some war stories. We also walked away with a case of beer. It was such a small but meaningful prize. The joy my team experienced is why all of us at Tower City Race Team continue to host the SISU Challenge every LSPR.”
Anyone interested in contributing a challenge and prize of their own to the SISU Challenge should contact Witt ahead of the event.
Lake Superior Performance Rally kicks off October 9 in Marquette, Michigan. Follow the action live on the ARA social media channels and at ara-rally.com.
To see images for Lake Superior Performance Rally - visit the LSPR 2026 gallery on Apexiel
~Mason Runkel for the ARA
