STPR and Missouri Ozark Rally Set for ARA Regional Doubleheader
- masonrunkel
- 37 minutes ago
- 11 min read
(BURLINGTON, Vt., July 6, 2026) — The American Rally Association (ARA) hosts its second doubleheader of the year this weekend as the Eastern Region Championship heads to the Super Regional Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally (STPR), July 9–11, and the Central Region Championship contests the Missouri Ozark Rally, July 11.
Running through the dense forest hills around Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, and the wide-open Mark Twain National Forest stages near Steelville, Missouri, respectively, the two events offer unique opportunities for grassroots rallyists across the country.
Across both rallies, a total of 40 cars will compete over a combined 186 stage miles and 23 stages, giving competitors two very different tests on forest roads more than 900 miles apart.
STPR Brings Eastern Region Championship to Pennsylvania Forests
With origins dating back to 1965 and the Michigan Ohio New York (M.O.N.Y.) Series, STPR can trace its history further back than almost any rally on the ARA calendar. After running 43 consecutive years until the pandemic in 2020, STPR has served as a National round in the past and continues to carry the same dedication to competition as a Super Regional since returning to the ARA schedule in 2023.
The 2026 running’s three-day, 18-stage itinerary offers 28 entrants nearly 125 miles of performance rallying through the region’s tight but high-speed forest stages, including the famous Waste Management stages and a Super Special at the Tioga County Fairgrounds. Across the weekend, crews will face mixed surfaces of hard-packed clay, gravel, and stone.
Thursday night’s action begins with a Parc Exposé at the Tioga County Fairgrounds at 7:00 p.m. before the two Super Special stages begin at 8:00 p.m.
Friday morning brings another Parc Exposé at 8:00 a.m. at John J. Collins Memorial Park in Galeton before a ceremonial start kicks off the forest stages at 10:00 a.m. A loop of “Patterson Hungry,” “Shepard,” “Randall,” and “Wilson” opens the competition before a one-hour service in Galeton and a second pass through the same loop to close out the day.
The final day of running begins with a Parc Exposé at The Green in Wellsboro at 9:00 a.m., followed by a ceremonial start at 10:30 a.m. Saturday’s itinerary includes the famous Waste Management Jump as two loops of “Ridgely,” “WM Out,” “Rattler,” and “Asaph Longish” are split by a service in Galeton. The day ends with an awards ceremony expected to begin after 9:00 p.m.
Mayer, Panjabi, and Pryzbylkowski Headline STPR Overall Fight
Looking to gain the most out of STPR, Tom Mayer and Dillon McKenna enter in the RallySport Direct-backed Limited Four-Wheel-Drive (L4WD) 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX, with Mayer currently second in the overall Eastern Region drivers’ points and McKenna leading the co-drivers’ points.
With current championship leader Nick Balzer not entered at STPR, Mayer needs only three points to take the lead, but will be aiming for the full 17-point payout awarded to the winner regardless.
Closely matched to Mayer’s pace and already sporting three class victories at STPR, two-time Eastern Region class champion Sumit Panjabi returns in his L4WD 2008 Mitsubishi Evo X for the first time in 2026 with his eyes on a first overall win this weekend. With Stephen Kurey, Panjabi’s co-driver for his 2022 Eastern Region L4WD championship run, back in the navigator’s seat for STPR, Panjabi leads the field in running order heading into Thursday’s opening stages.
With five cars entered in L4WD, their competition also includes James Pryzbylkowski and Ethan Curtis’ 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX, Niall Donnelly and Gage Gregory’s 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, and Bryan Tippens and Aislinn Jones’ 2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STI.
Leading the Naturally Aspirated Four-Wheel-Drive (NA4WD) class in the entry list, Ryan Pryzbylkowski and Nick Luther take the Vilko Motorsports 2001 Subaru Impreza “3.0RS” to the stages in hopes of an overall podium, or better. Having finished third overall in the 2023 running of STPR, Pryzbylkowski is no stranger to the stages, but will be adjusting to his first time sharing a car with Luther.
“The goal for STPR is the overall win,” Pryzbylkowski said. “It won’t be an easy task with lots of fast competitors and a co-driver change.
“STPR is our home event for the Vilko team, so it would mean a lot to take the overall win. I’m also looking forward to the chance of standing on the overall podium with my brother, James, and Ethan.”
Just behind him in the NA4WD running order, the fan-favorite 2005 Subaru Impreza “War Weasel” Wagon of Dan Shirley and Eric Eisele has only one goal: airtime.
“The War Weasel has a date with the WM spectator jump, and we’re on a mission,” Eisele said. “After years of feeling fat and slow in NA4WD class, Dan spent the winter swapping out the stock four-cylinder for a six. With the extra power, we’re approaching STPR with one major goal in mind: hit that jump going at least 100 mph and send it for the fans.
“With zero race testing ahead of the event, the War Weasel and her pilots are planning a bit of a Hail Mary at STPR to launch into the end zone and score the sports ball points!”
Notably, Ben Zapsky looks to compete in his first rally as a driver in his 2007 Subaru Impreza, having gained navigator experience dating back to 2023.
The rest of the NA4WD field is rounded out by Leonardo Quintero and Leonel Fuerte’s 2000 Subaru Impreza, Kevin McGowan and Brandon Busk’s 2004 BMW 330xi, and Kadence and Joseph Verge’s 2006 Subaru Impreza.
While not competing for a class podium, the Open Four-Wheel-Drive (O4WD) class features Lucas Mozes and Boyd Smith in their 2006 Mitsubishi Evo IX against Michael Carr and Indy Lambert’s 2004 Subaru STI.
O2WD Trio Set for Exciting Battle
The eight-car Open Two-Wheel-Drive (O2WD) class at STPR is headlined by three of the most notable entries in the event.
Long-time local and Eagle Rock Racing crew chief Derek James enters under the James World Rally Team (JWRT) banner with co-driver KJ Miller of Rally Ready, himself a multi-time national champion co-driver in L4WD. The pair bring the JWRT Ford Fiesta R2, a car known to win stages outright at STPR.
When asked for his plans for STPR, James kept it simple.
“I’m going to win,” James said.
To do so, he’ll have to hold off one of the most anticipated new cars on the circuit, the ANY% 2GR V6-swapped Subaru BRZ of Chris and Sara Nonack. After four straight regional Limited Two-Wheel-Drive (L2WD) championships and 19 class podiums in their former BRZ, the ANY% crew takes a new step in its rally career by moving into O2WD.
“This is a whole new car and we don’t have a ton of test miles on it yet, so STPR is going to be all about learning,” Chris Nonack said. “The engine is the most obvious change, but the suspension, steering, brakes, differential, seating position, and weight distribution are also all substantially different from the L2WD car, so we’re going to be feeling everything out and trying to get a handle on what the car wants and whether all of the changes actually work as intended.
“It’s sort of surreal to be packing up to take it to a rally. I’ve spent the last two years building the thing and another year before that designing it, so it still hasn’t fully sunk in that it’s a functioning vehicle now.”
Rounding out the trio of O2WD hard-hitters, the high-flying, ever-sideways 1998 BMW M3 of 2024 Eastern Region O2WD Champion and two-time reigning STPR class winner Mike Cessna lines up with Steven Harrell as the pair look to make it three-for-three in Pennsylvania.
The eight-car O2WD class will also include Michael Gillespie and Brian McNamara’s 1976 Ford Escort, Gavin James and Nick Cook’s 2008 Volkswagen GTI, and Scott James and Michelle Donovan’s 1966 Porsche 912, among others.
Peker Leads Varied L2WD Field Into STPR
The seven-car L2WD class at STPR brings a strong mix of front-wheel-drive and rear-wheel-drive machinery, with class victory, comeback stories, and personal milestones all woven through the field.
First on the road, Tevfik Peker and Jamie Beliveau’s 2019 Ford Fiesta enters as one of the favorites for class victory in Peker’s second STPR start. After placing second in class at last year’s running and earning his first class win at this year’s Rally in the 100 Acre Wood, the odds are in Peker’s favor, but the competition will make it difficult.
Among the most notable stories in the class is the return of stuntwoman and hometown competitor Becca GT, who heads back to STPR in her first rally since a major roll at Southern Ohio Forest Rally (SOFR) last year.
“I competed at STPR for the first time in 2023,” Becca said. “I had my NA Fiesta, and the cat disintegrated and basically came out the tailpipe in molten form for the first three to five stages until we were forced to retire.
“Fast forward to 2025, I debuted a new build at SOFR and, due to some setup issues, promptly went over the edge of a cliff and rolled over several times, landing on my roof and ending my season for the rest of the year.
“Here we are heading to STPR yet again with yet another build, literally ‘built from broken’ from the other wrecked car. I’m really looking forward to getting back out there again. This is pure Rally MENTALity: just keep on pressing on regardless, learn along the way, and don’t ever, ever give up.
“I’m not looking to set any speed records or try to impress anybody with my driving, literally just going to gain some confidence back and get back into the swing of things, get the car sorted out, and hope for a solid finish.”
For Gavin Guyer, STPR will also carry personal significance as his first time competing at the rally that cemented his love of the sport as a child.
“STPR was the first rally I ever spectated,” Guyer said. “As a young kid in 2008, I watched Ken Block throw his car around a hairpin, and I was hooked for life on rally. From that day on, I dreamed of being a rally driver without ever really thinking it was possible.
“Nearly 18 years later, this is our fourth race as competitors and our first time competing at STPR, coming full circle with my fiancée as my co-driver. I am so grateful and excited to get back to where it all started!”
Behind Peker in the running order, two rear-wheel-drive coupes will battle each other and the rest of the field for their own shot at victory, as Chris Bersheim and Emilio Moran tackle the stages in their 1991 Nissan 240SX, with Colin Serwinski and William Ross entering their 1989 Toyota Corolla.
The L2WD entry list is completed by Jason Kodat and Phil Marsh’s 2015 Ford Fiesta ST and Phillip Giliver and Elizabeth Cordara’s 2006 Toyota Yaris.
Missouri Ozark Rally Packs Central Regional Fight Into One-Day Sprint
While STPR brings the Eastern Region Championship to Pennsylvania, the Missouri Ozark Rally (MOR) will give Central Region crews their own one-day fight in Steelville, Missouri, on July 11.
Offering a compact one-day, 61-mile, five-stage itinerary, MOR offers up to 12 points toward the Central Region Championship to the top finisher among the 10 entries.
Running on the famous Cattle Guard Jump stage fans will recognize from round two of the ARA National Championship, the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood, MOR begins at 4:00 p.m. Saturday as competitors leave the service park at Steelville Schools for two runnings of the stage in its “KP to Ollie N” configuration. After returning for a one-hour service, they’ll head back to run the stage in the reversed “Ollie South” configuration, offering five passes of the road in total before the awards ceremony, expected after 9:00 p.m.
The favorite to win is the high-flying O4WD 1986 VW Golf of Micah Nickelson and Tyler Ptacek, who managed a top-three overall stage finish at Rally in the 100 Acre Wood this year on “Deep Ford,” ahead of the likes of National stars Tom Williams, Seth Quintero, and Sean Johnston.
Behind them, the L4WD 2004 Subaru WRX of Taylor Jessee and Matthew Myers looks to improve on its third-place finish from last year’s event. They enter first in the starting order for their class ahead of the 2016 VW Golf R of Michael Laguna and Dan Nguyen, as well as the 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer of Peter Schaefer and Kevin Dobrowolski.
For Laguna, the event is less about the competition and more about a chance to improve.
“We’re looking forward to getting back out there for just our second rally as a team,” Laguna said. “I’ve always been involved in motorsports in one way or another, but rally has been a completely different challenge.
“Looking back, we probably did things a little backwards. Most teams start with a regional event like MOR, but we jumped straight into the deep end at the 100 Acre Wood Rally. After experiencing that event, I definitely understand why everyone says, ‘The first goal is just to finish.’
We had an alternator fail late on Day 1, but we were fortunate enough to replace it overnight and get back out for Day 2. In a one-day event like MOR, something like that could end your weekend, so reliability and preparation become even more important.
“We’re really looking forward to the roads around Steelville. They’re fast, flowing, and rewarding when you get into a rhythm, but they’ll bite you in a hurry if you overdrive them. MOR has always felt like the little brother, or maybe cousin, to 100 Acre Wood, which is one of the fastest rallies on the ARA calendar, so we’re excited to experience another iconic Missouri event.
“As far as goals go, we’re keeping them realistic. My co-driver Dan and I would love to stand on a podium one day, but right now it’s about putting together a clean race, continuing to build experience, and proving to ourselves what we’re capable of. If we can leave MOR with a finish we’re proud of and a little more speed than we had at 100 Acre, we’ll consider it a successful weekend.”
As the sole entrants in NA4WD, Blake Landre and Matthaeus Riegerix are taking a similar approach in their 2009 Subaru Impreza, using the event to test improvements to the car and continue developing their pacenotes.
“I’m looking forward to MOR because this rally is more of a smaller local rally,” Landre said. “It’s a great rally to meet and grow close to your local rally competitors, crews, and friends. I am also excited to run KP to Ollie/Cattle Guard Jump five times, as it will give me some seat time to test out the new coilovers that William Ho, my previous co-driver for Show-Me Rally 2025, is lending me.
“My current co-driver Matthaeus Riegerix will get some good seat time, as this is his second rally and he will only have to focus on one stage for notes instead of countless stages. I’m interested to see if we get progressively faster over the day since it is the same stage. I’m also excited to show off the new livery design that my buddy CJ Ly has spent countless hours working on.
“The build would not be in the state it is in without friends and family support. My goal this rally is to be smart but also confident and not afraid. I want to continue to become a better driver in a somewhat slow car.”
The L2WD class will be a shootout between Matthew and Richard Shinn’s 2002 Ford Focus, Brie Lucio and Makisa Upton in the RallySpecBMW 2000 BMW 323i, and Erik and Clarissa Votipka’s 1988 Volkswagen Golf.
“I am so excited for my first MOR because I’m teaming up with Makisa Upton and RallySpecBMW!” Lucio said.
Typically behind the wheel of a 2017 Ford Fiesta, the 2024 Central Region L2WD Champion will be acclimating to the BMW and to new co-driver Upton, with whom she’s partnering for the first time.
“Lots of things are being switched up for me at this rally, but it’s shaping up to be an incredible day and I can’t wait!”
Finally, in O2WD, it will be a unique battle between the 1997 Ford Aspire of Kyle and Carol Williams and the 1971 VW Super Beetle of Doug Leibman and Kevin Schatz.
Follow the action live on the ARA social media channels and on ara-rally.com.
~Mason Runkel for the ARA
