The 2022 American Rally Association Season continues this weekend with the Ojibwe Forests Rally.
National Championship Rundown
The 2022 ARA National Championship couldn’t get much tighter, with only nine points departing first from third. This is probably the closest and most intense championship battle we’ve seen in a while. The championship battle will be decided by a best of three, with the Ojibwe Forests Rally being the first of the three, and could be a turning point for the championship. Brandon Semenuk regained the championship lead after winning the New England Forest Rally by 0.9 seconds. Travis Pastrana would fall to second after placing third. Ken Block would remain in third.
Championship Standings Heading Into The Ojibwe Forests Rally
- Semenuk 99
- Pastrana 95
- Block 90
- Williams 43
- Piatkowski 42
Subaru Rally Team USA Rundown
This season definitely hasn’t been the easiest season for the Subaru Rally Team USA, as this season is the first time they’ve been truly challenged in a while. Ken Block’s Hyundai i20 WRC forces the Subaru Rally Team USA drivers to push their limits. Even with the added challenge, they have still found a way to top the National Championship leaderboard, with Semenuk sitting first and Pastrana second. Although Pastrana sits second, he hasn’t won a single rally so far this season and hasn’t won a rally since the 2021 running of the Ojibwe Forests Rally. To keep his championship hopes alive, Pastrana needs a win here.
Brandon Semenuk is coming off a huge New England Forest Rally win, beating Block by 0.9 seconds. Semenuk has won the most rallies of any driver this year, winning three out of the six events so far this season. Although he comes into this event hot and wins this season appear to come in twos. Semenuk hasn’t placed higher than third at the Ojibwe Forests Rally.
Hoonigan Racing Division Rundown
Ken Block can take one of two approaches this weekend. He can either push the limit and put caution to the wind, or he can push another driver into a mistake while driving with caution. If this is the Ken Block we’ve come to know, it’ll be option one, but he may choose not to push his luck. Whatever he may choose, we know he will be fast. Lucy Block will be joining her husband Ken this weekend in her 2021 Ford Fiesta Rally3. Ken’s daughter Lia will miss her second straight event as she will be busy attending school. Last month, Lia missed the New England Forest Rally after a crash during testing left her without a car as there wasn’t enough time to repair it.
Caution, What’s That?
The National Championship Leaders will likely put caution to the wind this weekend to try to take home a critical win. If all three drivers throw caution out the window, they likely won’t all finish the rally. Which could cause more damage to their championship hopes.
A Win Is Required
Travis Pastrana has hit a dry spot in the win category this year, having not won any events this year. Pastrana has done good at the Ojibwe Forests Rally, winning the rally seven times in his career thus far. Pastrana has also clinched his 2017 and 2021 Championship wins here. Although he is without a win so far this year, he has managed to stay in the championship battle. If he doesn’t win here, he will have a hard time staying in that battle.
My name is Joe Moore. I am a writer for Belly Up Hockey, Belly Up Racing, and Belly Up Sports. You can find me on Twitter.
