MISSISSAUGA, ON, May 30, 2017 /CNW/ - Subaru Canada, Inc. (SCI) is pleased to announce a first ever CRC victory for the Subaru Crosstrek, driven by privateer Brandon Semenuk, along with co-driver John Hall at the Rocky Mountain Rally in Invermere, BC. The pair held steady in second place for most of the stages, but were able to pull ahead in the final stage for a convincing victory, besting the second place team by nearly seven minutes. This is a first ever national rally win for privateer Brandon, and for his 2016 Subaru Crosstrek, which proved to be a formidable competitor on its platform developed by Rocket Rally.
The winning Crosstrek was in good company, with a total of six Subaru vehicles placing in the top ten. This helped extend Subaru's lead in the bid for a record-setting 13th Manufacturer's title.
Subaru Rally Team Canada (SRTC) driver Antoine L'Estage and co-driver Alan Ockwell started out strong, making quick work of the rough terrain to lead the pack until the last stage of a very competitive race. With the Crosstrek hot on their heels the team continued to push hard in the final stage to try to extend their lead and guarantee the win. The close timing of the lead vehicles led to a dramatic final stage, bringing out the competitive spirit of the contenders. Unfortunately, a field repair done in a previous stage did not hold and suspension issues took the team out of the race just eight kilometres from the finish line. With the season just underway, the team is looking to bounce back and take advantage of the points still up for grabs as they aim for top spot in the Driver's Championship and a repeat victory for L'Estage.
Up next the circuit moves to New Richmond, QC for the Rallye Baie des Chaleurs June 30-July 2, where SRTC will be looking to gain precious points in the bid for a 13th Manufacturer's Title.
| Pos |
Time |
Vehicle |
Class |
Driver/Co-driver |
| 1 |
1:43:38.90 |
Subaru Crosstrek 2016 |
4wheel Open |
Brandon Semenuk |
| 2 |
1:50:36.0 |
2003 Mitsubishi Evolution 8 FB |
4wheel Open |
Wim Van der Poel Bryan Lord |
| 3 |
1:55:25.100 |
2004 Subaru STI |
4wheel Prod |
Nicholas Spencer Peter Brook |
| 4 |
1:55:43.40 |
1989 Merkur Xrt4i |
2wheel Open |
Dave Clark Jamie Willetts |
| 5 |
1:55:55.90 |
1999 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS |
4wheel Prod |
Eric Grochowski Leanne Junnila |
| 6 |
1:56:03.30 |
2003 Subaru Impreza WRX |
4wheel Prod |
Eric Pahota Jennifer Daly |
| 7 |
1:57:49:10 |
1968 Porsche 911 |
2wheel Open |
Graham Bruce Patrick Levesque |
| 8 |
2:01:28.00 |
2004 Subaru Impreza WRX |
4wheel Prod |
Brandon Liang Michael Szewczyk |
| 9 |
2:01:43.20 |
2000 Ford Focus |
2wheel Open |
Adam Jones Chawna Imber |
| 10 |
2:08:13.10 |
2006 Subaru WRX STI |
4wheel Open |
Krystian Ostrowski Chris Galecki |
About Subaru Canada, Inc.
Subaru Canada, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan. Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of 92 authorized dealers across Canada. For more information, please visit www.subaru.ca or www.pr.subaru.ca or follow @SubaruCanada on Twitter.
SOURCE Subaru Canada Inc.
Julie Lychak, (905) 568-4959, [email protected]; Naomi Kislanski, (905) 568-4959, [email protected]; Sebastien Lajoie, Media Relations, Quebec Region, (514) 336-0600, [email protected]
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