Higgins and Pastrana Return in New Subaru WRX STIs

Higgins and Pastrana get new 2016 WRX STIs for their return to the Rally America Championship.

Subaru confirms their return to the Rally America Championship with David Higgins and Travis Pastrana. Both will drive new 2016 Subaru WRX STI rally cars with new liveries. Higgins will battle Pastrana for the chance to preserve his championship streak over the past five seasons.

New STIs with new liveries

There are seven rounds left for Higgins to defend his title and Pastrana will be challenging him for up to five of those rounds in 2016. Both will be driving new 2016 Subaru WRX STIs with new liveries. The cars were in the shop of Vermont SportsCar all winter getting ready for the season. Pastrana’s car with the new livery is pictured above and features accents to his signature plaid. Higgins' new livery gets a nod to his homeland, the Isle of Man.

Bucky Lasek drove an older WRX STI in January at Sno*Drift Rally but couldn’t keep the car on the course and went into a snow bank. Lasek and Drew eventually got unstuck, but the WRX STI incurred damage to its steering and suspension making finishing the race difficult. Bucky Lasek had a disappointing first-ever stage rally with a DNF.

Officials move the 100 Acre Wood Rally date

Next up for SRT USA will be 100 Acre Wood Rally at Salem, Missouri, March 18-19, 2016. The event was moved back almost a full month. The race is usually held the last weekend in February and generally offers mild, fast and dusty conditions for the drivers. Snow and single digit temperatures transformed last year’s second rally race into a white knuckle snow event. Higgins said it was his worst nightmare. Officials made the date change to later in March.

Rally fans know Higgins and Pastrana will bring back the excitement and it starts next weekend. Fans can look forward to a battle between David Higgins and Travis Pastrana in the newly-finished 2016 Subaru WRX STI rally cars. Stay tuned.

Source: Subaru Motorsport