Travis Pastrana rejoins 2014 Subaru WRX STI Rally Team USA!

The competition just got a whole lot tougher for David Higgins and Rally Team USA. Former Subaru Rally Team USA driver and RallyCross driver Travis Pastrana will be rejoining the team this season. He will be a team mate of Higgins and will also be driving a newly developed 2014 Subaru WRX STI and compete this year for the 2014 Rally America Championship. Subaru has owned the championship with seven titles in the last eight years.

Last year, Subaru Rally Team USA’s Higgins and co-driver Craig Drew won a season-long battle against Ford and Ken Block, to win their third Rally America driver’s title in a row and the Manufacturer’s title for Subaru of America. This year they add another very strong driver in Travis Pastrana who will give even more competition to Ken Block and the Hoonigan Ford Team.

Subaru is happy to have Pastrana back on the team driving the 2014 WRX STI rally car. David Higgins said, “It’s going to be great having Travis back with the team. He has a massive following and it will be great for the sport to have him back. Amazingly, between all our championships in the USA we have never really competed against each other, aside from an odd event or two. I know we will work well together, but also have a healthy rivalry too”

Pastrana brings a strong resume and following with him as he rejoins the already successful Subaru team. Pastrana, began his auto racing career driving a Subaru in 2004, and went on to win four straight Rally America titles with Subaru Rally Team USA between 2006 and 2010.

Pastrana said at the announcement, “I'm so happy to be back with the team I've been most successful with in the past. Rally racing is where my heart is and it’s a privilege to do it in a Subaru. The competition is stronger and our cars are faster than they have ever been here in the USA. It won't be easy to get back to the top, but I'm looking forward to the challenge!”

Subaru uses Rally cars to develop the technology that goes into the production cars that Subaru Technica International (STI) brings to cars like the 2015 WRX and newly introduced 2015 WRX STI. The engine and all-wheel-drive technology is transferred to the production cars that we drive everyday. So it’s more than just having fun on the race course for Subaru and STI.

Pastrana’s 2014 WRX STI is being prepared right now and won’t join the Rally Team USA until the second race of the season in the 100 Acre Wood held in Salem, MO February 21-22. Both Higgins and Pastrana’s 2014 WRX STI’s are prepared and managed by Vermont SportsCar, who also manages Subaru of America’s RallyCross efforts in the Global RallyCross Championship series.

Look for Higgins & Drew to begin their season at Sno*Drift Rally, the first round of the Rally America Championship held in Atlanta, MI January 24-25. Pastrana will also compete in Global RallyCross at X Games June 6-7th. Stay tuned to Torque News for all the 2014 Subaru WRX STI Rally America and Global RallyCross Championship news.