September 9, 2022
NAME: 2022 Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally (STPR)
DATES: 9/16/22 - 9/17/22
HOST TOWNS: Wellsboro, PA.
TIME ZONE: Eastern Daylight Time (UTC -4)
NEAREST AIRPORT: Elmira/Corning Regional Airport (ELM)
WEATHER: Partly cloudy skies. High around 75F. Low around 56F. Sunset 7:16pm.
With only two rounds remaining on the 2022 American Rally Association (ARA) calendar, Subaru comes to Pennsylvania on September 16th-17th for the return of Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally after a two-year absence from the ARA National calendar. The eighth round of the ARA championship throws a wild card into the driver’s title race between Brandon Semenuk and Ken Block; Semenuk and co-driver Keaton Williams have never competed here, and Block’s last experience on these narrow and dangerous roads came back in 2013. Travis Pastrana has never won STPR but has the most recent experience of the three drivers with a second-place finish in 2017.
The STPR stages are notorious for huge risk thanks to high speeds and trees that closely border the roads to catch out any competitor who makes a mistake. In contrast to the sandy soil of August’s Ojibwe Forests Rally which responds well to mid-corner steering corrections, the clay-based surface of the STPR roads can be slick and unforgiving, especially when damp. Being fast here requires accurate pace notes paired with confidence in the car, trust between driver and co-driver, and a willingness to take risks.
A victory for Block and Alex Gelsomino at Ojibwe last month drew them level on rally wins with Semenuk and Williams at three apiece through seven events, but the #180 Subaru crew lead still hold a slim four-point championship lead over their rivals. Pastrana and Rhianon Gelsomino dropped back in the title race after an event-ending crash in Minnesota but could still be a factor in event points in the remaining two rounds.
Tune in for updates from Subaru Motorsports USA on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok for all the updates from Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally! Live tracking and timing is available via the RallySafe app on Apple or Android.
Quotes from the drivers:
PASTRANA: "STPR has proven to be my toughest event on the ARA schedule. Extremely high-speed narrow roads lined with big cliffs and trees, and no room for error. Brandon has never competed here and Ken hasn’t competed there in almost 10 years so it should be an exciting event.”
SEMENUK: “Still a close battle for championship points with two events to go. STPR is a new event for me, but an important one! The roads look very fast and narrow, minimal room for error. We also need to be mindful of the changing conditions as we head into the fall season, those clay-based roads could get slippy!”
2022 Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally Info
Total distance: 366.95 miles
Number of stages: 18
Stage distance: 133.92 miles
Stage surfaces: Hard packed clay, gravel, and stone.
Longest stages: SS11 & 15 (9.54 miles)
Highest Elevation: 2,467 ft
Recce: 2 pass
Service Parks: Tioga County Fairground (Fri) & Galeton, PA. (Sat)
Official Start: 9:00am on Friday
Superspecials: None
Power Stage: SS17
Stages in darkness: None
