Atlanta, Michigan -- A top field of X Games veterans and talented newcomers took to the road Friday in north-central Michigan for Round 1 of the 2008 Rally America Championship.

Conditions at this, the only winter-weather event in Rally America’s nine-event championship, are notoriously difficult, featuring a mixture of ice and snow conditions that award a smooth style of driving and strategic tire selection.

Most drivers planned to take a conservative approach in order to maximize their early season points.

"Everyone wants to win, but it’s more important just to finish," says defending champion Travis Pastrana, who earned the win at this event last year. "Anywhere in the top five is a good start to the season."

Pastrana returns to the series this year as one of the two drivers of the Subaru Rally Team USA. Both he and driver Ken Block, who took third place overall in the 2007 championship, have returned in the Subaru WRX STi rally cars that earned them first and third-place in the 2007 championship. "We’re very comfortable in the car," says Pastrana. "We know it works well."

More than 40 powerful rally cars will take on more than 100 stage miles of ice and snow over two days. The event starts in Lewiston on Friday, and finishes a day later in Hillman.

Championship runner-up Andrew Pinker said the biggest challenge at the start of the season is becoming comfortable with the car after the short off-season.

"The trick is to readjust to driving the car on these kind of conditions," he said.

Pinker has returned to the championship alongside fellow Rockstar driver Tanner Foust. Both are in 2006 Subaru WRX STi rally cars. Foust, the X Games Rally winner, is a top contender at any rally, although he finished fourth overall in the 2007 championship. He missed several events due to conflicts with his other motorsport series - the Formula D drifting championship.

But while these series veterans are expected to resume their fierce championship battle in 2008, they are keeping a close eye on 2007 Canadian and North American Champion Antoine L’Estage in a 2007 Hyundai Tiburon. The driver, who has shown himself adept in icy conditions north of the border, is the current favorite for the event win.

For his part, L’Estage is less confident. This is his first time contesting this event and he says the competition is strong.

"I know that all of the first six cars on the road can be fast on snow and ice," he said. "Of course I’m not here to finish fifth."

Fellow Canadian Andrew Comrie-Picard, a U.S. series regular who earned the win at this event in 2006, is also expected to push for the lead in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX.

The season opener also sees some exciting changes in the series. Matthew Johnson, who has long been a leader in the Production GT class, has moved up into the more powerful Open class of cars and is expected to quickly become a threat at the front of the pack. Former Production GT rival Kenny Bartram is also competing in the Open class this season. Both are in Subaru rally cars.

Also, BMX superstar Dave Mirra is also making his US rally debut at this round. He is driving a Monster Energy backed Subaru Impreza. Notably absent is series regular Matthew Iorio, who recently announced his official retirement from the sport.

The Sno and Drift Regional Rallies will run concurrently as part of the 2008 Rally America Central Regional Rally Championship.

The Rally America national championship is a challenging, all-season series comprised of nine events across the country, beginning with Sno*Drift in January and wrapping up in October with the Lake Superior Performance Rally.

In addition to the championship title, teams are vying for a chance to complete at the high-profile X Games 14 Rally Car Race this summer in Los Angeles. It is expected that the top performers after the first five championship rounds will receive an invitation to compete at the California contest.