GOLDEN VALLEY, MN -- With one race left in the 2006 Rally America Championship Series, Travis Pastrana and co-driver Christian Edstrom have been crowned the winner of the series. At only 23 years old, Pastrana becomes the youngest individual to capture an American rally championship. In only his second season of participating in rally events, the young Annapolis, Maryland native continues to raise the bar.

"It's amazing, it's been a great year for us, everything has just worked so well, the car, the team and my co-driver Christian Edstrom have all just clicked together perfectly." says the elated Pastrana.

Pastrana and Edstrom will both race in the final race of the season at the Wild West Rally in Olympia, Washington taking place on Dec. 2-3. "As much as we'd like to celebrate, we have to maintain focus and keep on striving for some more wins, but it's nice to have the pressure off and just start to have fun!"

Pastrana recently was selected to participate as a member of Team USA in the Race of Champions in Paris, France in mid December with NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson. "I'm extremely honored to be able to represent Team USA at the Race of Champions. Anytime you have the opportunity to compete against some of the top rally car drivers it's exciting."

Rally racing has been able to gain mainstream exposure in 2006, Rally America is the sanctioning body behind the re-birth of purest form of racing in the United States. The motorsport, which was introduced to North America in the early 70’s has had a long and tough climb to get back into the spotlight of auto racing.

As the Rally America Championship series has grown into a true national championship race series, the auto industry has been keen on welcoming this motorsport back into the playing field with all the big guns in 2006. Networks such as ESPN took notice as they added rally car racing to the 2006 Summer X Games. With national television exposure giving rally racing an invigorating push, the near future looks bright for rally in the U.S.

A new generation of racing fans have been welcomed to continue the rally traditions as the elder statesman of rally have welcomed the breath of new competition and a new demographic to explore and take part in this rejuvenated auto sport.

Rally America is releasing their 2007 race schedule, which will take rally racing across North America. Rally America racing events will take place in Michigan, Missouri, Oregon, Washington, Pennsylvania, Maine, Minnesota, and Colorado.

2007 National Championship Series Schedule

Sno*Drift Rally	Atlanta, Michigan	January 26-27
Rally in the 100 Acre Wood	Salem, Missouri	February 23-24
Oregon Trail Rally	Hillsboro, Oregon	April 20-22
Olympus Rally	Olympia, Washington	May 19-20
Susquehannock Trail Rally	Wellsboro, Pennsylvania	June 2
New England Forest Rally	Bethel, Maine	July 13-14
Ojibwe Forests Rally	Bemidji, Minnesota	August 24-25
Colorado Rally	Steamboat Springs, Colorado	September 22-23
Lake Superior Rally	Houghton, Michigan	October 26-27