SALEM, MO -- Subaru Rally Team USA driver Ken Block continued to widen his lead Saturday over a competitive field at the Rally of the 100 Acre Wood in Missouri.

Block, who has consistently set top stage times since the start of the race, said he planned to adopt a more conservative strategy Saturday afternoon. He earned his first career win at this event in 2006.

"It's just time to really drive a smart race," he said. "But don't think I'm going to be going slow, because that ain't happening."

With less than half of the race remaining, the battle to watch was for second place. Three drivers were within 25 seconds of each other by early afternoon. Block's Subaru Rally Team USA teammate Travis Pastrana was in second place after the first service of the day, with Andrew Comrie-Picard and his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX 13 seconds behind him.

Also jostling for second place was Lauchlin O'Sullivan, who had pushed his Subaru into fourth - just 12 seconds behind Comrie-Picard.

"There are three people really close for second," said Pastrana. "I can't let off at all."

As the race continued Saturday, road conditions were becoming increasingly treacherous. Rain that moved in to the area early in the day grew to gusty downpours that showed no sign of letting up and by midday, each corner presented a different traction challenge.

"Some corners are slick, while others have plenty of grip," said Comrie-Picard. "We're all treading pretty carefully out there."

Ex-factory Subaru driver Ramana Lagemann found himself out of the race early Saturday due to an apparent mechanical problem, while up-and-coming Open class driver Tanner Foust was disappointed to find himself off the pace. He was in fifth place -- a disappointing 40 seconds behind O'Sullivan -- after eight stages.

Teams are vying for a chance to complete at the high profile X Games 13 this summer in Los Angeles. It is expected that the top six teams after the first five championship rounds will receive an invitation to compete at the California contest.

Subaru Rally Team USA driver Travis Pastrana took the win at the first-ever X Games Rally in 2006, barely edging out rally legend Colin McRae who rolled just seconds from the finish line.

Rally car racing is considered the extreme sport of automobile racing and is often described simply as “real cars, real roads, real fast.” This all-season motorsport sees drivers and their co-drivers take modified road cars to the limit as they achieve blistering speeds over courses that cover more than 100 miles of gravel, dirt or snow-covered roads.

The 2007 Rally America National Championship series consists of nine exciting events throughout the country in many different weather and road conditions. Throughout the year, teams take on everything from the forest logging roads in Minnesota, to the high-altitude Yampa River Valley in Northwest Colorado, and the Pacific Northwest forest and coast paths.

The Rally America Championship airs on ESPN2.