PORTLAND, OR -- Take the perfect scenic route and enjoy the sights and sounds of many of the top race car drivers in the country as they compete at the Oregon Trail Rally. This event is the third action-packed motorsport race of the season during the 2007 Rally America National Championship Series. A highly skilled field of athletes will compete in and around the Portland area from April 20 – 22. Competitors involved in the Oregon Trail Rally will be vying for a chance to be selected to compete in ESPN X Games 13.

Motorsport enthusiasts will not want to miss the best drivers in the world driving Real cars, Real fast on Real roads. From ice to dirt, gravel to sand, the talented Rally America racers take on any road to compete in rain or shine conditions. The Rally America racers are some of the most talented drivers in the world as they compete on various road and weather conditions throughout the Portland area during this race weekend.

The Oregon Trail Rally is one of the series’ most beautiful courses, which has the competitors drive through the lush forests of western Oregon. The rally takes place through old growth tree stands and logging roads deep in the Tillamook State Forest. The roads are twisty with occasional fast sections that are lined with ditches and trees.

“Racing in the Pacific Northwest is always a great experience,” said J.B Niday, Managing Director of Rally America. “The Oregon Trail Rally is an exciting event to participate in for the teams and the spectators. With a deep field of competitors, racers will compete on a variety of road conditions as they challenge one another for valuable points.”

Andrew Pinker and co-driver Robbie Durant won the 2006 Oregon Trail Rally in their 2004 Subaru Impreza STi while holding off a late charge from both Travis Pastrana and Ken Block. Look for a hard fight to the finish in this year’s race. Rally America will take over Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse Square on Thursday, April 19th to kick off the weekend’s activities. 20 Rally cars along with their respective drivers will be on hand to show-off their cars, sign autographs and answer questions. Actual racing will begin on Friday, April 20 at the Portland International Raceway.

2006 Rally America National Champion Travis Pastrana and co-driver Christian Edstrom are leading in the point standings early on in 2007. They won the first event of the season at the Sno*Drift Rally and finished second behind Ken Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino at the 100 Acre Wood Rally.

New and old Rally America fans will enjoy several great spectator locations to watch the excitement pass right in front of them as they cheer on their favorite competitors. Cars competing in the rally are street-legal vehicles modified for safety. The cars are separated into six classes ranging from stock to highly modified. There are currently 11 different makes of automobiles registered in Rally America, led by Subaru, Mitsubishi, Dodge, Ford and Volkswagen.

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

Rally America drivers are competing for valuable points in the first six races in the 2007 season to qualify for sacred spots to compete in X Games 13 as Rally Car Racing will make its second showing at this summer’s X Games in Los Angeles.

Exciting coverage from all the Rally America events will be broadcast on ESPN2 this year as well as highlights on the Rally America website. Rally America and ESPN reached a multi-year agreement in 2006 and will have at least five shows highlighting all the fast-paced 2007 Rally America action.

More event information can be found at www.rally-america.com or at www.oregontrailrally.com. Information about press credentials can be found on the Rally America site under the RA Championship tab.

About Rally America
Based in Golden Valley, Minn., Rally America sanctions the premier rally racing series in the United States, the Rally America National Championship Series. In 2007, Rally America will conduct nine National Championship events at venues across the country, from Olympia, Wash., to Bethel, Maine. Rally America competitors reach speeds well over 100mph in modified street cars on natural-terrain courses of gravel, dirt or snow. All Rally America National Championship events are broadcast on ESPN2 from May to November in 2007. Additionally, through a partnership with ESPN, qualifying Rally America drivers will be invited to compete in the Summer X Games, the annual leading action-sport event that is broadcast live on ABC and ESPN. For more information, visit www.rally-america.com.