VERNONIA, OR — Subaru Rally Team USA driver Travis Pastrana was heading for his first win of the season, with just two stages remaining in the Oregon Trail Rally.

Andrew Comrie-Picard’s Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX was in second overall, after Rockstar Energy driver Tanner Foust crashed his Subaru out of the rally late on Day 3.

In third place, with two stages to go, was Carl Jardevall in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII.

Many teams took a beating at this challenging, three-day event, with attrition claiming a slew of front-runners. The area roads are technical in nature, featuring what’s known as a crown – where the road is higher in the center and slopes down to the ditches – that can easily unbalance a competition vehicle if the driver strays off the ideal line.

Subaru Rally Team USA driver Ken Block and up-and-comer Matt Johnson both found themselves out of the contest on Day 2 after off-road excursions. Johnson’s Hankook-Rallispec Subaru went off road on Stage 6, while Block retired his Monster Energy Subaru one stage later. BMX superstar Dave Mirra also slid off the road on Day 2.

An exciting duel between drivers Stephan Verdier and Pitor Wiktorczyk for the Production GT lead ended in a pair crashes on Day 3. Both Verdier, and co-driver Scott Crouch – who ended Day 2 in the class lead – and Piotr Wiktorczyk, and co-driver Benjamin Slocum, were both out of the contest early on the third day.

With two stages remaining, Pat Morro and co-driver Mike Rossey were leading the Production GT class.

And it was another poor showing for the Rockstar Energy team this weekend. After battling engine trouble on the first two days, 2007 X Games gold medalists Foust and co-driver Chrissie Beavis were holding strong in second place. But they left the second service break of Day 3 with ailing brakes and then crashed out on a tough corner. Pinker was off the pace from the start, and was out of the contest by Day 2.

Pinker and co-driver Robbie Durant entered Round 4 of the Rally America championship in a four-way tie for 19th overall in the standings. A poor showing at this event makes the duo a long shot for the high-profile Los Angeles contest this summer.

It is expected that the top teams after the first five championship rounds will receive an invitation to compete at the X Games.

Both Block and Mirra opted to enter the regional portion of the contest on Sunday in order to gain experience. Block signed his top-spec Open class Subaru over to Mirra for the day and headed out in Mirra’s detuned vehicle.

It was a massive gain in power and handling capabilities for Mirra – the Subaru Rally Team USA car he ran on Sunday had roughly twice the power and torque of his regular competition Subaru.

“It’s great, it’s amazing,” said Mirra after his first stage in the car. “This car is so much different.”

Block, meanwhile, wasn’t having quite as much fun, saying Sunday: “It’s frighteningly slow.”

The Oregon Trail Rally also serves as Round 1 of the Max Attack! Triple Crown Rally Series, a three-event series is set up to reward drivers of two-wheel drive vehicles.

After Day 2, Andrew Havas and co-driver Pete Pollard were leading the two-wheel drive charge in their 1989 Honda Civic.

The three-day contest includes 14 competitive stages, with the action taking place on the challenging logging roads near Vernonia, and Hillsboro on Saturday and Sunday.

Unpredictable weather in the area often means damp conditions, but drivers arrived at the Portland International Raceway on Friday to temperatures hovering in the 90s. Heat and dust are a factor – even though snow threatened the region just weeks ago.

The 2008 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.

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 2008, Rally America will conduct nine National Championship events at venues across the country, from Pomeroy, 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. 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.