NEWRY, MAINE — A strong regional field saw nearly 50 cars take the start Friday morning for the exciting New England Forest Rally.

Several top series regulars are absent from Round 6 of the championship, as these teams prepare for the X Games in Los Angeles Aug. 2, but the battle is on between Subaru Rally Team USA drivers Travis Pastrana and Ken Block, and Canadian Antoine L'Estage.

"I'm going to drive as fast as I can safely – unless it's close on the last two stages and then we'll go for it," said Pastrana. "If we're battling, team orders aren't going to matter."

Pastrana and Block are both set to appear at X Games, so they have been instructed by team management to tread carefully this weekend to avoid damaging their competition cars. But once the competition heats up between these two drivers, it's expected they'll both be pushing hard.

Veteran Bill Bacon is also expected to perform well this weekend. Currently sixth in the standings, he is running select events this season and could mix it up at the front of the pack.

Also expected to walk the line between pushing hard and conserving their cars are Andi Mancin and Arkadiusz Gruszka, two Polish X Games invitees in Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX rally cars. Both stand to claw up the points this weekend, but Mancin said Friday they know they can't afford to put it all on the line with X Games so close.

In Super Production, drivers Travis Hanson and Subaru Rally Team USA's Dave Mirra will be looking to make up some ground on rivals Piotr Wiktorczyk, Jimmy Keeney and Pat Moro – all drivers who are sitting out this round.

The two-wheel drive competition is expected to be fierce, with more than two-dozen drivers running the weekend's two regional events: Friday's “Drive Your Future Rally,” presented by the National Guard, and the “I Can’t Drive 55” Rally on Saturday.

Among those teams is the interesting last-minute entry of Lucy Block and Chrissie Beavis in a Volkswagen Golf. Block is married to Subaru Rally Team USA driver Ken Block and this is her first-ever event as a competitor. Chrissie Beavis is a regular championship co-driver for Tanner Foust and competes in California as a driver in the regional series. The duo plan to swap driving and co-driving duties for a little bit of fun this weekend.

"If I say I'm not a little nervous, I'd be lying," said Ken Block at the start of the event as his wife prepared to get behind the wheel for the first time. "I'm stoked for her, though. It's been fun to live my life with her because we can do so many things together – and now we get to rally together."

The event is bracketed by the two Block teams, with Ken starting first and Lucy last.

The roads here are fast and rough in spots. Generally wide, they are peppered with massive rocks that can do serious damage.

Local knowledge is a big asset, and drivers like Chris Duplessis, Tim Penasack and Hanson are all expected to put on a good show on their home turf.

About Rally America, Inc.:
Based in Golden Valley, Minnesota, Rally America sanctions the premier rally racing series in the United States, the Rally America National Championship Series. In 2009, Rally America will conduct nine National Championship events at venues across the country, from Portland, Ore., to Newry, Maine. Rally America competitors reach speeds well over 100 mph in modified street-legal rally cars on natural-terrain courses consisting of gravel, dirt or snow.

Additionally, through a partnership with the leading sports network regarding action sports, ESPN, qualifying Rally America drivers are 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.