BEMIDJI, MN -- As the battle for the 2007 title heats up at Minnesota’s Ojibwe Forests Rally, defending Rally America champion Travis Pastrana had a healthy lead.

After Day 1, Subaru Rally Team USA’s Pastrana and co-driver Christian Edstrom led the Syms Rockstar Energy team of Tanner Foust and co-driver Chrissie Beavis by 42 seconds.

Dry conditions in the northern Minnesota area meant dust was a factor and teams said they struggled with poor visibility early in the race.

“It feels good, but it’s dusty as all hell out there,” said Pastrana, who won this race in 2006. “There are a lot of really dusty blind crests.”

Pastrana and Edstrom started the rally fourth on the road but they earned the first position in a reseed Friday afternoon. As day faded to night, that proved to be an advantage. They had a clear view of the road ahead, while those following them had to fight through clouds of dust that reduced visibility to almost nil.

“It’s so still; the dust is just hanging there,” said a dusty Beavis at the end of the night.

This event marks a return to the series for Foust and Beavis, who earned a gold medal at the X Games Rally earlier this month. Foust, who is also a top threat in the Formula D drifting series, had to miss the two previous rounds due to scheduling conflicts.

Trailing Foust/Beavis by 27 seconds were Subaru Rally Team USA’s Ken Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino, with the Syms Rockstar Energy team of Andrew Pinker and co-driver Robbie Durant another 11 seconds back, in fourth.

At this seventh round of the Rally America Championship the fight for the title is heating up. Pinker was looking to defend his early-season lead from Block and Pastrana, who were both within reach of the top spot.

“I’ve got to be in the top three,” said Block between signing autographs during the race-opening exhibition at the Bemidji Speedway Friday afternoon. “But to win would really help my championship position.”

Although Block was on track to meet his podium goal by the end of Day 1, others weren’t so lucky.

Production GT class contenders Matt Johnson and co-driver Jeremy Wimpey rolled over early in the second stage. They were uninjured but unable to continue. Also out of the contest after Day 1 were Tim Penasack and co-driver Scott Putnam, and “Cowboy” Kenny Bartram and co-driver Dennis Hotson.

This rally features more than 150 miles of stage miles spread over two days. The roads are smooth and fast, but marked by soft, sandy spots that can spell trouble.

Entering this weekend’s rally, the top three drivers in the 2007 Rally America standings are separated by just 12 points. Pinker and co-driver Durant lead the standings, 86-77, over Pastrana and co-driver Edstrom.

Block and Gelsomino are third, while Pinker’s RockStar Energy Drink teammates Foust and Beavis are fourth with 55 points.