Launch Control is back with another episode! This time we're returning to the 100 Acre Wood Rally in Salem, Missouri. Whether or not you know the results of the race, this video of David Higgins and Travis Pastrana driving their Subarus to the limit is fun to watch:
In this episode, the Subaru Rally America team experiences a
number of problems. From Higgins's DNF because of a mechanical problem to the
accessory belt problem that Chrissie fixed when it came down to the wire, the
Subaru Team still did spectacularly well in their quest for another championship
this year. At the end of the rally, Higgins is still in the lead for the top
spot in the 2014 season.
In this episode, we got to know the teammates behind Subaru’s Rally America team a bit more. But one of the best parts of rally is that it's a highly accessible sport—you can walk right up to the drivers' pits and watch the repairs in action, sit on the sidelines of the racetrack, and meet your favorite team members. It's refreshing to see Travis Pastrana pull up a chair and work his way down the row of fans waiting at the service pit before hopping back in the car and driving again. It's clear he's dedicated to bringing motorsports to more people. David Higgins is also on his own mission to bring rally to more people with his rally school in the UK where he spends time out of the rally season.
The best way to really get into rally is by volunteering at
an event and learning the ins and outs of driving rally—it's completely
different from driving a regular car because you use left foot braking to
control your speed rather than the throttle at even the basic levels of rally
driving. The more you know, the more you'll enjoy the sport as a spectator.
