Subaru Driver David Higgins Secures 2016 Rally America National Championship with Victory at Ojibwe Forests Rally

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Aug 30, 2016, 07:17 ET

CHERRY HILL, N.J., Aug. 30, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Subaru Rally Team USA driver David Higgins re-affirmed his dominance of American rallying with a faultless victory at the Ojibwe Forests Rally, mathematically securing both the Manufacturers' Championship for Subaru and Driver's Championship for the 2016 Rally America season. Both Subaru and Higgins celebrate their sixth-consecutive championship titles.

Subaru Rally Team USA driver David Higgins re-affirmed his dominance of American rallying with a faultless victory at the Ojibwe Forests Rally

After losing time to teammate Travis Pastrana on the opening stage, Higgins and Drew attacked the sandy Minnesota forest stages with vigor, winning all the remaining stages to earn a convincing victory.

"A great result here, and it feels amazing to secure our sixth title in a row with Subaru. All the pieces are together here on this team, our Subaru WRX STI is a joy to drive fast and the crew and Craig (Drew) work so hard," explained Higgins at the podium.

"We're extremely proud of Higgins and Drew, and the entire team for securing the 2016 Rally America National Championship once again for Subaru," stated Subaru Motorsports Marketing Manager Rob Weir. "We thank our technical partner Vermont SportsCar and associated team partners for their support of Subaru Rally Team USA."

Subaru Rally Team USA teammate Travis Pastrana with newly-appointed veteran co-driver Robbie Durant put pressure on Higgins from the start of the rally, but hanging dust slowed Pastrana on the opening night stages allowing Higgins to accumulate a healthy lead by the end of the first day.

After overnight rains helped control dust issues, Pastrana went back on the attack for the lead on day two. While pushing flat-out, Pastrana went off stage and suffered chassis damage, but was able to maintain pace and to continue to service. After completing the first loop, Pastrana and Durant were forced to retire due to safety concerns after roll cage damage was discovered during service.

Higgins and Pastrana will duel one last time in 2016 at the final round of the 2016 Rally America Championship, the legendary Lake Superior Performance Rally in northern Michigan's Upper Peninsula, October 14-15.

Full coverage of Subaru Rally Team USA is available on the Subaru Motorsports App. To download from the iTunes App store, click here, for Android App on Google Play store, click here. Follow the team on Instagram @srtusa and Twitter @srtusa.

About Subaru Rally Team USA
Subaru Rally Team USA is managed by Vermont SportsCar and proudly supported by Subaru of America, Inc., Subaru Tecnica International (STI), Method Race Wheels, DirtFish Rally School, DMACK Tires, and PIAA. Follow the team online at www.subaru.com/rally

About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered at a zero-landfill office in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 600 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. For additional information visit media.subaru.com.

Additional information and news from Subaru is available at http://www.media.subaru.com.

Rob Weir
Motorsports Marketing Manager
Subaru of America, Inc.
(856) 488-3453
[email protected]

Dominick Infante
National Manager, Product Communications
Subaru of America, Inc.
(856) 488-8615
[email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160830/402804

SOURCE Subaru of America, Inc.