Photos: Subaru Motorsport USA, Neil McDaid,
(Atlanta, Mich., February 3, 2026) — The 2026 American Rally Association (ARA) National Championship kicks off February 6–7 in Atlanta, Michigan, as the Sno*Drift Rally once again opens the season with an event unlike any other in world rallying: the world’s only snow and ice rally where studded tires are prohibited.
There is a specific kind of madness that takes hold in the Northeast corner of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula every February. It is a place where the wind-chill bites through Nomex suits, and the roads resemble polished mirrors rather than thoroughfares. This is Sno*Drift, the traditional curtain-raiser for the American Rally Association (ARA) National Championship, and as we look toward the 2026 edition, the ghosts of rallies past are howling through the pines.
For over half a century, SnoDrift has been the ultimate equalizer in American stage rally. From its roots in the SCCA ProRally era through the high-octane years of Rally America and into the modern ARA era, the challenge has remained stubbornly, cruelly the same: And yes as the head lines says, No studs. While world-class winter rallies in Sweden or Canada allow tungsten-tipped tires to bite into the ice, SnoDrift competitors must dance on Tractionized, non-studded winter rally tires, It is a high-speed ballet performed on a skating rink.
A Legacy Written in the Snow
The history of this event is a "Who’s Who" of dirt-track royalty. We remember the dominance of John Buffum, the man who defined American rallying, and the late Ken Block, whose "Hoonigan" style was forged in these snowbanks. We recall the precision of David Higgins, who mastered the art of the "snowbank turn"—using the frozen walls of the stage to pivot a car at 80 mph.
Pastrana has won Sno drift 4 times, but if you want to understand the soul of this rally, you have to look back to 2010. That year, Travis Pastrana arrived in Atlanta with his arm essentially strapped to his chest, nursing a freshly broken collarbone from a freestyle motocross mishap. In any other sport, he wouldn’t have cleared tech inspection. In rally, he strapped into his Subaru, gritted his teeth, and drove through the agony.
Pastrana didn’t just finish; he won. It remains one of the most legendary feats in the annals of the sport—a display of "checked-brain" bravery that cemented his status as the undisputed king of the Sno Drift woods.
The 2026 Grid: The Changing of the Guard
As we move into the 2026 season, the narrative has shifted. With the departure of four-time champion Brandon Semenuk to the European stages, the throne is vacant, and the 2026 entry list is a tantalizing mix of veteran grit and "Next-Gen" speed.
- The Competition: A Privateer’s Dream?
Pastrana’s class switch has created a tantalizing "David vs. Goliath" scenario for the overall win. His primary threat comes from the privateer ranks: Patrick Gruszka (#243) returns in a Hyundai i20 R5. The R5 platform—purpose-built, nimble, and theoretically faster than a Limited class Subaru—gives Gruszka a legitimate shot at spoiling Pastrana’s homecoming, Javier Castro will be on hand in the A1 Maxx Audi to take advantage should either falter. - Also drawing eyes is Lia Block (#157), who returns to the ARA stages in a RC2 M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally3. After a stint in open-wheel racing, Lia is surly going to find the lack of grip at Sno Drift a challenge, Lia will be joined by her dad's long time co-driver Alex Gelsomino.
- Also returning to Sno*Drift is the 2022 Overall winner Mark Piatkowski, who enters the Naturally Aspirated Four-Wheel-Drive (NA4WD) class alongside co-driver Aris Mantopoulos in their Subaru Impreza. The pair have repeatedly proven their ability to challenge more powerful machinery on Sno*Drift’s slick roads and will be looking to do so once again in 2026.
Sno*Drift is never won on the first stage, but it is frequently lost there. With the loss of the legendary "Bonfire Alley" spectator point this year due to safety reclassifications, the atmosphere will be different—more isolated, more haunting.
Teams will tackle a 16-stage, 108.6-mile itinerary across two days, winding through the forests of northern Michigan. Friday evening begins with a Parc Exposé in Lewiston, followed by night stages on “Meaford–Mills,” “622–East Branch,” “Black River–Camp 30,” and “Huff–Old State,” run as two loops with a 30-minute service at Atlanta High School in between.
Saturday’s action opens with a Parc Exposé at Briley Park in Atlanta before competitors head out onto the “Sage Creek–Von Dette,” “Blue Lake–Fishlab,” “Argens–Hunter,” and “Orchard–Shoreline” stages. After another service at Atlanta High School, teams repeat the first three stages before national entries conclude the rally with the “Orchard–Shoreline” Power Stage, where additional championship points are on the line.
Check back for post Rally report.
