Salem Missouri: The story of Friday unfolded as a thrilling battle between the RC2 “rocketships.” keeping the old guard Travis Pastrana at bay for the most part in his L4WD Factory Subaru, but the "King of the Cattle Guard" would have the last say.
The first pass of the two-stage loop witnessed a dynamic exchange in the overall leader board. In SS1 “Hazel Creek,” Tom Williams and Ross Whitlock, driving their Standard Motorsports-prepared Skoda Fabia Rally2, secured the win with a narrow margin over Sean Johnson in the Renault Cleo. Lia Block and Alex Gelsomino showed impressive speed, securing third place while driving a Hyundai 120 N Rally.
SS2 saw Patrick Gruszka and Florian Barral take the lead and set an impressive pace during the first pass of the “Floyd Tower West.” Williams followed closely in second place, while Johnson rounded out the top three. Notably, driving first on the road proved to be a significant disadvantage for Travis Pastrana and Rhianon Gelsomino in their factory Subaru, causing them to fall back as far as sixth place.
After a brief service, it was onto the second pass of the 2 stage loop. However, due to spectators encroaching on the stage, the second pass of "Floyd Tower West" SS3 was canceled. Consequently, they moved on to SS4, “Hazel Creek 2.” This time, WRC driver Sean Johnson in his Renault Cleo Rally 3 who would set the fastest time, surpassing Patrick Gruska. With a clear road on the second pass, Travis Pastrana started to claw back time lost on the first pass setting the third fastest time.
As the rally concluded for day one, Tom William's held the lead, followed closely by Gruszka and Pastrana, who rounded out the top three. Lia Block, who has just recently transitioned to Rally2 in a brand new (to her) car, demonstrated remarkable adaptability throughout the day. She managed to stay in touch with the leader and finished fifth overall, with her co-driver, Alex Gelsomino.
Overall Standings After Day One (Unofficial)
Position | Driver / Co-Driver | Vehicle | Gap to Lead |
1 | Tom Williams / Ross Whittock | Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 | -- |
2 | Patrick Gruszka / Florian Barral | Hyundai i20 Rally2 | +0.2s |
3 | Travis Pastrana / Rhianon Gelsomino | Subaru WRX (L4WD) | +0.3s |
4 | Sean Johnson / Cameron fair | Renault Cleo Rally3 | +0.23s |
5 | Lia Block/ Alex Gelsomino | Hyundai i20 Rally2 | +0.31 |
The Speculation: The Saturday Slog
As we look toward tomorrow’s stages—including the technical gauntlet of “Loop Southern South” the tactical battle moves into a new phase.
- The 0.2s Squeeze: With Williams and Gruszka separated by a mere heartbeat, the opening stage tomorrow will be a "maximum attack" affair. Gruszka has shown incredible consistency, but Williams is a specialist on these fast, flowing Missouri roads.
- The Dust Factor: The "hanging dust" that plagued the back of the field today will be even more critical tomorrow. If the Ozark winds remain still, the three-minute gaps between the top cars might not be enough to ensure clear vision, potentially favoring the leader who has the only clean air in the forest.
- Subaru's Fightback: Don't count out Pastrana. Despite being P3, he is the current L4WD leader and has the top-end speed to reel in the Rally2 cars if the road surfaces remain dry and fast.
The stage is set for a classic Missouri shootout. Will the RC2 precision of Williams hold firm, or will the "Cattle Guard" king, Pastrana, find another gear in the Dent County dirt?
Report: Neil McDaid
Photos: Subaru Motorsport, Tom Williams FB,
