RallyForward™ Signs Multiyear Agreement with USAC for Promotional Rights to
America’s Largest High Performance Rally Series
BURLINGTON, Vt., Dec. 5, 2024 – The American Rally Association (ARA)—the largest rally series in the United States and the country’s only national championship for the sport of stage rally—is taking a major step forward for 2025 and beyond.
RallyForward™, a new entity established by rally legend Lance Smith and dedicated to advancing the sport of stage rally in America, has signed a multiyear agreement with the United States Auto Club (USAC) to take over promotional rights for all ARA activities, including the eight-event ARA National Championship, East, Central and West Regional Championships. USAC will continue to manage all competition aspects, including licensing, rules and insurance, and key ARA event officials will remain to ensure continuity and consistency.
“I love everything about rally racing, and the sport has been extremely good to me over the years; I want to return the favor,” said Smith, who in 1988 founded Vermont SportsCar, which has managed operations of Subaru Motorsports USA, Subaru of America’s motorsports arm, for nearly 20 years, winning multiple championships along the way.
“My intent is to share the excitement and fun of rallying with as many people as possible, making the sport more accessible and more enjoyable for everyone, from the newest of fans to the most experienced professional participants. My hope is to help build American rally into a sustainable business ecosystem that will support organizers, builders and teams, corporate partners and anyone who authentically wants to follow their passion into rally.”
Kubota Tractor Leads New Partnerships
Images: Matt Stryker and Chris Daley
In conjunction with RallyForward™, ARA announces the first of several new corporate partnerships: Kubota Tractor Corporation becomes the Presenting Sponsor and Official Land Management Equipment of ARA. They join longstanding series supporter Subaru of America for the 2025 season.
“American rally, with its unique combination of authentic automotive adventure, high-performance passion and impressive growth, offers unparalleled marketing value to potential partners, and Kubota is the first to recognize that opportunity and act on it,” said Preston Osborn, ARA Series Manager. “We’re excited to partner with such a storied brand and welcome them, their dealers and customers into the rally community.”
Osborn explained that interest in the ARA’s National Championship, three regional championships, shorter “RallySprint” events, as well as ARA-affiliated rally schools is greater than it ever has been, but the series is being selective and strategic as it looks to grow.
“I’ve spent more time talking with automotive and tire OEMs in the last three months than I have in the last four years of working with this series, and the vast majority of them approached us, rather than the other way around. The same is true for teams—ARA is very much on the radar of domestic and international rally organizations. But our priority is reinvestment in the series and making an immediate impact on the experience for our competitors, partners and organizers, volunteers and fans.”
The 2025 ARA National Championship Presented by Kubota kicks off with the Sno*Drift Rally February 7-8 in Atlanta, Michigan. For more information about ARA, visit www.AmericanRallyAssociation.org.
About ARA: The American Rally Association (ARA) is the largest rally organization in the United States and promotes the country’s only cohesive, nationwide competition for the sport of stage rally: The ARA National Championship Presented by Kubota.
Synonymous with extreme-sports-stars-turned-rally-champions—such as Ken Block, Travis Pastrana and Brandon Semenuk—ARA rally, sanctioned by USAC, provides a direct link to pure automotive adventure: a top-speed race against the clock on real roads specifically chosen to challenge production-based cars and world-class drivers on diverse surfaces that include snow, sand, gravel, dirt and tarmac. To learn more about the ARA and its partners, go to www.AmericanRallyAssociation.org
Media Contact:
Scott McKee