Atlanta, Michigan (January 4, 2018)
There's a lot to be excited about when looking at the current entry list for Sno*Drift Rally. With three weeks still to go before the start of the 2019 American Rally Association championship opening round, thirty high-caliber rally teams have already signed up to take on the unique challenges of Sno*Drift.
Many familiar teams are gearing up to descend onto the northern reaches of Michigan's Lower Peninsula for the event, scheduled for January 25-26. For 2019, the traditional rally season opener will showcase 118 exciting stage miles. A wide range of vehicle types will compete at Sno*Drift, from the World Rally Championship spec machine of Barry McKenna to the Jeep Cherokee of Mike Purzycki.
A battle of Fiesta-bodied cars is shaping up at the top of the running order, Barry McKenna and Leon Jordan will run their first snow rally in a brand new car, a Ford Fiesta R5. Competing against them will be 2016 Sno*Drift winners Piotr Fetela and Dominik Jozwiak in their Fiesta Proto. The two teams will headline the 17 drivers currently registered in National categories.
The Limited 4wd class will showcase a bevy of talent and a four-way fight in the national class. Top contenders from across the country like Cameron Steely/Preston Osborn, Travis Nease, Tim Rooney, and Zach Whitebread will battle it out. All four drivers have achieved past success while competing in winter weather, either through class victories at Sno*Drift, or podium finishes at Canadian winter events.
The Naturally Aspirated 4wd classes are similarly stacked, Leo Hughes/Glen Ray will return to ARA competition after their press on regardless finish at Tour de Forest. Amanda Skelly is bringing out her Impreza, Stitch, to battle against other local favorites like Jon Kramer/Jason Smith, and Mike Engle. On the regional end, NA4wd sees drivers like Marianna Usher/Emily Schumacher, Jimmy Pelizzari, and Jacob Bryant added to the mix.
The two wheel drive classes will see some of the best upcoming stars in US rally compete against each other. On the national side, Keanna Erickson-Chang and Alex Gelsomino are set to go head-to-head against Brad Morris and Doug Nagy in the Open 2wd class. Shawn MacDonald/Jonathan Cannis and Robert Sanders/Mike Mettetal will do the same in Limited 2wd. Several Nemadji competitors will headline the regional 2wd field at Sno*Drift; drivers like Paul Johansen/Susi Little, Elwood Niemi/Marty Passuello, and Adam Vandamme, are making the trek to Michigan to compete against the likes of Adam Brock, Mike Purzycki, and Santiago Iglesias.
At 30 entries, Sno*Drift 2019 is already looking exciting, but there's still more time for competitors to sign up. The regular entry period for the event ends in one week's time on Friday, January 11, 2019. Those interested in taking on the winter challenge of Sno*Drift can find more info here.
The full entry list for Sno*Drift can be found here. For more information about the event, click here.
Sno*Drift is currently looking for volunteers to fill multiple positions, including licensed radio operators. If you are interested in volunteering, more information can be found here.
Photo Credit: Alex Wong