Dave Mirra has learned that to be fast, first you must be patient. Victory doesn’t come on the first stage or the first lap, but defeat is possible at any time. Things didn’t look good for Mirra after a tire puncture on one of the Sno*Drift Rally’s early stages dropped him to fifth place overall. They did, however, look good for Mirra’s teammate, David Higgins, who’d worked his way into first place in the early stages. Higgins’ luck ran out late on day one, when a mechanical issue forced him to withdraw from the rally.

The success of Subaru Rally Team USA was squarely on the shoulders of Mirra and his co-driver, Marshall Clarke. Thanks to Mirra’s new focus on pace, not speed, he was able to reign in second place overall on the second to last stage of the rally. Mirra and Clarke held on to second place in the last stage, which ultimately gave Mirra his best-ever finish in rally competition. Congrats go to privateer Travis Hanson, who became the first Super Production driver to take an overall rally win, proving that the little guys can still compete in grassroots motorsport.

Revealed at the  New York Auto Show is the newly revised 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Sedan, with promises of a hatchback to be released later this year.

No fooling folks, the hatch is BACK! And it looks like it’s here to stay. The 2011model year marks the first time that Subaru’s WRC Halo car will be simultaneous offered in two distinct body styles. Most notably is the JDM-esque wide-body kit that now comes as standard fare on the new STI as well as the glaringly obvious trunk lid spoiler…love it or hate it the wing is back as well.

Less obvious than the new styling are the changes beneath the surface like the revised suspension, light-weight 18-inch wheels, a lowered ride height and Brembo Performance Brake System. Rounding out the 2011 performance package is Subaru’s potent 4-cyl. Boxer engine making a hair north of 300bhp and the now legendary Subaru 6-speed manual transmission.

The STI also features a Multi-Mode Driver Controlled Center Differential, Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and three “Auto” modes, as well as a manual mode with six driver-selectable differential locking settings. The Multi-Mode Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) stability and traction control system are standard features and the Subaru Intelligent Drive (SI-DRIVE) technology rounds out the rest of the goodies in this electronic Subaru smorgasbord.

The 2011 STI models arrive in Subaru dealerships late this summer…just in time to heat things up. Now the real question is will Mitsubishi allow this challenge to their All-wheel drive supremacy to go un-answered? If today’s Ralliart closing is any indication then it looks like there’s a new sheriff in town and it’s sporting seven-stars, not three-diamonds.

The baton has been passed, the champ is defeated. All hail the new King of the off-road ring, the new 2011 Subaru Impreza STI.

Subaru WRX for sale

Could you only imagine taking virtually the same Subaru WRX STi that Ken Block drives in those absolutely stunning Gymkhana videos onto the snow as a fully built TRAX vehicle? Well, that is exactly what has come of a new rally-prepped 2009 WRX STi TRAX vehicle built by Vermont SportsCar.

Here is the video on Ken Block’s TRAX STI Car, Enjoy!

Below is the full press release spilling all the details on this 400hp snow beast that is making its debut at the 2009 SEMA show in Las Vegas, NV.

Subaru Showcases the Ultimate Snow-Ready Performance Car at 2009 SEMA Show

Press Release

Just in Time for the Holidays, a 400-Horse (-powered) Sleigh

CHERRY HILL, N.J., Nov. 2 — The Subaru WRX STI, when equipped with proper tires, is capable of impressive all-weather performance. But when even snow tires are not enough, Subaru offers a solution – a 400-hp WRX STI equipped with a snow tracks system, as showcased at the 2009 Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Nov. 3-6.

Starting with a rally-prepared 2009 WRX STI, Subaru Rally Team USA’s technical partner, Vermont SportsCar, built the one-off 400-hp TRAX STI envisioned by, and built for, DC Shoes co-founder and SRT USA driver Ken Block. The WRX STI TRAX is ready for the half-pipe, with a Yakima FatCat 4 Snowboard Rack up top, a Yakima Landing Pad rack base and DC Shoes XFB-C Snowboards. Naturally, there is a custom matching sleigh to go with it.

With the exception of the Mattracks rubber track system, the car is rally-prepared and similar in specification Block’s #43 SRT USA competition STI. Starting with a stock 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Vermont SportsCar stripped the car’s interior bare, lightened the shell and then fully seam-welded it for added strength, also installing a multipoint roll cage manufactured from T45 steel. Major differences from the stock STI include the addition of lightweight carbon/Kevlar RECARO SPA ProRacer competition seats with the Head and Neck Restraint System (HANS), carbon fiber door panels and an onboard fire suppression system.

Under the hood, the ultimate Subaru snow machine sports a 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder, turbocharged and intercooled STI engine tuned with a MOTEC M800 ECU. The engine, which kicks out approximately 400 hp and 400 lb.-ft. of torque, is teamed with a KAPS 5-speed close-ratio dog-engagement gearbox and the Subaru programmable DCCD (Driver Controlled Center Differential) all-wheel drive system. Employing custom machined hubs, the drivetrain – which has been dropped three inches – is mated to Mattracks 105M1-A1 rubber track conversion. The car also features Group N competition rally dampers made by EXE-TC.

And Now for Something Completely Different

The WRX STI TRAX can bring four more friends along for the fun with its one-of-a-kind custom sleigh. Constructed with hand-laid fiberglass using sandwich-core construction, the sleigh runs on custom built steel skis with torsion bar suspension. Yakima FatCat 4 snowboard racks carry Qty 2 DC XFB Snowboards.

Protected beneath the padded roll bars are four heated and embroidered leather RECARO Speed seats with Sabelt 4-point harnesses. For music on the slopes, a marine grade water resistant Alpine digital media receiver is coupled with marine grade Kicker speakers and a 10-inch subwoofer. The rear of the sleigh features a large cooler and a grab-bar for towing snowboarders. Cup holders and LED lighting finish off the interior.

The sleigh also features a carbon fiber dashboard, center tunnel cover and rear-cooler cover. Tucked into a glovebox within the carbon fiber covered dashboard are two Viosport POV.1 camera systems. One camera lens is flush-mounted within the dashboard to film passengers, and the other is mounted high on the roll bar to record action around the sleigh.

Supposedly this is the world fastest Subaru WRX STi which is a bold title to hold considering the massive potential and capabilities of the current WRX STi. No doubt that the STi is a stunning performer but the one of the many demonstrated in the video below, is a monster that is able to make a dash from 0 to 60mph in an astonishing 1.9 seconds. That may cause a mild case of whiplash if you are not careful. That’s almost Top-Fuel Dragster proportions, well… not really, but you get the point I am trying to make.

About the video:

Ali Afshar, creator of the world’s fastest STi, shows us how to take these Subaru Imprezas, WRX’s and STi’s from stock performers to modified world class contenders.

Enjoy the video below.

You can never get enough of the action packed skilled driving of Ken Block’s Gymkhana videos. How would you make it any more entertaining? How about coupling a new Gymkhana 2.1 video with pro skateboarder Rob Dyrdek in his mini-kart model of Ken’s STi? Obviously the mini-kart was build especially for this Gymkhana series as a scaled replica.

Enjoy the 3 minute video clip below and be sure not to blink during the near-miss stunt work and then the collision at the end.

Ken’s a master of sliding sideways in his specially-equipped Subaru. And as you can see, he gives May the ride of his life — even if he doesn’t have the guts to say it. And by guts, we mean of course playing his role as the anti-stereotypical “Captain Slow” by decrying his inability to drive fast in a straight line.

What would you feel like if you sat in a car with Ken Block? After seeing that video, it makes me want to learn how to drive like him!

Just as we promised, the Ken Block Gymkhana Two… this is “The Infomercial”. I don’t really have much else to say other than watch the video below… Words really cannot describe what you are about to see. Enjoy!

Riding on the success of the first Gymkhana Practice video that grabbed the attention of over 20 million viewers worldwide, the Gymkhana TWO video takes infomercials to the next level. Unlike other infomercials, this one sells the products with great action, cinematography, and a dramatic driving performance—and, no stereotypical cheesy informercial pitchman! Produced specifically to market Blocks first-ever Rally TeamWorks Collection, the new video is filled with great driving stunts, surprises, explosions, and a guest appearance from DC team rider, Rob Dyrdek. Filmed at the Port of Los Angeles, expect non-stop motor sport eye-candy as Block hits the all-new course in a custom tuned, high performance, and brand-new Subaru Impreza WRX STI. Visit dcshoes.com/gymkhanatwo for more photos and info on the high-performance video and Blocks complete Teamworks Collection.

We promised we would keep you abreast of the Ken Block Gymkhana 2 progress and we are following up with one of the latest videos, the build of Ken Block’s 2009 Subaru WRX STI.

Ken drives his new bone stock 2009 Subaru WRX STI to Crawford Performance garage for a complete tear-down and build-up of mostly everything from body panels replaced by carbon fiber fitments to the engine internals replaced and built with “performance” counterparts. The upcoming Gymkhana Practice is really going to be a treat. Stay tuned and we will bring you the latest!

Enjoy the video below!

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