PWRC: Pastrana wins second RANC title.

Former AMA Supercross/Motocross star Travis Pastrana wrapped up his second consecutive Rally America National Championship Series title at the weekend when he took a hard-fought victory in the series finale, Lake Superior Performance Rally.

At the start of the rally all eyes were on the three-way battle amongst championship points contenders Pastrana, his Subaru Rally Team USA team-mate Ken Block and Australian Andrew Pinker, each piloting 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally cars.

However, Block retired early after damaging his radiator, and Pastrana pulled away convincingly from Pinker on leg 1. Thus Pastrana was in the driver's seat and needed to simply stay in front of Pinker to retain his RANC title after having earned it with Subaru last year as the youngest-ever American rally champion.

But it was Tanner Foust, in his Subaru Impreza WRX STI, who mounted the challenge to Pastrana on leg 2. Foust pounced when Pastrana experienced a slipping clutch and gearbox issues in the middle of the day and moved into the rally lead ahead of Pastrana by seven seconds.

With only three stages remaining in the rally however, Pastrana regained his form and reeled back Foust, winning the event by just 3.5 seconds.

"What an amazing finish to a very challenging season," said Pastrana. "Winning the Rally America Championship last year, for the first time, was fantastic but this year it feels much more special because we had to overcome tougher competition as well as battle back from some poor results earlier in the season.

"To win the championship by winning the final event with such a close and fierce battle is just so gratifying! It is a huge accomplishment for me, my co-driver Christian Edstrom and all of Subaru Rally Team USA."

Pastrana and Edstrom finished the 2007 season with four wins, the most of any competitor in the Rally America Championship, and reached the podium at seven of the nine rounds.

"Securing consecutive titles with Travis and Christian against such challenging competition is tremendously satisfying," added James Han, of Subaru of America Inc. "We certainly have great momentum going into next season with both Travis and Ken [Block] returning for Subaru Rally Team USA in all-new 2008 Impreza WRX STI rally cars."

Pastrana's programme for 2008 has yet to be confirmed, although ten months ago, it was announced that he would step up to the PWRC full-time next year. To date this season he has already done two PWRC events - in addition to his commitments in the RANC - and he is due to do a third next month, when he takes in the Wales Rally GB.