Subaru’s Semenuk & Williams Wins Oregon Trail Rally

Subaru Motorsports USA driver Brandon Semenuk and co-driver Keaton Williams had a spectacular victory at the 2023 Oregon Trail Rally and continued their winning streak in the 2023 American Rally Association (ARA) championship with a fourth win out of four events so far in the season. The team led from start to finish, taking wins on each of the rally’s 19 stages.

The first stage was at Portland International Raceway where several thousand spectators watched as Semenuk and Williams jumped out to an early 28.4-second lead. Saturday brought on surprisingly warm weather, with temperatures reaching into the high-80s outside, which of course, was significantly higher inside the cars. Having the lead is good, but it meant Semenuk and Williams had the unfortunate role of sweeping the very dusty stages, clearing away big rocks and loose dirt away for the competition’s benefit. Still, the tenth stage ended the day with Semenuk and Williams holding a nearly four-minute overall lead. 

Fortunately, the temperatures dropped on the final day, but leaders Semenuk and Williams still had sweeping duty for stages Stages 11 and 12, known as Boyd Loop and Shadow Buck.  “A fast start to the final day. Fastest stage of the day (Boyd Loop), with a huge jump from the start,” said co-driver Williams. 

At Stage 13, known as Nagle’s Revenge, the dust intensified, and the terrain became rougher.  After the penultimate stage – Starveout – the Subaru suffered a cracked bumper and damaged fender, but nothing that couldn’t keep Semenuk and Williams from their lead.  They won the power stage as well and completed the rally with a commanding lead for the team’s fourth straight win in this year’s championship. 

“We had a blast today. A lot of fast stages. I think the overall speed was like, almost 80 mph – fast. The car is in great shape, it’s got a week back in the shop before we head to Ohio so it will be tip-top for the next round,” said a confident Semenuk.

There are four remaining events in the eight-round 2023 calendar.  But with four straight wins, Semenuk and Williams are naturally leading the championship.  Nor were they the only Subaru on the podium.  Four WRX Sti and one Impreza RS accounted for five of the top six finishers. The action resumes at the Southern Ohio Forest Rally on June 8-10, where Semenuk and Williams, together with Subaru Motorsports USA, will aim for their fifth straight win.