Photo: Matt Young / World Rally Sport
Antoine L'Estage set to win the 2010 Rally America
Series

Photo: Andrew Harvey
Antoine and his co-driver Nathalie Richard

Photo: Matt Young / World Rally Sport
Bill Bacon at SnoDrift

Photo: Getty
Travis Pastrana will miss his chance at a 5th
ChampionshipFor the last four years Team Subaru's Travis Pastrana has dominated the Rally America Championship Series. This year, however, two challengers lead Pastrana heading into the final event set for this weekend, The New England Forest Rally (NEFR), in Bethel, Maine.

Rockstar Energy Drink driver Antoine L'Estage and privateer driver, Bill Bacon have risen to the number 1 and number 2 slots, respectively, ahead of Pastrana who sits in a distant third. Consistency describes the dual performances of L'Estage and Bacon, each of whom have finished top three in all five Rally America Series races in 2010.

Pastrana had started the season strong, leading after the first three rounds, but missed the fourth and fifth stop while filming his Nitro Circus TV show in Australia, which effectively cost him the championship. 2010's Rally America series has fewer races than in years past, six versus nine, making points accumulation at each stop more critical.

For L'Estage and Bacon this year's success also occurred in the face of tough logistical challenges. "I don't think people understand how difficult it was to work on a car on the West Coast when you are from the East," said Bacon. "It was a quick turnaround between events."

Despite being out of title contention, for Pastrana, the New England Rally is a can't miss. "NEFR is one of my favorite events because the course is fast but technical. It's really easy to crash because you are in the air as much as you are on the ground."

Rallyfix.com editor Bill Lockwood agrees. "New England Forest Rally is the most prestigious (U.S.) rally of the year, with unruly fans and spectator-lined stages. This party in the woods is the closest we get to Europe."

Also competing this weekend is action sports icon Ken Block who will join 65 competitors racing over two days across 130 miles of gravel and forest stages.

For more info visit http://newenglandforestrally.com/