After an exciting start to the 2022 American Rally Association presented by DirtFish National Championship in Atlanta Michigan last month, the series heads south to the forests of central Missouri for the 2022 100 Acre Wood Rally.
Last year’s event had what was at the time the most competitive field in years in American rallying, and this year is sure to top it once again.
While on Sno*Drift competitors struggled to gain speed, there should be no issues in that area for 100AW, but where there’s plenty more speed, there’s also much rougher roads, and more water crossings than anywhere else in the ARA.
There’s plenty to unpack as we head into 100AW, so join us for all that you need to know to follow along an exciting early round of the ARA National championship!
Entry breakdown
National
Surprise points leader Mark Piatkowski steps into the RC2 class for the first time to cover for an absent Kyle Tilley, hoping to extend his points lead as much as possible in a faster car.
The return of Subaru Motorsports USA in full force with both Brandon Semenuk and Travis Pastrana, as well as Ken Block and Barry McKenna, will make it difficult for him as the M-Sport R5 Fiesta will struggle to match the performance level of the top cars.
There could be some upsets in the overall top five via Pat Gruzska in his first non-snow event in an Open class Mitsubishi Mirage, as well as Paul Rowley in his Fiesta R5 modified with a larger restrictor. Of course, Pat Moro is always a fan favorite with his V8-powered Chevy Sonic.
Piatkowski will be joined by some of the best in the RC2 class. Last year’s class champion Enda McCormack, as well as last year’s RC2 class winner at 100AW, Johnny O’Sullivan will be tough to beat first time out in the new car.
Another first-timer in RC2 will be Marc Russell, who is competing on his first ever stage rally. Meanwhile, recent Black Rifle Coffee Company recruit Tom Williams will try to build on the momentum he started last year in a Fiesta Rally2.
Also joining the O2WD class for the first time will be 15-year-old Lia Block. She is moving from an R1 that she drove at the end of last year up to an R2 Fiesta, hoping to leave her mark early on this season.
The Limited 4WD, Naturally Aspirated 4WD combined class has plenty of competition this year with Dave Carapetyan, Arek Bialobrzeski, Will Graham, and Dylan Murcott being some of the immediate favorites.
With such a huge lineup, there are plenty of others to keep an eye on. Rock legend Vivian Campbell has been improving with every rally he does, as does Phil Wearn in his WRX STI. Mike Glover and Bucky Lasek will also be ones to watch as recent recruits under the BRCC rally team.
Finally, L2WD will be hotly contested with nine entrants this year. The most restricted class of the rally has 2021 L2WD champion Roberto Iglesias as the favorite, but with Alex Ramos, Paul Dickinson, and a slew of other talents anything could happen.
| O4WD | 97 | Barry Mckenna | Leon Jordan | 2021 Ford Fiesta |
| O4WD | 43 | Ken Block | Alex Gelsomino | 2021 Other TBC |
| O4WD | 1 | Travis Pastrana | Rhianon Gelsomino | 2021 Subaru WRX STI |
| O4WD | 180 | Brandon Semenuk | Keaton Williams | 2020 Subaru WRX STI |
| O4WD | 115 | Joseph Burke | Nick Dobbs | 2006 Mitsubishi Evo |
| O4WD | 132 | Paul Rowley | Darragh Mullen | 2011 Ford Fiesta |
| RC2 | 688 | Tom Williams | Ross Whittock | 2022 Ford Fiesta Rally 2 |
| L4WD | 725 | Dave Carapetyan | Danny Norkus | 2006 Subaru WRX STi |
| RC2 | 195 | Johnny O’sullivan | Kenneth Quirke | 2018 Ford Fiesta |
| RC2 | 136 | Enda Mccormack | Liam Mccormack | 2018 Hyundai i20 R5 |
| RC2 | 35 | Mark Piatkowski | John Hall | 2019 Ford Fiesta R5 |
| O2WD | 25 | Seamus Burke | Martin Brady | 1977 Ford Escort |
| L4WD | 270 | Will Graham | Oliver Smith | 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X |
| NA4WD | 102 | Arek Bialobrzeski | Aris Mantopoulos | 2011 Subaru Impreza |
| L4WD | 729 | Dylan Murcott | Andrew Sims | 2005 Subaru Impreza STI |
| O4WD | 59 | Patrick Moro | Ole Holter | 2021 Chevrolet Sonic |
| L4WD | 877 | Klim Fedoff | Andres Romero | 2006 Mitsubishi Evo 9 |
| L4WD | 47 | Tim Rooney | Claudia Barbera | 2015 Subaru WRX STI |
| O2WD | 824 | Cameron Steely | Aj Hakala | 2011 Ford Fiesta |
| O2WD | 386 | Brad Morris | Ryan Scott | 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage |
| O2WD | 237 | Micah Nickelson | Tyler Ptacek | 1986 Volkswagen Golf |
| L4WD | 52 | Eamon Fallon | Stephen Joyce | 2009 Mitsubishi Evolution x |
| RC2 | 551 | Marc Russell | Dominik Jozwiak | 2017 Ford Fiesta R5 |
| L4WD | 801 | Bucky Lasek | Greg Dorman | 2000 Subaru GC Impreza |
| O2WD | 184 | Cian Mccormack | Patrick Brides | 2012 Ford Fiesta |
| NA4WD | 964 | Vivian Campbell | Michael Hordijk | 2003 Subaru Imprezza |
| O4WD | 243 | Patrick Gruszka | Zach Pfeil | 2019 Mitsubishi Mirage RS |
| L4WD | 919 | Phil Wearn | Karen Jankowski | 2016 Subaru WRX STI |
| O2WD | 158 | Spencer Sherman | Boyd Smith | 2013 Ford Fiesta R2 N/A |
| L4WD | 41 | Chris Sladek | Brian Penza | 2022 Honda Passport |
| O4WD | 133 | Liam Mcnelis | John Mcgrath | 2021 Ford Fiesta R3 |
| O2WD | 234 | Jesse Yuvali | Cengiz Nomer | 1996 BMW Compact Maxi |
| L4WD | 902 | Scott Putnam | Derrik Cole | 2014 Subaru WRX-STI |
| O2WD | 857 | Lia Block | Matthew James | 2014 Ford Fiesta |
| L2WD | 135 | Roberto Yglesias | Kyle Miller | 2017 Ford Fiesta ST |
| NA4WD | 107 | Dan Colburn | Cameron Case | 2004 Subaru Impreza 2.5i |
| O2WD | 161 | Bret Hunter | Melissa Sherowski | 1988 Honda Crx |
| L2WD | 15 | Alex Ramos | Sarah Freeze | 2005 Other RSX |
| L4WD | 366 | Mike Glover | Glen Ray | 1995 Subaru Impreza |
| O4WD | 430 | Lucy Block | Michelle Miller | 2021 Ford Fiesta |
| L2WD | 64 | Paul Dickinson | Dylan Whittaker | 2017 Ford Fiesta |
| L2WD | 436 | Kubo Kordisch | Scott Anderson | 2015 Ford Fiesta ST |
| L2WD | 413 | Zach Lumsden | Carrie Lumsden | 2010 Volkswagen Golf MK6 |
| L2WD | 348 | John Concha | Mark Tisdel Jr | 2014 Ford Fiesta ST |
| L2WD | 610 | Craig A Lumsden | Shannon Moham | 2007 Mazda Speed 3 |
| L2WD | 84 | Nick Allen | Steve Harrell | 2016 Ford Fiesta |
| L2WD | 24 | Tracey Gardiner | Terry Hanson | 2007 Toyota Yaris |
Regional
The ARA Central Regional Championship is about to start picking up at 100AW. After 13 teams competed on the Nemadji Trail Rally for this championships season opener, and just over 20 competed at Sno*Drift, 100AW will have well over 40 regional competitors taking to the stage, many no-doubt looking to make up for lost time.
The competition at the top of the field is tight, with Jimmy Pelizzari and Zachary Jacques being the favorites in the O4WD class. After an absolute max attack showing at Sno*Drift Patrick Glodz may be ready to take those two head-on.
Stephen and Katie Gingras will be competing for NA4WD class victories, but also to take the Central Regional Championship lead from Sno*Drift Regional winner Ivo Draganov, who is absent from 100AW. Ryan Rethy and Jacob Despain will be ones to watch for passing them up.
O2WD in Regional should be just as exciting as in National. Mike Hurst in his beautiful 1974 Capri will be one to watch for taking the win in this class – and to look good while doing it. Al Dantes Jr. will be chasing him down in his V8-powered RX-7, Rexine.
Dantes also holds second overall in the Central Regional points standings and will be looking to score as many more as possible. One to watch for this class will be Nigel Maidment in a Tower City built Lexus IS350, a similar build to Michael Hooper, last year’s National 2WD winner for 100AW.
Chris and Lori O’Driscoll as well as Michael and Morgan Engle head into the rally as favorites for the L4WD class win, but there’s plenty of room for the rest of the field to pull an upset.
And of course, L2WD will likely feature some good battles for the Regional win. Mark Rokus and Cory Grant will both be driving 1980s VWs and are highest in speed factor, but Michael Eckstein in a Lexus IS250, as well as Chris Nonack and Tim Wickberg, each in Subaru BRZs could easily take top spot this weekend.
| O4WD | 887 | Jimmy Pelizzari | Sara Kate Stevens | 2000 Subaru Impreza STi |
| O4WD | 586 | Zachary Jacques | Ronald Jacques | 2015 Subaru WRX STI |
| NA4WD | 12 | Stephen Gingras | Katie Gingras | 1994 Subaru Impreza |
| L4WD | 62 | Chris O’Driscoll | Lori O’Driscoll | 2003 Subaru Impreza sti |
| L4WD | 123 | Michael Engle | Morgan Engle | 2006 Subaru Impreza |
| O4WD | 992 | Patrick Glodz | Michael Chmiel | 2003 Mitsubishi EVOLUTION |
| O2WD | 16 | Mike Hurst | Kyle Williams | 1974 Ford Capri |
| NA4WD | 890 | Ryan Rethy | Rachel Rethy | 2000 Subaru Impreza Wagon |
| NA4WD | 537 | Jacob Despain | Michael Despain | 2001 Subaru Impreza RS |
| O4WD | 678 | Nick Bragg | Dominic Depaoli | 1990 Audi Coupe Quattro |
| O2WD | 50 | Al Dantes Jr | Keegan Helwig | 1987 Mazda LSRX-7 Rexine |
| O2WD | 112 | Adam Hardin | Andrew Ecker | 1991 Volkswagen Jetta |
| NA4WD | 817 | Michael Miller | Angelica Miller | 1991 Mitsubishi Galant 6R4 |
| NA4WD | 825 | Tyler Matalas | Dustin Sharkozy | 1995 Subaru Impreza LX |
| L2WD | 138 | Cory Grant | Kevin Forde | 1989 Volkswagen Jetta |
| L2WD | 235 | Mark Rokus | Tabitha Lohr | 1985 Volkswagen VW mk2 GTI |
| L4WD | 645 | Todd Briley | Valerie Briley | 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STi |
| O2WD | 750 | Nick Lyle | Kevin Dobrowolski | 1991 Honda Civic Si |
| O2WD | 705 | Nigel Maidment | Joe Wiederholt | 2006 Lexus IS350 |
| O4WD | 429 | Scott Crouch | Elizabeth Crouch | 2004 Subaru WRX |
| O4WD | 507 | Daryl Bergen | Calvin Bergen | 2011 Subaru STI |
| L4WD | 170 | Nick Balzer | Jon Schrage | 2004 Subaru WRX Wagon |
| NA4WD | 929 | Nathan Coulter | Bryce Proseus | 1990 Subaru Legacy |
| L2WD | 986 | Chris Nonack | Sara Nonack | 2013 Subaru BRZ |
| L2WD | 670 | Michael Eckstein | Kevin Allen | 2006 Lexus IS250 |
| NA4WD | 988 | Josiah Shipley | Tim Shipley | 2013 Subaru Impreza |
| O4WD | 991 | Andrew Gregory | Branden Wolf | 1991 Subaru Legacy |
| L2WD | 418 | Tim Wickberg | Matthew Trott | 2016 Subaru BRZ |
| L4WD | 444 | Jovan Kelsey | Kevin Schatz | 2002 Subaru WRX |
| NA4WD | 154 | Travis Clark | Kendal Clark | 2010 Audi Quattro |
| L2WD | 873 | Kyle Cooper | Matthew Brettschneider | 1992 Volkswagen Golf |
| L2WD | 317 | Kyle Turner | Kevin Turner | 1995 Subaru Impreza |
| L2WD | 468 | Paul Hubers | Gabriel Nieves | 2017 Honda Civic |
| L4WD | 499 | Taylor Jessee | Matthew Myers | 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX |
| O2WD | 277 | Daniel Yarborough | Dustin Yarborough | 1994 Honda Integra |
| NA4WD | 525 | Alex Betlach | Travis Elbert | 2005 Subaru Impreza 2.5rs |
| NA4WD | 434 | Ed Perry | Kyle Gill | 1998 Subaru Impreza |
| O2WD | 965 | Chris Cyr | Martin Headland | 2014 Ford Fiesta ST |
| L4WD | 287 | Brian Mbuvi | Alexander Ferencz | 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI |
| L4WD | 396 | David Matheson | Adam Brock | 1990 Other Talon TSi AWD |
| NA4WD | 527 | Dale Struemph | Greg Struemph | 2005 Subaru Impreza |
| NA4WD | 341 | Ty Crawford | Jim Harter |
