The all-new WRX ARA25L from Subaru Motorsports USA made its racing debut at Washington State’s Olympus Rally the weekend of April 12–13. Piloted by Travis Pastrana, extreme sports legend and Subaru Motorsports USA driver, and co-driven by Rhianon Gelsomino, whose career includes multiple rally wins around the world, the WRX ARA25L competed within the fast-paced and accessible American Rally Association (ARA) Limited 4-Wheel-Drive (L4WD) class.
L4WD competition cars are heavily modified compared to their stock counterparts but must adhere to specific parameters and restrictions. As such, Subaru says they remain closely related to the WRX models on the showroom floor—particularly when compared to the cars found in the Open 4-Wheel-Drive (O4WD) class, where Subaru Motorsports USA driver Brandon Semenuk and co-driver Keaton Williams are currently chasing a fourth straight ARA championship.
Power & Performance of the WRX ARA25L
Designed and assembled by performance partner Vermont SportsCar, the WRX ARA25L showcased what is possible with a much closer-to-stock Subaru WRX while offering drivers the chance to compete with Travis Pastrana at a significantly lower price point than that of the O4WD class. The heart of the WRX ARA25L is its turbocharged and intercooled 2.4-liter Subaru FA24 BOXER engine. With its factory turbocharger, ARA L4WD class-mandated 33mm restrictor and 2.5-bar absolute boost limit, the ARA25L’s engine produces roughly 315 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels via a 6-speed sequential gearbox with a 3-plate carbon race clutch.
Suspension duties are handled by R53 motorsport springs and dampers, along with a combination of OEM and VSC hardware, and the WRX ARA25L’s 15-inch O.Z. Competition wheels wear Yokohama ADVAN A053 rally tires. Brembo 4-piston brake calipers and 300mm brake rotors front and rear bring everything to a halt.
According to Pastrana, after the first day of testing, the WRX ARA25L is “a really fun car to drive” with “less downforce than the open car, which adds even more to the fun factor. It drives like a 125cc 2-stroke—you’re always shiftin’ and movin'”
At the Olympus Rally, Pastrana and Gelsomino took 10th overall and fourth in class. Look for Pastrana and the WRX ARA25L at ARA events all season long, including some Super Regionals like July’s Rally Colorado.