Ryan Millen and his 2016 Toyota RAV4 SE have done it again! The team recently earned a second-place victory at the New England Forest Rally in the 2WD Class. This latest win keeps Millen and co-driver, Christina Fate, in the running for the championship with just two races left to go.
The two-day rally is held on the logging tracks and back roads of western Maine and northern New Hampshire. It is one of six National Championship rallies that take place in the U.S. For drivers, NEFR presents quite the challenge with its twisty and windy roads. Spectators get to watch as racers maneuver their way through the 100-mile rally at speeds of up to 100 mph.
By the close of Stage 1, Millen fell behind two other racers by only a few seconds. However, after the first day of the rally concluded, the RAV4 was able to strategically slide into second place. “The stages were fast and flowy,” said Millen. “Day one had us trailing slightly, but we knew most of the rally took place the next day, so that’s where the real time could be made.”
On the final day, Millen and Fate pushed the RAV4 to end the competition in second place. It was a dynamic feat that kept the team only a few points away from a first-place win.
Other than a bent wheel, the RAV4 ran great throughout the entire rally. “It was a nearly perfect drive,” said Millen. “I gave it all I had. We didn’t leave much on the table. I’d love to have had a five point lead going into the next race, but second keeps us in the hunt, and we’re feeling good going into the last couple races of the season.”
The next stop is Ojibwe Forests Rally in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota on August 26, 2016.
