Winning was the name of the game for Ryan Millen and his soon-to-be fiancé, Christina Fate, as they pushed their 2016 Toyota RAV4 SE to earn a second place win at the 40th annual Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally. It is one of the fastest and most dangerous rally races in the U.S.
Like so many years before, STPR was riddled with super-slippery clay, rocks and sharp curves. And while several other racers veered off the track, Millen and Fate stayed the course and forged ahead. “It was really tricky. There was thick dust, and the surface didn’t allow us to get any heat into the tires. It was hard to get them to bite,” said Millen. “Typically we do well in handling, as the RAV4 makes a lot of grip, but this clay base really made it tough.”
By the end of the first stage, Millen and his team landed in third place. By the close of the second and final day, they were able to pull ahead and finish in second, closing a two-minute gap behind the first place winner to just 30 seconds. The duo sprinted past the finish line with an overall time of 2 hours and 20.9 seconds, a lead of 8 minutes ahead of the third place winner. This latest victory positions the team in a tie for the 2016 Rally America National Championship title.
The STPR victory is preceded by two first place wins, each at the Olympus Rally and Oregon trail competition. The team will now head to the New England Forest Rally in Newry, Maine, on July 15-16. Be sure to check back on Texas Toyota’s blog to get details about the outcome!
