Six Star Magazine Six Star Magazine Fall/Winter 2019 | Page 7

SUBARU 360°
W
ith over 25 years in motorsport competition
around the world, Subaru cars and competitors
have enjoyed their fair share of success—and then some.
From the early days of competing in the FIA World Rally
Championship (WRC) to the continued pursuit of victory in
various disciplines that reward both speed and endurance,
Subaru has been a shining star in races against the clock.
Example: the 24 Hours Nürburgring, arguably the
toughest endurance race for production-based vehicles in
existence. First held in 1970, this legendary race now draws
factory-supported teams from leading manufacturers,
including Subaru, which competes through its high-
performance division, Subaru Tecnica International (STI).
The race is notoriously difficult, in part due to the
configuration of the track: The length can vary, but the
course always includes the Nordschleife (“North Loop”),
a 20.832-kilometre stretch of tarmac with 73 corners,
massive elevation changes, and stomach-churning jumps
and bumps. Since 1992, Subaru has used the track to prove
the engineering of its vehicles and to develop technology
that inspires confidence under all possible conditions—and
racing at the track accelerates the learning.
Competing at high speeds for 24 straight hours has a
way of revealing weakness in a car—just finishing the race is
a significant accomplishment. But the factory Subaru team
has done more than just finish; it has taken class victory with
a modified WRX STI on six separate occasions in the recent
past—in 2011-12, 2015-16 and 2018-19.
In 2018, the Subaru was the fastest qualifier in the SP3T
class, but the car faltered due to minor technical issues early
on. The race team mechanics, including six chosen from
Subaru dealers across Japan, corrected the issue quickly
and the WRX STI returned to the race. Around the 10-hour
mark, the Subaru was back in the lead; then, when rain made
track conditions even trickier, the team extended its lead.
This year, the race was far more straightforward; the
factory WRX STI started at the head of the SP3T class and
stayed there the entire time. When the clock stopped, the
Subaru team had earned its sixth class victory and finished
19 th overall in a field of over 160 cars.
LORDS OF THE
RING
PHOTO: BY JAN BRUCKE
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