Photos: Lars Gange | rally.subaru.com
Photos: Lars Gange | rally.subaru.com
Just a couple of weeks after the stage rally season, Higgins and Mirra were all set to compete in the X Games 17. For 2011, it took place on city streets outside the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, California.
Both drivers had qualified in the preceding Global Rallycross events. Mirra had placed 4th and 6th in the first two rounds. Higgins only competed in the 3rd event, in which he finished in 4th, so SRT USA knew the X Games events were going to be more challenging than ever.
Although Higgins is from the United Kingdom (the Isle of Man to be technically correct), he is not a rallycross expert. Generally, the most successful rallycross drivers specialize in the genre, and many don’t even compete in regular rallies.
Once again, Vermont SportsCar had three cars prepped for X Games. Travis Pastrana had made a deal for sponsorship of a third Subaru. It was not an official SRT USA team car, but was nonetheless identical save for its vinyl wrap. And, once again – just as in 2009 – Pastrana injured himself in a motocross jump attempt a couple of days before the rally events.
Unfortunately, SRT USA did not fare as well as hoped at X Games and came away with just one bronze medal for Higgins in the Rally Car event. However, Subaru garnered plenty of publicity via ESPN’s television coverage of Pastrana’s exploits as he competed despite his injuries.