Subaru Wins 2001 World Rally Drivers’ Championship

Subaru World Rally Team driver Richard Burns has become the first Englishman ever to win the FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers since the series was established in 1979.

On Nov. 25, 2001, Burns secured the win in his Impreza WRC when he finished third in the Rally of Great Britain – his home event and finale of the 14-round series.

Following the earlier retirements of fellow title contenders Colin McRae, Tommi Makinen and Carlos Sainz, Burns needed to finish at least fourth to guarantee his world title. He brought his Impreza WRC home third, collected four championship points and with a total of 44, beat his British rival McRae by two.
Subaru has been the driving force behind five FIA World Titles. The marque was the Manufacturers’ Champion in 1995, 1996 and 1997, and the Subaru Impreza powered Colin McRae to the Drivers’ title in 1995. Burns was second in the championship in 1999 and 2000.

Subaru Rally Team USA Wins 2001 SCCA ProRally Championship

Subaru Rally Team USA finished the 2001 Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) ProRally season with resounding success, winning the Manufacturer’s Title in four classes (Overall, Open, Group N and Production GT), the Overall Driver Title and Group N Title.

Team driver Mark Lovell locked up the Overall Driver Title Oct. 10 at the series’ next-to-last event, Phoenix’s Prescott Forest ProRally, piloting a Prodrive/Vermont SportsCar-prepared Subaru Impreza WRX with co-drivers Michael Kidd and Steve Turvey.

The team completed the season on a high note at the Lake Superior event at Houghton, Michigan, Oct. 19, when Lovell and Kidd won the unbelievably close race despite a three-minute time penalty.

Subaru Autocrossers Earn National Championships

Autocross competitors and fans from across the country headed to Topeka, Kansas, early in September 2001 for the Tire Rack SCCA Solo II and SCCA ProSolo NationalSeries championships. The combined event, held at Forbes Field, drew more than 1,200 competitors.

Drivers of Subaru vehicles earned two national championships and numerous first-place finishes in their respective classes.

Driving Jack Burns’ 2001 Subaru Impreza RS, Linda Duncan (of Morrison, Colorado) captured the Street Touring “S” Ladies national championship at the Solo II event. In ProSolo competition, Richard West (of Richmond, Virginia) powered his 1999 Subaru Impreza RS to the Street Touring “S” championship.