FOREST rally ace Craig Drew and driver David Higgins stormed to a stunning victory in the Team Subaru USA/Puma Subaru Impreza on last weekend's Sno-Drift Rally near Michigan.

The event was the opening round of the North American Rally Championship and attracted a quality entry of 70 cars.

The pair are the reigning American champions.

Spread over two days and 140 competitive miles, the 24 special stages were full of ice and snow making conditions extremely treacherous, as studded tyres are banned in the USA.

Co-driver Drew, of Bream, said: "I'm absolutely delighted to start the year with a win. David drove brilliantly it was so easy to go off – that was one of the toughest events I have ever done."

The first day of 12 tests, started at lunchtime and went well into the night, and from the off Higgins was embroiled in a battle with old sparring partner Antoine L'Estage in his factory Lancer Evo 10.

By the end of the evening Higgins held a comfortable 94-second  lead over his rival after being fastest on 10 of the 12 stages.

Higgins said: "It's the most treacherous event I have ever done – it was so easy to make a mistake in those conditions, especially in the dark."

Day two saw a further 12 snow­bound stages with L'stage cutting Higgins' lead to 56 seconds at one stage due to a wrong tyre choice by the Subaru driver.

L'Estage then went off himself to give the Subaru driver a comfortable cushion of more than a minute and half with three stages to go and that was further extended to 1.48 by time they reached the finish.

Their next scheduled outing is February 24-25 at the 100-Acre Wood rally in Missouri.