Congrats team @ryan_millen_ on your 1st place 2WD class finish at @PerceNeigeRally - kickin' off 2017 @ara_rally right! #RallyRAV4 pic.twitter.com/6AWKFXCp1G
— Toyota USA (@Toyota) February 6, 2017
Frank Fletcher Toyota loves a good race. We cheered when newly formed American Rally Association (ARA) driver Ryan Millen and co-driver Rhianon Gelsomino headed toward victory lane in the early-February Perce Neige Rally championship in their custom rally-build Toyota RAV4 SE, defeating 140 stage miles and nearly 300 miles total of diverse terrain and obstacles topped with a total snow whiteout.
And on Friday and Saturday, March 17-18, we applauded Team Millen once again as it took on a new challenge in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains at the Hundred Acre Wood rally event. Up against both 120 miles of crested roads, deep gravel and river crossings and 52 other vehicles (33 finishers and 19 vehicles that didn't finish), the driving duo earned a highly respectable seventh place spot.
Team Millen's build was comprised of factory-RAV4 front-wheel drive and automatic transmission as well as mostly standard stock vehicle components, showcased RAV4's already excellent standard ground clearance, and packed the line's 2.5L, 176-horsepower engine with 172 pound-feet of torque. That's comparable to the rally racer's 2017 Toyota RAV4 siblings, saying much about Toyota quality.
And you can see it fresh off the line. RAV4's independent MacPherson strut front and double-wishbone rear suspensions deliver stability on which you can rely, and Electric Power Steering (EPS) with power-assisted rack-and-pinion and Automatic Limited-Slip Differential (Auto LSD), which works during low-speed Vehicle Stability Control disengagement, make RAV4 a model of traction control. Toyota's Star Safety System's also a centerpiece in the offering, helping ensure precise control by reducing power to a minimum during RAV4's stops and starts, making for dependable braking and safe halts in diverse conditions.
While we keep an eye out for future development in all things Team Millen, custom RAV4 and rally racing, come visit our 2209 South Range Line Rd. showroom for a test drive in a 2017 Toyota RAV4. Looking forward to seeing you in the pit lane!
