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Subaru Rally Team USA's David Higgins and Craig Drew win the 2012 Sno*Drift Rally and draw first blood in the battle for points against Championship rival Antoine L'Estage.

Their victory on the season opener did not come easily as icy road conditions in Atlanta, Michigan made traction inconsistent.

Higgins, the defending American champion, took control of the rally from the outset winning the opening five stages and creating a buffer of nearly 2 minutes between himself and L'Estage by the end of Day One.

An incorrect tire choice by Higgins allowed L'Estage and co-driver Nathalie Richard to reduce the deficit by more than half on Day Two's morning stages, but their efforts were not enough to challenge the Manxman.

L'Estage tried to claw back even more time on the rally's remaining seven stages, but Higgins answered to win all four stages in Saturday’s second loop. Higgins finished the event with a lead of 1 minute and 48.9 seconds over the Canadian champion. He won 15 of the two-day event's 24 special stages.

Canadian CrazyLeo Urlichich and his Welsh co-driver Carl Williamson finished third overall on their U.S. debut, but incurred a time penalty of 8 minutes and 34 seconds for violating a technical regulation requiring every car to have functional catalytic converter.

The penalty dropped CrazyLeo down to sixth overall and fifth in Open class.

Travis Hanson and father/co-driver Terry finished the event 23.7 seconds behind CrazyLeo, inheriting the third spot on the overall National podium as a result. Hanson, the defending Super Production class champion, also won his category with an astonishing 15 minute lead!

The SP crews of Lauchlin O'Sullivan and co-driver Scott Putnam and David Sterckx and co-driver Karen Jankowski finished second and third on the class podium respectively.

Chris Duplessis and co-driver Karl Atkinson took a decisive win in the two-wheel-drive category.

Overall Final Results

1. David Higgins/Craig Drew 2:42:44.3
2. Antoine L'Estage/Nathalie Richard +1:48.9
3. Travis Hanson/Terry Hanson +9:37
4. Joseph Burke / Paddy Robinson +17:27.3
5. Joel Levac/Stephanie Lewis +17:46.7
6. CrazyLeo Urlichich/Carl Williamson +17:47.2
7. Lauchlin O'Sullivan/Scott Putnam +24:33.1
8. David Sterckx/Karen Jankowski +25:18.9
9. Patrick Moro/Scott Crouch +26:34.4
10. Evan Cline / Grzegorz Dorman +29:30.3

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