Antoine L’Estage (St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.) and co-driver Alan Ockwell (Etobicoke, Ont.) wasted little time in establishing themselves as the team to beat in the 38th running of the Pacific Forest Rally on the weekend.

Driving a 2015 Subaru WRX Sti, the defending champions carved out a big lead on day one of the competition and never looked back.

“We had a great event, with the team and car all doing a really good job,” L’Estage told Canadian Rally Championship representative Wally Nesbitt following the competition on Saturday night.

The two-day PFR takes place every year in and around the Nicola Valley. This year’s stages included the Helmer Lake region, the Loon Lake area and the roads surrounding the Coldwater Ranch, approx. 30 kilometres southwest of Merritt.

The latter stage presented some challenges for the winning Subaru Team Canada driving team.

“We hit a compression on the Coldwater stage which broke a control arm,” L’Estage said. “Then others parts broke, but we were able to make a repair and limp back to service.

“The Rocket Rally guys fixed the car in service, and it was perfect for the final stage of the rally.”

Subaru Rally Team Canada wins the 2015 Pacific Forest Rally in their Rocket Rally-prepared Subaru WRX STI. © 2015 Rocket Rally Racing by Philip Ericksen/Radikal Videos. (CNW Group/Subaru Canada Inc.)

Subaru Rally Team Canada wins the 2015 Pacific Forest Rally in their Rocket Rally-prepared Subaru WRX STI. © 2015 Rocket Rally Racing by Philip Ericksen/Radikal Videos. (CNW Group/Subaru Canada Inc.)

When the dust had finally settled, L’Estage and Ockwell’s margin of victory was three minutes and 34 seconds over second-place finishers, Hardy Schmidtke and John Hall (both from Alberta).

Third place in the four-wheel drive division went to Josh Shewchuk from nearby Kelowna and co-driver Adam Vokes out of Edmonton.

The L’Estage/Ockwell win was the team’s third in four races this season as part of the Canadian Rally Championship series. Two races remain on the CRC calendar — in     Invermere, B.C. this coming weekend (Rocky Mountain Rally) and in  Bancroft, Ont. at the end of November (Rally of the Tall Pines).

With two races to go, L’Estage and Ockwell have a 28-point series lead over second-place Joel Levac and Stephanie Lewis, both from Montreal.