A Brief History
The genesis of the WM Susquehannock Trail Pro Rally (STPR®) stretches back to 1965. Rochester based sports car clubs, including Triumph touring Club, Corvair Owners Club of Rochester, and the MG Car Club were involved in the M.O.N.Y (Michigan, Ohio, and New York) series, which was the basis of the SCCA ProRally Series. Rallies conducted at the time included the Rochester based Snowblower and Lunar Lunge rallies. Rally America became the sanctioning body in 2005. Since 2006, STPR® has stood for the Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally®. In 2017, STPR® became a founding member of the American Rally Association and continuing with ARA as the sanctioning body.
STPR® was the last of the great endurance events on the national schedule maintaining a one-day format. STPR is the only consecutively run and remaining event from the original M.O.N.Y series. The organizing committee today keeps the design of a high stage/transit mileage ratio. STPR has some of the best and most demanding roads in the country.
In 2008, STPR® changed to a two-day format with the addition of the WM stages. A super special stage was added to the schedule on both Friday and Saturday nights at the Tioga County Fairgrounds for the thousands in the stands to watch each night.
In 2019 we turned the pages to history once again with drastic changes to STPR®’s format and the move of the date of the event in the schedule from its historical June date to the month of September.
Due to the COVID Pandemic hitting the world we were forced to cancel the 2020 event breaking our run of 43 consecutive years.
In 2021 we were forced to run the 2021 STPR® as an ARA Eastern Regional Championship event.
In 2022 having gained our famous forest stages back we are proud to be on the calendar as Round 8 of the American Rally Association National Championship Series.
In 2023, we have been requested to be a Super Regional event to allow for a reduced National schedule. We are planning the same traditional quality event we have produced in the past with similar stages and miles, along with the addition of new state forest and lumber company roads to the mix. STPR® has been honored as Rally of the Year 9 times previously since its inception. In 1983, 1988, 1990, 1995, 1997, 2000, and 2003 while sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America, Inc. This honor was bestowed in 2008 and 2013 by Rally America after Waste Management was brought on as a Title Sponsor for the Event.
The organizers of STPR would like to thank you for your continued support and would like to remind you to thank the hundreds of volunteers and medical personal without whom it would be impossible to put on the event.
Thank you,
Phil Barnes – Co-Chair
Tony Esposito – Co-Chair
