Atlanta, Michigan – A promising rally debut for Lia Block at the Sno*Drift Rally, the opening round of the 2026 American Rally Association (ARA) season, ended in disqualification after receiving assistance from spectators while attempting to reach the finish line, according to reports from the event.
The 19-year-old Block, daughter of the late rally icon Ken Block, partnered with her father’s former co-driver, Alex Gelsomino, for the event. Block, transitioning from a background in Formula racing – previously competing in the Williams F1 Academy – faced a challenging debut in snow rallying, compounded by a regulation prohibiting the use of studded tires. “I’ve never done a snow rally,” Block stated in a video shared by Block House Racing. “And to make it even worse, we are not allowed to run studs. So, we are stuck with two tyre choices here, a snow tyre and an ice tyre, and no in-between.”
The Sno*Drift Rally presented further difficulties with the first full day of competition taking place entirely in the dark, beginning at 6:00 PM and continuing until midnight. Despite these obstacles, Block quickly demonstrated competitive pace, piloting a Ford Fiesta Rally3. After four stages, she held third position trailing Travis Pastrana and Patrick Gruszka. “A lot more grip than we expected, much more snow on the surface,” Block reported after the initial stages. “So, it was really fun.”
Gruszka’s retirement due to a gearbox failure elevated Block to second place after eight stages. She continued to close the gap on leader Pastrana, with the two trading times throughout the rally. However, mechanical issues began to plague Block’s run. “We’ve been really tight on time with Travis and Rhi,” she said, referring to Pastrana’s co-driver, Rhianon Gelsomino. “We started getting some warnings, and then in the fourth stage, the car started cutting out on us power-wise. So, we think the head gasket might be going.”
Pastrana himself encountered trouble late in the rally, becoming stuck in deep snow with only three stages remaining, briefly relinquishing the lead to Block. “Well, that’s kind of sad, but it feels really good,” Block remarked when informed she was the first woman to lead a round of the ARA. “This is the first time I’ve ever led a round of ARA and obviously the first time I’ve ever been in a competitive car to do that, especially at this type of rally.”
However, Block’s hopes for a victory were dashed in the final stage when her car stalled just two corners from the finish line. Spectators intervened to push the vehicle across the finish line, a violation of ARA regulations regarding outside assistance. The disqualification followed, despite Block’s assertion that a flat or downhill road would have allowed the car to coast to completion. “And unfortunately, the rules are the rules, and all we wanted to do was finish, which we did. And I’d much rather receive DQ’d than DNF,” Block stated after the event.
Block reflected on the competitive battle with Pastrana, stating, “We were trading times back and forth with Travis. It was going really, really well.” The ARA has not yet issued a statement regarding the incident or potential appeals.