Rally in SOUTHERN Ohio
Southern Ohio Forest Rally:
A Legacy of American Stage Rally Racing
Southern Ohio has long been a cornerstone of American stage rally. Since joining the MONY Series in 1968, Ohio has hosted more than 30 national championship events, shaping the landscape of U.S. rally competition for generations.
The revival came in 2017 with the launch of the Southern Ohio Forest Rally (SOFR), reawakening legendary rally roads and bringing them back into competition. The following years saw iconic stages — including those deep within Tar Hollow and Shawnee State Forest — return to life, thanks to close collaboration with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
With support from the City of Chillicothe, rally racing once again roared through downtown as the crowd-favorite City Park Stage made a thrilling comeback in Yoctangee Park.
Even in 2020, when many events hit pause, SOFR pushed forward with one of North America’s largest rallies that year — a testament to the resilience and passion of the rally community.
Today, SOFR stands as one of the premier stops on the American Rally Association National Championship calendar. With deep roots, unmatched roads, and a growing fanbase, the Southern Ohio Forest Rally continues to write new chapters in Ohio’s rally legacy.
Whether you’re a driver, co-driver, volunteer, or fan — SOFR is rally, the way it was meant to be.
“The roads in the Ohio forest, dating back to the 1980s, were some of the best in America. Smooth and twisty, they were awesome for a driver!”
PREVIOUS SOUTHERN Ohio Event Winners
1968: Stan Crews/Suzanne Crews
1970: Dave Kuehne/Len Potts
1971: Dick Zwitzer/Gail McGuire
1972: Dick Zwitzer/Gail McGuire
1973: Scott Harvey/Wayne Zitkus
1974: Jim Walker/Terry Palmer
1975: John Buffum/Vicki Dykema
1976: John Buffum/Vicki Dykema
1977: Ralph Brooks/Dick Messal
1978: Jim Walker/Virginia “Ginny” Reese
1979: Rod Millen/Mark Howard
1980: John Woodner/Virginia “Ginny” Reese
1981: Rod Millen/Bob Kraushaar
1982: John Buffum/Doug Shepherd
1983: John Buffum/Doug Shepherd
1984: John Buffum/Neil Wilson
1985: John Buffum/Tom Grimshaw
1986: John Buffum/Tom Grimshaw (Tulip 200)
1986: Rod Millen/Harry Ward
1987: John Buffum/Tom Grimshaw
1988: Paul Choiniere/John Bellefleur
1989: Rod Millen/Tony Sircombe
1990: Paul Choiniere/Scott Weinheimer
1994: Paul Choiniere/John Buffum
1995: Paul Choiniere/Jeff Becker
1996: Paul Choiniere/John Buffum
2017: Arkadiusz Gruszka/Lukasz Wronski
2018: Piotr Fetela/Dominik Jozwiak
2019: Adam Kimmett /Dominic Adams
2020: B. Mckenna/L. Jordan
2021: B. Mckenna/L. Jordan
2022: K. Block/A. Gelsomino
2023: B. Semenuk/K.Williams
2024: B. Semenuk/K.Williams
2025: R. Booth/L.Moore
2026:
RALLY LEGENDS
Ken Block - Remembering a legend
Professional rally driver and head hoon in charge of Hoonigan. Ken’s first SOFR event was in 2020 during the COVID pandemic and with a broken toe. Ken brings an entirely different driving style to rally with his Gymkhana skills and flat-out speed. He brings lots of wins and podiums. Finishing 2nd place in 2020 and winning overall in 2022.
Travis Pastrana
Getting his start at a young age on a dirt bike, quickly showed his talent and speed through motocross and X-Games. Travis is a true action sports hero, with his 2020 Gymkhana YouTube video partnering with Vermont SportsCar. Including years in the car for stage rally, Travis always puts on an amazing show. This Red Bull superstar has multiple event wins and podiums. Travis’s first SOFR experience, in 2020, sadly did not end well with his car being a total loss from a car fire.
Photo Credit: Marc Sheridan
John Buffum
The most successful American stage rally driver of all-time, with 11 national championships and 117 event victories to his name, Buffum has won in Ohio as both a driver and navigator. Since hanging up his driving gloves, he has served as both a team owner and mentor to many of the sport’s biggest stars, including Travis Pastrana.
Rod Millen
One of the most accomplished international racing drivers in the world, Millen’s triumphs range from multiple SCCA Pro Rally titles, to setting records at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, to victories in off-road trucks, rally raid, and even the 24 Hours of Daytona. Millen’s sons Rhys and Ryan have followed in his footsteps.
Paul Choiniere
The dominant figure in American stage rally at the end of the last millennium, Choiniere won eight SCCA Pro Rally championships from 1990 to 2000. After taking his first win in the state in 1988, he won the last four major stage rallies to take place in Ohio while driving for Audi (1990, 1994) and Hyundai (1995, 1996).
Images on this page were provided by rally historians and past competitors R.W. Graves and Tim Shannon. Click their names for the broad history of rally in southern Ohio.