Two Peas in a Pod: Rally America Drivers Matt and Lauren Conte

lauren and matthew conte | rally america

How often do guys let their spouses tell them where to drive and how to drive? I’m guessing not too often or there would a lot more cases of road rage. Such is NOT the case with Matt and Lauren Conte, driver and co-driver of the #542 Team Conte Racing Subaru Legacy that competes in the regional Open-Class Rally America races.

I caught up with Team Conte at the Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally (STPR) in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania and was impressed with their team work. Combining Matt’s driving skills with Lauren’s navigating expertise earned them a first place finish in the 6-stage Sherwood Forest regional race and another podium finish in the 3-stage Finger Lakes regional. Both regional races are part of the larger STPR rally that has a total of 15 stages over a two day period.

Rally America Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally 2015

STPR rambles through the Bureau of Forestry trails and dirt roads on Waste Management property outside of Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. It is a 120-mile multi -stage race that is challenging enough to attract national and local teams. It also has the distinction of being Pennsylvania’s oldest, continuously running motorsports event. Team Conte Racing is a grassroots endeavor that campaigns a 160 horsepower 1991 Subaru Legacy with a 2.2-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder under the hood and 176,000 hard miles on the odometer.

Matt has a 10 year history with rally racing which began by being a volunteer. He was enamored with the sport enough to become a co-driver and now in his third season driving his own rally race car. In addition to Lauren, Matt’s crew consists of his friend Ron plus two local guys. All Wheels Driven, a local shop in Wellsboro is Matt’s primary sponsor and has been a huge help with keeping the Legacy competitive in the 4 to 5 races it runs in every year.

#152 1991 subaru legacy team conte racing | rally america

#152 1991 subaru legacy team conte racing at stpr rally america

Check out this TFLcar review of the 2015 Subaru Legacy.