$2000 Challenge: Not a space ship, but a nitrous-fed Subaru XT

David S.
By David S. Wallens
Nov 20, 2024 | $2000 Challenge, Subaru, Subaru XT

Photography Credit: Mark Langello

  • Entrants: Erik and Travis Sneed
  • Event year: 2003
  • Budget spent: $984.69

A long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, Subaru offered the XT, a truly wedge-shaped ride ripe for intergalactic travel–or, when placed in the right hands, the $2003 Challenge. As legend has it, a spectator at the $2002 Challenge gave the doorstop-shaped Subaru to brothers Erik and Travis Sneed. To prep the 1987 Subaru for our competition, they added a used nitrous system and fabbed up their own exhaust system. 

Our October 2006 issue features a postscript to this one: Reader Bob Vitrikas found that very Subaru buried in the weeds just west of Cherokee, North Carolina.

Make your own low-buck memories at the Grassroots Motorsports $2000 Challenge Presented by Tire Rack, held March 29-30, 2025.

The Grassroots Motorsports $2000 Challenge is Presented by Tire Rack, in Association with HPX ShowBendPakCRC Industries and Miller Electric.

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Comments
J.A. Ackley
J.A. Ackley Senior Editor
11/21/24 9:27 a.m.

Something about that yellow adds to the funk factor.

Colin Wood
Colin Wood Associate Editor
11/21/24 9:30 a.m.

In reply to J.A. Ackley :

Agreed. It helps the XT stand out even more.

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