The all-white, four-door hatchback was stationed at the Safecraft Safety Equipment booth during the show, with its owner/driver willing to visit with anyone who stopped by. The car is far from stock, however, as this particular Sonic is custom-built for stage rally racing. Moro co-owns the Dublin, Ohio-based PMR Motorsports and has competed in stage rally since 2004. He is a two-time Rally America champion (taking the Production GT title in 2008 and Super Production in 2010). He also has been successful in rallycross, while business partner, Tim Rooney, has found multiple podiums in each discipline as well.

For 2019, PMR Motorsports has built a custom all-wheel-drive Chevy Sonic RS (the production version is front-wheel drive) with an aftermarket wide-body kit, billet-machined suspension uprights, 12 inches of travel and a Chevrolet Performance LS3 crate engine under the hood. PMR wanted to use an engine from an American company in the motorsports competition which is wildly popular worldwide, while also picking out a power plant which would perform best within the rules.



Moro believes the naturally aspirated and easy-to-use LS3 will be heralded as the next generation of the 350 Chevy small-block, one of the most renowned engines in automotive history. The Chevrolet Performance parts catalog notes the LS3 is filled with components designed for both high performance and longevity. “It’s all there,” Moro said. “It takes a huge part of your stress as a race driver and trying to run a team ... it eliminates that question mark in your mind.”

Moro explained that there has been a rule in place in stage rally racing in the United States since 1973 that competitors can run up to a 6300cc engine in an all-wheel-drive platform. That makes the LS3 and its 376 cubic inches of displacement a perfect fit. Its ability to make torque at low rpm benefits a rally application as well.

Meanwhile, the abuse a rally car takes also serves as a testament to the engine and vehicle’s reliability. These machines (and their drivers) encounter jumps, holes and rugged terrain all while pushing every limit.

“When you look at the abuse a rally car takes there is no better validation,” Moro said.