Restored Subaru S209 Hits The Track For Tribute Laps Six Years After Owner Killed By Drunk Driver
Ryan Stewart never made it to his first track day after tricking out his Subaru WRX STI S209. He was killed by a drunk driver while changing a flat tire on the side of the road. While Stewart is no longer with us, his car will complete the journey to the track this weekend, after friends restored it in his honor, according to Fox 10.
Ravi Tomerlin of We Don't Lift Racing in Tempe, Arizona, headed up the effort. Stewart was a regular at the shop, which helped outfit his rare S209 for the track. The car got sideswiped in the crash and was a total loss, but Tomerlin and his crew have been restoring it anyway. Part of their motivation comes from the S209 being such a rare model, but mostly it's a labor of love. Tomerlin has a GoFundMe set up to help fund the restoration, but there was never any question in his mind that he would complete it, whatever the cost.
After Stewart's death in May 2020, the car sat in police impound while the court case against the drunk driver took place. The driver was found guilty of negligent homicide and sentenced to 18 months in prison. Tomerlin took possession of the car afterward, now not only damaged from the crash but also from sitting outside in the elements for years. He showed the condition of the car and the beginning of the restoration in a series of YouTube videos.
Unfinished business
Restoring the S209 has been a big job, but it is all coming together. The rear quarter panel and C-pillar had to be cut out and replaced with parts from a donor car. The carbon fiber roof, exclusive to the S209, was thankfully undamaged, as were the engine and drivetrain. The left doors were replaced, as well as the suspension on the left side. The interior suffered only minor damage and cleaned up well, despite sitting outside in the Arizona heat for years. Even the wheel that Stewart had been in the process of swapping when he was killed was repaired (it looks like a legit Regamaster Evo to our eyes), and put back on the left rear corner where it came from.
The car is drivable once again and set to make its debut at the Southwest Speed Festival this weekend. Tomerlin will be on hand to drive it, as well as Stewart's brother, who will eventually take the car home to Colorado. While putting a previously totaled car back on the road can be easy in some cases, this car's history is likely to make the process a bit more challenging.
I know from experience how devastating a loss in a car community like this can be. I also know how good it can feel to see their car out there again, ripping it up in their memory. Not only will it be great to see this S209 on the track instead of sitting in a junkyard or gathering dust in a garage, but it will also be good to see his friends finish what Stewart started.