Toyota driver Seth Quintero has talked of his desire to help build the ARA National Championship into a powerhouse domestic series.
While also competing in the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) with Toyota – finishing Xth at the Dakar – the 23-year-old Californian will turn his attentions to a maiden ARA campaign from March’s 100 Acre Wood Rally onwards.
Quintero has always been a fan of America’s premier rally series and now looks forward to the chance to help shape its future, while chasing the title aboard a factory Toyota GR Corolla RC2.
Quintero told DirtFish: “Travis Pastrana was my idol when I was growing up as a motocross kid. When he switched to rallying, I switched with him and started watching. I’ve also been fortunate to be pretty good friends with Brandon Semenuk. I’ve been a fan of the ARA forever.
“With Toyota coming in with this program and making it bigger, it would be great to go back to the golden years of the late 1990s era and the early 2000s. There was so much fun at the times of the X Games. Hopefully more people will see what we do and want to have more competition.
“Obviously, the priority for us is the championship [title], but also to get rally back to where it used to be and bringing everybody back to the excitement and to have them appreciate what rallying is – because this sport is so gnarly!”
Quintero has captured the attention of W2RC fans and he wants to introduce them to the sport’s shorter form now.
“I’m bringing the eyes of the W2RC over,” he said, “and hopefully that’s going to help. With everything combined, I think we can do a good job and get people involved.”
This year’s ARA National Championship starts with Sno*Drift Rally (February 5-7). As usual, the event will be based around Atlanta, Michigan with the two-day route comprising 15 stages and 108 competitive miles.
