DirtFish Women in Motorsport Driver Aoife Raftery will return to the ARA National Championship presented by Kubota for next week’s Overmountain Rally – where she makes her competitive debut in a Ford Fiesta Rally3.
The Irish star made headlines with a sensational podium finish at the Olympus Rally in April, her first ever time competing in America.
For next week’s Overmountain Rally, the penultimate round of North America’s premier rally series, the 24-year-old will drive a Fiesta Rally3 run by Standard Motorsports.
Aoife said: “I’ve done some test days in a Fiesta Rally3, but I’ve never competed on an actual rally. I’m really excited to get out there and get in the car. And I’m really excited to get back to America.
“The sport’s really strong in America and it’s growing all the time, so to be back out there again is great. And to be out there as a DirtFish Women in Motorsport Driver means so much – it’s vital to be out there representing women at every level of the sport, not just as drivers and co-drivers. That was a message which really came out of the DirtFish Women in Motorsport Summit back in May, that was an incredible event to be part of.
“Working with people like Josie [Rimmer, DirtFish Women in Motorsport coordinator] and Michele [Abbate, fellow DirtFish Women in Motorsport Driver] is fantastic. And seeing Michele, who’s such an accomplished racing driver, competing in a rally for the first time ever (Tour de Forest, Washington, October 4) is amazing. Everything we’re doing is helping to promote more and more participation for women in motorsport.”
Aoife and co-driver Hannah McKillop will test the Fiesta Rally3 ahead of the Overmountain Rally – meeting the team for the first time. Standard Motorsports is owned and run by one of America’s leading rally drivers, Ryan Booth.
“It’ll be great to work with Ryan and the team,” continued Aoife. “We know they do a great job with the preparation of the cars. It’s always exciting going into a new team and getting to know everybody, but Ryan is clearly a driver who understands what’s needed to win.
“In terms of a result for me in Tennessee, I’m going in with the same attitude I take to every rally: to chase a podium. We finished on the podium in L4WD at Olympus, which was a fantastic debut with DirtFish. That’s got to be the target next week.
“It’s going to be really interesting to compare our times and split times with the other Rally3 cars out there. We’ll also be looking into the progression against the faster Rally2 cars and then, of course, there’s Travis Pastrana in the Subaru. He’s going to be a great benchmark.
“As we always do when we’re going to a new event, Hannah and I have been working hard watching onboards from last year’s event and talking to, and taking advice from, people who have competed out there. From what I can see, Overmountain’s going to be quite a different event to Olympus or Oregon, which are generally quite fast and flowing roads. Tennessee looks a lot more technical, a lot more twisty, which I like. That nature of the stages should suit the Fiesta a bit more as well. We’ll know a lot more about the roads after the recce.
“I’m just excited to be out competing in Rally3. I’ve been driving a Peugeot 208 Rally4 in the European Rally Championship this year, so the power between the two cars will be similar – but having four-wheel drive with the Fiesta on gravel is going to make a big difference.
“And… Tennessee! I’ve never been there before, so I’m excited to get down there and see somewhere new. Basically, next week can’t come soon enough.”
Based out of Newport, TN, the Overmountain Rally will challenge America’s leading crews with 100 competitive miles across 16 gravel stages in South Appalachia. A head-to-head spectator stage at Newport Speedway gets the event underway on Friday evening (September 19) before two days on the dirt through Saturday and Sunday.
