DirtFish Women in Motorsport Driver Aoife Raftery will return to the ARA National Championship presented by Kubota for next week’s Overmountain Rally
The 24-year-old Irish driver, a DirtFish Women in Motorsport representative, burst onto the American rally scene in April with a stunning podium finish at the Olympus Rally. That performance marked her very first time competing in the United States, but it also made headlines across the motorsport world. Now, Raftery is back and this time aiming even higher.
Stepping Up: From Rally4 to Rally3
For next week’s Overmountain Rally, the penultimate round of North America’s premier rally series, Raftery will step up into a Fiesta Rally3 run by Standard Motorsports. She has been competing in the European Rally Championship this season behind the wheel of a Peugeot 208 Rally4. While the Fiesta delivers similar power, the leap to four-wheel drive will be a significant challenge on gravel.
“I’ve done some test days in a Fiesta Rally3, but I’ve never competed on an actual rally,” Raftery explained. “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 there and it’s growing all the time.”
Her U.S. return has been made possible with Standard Motorsports, owned by American rally star Ryan Booth. Raftery and her co-driver, Hannah McKillop, will join the team for the first time in Newport, Tennessee, testing the car ahead of the event and working to adapt their pace notes to new terrain.
Flying the Flag for Women in Motorsport
For Raftery, though, the trip is about more than just speed it’s also about visibility. As a DirtFish Women in Motorsport Driver, she’s determined to showcase what female talent can bring to rallying at the highest level.
“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,” she said.
That message was underscored at the DirtFish Women in Motorsport Summit in May an event Raftery described as “incredible to be part of” and one she believes strengthened the drive to build female representation across the sport.
Eyes on the Podium
In Tennessee, Raftery is keeping her trademark focus: a push for the 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,” she said. “It’ll also be really interesting to see how we compare against the other Rally3 cars, the Rally2 competition, and of course against someone like Travis Pastrana in the Subaru. He’s a great benchmark.”
The Overmountain Test
Based in Newport, TN, the Overmountain Rally will throw 100 competitive miles and 16 technical gravel stages at America’s best rally crews. A head-to-head spectator stage at Newport Speedway on Friday, September 19, kicks off two demanding days of competition through the South Appalachia region.
From her preparations – watching onboards and gathering advice from experienced competitors Raftery expects a sharp contrast to Olympus and Oregon. “Tennessee looks a lot more technical, a lot more twisty, which I like,” she said. “That nature of the stages should suit the Fiesta a bit more as well.”
Looking Ahead
For now, Raftery is keeping her focus sharp: build chemistry with her new team, adapt quickly to the Fiesta Rally3, and once again keep her eyes fixed on the podium.
“And… Tennessee! I’ve never been there before, so I’m excited to get down there and see somewhere new,” she added with a smile. “Basically, next week can’t come soon enough.”
Aoife Raftery is supported by Spain’s Mini Bus and Coach Hire | O’Neill O’Malley Architecture | Des Lyons Plant | Loughrea Auto Parts | Cannon Concrete Products Limited | PW Plant Sales | McDonagh’s Thatch Bar & Beergarden | EARS Motorsport Ireland | RRS | MFitzgibbons Contractors | Lateralus B
