Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver Aoife Raftery secured her first-ever Irish Tarmac Rally Championship class win at the Modern Tires Ulster Rally on Saturday.
Driving her Peugeot 208 Rally4, Raftery, a native of Craughwell, led the class from start to finish, demonstrating her tarmac prowess.
The Ulster Rally wasn’t just a victory; it served as vital preparation for Raftery ahead of the Rali Ceredigion in Wales, the fifth round of the Hankook Tires Junior FIA European Rally Championship later this month. Although this was only her second Irish tarmac event of the year, having focused on gravel rallies across Europe, Raftery proved she’s a formidable competitor, even in tough, wet conditions.
Raftery’s win is particularly impressive in a class known for intense competition. Alongside co-driver Hannan McKillop, she not only secured the class victory but also finished 24th overall, marking the first front-wheel-drive car across the finish line.
Reflecting on her win, Raftery said, “It has been fantastic. We had a great day, really enjoyed the stages, and it’s great to be back home. This was perfect preparation for Wales. The stages were excellent, and we’re really happy to see our hard work paying off. The Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy has been incredible, so it’s great to come away with this win today.”
Raftery successfully held off a late challenge from fellow Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver Cian Caldwell. Caldwell, along with his co-driver Liam Egan, was closing in when mechanical issues forced their Ford Fiesta Rally4 to retire just two stages before the finish.
Aoife Raftery is proudly supported by Des Lyons Plant, Kenny (Peugeot) Galway, O’Neill O’Malley Architects and Project Managers, Loughrea Auto Parts, Craughwell Tyre Centre, Sean Fleming Motors, Quinn Hardware, KG Motorsport, and Kerry Motorsport News.
