Galway rally driver Aoife Raftery makes British Rally Championship history in Wales
Galway rally driver Aoife Raftery created her own piece of motorsport history on Saturday in Wales.
The first female to be selected to join the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, contested the final round of the British Rally Championship – the Llandudno-based The Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally – in her PM Rally Hire Ford Fiesta Rally 4.
The all-gravel event covered just under 90 kilometres on iconic rally roads previously used in Wales Rally GB.
The event was notable as the British Junior Rally Championship title-deciding finale which was a straight fight between two Irish drivers, Kyle White (County Down) and Kyle McBride (County Donegal).
While the title was decided in favour of White, the Craughwell native put herself into the thick of the action by setting the fastest time on the event’s opening stage, the 14-km run through Elsi Forest.
As a result, she became the first woman driver ever to lead a round of the Junior British Rally Championship.
Unfortunately, her car developed brake problems ahead of the second test and she was forced to complete the opening loop with just front brakes only.
However, Raftery and her co-driver Damien Connolly showed their ingenuity effecting temporary repairs which allowed them to continue safely.
The delay in fixing the issue dropped them down the running order, meaning they started the last stage later than anticipated and under the cover of darkness which deprived the Galway/Monaghan crew of a deserved top result.
She said:
“I was really happy to get to the finish in the Cambrian Rally and it was great to be leading the Junior British Rally Championship after stage one.
“Unfortunately we had brake issues. We managed to get that temporarily fixed heading into stages two and three but it caused us to lose a lot of time.”
Her efforts in Wales were supported by Gerry Broderick Motorsport and Gary McNamee of MCN Motorsport.
“Thanks to Gerry and Gary and the lads in service that helped us get going again and sort of the problem,” she added.
“It was nice to be able to show our pace in the PM Rally Hire Ford Fiesta Rally 4 Car,”
“Thanks to Damien on the notes, the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, and my sponsors. It was cool that I was the first woman to lead a round of the Junior BRC.”
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