Aoife Raftery has been named as Galway Motor Club’s champion driver at the club’s annual awards presentation on Saturday night, November 23.
Raftery, who is a Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy member, earned the award based on her performances during the 2023 season. It is presented annually to a Galway Motor Club member who accumulates the most points while competing at home and abroad.
It is one of the most prestigious trophies in the club.
Speaking at the awards event, Raftery said "it was fantastic to be presented with the JJ Fleming Perpetual Cup at the Galway Motor Club awards night".
”Thanks to everyone at Galway Motor Club for their great support all year and their hard work, especially Gary Leonard (Galway International Rally Clerk of the Course ) for his dedication and hard work to the club,” she added.
Club members gathered at Maggie May’s Bar and Restaurant in Loughrea, where Raftery was presented with the JJ Fleming Perpetual Cup. The cup is named in honour of the late club member JJ Fleming, one of the club’s most successful rally drivers. He was also a well-known motor and haulage trade operator in Galway.
Craughwell's Raftery won the award in recognition of her results in Europe, Ireland and Britain this season. During the 2023 campaign, she was named the Women in Motorsport Ambassador for the Corrib Oil Galway International Rally in February ahead of her second season in the Hankook Tires Junior FIA European Rally Championship.
Season highlights include an impressive victory in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship-counting Ulster Rally and a third-place finish in the Cambrian Rally – the final round of the Junior British Rally Championship.
Off track, Raftery was selected as one of 15 talented young drivers to take part in the World Rally Championship’s Beyond Rally initiative that was designed to unearth female rally talent worldwide.
Des Lyons, one of Raftery’s sponsors, was also awarded on the night after strong performances in the Irish National, Border and West Coast Rally Championships events in his Honda Civic. He was named as Galway Motor Club’s Driver of the Year.
