Galway rally driver Aoife Raftery is part of a history making Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy team in Sweden this weekend.
An Irish father and son are set to head-to-head against each other in a round of the FIA European Rally Championship this weekend.
Motorsport Ireland co-drivers Mac and Arthur Kierans are both contesting the BAUHAUS Royal Rally of Scandinavia alongside junior contestants in the third round of the Junior FIA European Rally Championship.
Mac will compete in the event with Australian driver Max McRae. At the same time, his father Arthur has been recruited by Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver Raftery for the two-day event that is based in Karlstad in the Värmland region of Sweden. Both McRae and Raftery are competing in the junior element of the series in almost identical cars.
McRae and Arthurs will drive an Opel Corsa while Raftery and Arthurs compete in a PCRS Rallysport-prepared Peugeot 208. They are seeded one after the other, McRae at 32 and Raftery one place behind adding to the challenge and excitement for the son and father.
The Craughwell native is competing in her third FIA Junior EuropeanRally Championship event and arrives in Sweden on the back of herbest domestic result to date.Just over a week ago, she finished 15th overall and first in herclass in the Moonraker Forestry Rally in County Cork at the wheel of the Ford Fiesta that she uses on Irish rallies.
“Really looking forward to taking part in the Royal Rally of Scandinavia, as the third round of the Junior European Championship, the stages look great, the competition is high. I am looking forward to keep building on our own performance, it is an amazing opportunity we can’t wait to hit the stages,” she said. “Arthur Kierans is co-driving for me this weekend, so it is great tohave him and his knowledge and experience on board as well.”
