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Karisa Haydon is an Alaska Native off-road racer, Porsche collector, and endurance athlete who burst onto the Rebelle Rally scene in 2022 and immediately made her mark as one of the sport’s most composed and capable drivers.

EARLY YEARS

Born June 20, 1985, Karisa was raised in a small town in south central Alaska—specifically Soldotna—where her love of driving started young. Her parents regularly drove around Alaska, instilling in her an early appreciation for the open road and adventure. Those childhood drives laid the foundation for a woman who would eventually describe herself as “a calm force, with fierce ideas.” She later moved to Port Orchard, Washington, where she lives with her husband Rhys, a fellow Porsche enthusiast who shares her passion for driving.

OTHER INTERESTS

Beyond racing, Haydon is a full-time stay-at-home mom who describes herself as someone who “loves adventure and experiencing new things.” She’s a serious endurance athlete with a particular taste for the ridiculous—her first triathlon wasn’t a sprint; it was a half Ironman, courtesy of her teammate and friend Trista Smith talking her into it. The two have a long history of challenging themselves with “seemingly out-of-reach events,” including 24-hour mountain bike races and other forms of what they cheerfully call “endurance-related nonsense.” Karisa is also a dedicated Porsche collector. In 2018, she and Rhys took their 1956 Porsche 356 on an epic month-long, 10,000-mile road trip across the United States, driving and camping in a journey that mirrored one her parents had taken when she was little. She’s also spent time volunteering and living in a tent in Madagascar. Never one to pass up a test of endurance, she once agreed to a 72-hour blitz from Seattle to Homer, Alaska.

EARLY SUCCESS

Haydon entered the Rebelle Rally for the first time in October 2022, driving a Ford Bronco Sport with navigator Trista Smith as Team Velocity. The pair had decided to enter after attending a Rebelle Rally happy hour in 2021, where Haydon turned to Smith and declared, “We are totally doing this some day.” About a year after they first met in 2009, Smith had talked a “naive Karisa” into that half Ironman without her fully understanding what she was signing up for—so Smith figured it was her turn to dive into the unknown. Their rookie debut was nothing short of stunning. They not only finished strong but earned the 2022 Rebelle Rally Rookies of the Year title in the X-Cross category and took home a Stage 7 win. It was the kind of debut that turns heads and makes people remember your name.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2022: Rebelle Rally Rookies of the Year (X-Cross category) with navigator Trista Smith[1]
• 2022: Stage 7 win at Rebelle Rally[2]
• 2023: 6th place finish in the 4×4 category at Rebelle Rally, driving a 2023 Ford Bronco Wildtrak[3]
• 2023: Bone Stock award at Rebelle Rally[4]
• 2024: 7th place finish at Rebelle Rally with 1,239 points (82% completion), driving a 2023 Ford Bronco Wildtrak[5]
• 2025: 2nd place finish at Rebelle Rally with 1,679 points (89% completion), driving a 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor[6]

INSPIRATIONS

Haydon credits her husband Rhys and her entire family as her biggest inspirations. “They keep me going and I am so inspired every day to do my best,” she says. Her teammate Smith also draws inspiration from “women who support other women, from small acts to sister circles”—a philosophy that clearly defines Team Velocity’s partnership. The duo’s friendship, built on mutual challenges and trust, has been central to their success. Their history of pushing each other into absurd athletic endeavors translates seamlessly into the demanding, multi-day navigation challenge of the Rebelle Rally.

REPUTATION

Haydon has quickly built a reputation as a driver who is equal parts calm and fearless. She describes herself as “a calm and collected force,” and those who race alongside her would agree. There’s a quiet confidence in the way she handles a vehicle, whether it’s navigating punishing desert terrain or piloting a vintage Porsche across the country. Her ability to stay composed under pressure—combined with her willingness to take on challenges most people would never consider—makes her a formidable competitor. The fact that she and Smith moved from a Bronco Sport to a Bronco Wildtrak and then to a Ranger Raptor shows both their growing skill and Ford’s confidence in them as serious contenders. Team Velocity is known for being approachable, grounded, and relentlessly determined—exactly the kind of racers other women root for.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Looking ahead, Haydon and Smith are focused on continuing their climb up the Rebelle Rally rankings. In 2025, they returned to the rally “absolutely stoked” to be driving the Ford Ranger Raptor, eager to see what year 10 of the event would bring. Their competition objective remains consistent: they’re there to compete, improve, and push themselves further each year. With four consecutive years of Rebelle Rally experience under their belts (2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025), and steady improvement in their placements, Team Velocity shows no signs of slowing down.

REFERENCES

[1] Ford Returns to Rebelle Rally With Five-Truck Team for 2024
[2] #131 – Team Velocity – Rebelle Rally 2024
[3] Team Velocity Official Website
[4] #131 – Team Velocity – Rebelle Rally 2023
[5] Rebelle Results 2024
[6] Standings – Rebelle Rally Scoring 2025
[7] Team 131 – Team Velocity – Rebelle Rally 2025
[8] Offroad duo races to the top – KDLL
[9] Valley women participate in 9-day off-road navigation event
[10] Team Bio Doc Export – Rebelle Rally