AOIFE RAFTERY Claims Rally3 Podium, Eyes 4WD Move After Tennessee Success

September 26, 2025

by Luke Barry // from dirtfish.com

GRRL! SUMMARY:

AOIFE RAFTERY snagged her first outright podium at Overmountain Rally Tennessee, marking a breakthrough moment in her Rally3 debut with a Ford Fiesta. The Irish driver’s performance caps off her Junior European Rally Championship season and positions her perfectly for the next phase – she’s ready to make the jump to four-wheel-drive machinery and isn’t shy about saying so.
That Tennessee podium carried extra weight beyond personal achievement – half the people celebrating on the ARA National podium were women, including co-drivers HANNAH MCKILLOP and RHIANON GELSOMINO. RAFTERY knows exactly what that representation means, especially when young girls approach her in the service parks. It’s tangible proof that the DirtFish Women in Motorsport Program isn’t just participating – we’re competing at the front and changing minds in real time.
While 2026 plans remain unconfirmed, RAFTERY is targeting continued growth in American rally, where she’s been measuring herself against Travis Pastrana and Conner Martell’s pace. Her immediate focus includes supporting fellow DirtFish driver MICHELE ABBATE’s rally debut at Tour de Forest, showing how this program builds a community where women lift each other up rather than compete in isolation.