18 May American Rally Association Announces New Junior Championship for the DMACK Trophy

Article originally written for American Rally Association here.

Plymouth, New Hampshire (May 18, 2017)

The American Rally Association (ARA) is pleased to announce the Junior Championship for the DMACK Trophy, an all new championship series developed to give a competitive field of younger drivers a chance to learn the skills required for success in stage rally both in the United States and around the world.

Starting in 2018, the Junior Championship will be run in conjunction with the ARA National Championship. Teams will challenge some of North America’s best stage roads in late-model Restricted 2WD class vehicles. Ten spots are available to drivers under the age of 28 who have yet to finish a national rally on the overall podium or complete two World Rally Championship (WRC) weekends.

“Our goal with ARA has always been to help rally grow,” said ARA President Tim O’Neill, “the Junior Championship is our next step. Thanks to DMACK we are able to educate a new generation of rally drivers and reward them at a level never before seen in US rally.”

As a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, ARA is devoted to the education of those who compete in stage rally. Participants in the Junior Championship will receive special training throughout the season in all aspects of the sport, including but not limited to: driving and co-driving coaching; personal and team marketing; sponsorship acquisition and retention. Special attention will also be given to how drivers and teams present themselves, with championship points being assigned to drivers for vehicle appearance, vehicle preparation, and for positive efforts in personal marketing and sponsorship development.

At the conclusion of the 2018 season, the winner of the Junior Championship for the DMACK Trophy will receive an all expenses paid invitation to the Drive DMACK Shootout; along with the opportunity to impress top M-Sport officials for the chance to drive a Fiesta R5 at a WRC event. The DMACK Trophy winner will also receive free entry to every ARA event in the 2019 season and the ability to attend select WRC events as a special guest of DMACK. Second and third place winners in the Junior Championship will each receive an arrive and drive entry at a select ARA event in the 2019 season.

The ultimate goal of the Junior Championship for the DMACK Trophy is to provide young drivers a platform on which they can build a career in stage rally. Thanks to DMACK, ARA has the ability to support and influence the development of young drivers and put them on the path to success in the rally world.

More details and registration information for the 2018 Junior Championship for the DMACK Trophy can be found on the ARA website; americanrallyassociation.org/junior.

Photo Credit: J Cooley Photography

About American Rally Association (ARA)

We are a member driven organization dedicated to the sport of stage rally by providing a transparent and inclusive sanctioning body. A 501 (c)(3) non-profit, ARA is lead by elected and appointed board members who deliver a framework for safety, competition, promotion, and educational forums for all aspects of the sport. The common goal of our members, volunteers, and organization is a thriving stage rally program in America.