Team Hyundai Rallye has an early Christmas present for two female competitors in the 2009 Victorian Hyundai Rally series. Driver Kimberley Barson will partner with navigator Cathy Rainer, as a new combination, and head to Canberra this weekend to compete in the female driver’s only rally, the 2009 Beauty Technology Rallye des Femmes.
Kimberley and Cathy have been given the opportunity to compete in the Hyundai Motor Company Australia's multiple series winning Hyundai. The Hyundai has a long history of success with state titles in 2006 and 2008 in the Race Brakes Sydney Hyundai NSW Rally Series plus the National Title in 2009. For Team Hyundai Rallye this will be the last outing in the current Hyundai Accent as the team moves into a Hyundai I30 in 2010.
Regular team driver Mick Gillett sowed the seeds with team Principal John Carney from Traf Tractor and Machinery-sponsored Team Gunnawyn Motorsport at the 2009 Victorian Hyundai Excel Rally presentation dinner in October. "I suggested to Kimberley and John that they should come up and compete in one of John’s cars and then it was decided my car was closer and available," said Gillett.
Both Kimberley and Cathy have competed in Hyundais during 2009 against both male and female competitors. The ladieshave been impressed with the strength and reliability of the Hyundai cars and are keen to go onto greater things in 2010 in their respective Hyundai rally cars. Both girls are appreciative of the opportunity given to them by Hyundai Motor Company Australia and Mick Gillett.
Rallye des Femmes is promoted by Brindabella Motor Sport Club and has historically been promoted as an end of year fling for the long suffering wives/partners of the regions male drivers who offer up their rally cars for the greater good. Recently though the situation has changed with an increase in the number of female rally drivers throughout Australia. Kimberley and Cathy are just some of the many younger female competitors that are taking the sport of rallying forward.
Visit www.excelrally.com.au for more information
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