Snoqualmie, WA (May 12, 2018)
James Rimmer has announced entry into his home event of Olympus Rally alongside Rhianon Gelsomino in a Rocket Rally-prepared Open 4wd class Subaru. The DirtFish Motorsports driver will return to stage rally for the first time since 2017's Oregon Trail Rally and compete at his first Olympus Rally since 2015.
Rimmer's entry into Olympus marks the end of a lengthy offseason for the rallycross lites driver. Though his focus has been on rallycross for the past several years, Rimmer is passionate about stage rally and has entered several one-off events in that time, first in a Subaru BRZ and later in a Subaru STi. For Olympus, Rimmer has stepped it up again and will enter a Canadian championship-winning Open 4wd class Subaru prepared by Rocket Rally. The entry represents not only an impressive upgrade for Rimmer, but also a further codification of the partnership between Rocket Rally and DirtFish.
Sitting alongside Rimmer will be sitting ARA O2wd champion co-driver Rhianon Gelsomino. OZ Rally Pro school instructor by day, Gelsomino has taught and sat alongside multiple rally champions over the past decade. She will now bring her skills to bear and teach the naturally quick Rimmer in their first competitive partnership.
“I’m incredibly excited to get back behind the wheel of a proper stage rally car,” said an enthusiastic Rimmer. “With Rhianon in the co-driver’s seat, I’m looking forward to learning a lot and setting some fast stage times. Working with Rocket Rally Racing and 4-time Canadian Rally Champion Pat Richard is something I have wanted to do for years and I am so grateful for the opportunity. I can’t wait!”
Entering events around his rallycross schedule, Rimmer has competed at several stage rallies in the Pacific Northwest since 2015. That year, he entered a Subaru BRZ at Olympus Rally, Big White Winter Rally, and Idaho Rally International, seeing moderate success in his rookie season. The following year, Rimmer returned to Idaho where he, in a much improved performance, took first in the L2wd class and second out of all 2wd vehicles. He followed the win by stepping into a 4wd class vehicle for the first time at Big White in 2016. The next year, Rimmer moved into a new Subaru STi RO4wd build and battled hard against Jeff Seehorn at Oregon before an engine failure took him out of the event.
Follow Rimmer and all the other great performers at this year's Olympus Rally on the American Rally Association and Olympus Rally Facebook pages. We will have several livestreams throughout the event and be sure to keep up throughout the weekend at live.americanrallyassociation.org for vehicle tracking and up to the minute stage times.
Planning to come to the event? Download the official Olympus Rally Spectator Guide.
About American Rally Association
A member-driven organization dedicated to the sport of Stage Rally, the American Rally Association provides a transparent, inclusive, and growing sanctioning body to competitors throughout America. A 501 (c)(3) non-profit and wholly owned subsidiary of the United States Auto Club (USAC), ARA is led by seasoned Stage Rally professionals who work hand in hand with an experienced Board of Directors to deliver a framework for safety, competition, promotion, and education for all aspects of the sport. The common goal of our members, volunteers, and organization is a thriving Stage Rally program in America.
About DirtFish
Nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Mountain Range and just a mere 30 miles from Seattle in the scenic town of Snoqualmie, WA, DirtFish Rally School was established in 2010 with the idea that the exciting sport of rally should be accessible to everyone. More than just a rally school, DirtFish recognizes that advanced car control skills taught on loose surfaces like gravel and mud directly translate to track, desert, autocross or street driving. Professional
DirtFish instructors pride themselves in teaching car control, confidence and safety behind the wheel through various driving techniques built from the roots of rally. From 15 years of age with a learner’s permit, all the way up to the sophisticated age of 90, DirtFish has a program for everyone!