Local rally driver Daph O’Rourke wants to earn a little more respect than simply being referred to as “the girl in a rally car!”
The Rangiora based real estate agent is preparing herself to tackle the annual Lone Star Rally of Canterbury on King’s Birthday weekend. This is an event she is no stranger to and this year is looking forward to put her recently acquired Ford Fiesta through its paces.
Daph has motorsport in her blood, but really doesn’t know where it has come from, as her parents had no interest. “ I have always liked cars and always liked seeing them race”, she said.
The passion was from a very young age and as a twelve year old she started racing go- karts. This then progressed to the circuit and racing her Toyota Corolla at purpose built facilities such as Ruapuna Raceway.
“I raced karts until I was 16. It was something had to pay for myself, so I had get afternoon and weekend jobs. This was unlike many of the kids who I was up against, where probably the majority had other help”, she explains, “ I learnt a lot in this time and confirmed the extent of my passion”.
The change to rallying came after a few contact incidents on the race -track. “ I didn’t really know much about rallying, it was all track racing with a real interest in the V8’s and watching them on TV”.
She initially used a Corolla for her first rally exploits, but in the quest to improve, Daph purchased the Fiesta for the start of the current season.
“In five years I would like to be in a car that is capable of winning the New Zealand Rally championship. I am not saying me necessarily winning the championship, but I want to be able to drive the wheels off it to see what I can achieve”.
The rally will again be run in special stages in the Ashley Forest and closed public roads in the Hurunui. It will be a round of the Mainland championship.
The Mainland championship has been around since 1977, a series that saw Waikuku’s Alex Doig win. His victory was the start of a long line of North Canterbury drivers who have won both the Rally of Canterbury and or the Mainland series. Names that include Brian and Robbie Stokes, John Silcock and Les and Matt Summerfield, Also making headlines at this level and on the national stage are Ari Pettigrew and Marcus Van Klink….over
Will Daph O’Rourke be the next name to add to the list? It is difficult to suggest odds that this happens, as few women in New Zealand have reached this level. The one notable exception is Dunedin’s Emma Gilmour.
Daph has the passion and desire to achieve these heights.
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