Chrissie Ashford

Chrissie Ashford's Vauxhall Magnum

Chrissie Ashford was Britain’s leading female rally driver in the mid to late 1970s, picking up two ladies’ championships in the later part of her career.

She rallied in the UK in the 1970s, starting as a navigator to her first husband, Paul, in around 1973. They competed together in road rallies. By 1974, she was driving a Vauxhall Magnum herself in Yorkshire club events. 

Throughout her career, she favoured Vauxhall cars, including the Magnum, Chevette and possibly a Firenza. She enjoyed the long-term support of Tyreservices garages, a business which had a major depot in her home area of North Yorkshire. At some point, she worked as a fashion model and apparently appeared in Vogue magazine, which helped her from a promotional point of view.

She entered her first RAC Rally, in 1976, driving a Magnum with Tony Gilhome. They do not appear to have finished. Her second attempt in 1977, driving the same car but with Mary Fullerton on the maps, also ended in retirement.

Chrissie also raced on the circuits occasionally. She was invited to take part in the Shellsport Ladies’ Escort Race at Brands Hatch in August 1978, by the BWRDC and promoter John Webb. Against strong opposition including former ETCC racer Susan Tucker-Peake, she was fifth overall. She also took part in sprints occasionally, including the 1977 Graham Hill Trophy at Curborough. 

In 1978 and 1979, she was the BRTDA British Ladies' Champion. The second championship came after a break while she had the first of her four daughters.

1979 was probably her most successful year of competition. She drove a 2300 Chevette around the UK in rounds of the BTRDA and British National championships. Her best overall result was 25th on the Hadrian Centurion Rally, out of 94 finishers. She was also 31st out of the 84 recorded finishers on the Esso South West Stages.

Shortly after, she left rallying for family life and business interests, although she did make a brief comeback in 1983 when she entered the Lindisfarne Rally. She was 52nd overall in a Chevette. 

After rallying, she concentrated on her business interests in the catering world, heading Danby’s Foods, a frozen-food manufacturer. She later worked with the Food Standards Agency. Her marriage to Paul Ashford did not last and she remarried; in the business world, she was known as Christine Dunn.

She died in 2009, aged 60.

(Image copyright Neil Robins)

Sara Williams

Sara and her co-driver, Patrick Walsh, at the 2012 Wales Rally GB

Sara Williams is currently the most successful female, British driver in the history of  British national rallying.

Sara is a Welsh driver who has been active since 2006, after a year as a navigator to her father, Jonathan. They were a successful team in Welsh club events, and won the 2006 Rali Cwm Gendreath, in a Subaru Impreza. As soon as Sara was 17, she started driving herself, and her first rally car was a Rover 216. She used this rather unusual car in club tarmac rallies.

The Rover was replaced by a more conventional, and faster, rally car, a Honda Civic, for 2007. Co-driven by her father, she entered the Welsh Tarmacadam Championship. Highlights of this year were finishes in the Harry Flatters Rally and the Mewla National Rally. Both of these were 41st places.

She stepped up to the MSA Tarmac championship in 2008, still in the Civic. Navigated by Tony Fisher, she was 39th in the Tour of Epynt, and was the fastest female driver. A couple of offs put her out of contention in a wet Millbrook National Rally, but she was then a career-best 19th in the Abingdon Car-Nival Stages, a non-championship event. Moving out of her normal territory, she contested the Rally of the Midlands, co-driven by her father again, and they were 25th, with the mixed crew award. The Mewla Rally was not as fruitful, with differential problems keeping Sara in 42nd place. Her last event, the Patriot Stages, gave her a 31st, with a newly-adjusted diff. At the end of the season, she won the BTRDA’s Class 3 championship, and the Wessex Ropes Junior award. She decided to branch out and take on some gravel rallies, as well as tarmac, in future.

In 2009, she drove in club and national events, mostly in Wales, now in a Subaru Impreza. The increase in pace was immediate: on her first rally in the car, she was a credible 21st, on the Red Kite Stages. Her next event was the Wyedean Rally, run on snow that year, which was only her second-ever forest rally. She kept it on the road and was 28th, picking up the Ladies’ and Young Driver trophies once more. The Telford Winter Stages gave her her best finish yet: twelfth overall, and on snow again. She was then 16th in the Bulldog Rally, but retired from the Plains Rally with gearbox problems. However, things looked up again in the Severn Valley Stages, in which she was ninth, her first top ten. It was back to twelfth place for the Mid Wales Stages, but back into the top ten in the Swansea Bay Rally. Sara was eighth overall. She kept up her top-ten pace in the Coracle Stages, where she was ninth, crashed out of the Neath Stages, and crawled to the finish of the Woodpecker Rally. Her last event was the Cambrian Rally, and although the Impreza was fixed in time, she had another off, and lost too much time to be a serious contender.

In 2010, she kept the Impreza, now painted pink, and entered the ANCRO Forest Championship. The year was an up-and-down one, and started slowly, with retirements from the Wyedean and Sunseeeker rallies, both due to differential failures. Her first finish came in the Plains Rally, where she was 16th. The Severn Valley Stages led to another retirement, but Sara made the most of her weekend at Epynt, by co-driving for Wayne Palmer on the second day. The Mid Wales Stages was another disappointment: she dropped out with turbo problems after running as high as second. However, at the Coracle Stages, she managed to stay in second place, earning another career best finish. Then, she retired from the Neath Valley Stages with more mechanical problems, and was 19th in the Woodpecker Rally, despite hitting a log and ending up in a ditch. Towards the end, the season picked up, with eighth in the Cambrian Rally and third in the Sweet Lamb time trial. This was preparation for the biggest rally of her career: the Wales Rally GB National event. She did not allow nerves to get the better of her, and after a fast, consistent weekend, she was fourth overall. Her driving won her the John Easson award, and people were starting to take notice of her.

In 2011, she carried on using the Impreza, upgraded to an N12B for the 2010 Wales Rally GB. Sara’s programme included BTRDA, Welsh forest and selected BRC events.  The season started somewhat quietly, with a safe, but unremarkable 21st in the Wyedean Rally. The car was running far more reliably now, and Sara had only one retirement. Soon, she was back in the top ten with a ninth in the Mid Wales Stages. Two BTRDA rallies followed, the Somerset Stages and Plains Rally, and she was 16th and eleventh. The Severn Valley Rally was her best event of the year, a sixth place finish. The Nicky Grist Quinton Stages and Woodpecker Stages ended in 17th and 26th respectively, but the Cambrian Rally was a disaster. Sara crashed heavily and the car suffered extensive damage. Fortunately, it was repairable, and she was back in action for the Sweet Lamb time trial, the shakedown for that year’s Wales Rally GB. She was fifth. The Wales Rally GB National B event itself was somewhat of an anti-climax, with turbo troubles meaning that the Impreza was down on power for a lot of it. She was 17th, with the ladies’ award as consolation.

2012 started frustratingly once more, with a 35th place in the Wyedean Rally, although she was eighth in her class. After a twelfth in the Mid Wales Rally, she was back into the top ten in the Somerset Rally, in eighth place. A broken gearstick put her out of the Plains Rally. The second half of her season was marked by much greater consistency. Apart from 16th in the Woodpecker Rally, she was a regular in the top ten. She was fifth in the Severn Valley Stages, fifth in the Coracle Stages, sixth in the National B Wales Rally GB, and third in the Sweet Lamb Time Trial. Her last rally of the year, the Cambrian Rally, was fast becoming her bogey event, as she crashed out again. Nevertheless, she was second in her class in the Welsh Clubman Championship, and the top lady driver.

In 2013, she looked to build on her growing successes. Her first event was the Mid Wales Stages, a change from her usual programme, and she was fifth. This was followed by her first event outside the UK, the Loughman Forest Rally in Carrick on Suir, in Ireland. She soon got used to the terrain, and was ninth. For a change, she then went back to the Honda Civic with her father, for the London Rally Heroes event, in aid of the Help For Heroes charity. They were 22nd overall, with a class win. A month later, she returned to the Welsh gravel for the Swansea Bay Rally, and was rewarded with her first win. This was first outright win for a female driver since Louise Aitken-Walker in 1983, and it was the same event, 30 years later, which Sara won.

The Severn Valley National Rally, in June, ended in an accident, and this typified the dramatic up and down nature of this season for Sara. It was followed by a third in the Coracle Stages, a favoured hunting ground, then an appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed’s rally stage. The second Irish rally that came after that, the Jim Walsh Cork Forest Rally, also ended in the disappointment of a retirement, due to a loose bolt in the power steering system. However, Sara bounced back in September. Not content with one historic win, she won the Red Kite Stages, too, by 23 seconds, from Wug Utting who was in an identical Impreza. This was also special, as it was the first gravel rally she ever entered, back in 2009. Not even her subsequent retirements from the Sweet Lamb time trial and Wales Rally GB National could take her achievements away from her. 

In 2014, she carried on with the Impreza, although she had to miss the Red Kite Stages, due to the car not being ready. Her first rally was the Plains Forest Rally, in May, and Sara - with a different co-driver, Dale Furniss - could only manage 35th. The car's power steering failed on the fifth stage. She was ninth in class. Her next event, the Severn Valley Stages, ended in retirement, after the car got stuck in a ditch. A break from competition followed, and it was September before Sara appeared again. She was second in the Red Dragon Stages, after working on some electrical problems that had been affecting the car. She was also back with her usual navigator, Patrick Walsh. 

At the end of the season, Sara faced her biggest challenge yet: an entry into the WRC Wales Rally GB. This was her first World Championship rally. Despite mechanical troubles after the second day, and a couple of penalties, she finished the event in 43rd place. On stage twelve, Dyfnant, she was fourteenth. This performance earned her the Croeso Trophy, for the best Welsh crew, and the Richard Burns Trophy, for the best young British driver. 

In 2015, she contested the BTRDA Mixed Surface Challenge championship. After a slow start to the year, she picked up another win, in the Red Dragon Stages, in the Impreza. She was over a minute ahead of her nearest rival. Although she managed to finish all of her other rallies this year, she did not get into the top ten again until the Trackrod Rally, in September, where she was tenth. 

At the end of the year, Sara travelled to the Middle East to compete in the FIA Women In Motorsport Desert Challenge, in order to try and win a funded seat in the Sealine Desert Challenge rally raid in 2016. She was not one of the winners, although she did receive training from Jutta Kleinschmidt and Fabrizia Pons, and some additional exposure.

At the start of 2016, she was announced as the winner of the BWRDC's Gold Star Award. She was an impressive sixth in the Severn Valley Rally in June, driving the Impreza, but her season finished with an early retirement from the Wyedean Stages, and damage to the car. 

After a slightly underwhelming 2016, she embarked on her first season of rallying abroad in 2017. She entered the European Clio R3T series, and was ninth in the French section, as well as winning the Coupe des Dames. Her best rally finish was on the Coeur de France event, an asphalt rally near Paris. She was 24th overall and ninth in class. 

2018 started with another BWRDC Gold Star award, and also an appointment to the FIA's Women in Motorsport Commission, as a UK representative.

She continued to compete in France, mostly in the Clio R3T Trophy. Her best result in the R3T class was fifth, on the Rallye Coeur de France. Her best overall finish was 15th in the Vallespir National rally, which was not part of the R3T championship.

After a view asphalt events in the UK in 2021, Sara returned to France in 2022 with a Renault Clio. She finished one of her two rallies, finishing 37th in the Boucles Capelloises regional rally. Back in the Impreza, she tackled the Grooms Garage Sweet Lamb Rally Time Trial in 2023, finishing tenth.

(Picture from www.dmaeuropa.com)

Female Rally Drivers After 1950: UK & Ireland, Part II

Rachael Patterson (left) and her navigator, Claire Williams

Emma McKinstry now has her own post, as do Catie Munnings, Nabila Tejpar, Annie Neil, Angela Palfrey and Sabrina Shaw. Junior drivers can be found here.

Sandy Lawson - Irish driver who first competed in the UK in the 1970s. Her first RAC Rally seems to have been in a Mini Cooper in 1971. Between 1972 and 1975, she entered the same event in an unlikely-looking DAF 55, often partnered by Geunda Eadie. As well as the DAF, she drove a VW Beetle and Toyota Celica in UK and Irish events. She now drives in historic rallies, using an ex-Martin Brundle Toyota Celica converted to rally spec. Research into Sandy's career is hampered by the presence of another contemporary driver with the same name, who is/was a man.

Lorraine Leeming - long-term competitor in British rallies, driving her “Team Tarts” Mk1 Ford Escort with Karen Fitz-Simons. They have been a team since at least 1998 and were still active in the north of England in 2019. Her best result has probably been a fourteenth place in the 2007 Twyford Stages, one of several top-twenty finishes she has picked up during her career. In 2021, she entered the Phoenix Stages, but the car's engine overheated. She retired from the John Overend Stages in 2022. She also co-drove the Escort with her husband Chris in 2006, until he fell ill during an event and died.  

Alison Lock - British historic rally driver with top ten finishes to her name. She rallies Minis exclusively and used the same car for many seasons. Her first class win came in 2002, in the British Historic Stage Rally Championship. She won the Welsh Historic Championship outright in 2005. After that, she managed to contest three rallies in eight days in summer 2006. In mixed historic/modern rallies, her Mini has proved capable of holding its own in its class. She continued to rally Minis from 2009 through to 2011, assisted by several co-drivers. In 2012, she switched to a Citroen Saxo, and in 2013, she used both cars. Her best finish was 42nd, second in class, on the Manx Rally, in the Mini. This arrangement continued in 2014, mainly on tarmac rallies. She drove both a 998cc and a 1275 GT Mini, as well as the Citroen. The Mini came out of retirement for the 2019 Tour of Epynt, but did not finish. 

Judy Lucas - drove a VW Polo in British National events from 2002 until 2005, starting in the Polo one-make series. In this championship, she scored a few good finishes and vied with Sophie Robinson for the Ladies’ award. She started competing in different cars in the 1990s. In 2005 and 2006, she used different 1400cc cars, a Citroen C2 and a Ford Focus, for BTRDA events. In 2008, she drove an MG ZR. She now runs a rally school. In 2016, she got back to the stages, and drove a Renault Twingo in the Roskirk Stages.

Sonya Mac - a regular on Northern Irish national rallies between 2006 and early 2008, driving two different Ford Kas. She is on a break from motorsport in 2008 due to losing her sponsorship. The biggest rally she entered and finished was the 2008 Circuit of Ireland, although she and co-driver Safron Thomas also tackled the 2007 Lurgan Park Rally. She is better-known as a radio DJ. In 2012, she made a brief return to motorsport as the team captain of an Irish ladies' rally challenge.

Janice Magee – Northern Irish driver who began competing in 2013, driving a Vauxhall Nova. Her first major event was the Turkey Run Tarmac Stages Rally, in the Republic of Ireland, and she was 36^th, second in class. For most of 2014, she stuck with the Nova, and recorded class wins in the Dogleap Tarmac Stages and the Glens of Antrim Rally. Her best overall result was 28^th, in the Dogleap Stages. At the end of the 2014 season, she swapped the Nova for an Audi Coupe S2, an unusual rally car, and she continued to use it in 2015. She scored a class win in the Circuit of Ireland National Rally, finishing 43^rd overall. Later in the season, she swapped back to the Nova, for the Glens of Antrim Forestry Rally. Back in the Audi, she won her class in the 2016 Down Rally, and entered the Circuit of Ireland National event. In 2017 and 2018, she drove a historic Audi Quattro on the Goodwood Rally Stage. On the regular stages, she won her class on the 2018 Turkey Run Stages in a Mk2 Escort. She is from a motorsport family, the daughter of a former rally driver. 

Diana Margulies - rallied in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Her first international event seems to have been the 1969 RAC Rally, driving a Lotus Cortina. She used the same car in the RAC Rally in 1970 and 1971. Her finishing positions are not forthcoming. Presumably, she competed in events around Britain, as well as the RAC Rally.

Marie Moloney - Ireland’s leading female driver in the 1980s and 1990s. She was the chief rival of Louise Nolan in the 1980s. Between 1982 and 1986, she always drove Opel cars, including an Ascona and a Corsa. She mainly competed within Ireland and did at least five editions of the Circuit of Ireland. Her best finish was 32nd, in 1984, driving a Corsa. She did one major international rally, the 1986 Cyprus Rally, but does not appear to have finished. Her best result was in 1992, when she returned to the stages in a Lotus Ford Cortina and finished eleventh in the Historic Circuit of Ireland.

Michelle Morelli - rallies a Honda Civic in Northern Ireland. She has been competing since at least 2017, usually on single-stage rallies. Her most frequent events are the Kirkistown Stages, which she has entered four times, and the Loughgall Park Rally, which she has entered on five occasions. Her best career finish has been a sixth place in the 2019 UAC Easter Saturday Stages. She was Northern Irish Ladies’ champion in 2021.

Ashleigh Morris - has rallied a number of small cars in the UK since 2016. That year, she was second in Class A of the Motorsport News Circuit Rally Championship, driving a Fiat Punto. She has enjoyed the most success in a Ford Fiesta R200, in which she scored her best-ever finish of 21st, at the 2017 Knockhill Stages. She also won Class B at the 2018 Lee Holland Memorial Stages and led the class championship for a while. Despite a big accident at Cadwell at the start of 2019, she came back strongly. Her best rally was her home rally at Knockhill, where she won her class and was 13th overall. In 2020, another rounds of the MN Circuit Rally series was her best; the Lee Holland Memorial Stages at Anglesey, where she won her class again and finished 16th. In 2021, she competed in the Scottish Rally Championship, with a best finish of 51st in the Galloway Hills Rally, driving the Fiesta. She also did some co-driving in England and Scotland. In 2022, she divided her time between driving and co-driving, partly due to the Fiesta being rebuilt. Her most frequent driver was Ollie O'Donovan. Ashleigh usually favours asphalt rallies. In 2023, she rallied quite a lot in the UK in tarmac events, as well as travelling to France for the Pays de Grasse Fleurs et Parfums Rallye. She used a Peugeot 208 and was 31st. Her best UK finish was tenth in the Jersey Trophy, in the Fiesta. A car rebuild in 2024 limited her outings as a driver, but she entered some rounds of the British Asphalt championship, taking in the Jersey and Manx Rallies. As well as rallying, she has raced a Mini Cooper in the Celticspeed Cup.

Fiona Mulcahy - British driver who competed in the Middle East in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Her car was a Peugeot 205 GTI. Her first major rally was the 1997 Rally Jordan, although she dropped out with driveshaft trouble. She was fifteenth in the same event the following year. During her time at the wheel, she rallied in Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Her best result was a fifth place in the 2000 Qatar Rally. 

Julie Murray - rallied extensively around the UK in the late 1980s and early 1990s. She normally drove a Peugeot 205 GTi. Her best result was probably her 25th place in the 1990 Circuit of Ireland, which was a round of the European and British championships at the time. She often competed in Eire and Northern Ireland. In 1989, she entered the RAC Rally for the first time, but did not finish. Her last major rally was the York National Rally in 1991.

Sarah Murray - rallied small cars in the UK, Ireland and Europe in the 1990s and early 2000s. She used a Vauxhall Nova between 1995 and 1998, then switched to a Nissan Micra between 1999 and 2002. Her best overall results came when she was competing in the BRC Formula 1300 championship. She was third in that year’s Ulster Formula 1300 Rally and fourteenth in both the Scottish Formula 1300 and Manx Trophy mixed-class events. In 1998, when the championship became the BRC Formula 1400 championship, she scored a second place in the Tour of Cornwall National B event and thirds in the Stena Line and Ulster BRC 1400 rallies. In 2000, she took the Micra to Belgium for the Omloop van Vlanderen and she was 40th in the 2001 Tour of Luxembourg. She appears to have stopped rallying after the 2002 Manx Trophy Rally. 

Felicity Nicholson - twice a recent winner of the Coupe des Dames in the French historic rally championship (VHC), driving a Lancia Fulvia and a special Lancia Fulvia Fanalone. One of her championships may well have been in 2010. This was the second part of Felicity’s rallying career, after a lengthy gap. She first started competing in the 1960s, and drove a Triumph TR4 in European rallies (the results I found for Felicity seem to have disappeared). She also rallied a BMW shortly afterwards. Later in her life, she was based in France. She died in 2011.

Louise Nolan - Irish driver who rallied a number of different cars in the 1980s, including a Ford Escort RS Turbo and a Lancia Delta Integrale. The Escort gave her her best finish, a 17th place in the 1987 Cork 20 International Rally. She entered the Circuit of Ireland at least three times, with a best result of 38th in 1988, driving the Escort. Towards the end of her career, she drove the Lancia, but she did not seem to spend enough time in it to get results.

Cherry Osborn - British driver who competed in the early to mid-1950s in Europe, sometimes alongside Lola Grounds. She drove for Rootes, in Triumph and Standard models, as both driver and navigator. 1950 may have been her first year of competition, and she entered the RAC Rally in a Triumph. In terms of international events, she drove in the Monte Carlo Rally in 1956, as a second driver with Lola Grounds and Valerie Domleo, and in the 1955 and 1956 Tulip Rallies.

Grace Owen - rallied a Mini in the British championships in 1997, co-driven by Ali Bohm. The duo competed in club events for a while before and after their BRC run, including hillclimbs. In 2000, they also rallied a Peugeot 106. Grace was involved in rallying outside driving, as a mechanic.

Rachael Patterson - began her rally career in 2012, in the BTRDA rally series. Her car is a 1400cc Peugeot 106, and her usual navigator is Josh Davison. She was a finalist in the 2011 LadyQuest rally driver search competition, although she appears to have secured her own sponsors for her campaign. She was fourteenth in the BTRDA's 1400cc championship, second in the ladies' standings and third in the 1400cc class, after nine rallies. Her programme was similar in 2013, and she was second in the 1400cc class. Her best finish was 16th, in the Wales Rally GB National event. She had a less busy season in 2014. One of the highlights was driving on the Goodwood Festival of Speed's Rally Stage, in the 106. She retired from the Tour of Caerwent.  In 2015, she rallied the 106 again, but her season seems to have ended prematurely after the car was seriously damaged during the Harry Flatters Rally. 

Kathy Pegrum - driver and co-driver in the 1970s. She entered the RAC Rally three times. The first time, in 1974, her car was a Peugeot 504. She was navigated by Elma Lewsey, and does not appear to have finished. In 1975, she was 100th overall, driving a Peugeot 304 with Anne Bertram. In 1976, she co-drove for Jim Thorburn, in another Peugeot, a 104. They did not finish. She may also have rallied a Ford Capri in 1975, in British rallies.

Joan Pink - driver and co-driver of the late 1960s and early 1970s. In 1968, she navigated for Bronwyn Burrell in a Sunbeam Imp. In 1969 and 1970, she drove a Saab V4 on the RAC Rally, navigated by Frances Cobb and Anne Hope respectively. She rallied in the UK for a much longer period, and may still have been campaigning her Saab in the British Championship in 1975. 

Valerie Pirie – erstwhile secretary to Stirling Moss who raced and rallied in the 1960s, most prominently for his SMART team. The SMART car was a Triumph Spitfire, which she used in the 1964 Tour de France. She also drove for BMC, Alfa Romeo, Standard, Lotus and Ford during her career, as a rally driver and navigator. She was a regular on the RAC Rally in the 1960s and later competed in Europe. In addition, she has managed the SMART and Lola racing teams.

“Miss Quarmby” - rallied mostly in the UK, in the early to mid-1950s. She entered the 1953 MCC Rally in a Sunbeam-Talbot. She took part in the RAC Rally in a similar car in 1955, although her finishing position is not recorded. The Rootes team employed a number of lady drivers at that time, led by Sheila van Damm and Miss Quarmby may have been one of them. Her skill in correcting a mistake during a hillclimb in the MCC Rally was noted by Motor Sport magazine. Her given name is never used.

Clare Rhodes - winner of the 2005 Silverstone Rally School LadyQuest competition. Her prize was six fully-supported BTRDA and National rallies in an MG ZR, in 2006. As well as stage rallies, she competed in the 2005 Lombard Revival Rally, an endurance event, in the same car, co-driven by BTCC driver Fiona Leggate. She also did some Welsh forest rallies in the car in 2006. A lack of funds has limited her participation since. 

Samantha Ridgway - rallied a Peugeot 205 GTI in the 1990s. She normally competed in the UK but did do a few international rallies, including the Tour of Flanders and Le Touquet rallies in 1994. She was active from at least 1992, when she competed in gravel rallies in northern England and the Limousin Rally in France. During the period between 1992 and 1994, her best finish was a 44th place in the 1993 Premier Stages Rally, a gravel event, from 72 finishers. Among her navigators was Barbara Armstrong.

Mandy Roberts (Bowman) - a regular in UK National and International events between 2001 and 2007. Her best result is probably fourth in the Panaround National rally in 2004, driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 4. She used the same car in the 2003 Evo Challenge. It was later updated to an Evo 5 for further British rallies. Prior to the Mitsubishi, Mandy drove a Peugeot 106, and it is in this car that she won her first BTRDA Ladies’ title in 2001. She won the award again in 2003. She has entered the Wales Rally GB three times: 2005, 2006 and 2007. She finished in 2006 and 2007, with a best result of 66th in 2006.

Colette Rooney - Irish driver who mostly competes in rallies in Ireland. In 2017, she achieved her first top-ten finish, in the Joule Donegal Junior Rally. She was eighth overall and her car was a Honda Civic. This was at least her third season of competition, having campaigned a Vauxhall Nova since 2015. She rallied the Civic in the 2020 Lee Holland Memorial Stages at Anglesey, but the car's driveshaft failed. In addition to rallying, she used the Nova in autocross competitions.

Clare Samuel - rallied a VW Polo in British National events. She was BTRDA Ladies’ Champion in 2002 and came third overall in Class N1 of the Silkolene 1400 Championship in 2004. Although her normal car is the Polo, she drove a Renault Clio with erstwhile British Champion Martin Rowe in the 2006 Tempest Rally. Her usual co-driver is Graham Samuel. She began her rally career as a navigator in the late 1990s, and was still competing in 2007. She now lives in Canada and runs a chalet with former UK rally champion Martin Rowe, although they both came out of retirement for the Tempest Rally in 2013. Clare was driving a Renault Clio. 

Cathy Sewart – historic rally driver in the UK, usually in a Talbot Sunbeam Lotus, although she occasionally uses more modern machinery. In 2013, she was the BWRDC’s Historic Rally champion, and in 2014, she won her club’s rally driver award, and the BWRDC’s rally award. In 2014, her best outright result was 21^st, in the Roskirk Stages, out of 47 drivers. In 2013, she had two top-twenty finishes, a 15^th in the Roskirk Stages, and a 15^th in the Cetus Stages. Cathy also acts as a co-driver on occasion. In 2015, she entered the MSA Tarmac championship, and broke into the top twenty again. She was fourteenth in the Enville Stages, and the Lee Holland Memorial Stages. Her final championship position was 30th, fourth in class. In 2016, she earned two overall top-ten finishes in tarmac rallies: a seventh in the SMC Stages, and a tenth place in the Adgespeed Stages. In 2017, she signed up for the Motorsport News Circuit Rally Championship. She was 19th in the Knockhill Stages in the Sunbeam. She challenged strongly in Class C in the 2018 championship but was unable to catch Dane Walker after a couple of problem-plagued events. Another strong season in Class C followed, with a ninth place at Cadwell one of the highlights. She won her class in the 2020 MN Stage Rally Championship and retained her Class D title in 2021, as well as the ANWCC Ladies' championship. In 2022, she spent less time driving and more time overseeing her son's junior rallying career. After a year off, she was thirteenth in the 2024 Menai Stages rally. Prior to starting rallying, Cathy was a jockey.

Georgia Shiels - started rallying in junior competitions in 2012, aged 16. She drove in that year’s Junior Ecosse Challange in Scotland, in a Nissan Micra. In 2013, she moved her competition base to England, starting the year in the F1000 Junior championship in the Micra. She was 28th, seventh in class, in the Lee Holland Memorial Stages. After that, she acquired a Ford Fiesta ST, and started competing in senior events. Her best rally was the Trackrod, where she was second in class N3 and 50th overall.  In 2014, she rallied a Fiat Abarth 500 around the UK, driving in a mix of BRC and club events. Her best finish was 46th, in the Harry Flatters Rally. She was set to compete in the ERC Junior championship in 2015, but this does not seem to have happened. She has since raced an RX150 buggy in rallycross events. 

Judy Simpson - rallied in the UK in the 1970s. In both 1978 and 1979, she is listed as a starter in the RAC Rally, driving a Ford Escort RS2000 both times. In 1978, she was 60th, but in 1979, she retired with a broken halfshaft. At the same time, she competed in the British championship, supported by co-drivers including Dilys Rogers, Dorothy Selby-Boothroyd and Pauline Gullick. She is Jill Robinson's sister.

Liz Skinner - 2006 BTRDA Junior Drivers' champion in her first year of competition. The same year, she was runner-up in Class A5 and the Ladies’ standings, having finished in the top three for her class five times out of six starts. She won class A5 in the 2007 Wyedean Rally, driving a Nissan Micra, but does not appear to have competed since. 

Amber Smith - rallies a 2002 Nissan Micra in the UK. Her career began at the start of 2002 and she competes in asphalt rallies, normally in the west of England or Wales. Her best result so far has been a 27th place in the Corinium Stages Rally, held at Down Ampney in Gloucestershire. She and co-driver Paul Topping were fifth in their class. She does not yet have a regular co-driver, working with different navigators. 

Cheryl Spencer – British driver who has rallied in Barbados, alongside her co-driving husband, Barry. In 2014, she drove a borrowed Ford Fiesta in the Rally Barbados and the King of the Hill rally, both in Barbados. She was second in class at the Rally Barbados, and 35^th overall. In 2015, she drove a Vauxhall Astra, finishing second in class in the King of the Hill event. However, she scored a better overall placing in the Rally Barbados: 57^th. Her first attempt at the Barbados rallies was in 2008, and she was 41^st in the Rally Barbados. She drove the Astra there in 2009, too. In 2018, she did her usual Barbados events then also contested the Brean Stages in the UK. 2019 was similar, although she did the South Down Stages for ther UK outing. The 2020 South Downs event was her only rally that year and in 2021. In 2022, she went back  to Barbados for the King of the Hill event. A combination of the two made up her year in 2023, driving the Astra and a later Astra GSI. Her 2024 season was similarswapping between the Astra and a BMW. Cheryl only took up rallying late in life, in 2008, when she was already a grandmother.

Nina Sutcliffe – driver and co-driver active in the 1980s. She entered the RAC Rally twice, in 1987 and 1989. Her first attempt, in a Citroen Visa, ended with a lost wheel, but she got to the finish, in 75^th place, in 1989, driving a Suzuki Swift. That year, she also entered the Braine-le-Comte 12 Hours in Belgium, in the same car, and was 40^th overall. In 1986, Nina took part in a different kind of rally, the Himalayan Rally in India. She drove a Land-Rover with her usual co-driver, Janet Sherwood, and was twelfth. As a co-driver, Nina sat alongside Simon Lloyd in the UK, and Anne Hall in the 1987 Viking Rally.  

Anna Tait - rallied in the UK in the 1990s, in the British Championship and the clubmans' series. Her cars up to 1997 were Skodas, with a Felicia being her vehicle for 1997, but she changed to a Ford Ka in the 1998 season. She ran in two RAC Rallies, in 1997 and 1998, retiring both times. Her best year was probably 1998, where she recorded mid-table positions in class.

Annabelle Tennant - "The Gravel Granny" competed in Scotland and the rest of the UK since 1986. She won two Mintex class B10 championships in 1997 and 1998, driving a Peugeot 205 GTi. Many of her rallies were completed in this car, or a Vauxhall Astra. In 2007, she rallied a Subaru Impreza in the Scottish championship, after a break from active competition. Unfortunately, she did not get to compete in 2008 as much as she had planned. She was also involved in motorsport as a marshal and organiser before her death in 2016. The Milltown Stages Rally now bears her name.

Mandy Twynham - rallied a Peugeot 106 in the UK between 2001 and 2005, after taking a break from horseriding due to an accident. She won the 2004 Heart of England Front Wheel Drive Championship. Prior to this, she had earned a series of class wins in BTRDA and National rallies. Despite receiving delivery of an MG ZR for the 2005 National Asphalt Championship, her funding ran out after two events, and she has not competed since.

Carolyn Tyler - driver and co-driver active in the mid-to-late 1960s. Her first major event was the Tulip Rally in 1966. She drove a Mini with Sheila Taylor, and they won the Ladies’ privateer prize. She returned to the Netherlands in 1967, again, in a Mini, but did not finish,  with “A Sleap” as her co-driver. During the same time period, she navigated for other female drivers. She guided Marjatta Aaltonen to 37th in the 1966 RAC Rally, and sat alongside Sheleagh Aldersmith in the 1967 Monte Carlo Rally. The car was a Mini on both occasions.

Mary Walker - rallied mostly in the UK in the early to mid-1950s. She drove a Sunbeam-Talbot in the 1953 MCC Rally, as part of a three-car ladies’ entry with Tish Ozanne and Miss Sunley. She also drove in the Scarborough Rally. In 1954, she won the Coupe des Dames in the RAC Rally, driving a Triumph TR2. That year, she travelled to Italy for the Stella Alpina in the TR2, but crashed out. Later in the year, she seems to have finished the RAC Rally, but her finishing position is not noted. Her achievements were enough to give her the BTRDA’s Ladies’  Silver Garter award. In 1955, she finished the Monte Carlo Rally in a Standard Ten, with Betty Haig co-driving. Among her trophies, sold in 2016, were two hillclimb trophies and a Team Trial runner-up tankard for the Circuit of Ireland.

Myra Webster - rallied a Ford Escort RS in the BTRDA Gold Star championship in 1979, where her best finish was 64th in the Dukeries Rally. Her navigator was Ian North and she was seventh in that year’s North Humberside Motor Club rally championship. Later, she entered the RAC Rally twice in a Mitsubishi Colt Lancer, finishing once in 1982. She was 63rd in 1982, but went over the time limit in 1983. 

Lucy Whitford (Ford-Hutchinson) - competed in Northern Ireland from about 1998, starting in small cars such a Mini in 1998 and a Nissan Micra in 2000. Before that, she was the Ladies’ Autotest Champion of Ireland. She contested a good number of club and national rallies, challenging for honours in class. In 2003 and 2004, she entered the Ulster Rally, a British Championship round, finishing both times. She was 43rd in the Micra in 2003, and 19th in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 in 2004. 2004 seems to have been her last year of competition, although she has done some road rallying in recent years.

Joanna Wickham - has rallied a Subaru Impreza in the UK since at least 2007. In 2007 and 2008, she seems to have mainly competed in Scotland, despite being based in Newcastle. In 2009 and 2010, her programme has taken in more rallies in northern England, including the 2010 Malcolm Wilson Rally. Her finishes are usually mid-field. Her usual co-driver was Guy Wickham, but since 2011, Josh Davidson has sat alongside her. She was fifth in her club championship in 2011. She remained active in northern English rallies in 2012, still in the Impreza, and carried on competing in 2013, including the Border Counties Rally. 

Lucy Wigley - rallies small cars in UK club rallies. 2021 was her first season in stage rallying and her first event was the Get It Sideways Rally in Cheltenham. She was driving a Renault Clio and finished 39th. Her best finish of the year was a thirteenth place in the Adgespeed Stages, driving a different Clio. Mid-season, she switched to a Citroen C2 for two gravel events, but went back to the Clio for the remainder of her season, which was spent in the Motorsport News Circuit Rally Championship. 2022 was similar, beginning with circuit rallies inthe Clio before using the C2 for gravel during the main season. Her best finish was 18th in the Snetterton Stages. She concentrated on gravel in 2023 in the BTRDA series, then did two more mixed events in 2024.

Suzy Wilkes - rallies a Subaru Impreza in British national and club rallies, usually on asphalt and in the North West of England. She has been active since 2015, when she entered three rallies, and finished all of them. She did four rallies in 2016, but her finishing rate was not as good. Her best finish was 31st, on the SMC Stages. Her only event in 2018 was the Promenade Stages, in which she was 53rd. She has also trained as a co-driver.

(Image from http://www.walesonline.co.uk/)