RHIANON Gelsomino has celebrated her 100th rally in the co-driver’s seat with a record-breaking win in the US state of Pennsylvania. The Wedderburn native called the pace-notes for driver Nick Roberts as they raced to victory in the Super Performance class at the Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally.
The pair set six stages records at last weekend’s event, which was round five of the Rally America circuit.
They won the SP class by more than two minutes and made it onto the podium in third place overall.
“Really happy with this event,” tweeted Gelsomino, 34, the sister of Australian rally ace Brendan Reeves and married to Italian driver Alex Gelsomino.
“It’s never about playing it safe to stay in front: if you back off, that’s when you don’t progress.”
It was the second win in a month for Roberts and Gelsomino, who also took out the SP class and were third overall at the Olympus Rally in May.
Driving a 2013 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, they are locked in a tight battle with Lauchlin O’Sullivan/Scott Putnam for the Rally America series lead.
Gelsomino’s first rally was on October 8, 2005, with younger brother Nathan Reeves in a Datsun 1600 during the Victorian club series Spring 200 Rally.
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Seventy-one of her races have been alongside her “baby brother” Brendan.
Her dream is to secure a full-time ride in the World Rally Championship.