American rally driver Allen Dobasu will make his debut in the British Rally Championship in 2023, as the Michigan-based ace pilots a Ford Fiesta Rally2 in the BRC1 top-flight.
The 23-year-old enjoyed his first taste of BRC events at the final round of the 2022 season, tackling the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally last October and will now return for a full assault on the series. With a dynamic BRC calendar offering both gravel and asphalt events across a wide variety of terrain, Dobasu earmarked the championship as a potentially instrumental factor in furthering his rallying career.
“The level of competition, the roads and the diversity of the calendar have drawn me to the British Rally Championship this year,” he says.
“My main goal is to gain experience. The UK is a good place to do so because of the range of different roads and their complexity and so to get that, the focus will be on finishing every rally. Above all, though I want to have fun, meet new friends and create new memories.”
And you can’t argue with that last statement. Whilst the BRC sets its stall out as the breeding ground for new talent, it has also focused on longer, tougher and more diverse events across the season, helping to ensure a wide variety of options for crews.
Piloting a Cheyenne Express Inc-backed Fiesta Rally2 run by Dom Buckley RSC, Dobasu can boast a long history of involvement in the sport, despite his young age.
“I was introduced into Motorsport by my father at the age of seven, prior to that I learned how to drive at six in a Mitsubishi Evo IX,” he says.
“At seven I began travelling with my father to every one of his rallies, becoming more intrigued & keen on getting involved. By the time I was 11, he enrolled me on the Team O’Neil Rally School and at the time, I was the youngest graduate. A few years went by before I became invested in rallying. At 17 my father & I entered the Bushwhacker Rally in Northern Ireland. My first ever rally, driving a front-wheel drive Honda Civic.
“After a few year hiatus of exploring other types of Motorsport, drag racing & circuit racing, I decided to revisit rallying in May of 2022, where I contacted Dom Buckley and set up a drive in a Fiesta Rally2 on the Plains rally. My passion for rally was reignited, and that one event led to me competing in 6 other rallies in 2022, each one vital in my progression”.
Last year’s Cambrian didn’t quite go according to plan, as Dobasu and co-driver Ross Whittock ended their event with a sizeable off, but there is renewed vigour in the camp for this season ahead.
“They are all very talented drivers in BRC1 and I have no doubt that they will be very quick. My focus is on developing my own driving and I`m really looking forward to getting back into the car at the Malcolm Wilson Rally. Will see how it goes.”
