Portland, OR, May 9, 2012 -- TrueCar Rally America Driver Verena Mei and her Co-Driver Leanne Junnila finished one of the most technical and demanding events in the Rally America National Championship at the top of the Factory B-Spec Class and top 10 overall in the 2012 Oregon Trail Rally, in a field which included 350 horsepower, AWD Open Class cars and competition from drivers including former British Rally Championship, Winner David Higgins.
"I’m so proud of my team, that we placed top 10 overall, 4th in the 2WD Division and 1st in the b-spec class ” said Mei. “everything I've learned from Team O'Neil and from working with my co-driver, Leanne Junnila, is coming together.” Said Verena Mei. “I'm fully committed to pushing harder at each stage.”
The battle to finish in the top 10 was hard won as Mei and Junnila finished stage one of the 16-stage, three-day race in 20th place and by stage four, fell to 21st. By stage 10 they had climbed to 12th place and went on to finish in the top 10 for the first time in their 2012 Season. The Oregon Trail Rally tests drivers with demanding terrain including tarmac, gravel, mud, sand, grass, water crossings and night driving, all of which present unique hazards and challenges.
Verena drives the TrueCar Ford Fiesta #335 rally car and is a member of TrueCar’s Women Empowered initiative and their sponsorship of the Star Girl Racing Team. The TrueCar Racing “Women Empowered” initiative supports six female athletes encompassing various racing series. TrueCar is paving the way and raising awareness of female racers, like Verena, as viable competitors in a male-dominated sport.
Mei’s next Rally is the Susquehannock or STPR Rally held in Wellsboro, PA June 1-2. STPR is unique in the series because of it’s shifting terrain and the fact that a large portion of the race is at night in thick forests.
You can follow Verena Mei on twitter @verenamei and the TrueCar’s Women Empowered Racing Team @TrueCarRacing. For more information on the TrueCar all-female racing team visit www.truecar.com/racing.