Dobasu Rally Team

Where to start! The Southern Ohio Forest Rally, one I've been looking forward to for quite some time. Though it was not seeming like it would be within my schedule this year, my dad surprised me with an entry on my birthday. From then on it was full focus and maximum effort on preparing for the rally!

Fast forward a few weeks & our team, supported by Martin & Nuno of Dom Buckley RSC, were ready for what would end up being a long, tricky 3 days. Day 1 starting in downtown Chillicothe with a short tarmac super special, the mindset was to enjoy the stage and save the rally for the next 2 days. With Limited past tarmac experience, Jared Hudson & I set a time of 56.8, placing us 8th overall heading into the next morning.

Day 2 was a bit less straight forward... Technical, tricky, loose stages made for a difficult first full day back in the drivers seat. Dealing with extreme heat inside the car & poor visibility due to the dust also made for physically uncomfortable conditions. But! We prevailed. So much so, when stumbling upon the McKenna Motorsport/Buckley RSC Fiesta Rally2 of Tom Williams Rallying & Ross Whittock - Co-Driver we gave them a nice tug, saving them from teeter tottering off the edge of the road. (Happy I could help 😉). After that debacle on Stage 5 we headed towards the midday service where we regrouped and our service team re-prepped our M-Sport Rally2 Fiesta for the final loop of the day. Setting mixed top 4/5 overall times to maintain 3rd overall and 2nd in the RC2 Class overnight. Happy to have finished the longest day of the rally, we carried new found confidence into the final day.

Day 3 opened with a short but tricky 5.6km stage, nearly taking on a wood log after a miscalculated entry into the final corner - we achieved a time of 3.22.7... which miraculously was enough to be a 2nd place time behind only American Rally Association championship favorites Brandon Semenuk & Keaton Williams Co-Driver.
Four stages to follow and a few 🫣moments throughout them forced me to take a step back and find a rhythm in my driving that allowed us to drive comfortably on SS14 and then improve on it in the loop following midday Service.
Quick re-prep from the guys, Myself & Jared, lead to a smooth comfortable drive through the remaining 6 stages. Trading times with rival teams, Patrick Gruszka & Tom, through those stages preluding the Power Stage was a fun experience!

The final stage the decision was made to not risk the result and drive cautiously through the dust! Thus bringing home third overall and second in Rally2, a fantastic result! Leaving myself motivated and ready for the next one...😉

Beyond thankful to have my family supporting me & my dreams. And many big thanks to Dominic Buckley, Martin Glendinning, Nuno Valente, Colin and everyone else who helped & made efforts which directly impacted the result! Without the support from all of you and my family, this would've never been possible & I'd be day dreaming of having this opportunity! 😴 The trophies may be sat with me but they belong to you. Now let's add to the collection!😉

Failure only exists in the minds of those who believe that quitting is an option. Failure only exists when you give up… when you give up trying, when you give up on learning.

When you give up on yourself.

will be back, competing & striving for greatness soon… for us, failure does not exist.

With the 2023 Malcolm Wilson Rally over. It’s time to reflect, learn and comeback stronger! Thank you to my team, Buckley RSC included, for everything these past few weeks. A challenging rally to start our season, coupled with my own growing pains led to & I finishing 10th in the . Now with the experience gained here, It’s time to travel back home to compete in the next weekend.

Officially introducing you all to the new Ford Fiesta Rally2! Ready to start the rally, round 1 of the !

We’re officially registered and ready to contest the 2023 BRC Title!

Dobasu aims for development with British Rally Championship campaign - British Rally Championship 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

3 weeks out from Sno*Drift National Rally! The season opener of the ARA championship.

It is seeming unlikely that we will be competing in Sno*Drift this year. Unfortunately the reprep of our M-Sport Fiesta R5 is delayed. Will put in our best efforts to be there, but it’s currently unlikely.

Best of luck to all of the competitors who will be there!

‘Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.’

The days when you’re tired, unmotivated and have the urge to take time off - are days that you need to push yourself.

Champions are made during those days.

I am devastated. An icon. Visionary. Husband & father past away today.

Words cannot describe the insurmountable loss the world faces today. My thoughts & prayers are with the Block family & Hoonigan team.

1 year. 12 Months. 52 Weeks. 365 Days. 8,760 Hours. 525,600 Minutes. 31,536,000 Seconds.

The time transpired to make up 2022. I am thankful to have spent it all doing what I love. Throughout the wins & losses I couldn’t have done it without the support of my family, friends & loved ones.

Thank you to everyone who stood by me. I am working hard to make a full recovery and make 2023 our year.

Wishing everyone a peaceful, prosperous & healthy new year!

Everyone has an origin story. Moments in history which led them to develop a love for their passion.

Mine began when my father taught me how to drive at the age of 6. Behind the wheel of his Mitsubishi Evolution 9. This evolved into joining him on every one of his rallies. Even participating in the tests organized to develop car setup & driving skill.

From the beginning I was in awe of Rally, counting the days until I would finally be able to take my place in the drivers seat. Planning out every single detail in my mind. It is euphoric, being able to say that I am actually living my dream.

Forever thankful to for inspiring me to become a rally driver.

Couldn’t describe beauty better… The M-Sport R5+ looked menacing after New Layer Customs treated her to some fresh vinyl!

📸 Arvon Media

I’d like to begin the final post of ‘14 Days of Rally’ by wishing all of you a Merry Christmas. Thank you for supporting us over the last 2 weeks and indulging in my Rally stories of the 2022 season. I’ve enjoyed drafting up every one of these and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading them.

Day 2 of the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally began by crossing the ceremonial start in Llandudno Promenade. Spectacular to experience such a ceremony. From there Ross & I would transit to the start of SS3, Clocaenog. One of the many famous stages used in .

Upon arrival, the early morning Welsh rain dissipated. Leaving behind a dense fog. Unphased by the complication, we launched into the stage. The time & effort put into preparing for this Rally was met with extreme commitment through the fog, on a muddy surface. Few corners prior to the finish, we caught the competitor in front. With a minute interval between us and car #17 , this meant we were over a minute faster than them. Our efforts evident when a spectator caught the moment on film. Admittedly catching the previous car had lost us some time, nothing to be concerned of though. We crossed the finish in 6th place with a time of 7:02. Only 27 seconds behind WRC - FIA World Rally Championship prodigy Oliver Solberg.

Aiming to climb the leaderboard on SS4, Ross Whittock - Co-Driver & I pushed through Brenig. Worsening conditions meant these efforts would go to waste. A spin would add over 20 seconds to our time at the finish. Despite thoroughly enjoying the tricky WRGB stage, I was disappointed in myself for the eagerness displayed; which consequently translated into mistakes. We finished Special Stage 4 in 5:34, putting us in 9th, 40 seconds behind leader Oliver Solberg.

The transit between Brenig & Alwen, SS5, was spent in silence as I made efforts to calm my nerves and mentally reset for the start of SS5. Knowing that surviving this first loop would allow us to make setup changes at the midday service & improve our second running of the stages.

Sat on the start line, I took controlled breaths and relaxed. Ross’s countdown began and all my worries were silenced. Focused on my Co-Drivers words and the road ahead, I launched us into what would be our last miles of the 2022 Cambrian.

Every corner taken smoothly & carefully. Being as patient as possible to avoid any further time loss.

This all came to an end in the blink of an eye.

Entering a seemingly harmless medium speed left (Left4+), the rear of our Fiesta snapped out and began rotating the car. Having experienced this just 2 stages prior, I had hoped it would be an easy save if I powered through the slide. This only made matters worse. Unable to regain control of the car and now traveling at speeds nearing 90mph, we barreled towards an embankment. Realizing this, I desperately scrubbed off speed to minimize the severity of the impact. Entering the bank with the speed and angle we had, the sump guard was ripped off. Immobilizing us within a matter of milliseconds.

Moments after the accident, Ross rushed to the nearest spectator point to call for an ambulance and full stoppage of the stage. I waited for what seemed like an eternity for my co-driver to return, thankfully he was accompanied with marshals and medics.

The stage now canceled, we were rushed to the nearest hospital. This is where I would learn that in our accident, I had fractured 2 vertebrae. Essentially broken my back. Ross escaped with aches & pains.

Forever thankful that Ross & I are still here today. Able to continue our passion.

The experiences I’ve had over the last 7 months are special to me. Negatives & positives, it has made me into who I am and will continue to develop me as a Professional Rally Driver for years to come.

I am grateful to my father for allowing me to continue his legacy and fulfill my dream. And for the opportunity Dom Buckley RSC has given me this past season. The relationship I’ve built with Dommy and the rest of the team will forever be dear to me. Among them are many, many people who have helped me throughout the first 7 months of my Rally career. Thank you.

I will be back. And faster 😉!

-Thank you M-Sport, for building such a strong car.

Rally challenges competitors with adversity. Weather often being the most common adversary. Teams compete in a wide array of conditions. From scorching heat to temperatures dropping well below freezing. It is common for teams to brave the forces of nature but it is rare that teams face the whole spectrum on a single Rally. This is what makes the last round of the American Rally Association Championship so special.

The 2022 Lake Superior Performance Rally (LSPR) is one of my most memorable times spent in a Rally car. From testing in 70°F, dry conditions, to racing through a blizzard in the dark. LSPR was the most challenging event of my season.

Patrick Walsh & I began the first stage with hopes of gathering data and perfecting our notes for the second loop ran in the dark.

Split times for Special Stage 1 put us 15 seconds behind Ken Block. By the finish we were sat in 4th OA with a deficit of 10 seconds to Travis Pastrana & 26 to Ken. I was astounded by this, especially considering the car was setup incorrectly & my driving was conservative.

Our pace by the end of SS 4 had us positioned 4th OA with a 2 second margin to 5th. This is were things went from good to bad. A wrong tire choice heading into the night changed mindset to survival. Lack of night driving experience & struggling to find traction caused a 12 second loss to 4th on SS5 but nearly a minute on SS6.

Fortunately we survived to fight another day. A 2 minute deficit to 4th meant we had to push the following day. A tall order but I felt confident as we had beaten them by 25 seconds a stage that morning.

Day 2 was a fresh start. With a podium finish on the horizon, Patrick & I began Special Stage 9 with a push. Visible by our split times only 11 seconds behind the leader Brandon Semenuk. It ended just as quickly as it began, losing the rear end through a slow left corner our R5+ ended in a ditch… that just so happened to be the home of a swamp. Unable to drive the car out of the swamp, LSPR was over for us.

LSPR offered an array of challenges to overcome. Not the result we wanted but happy to settle for the experience gained & lessons learned. I’m anxiously waiting to return to LSPR & conquer those stages.

Rally drivers & co-drivers accept the risk involved with the sport. The nature of the sport is chaotic beauty, in the sense that: 2 people are sat together in a car. One reads off directions while the other pilots the car as fast as possible. Overcoming any and all. The two trust each other with their lives, one mistake from either could be fatal. Rewarded for their fearlessness by being the fastest & best no matter the adversity. Beating nature, man & machine.

Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally (STPR) is often regarded as the most dangerous rally in the world. Average speeds approaching 100mph on roads wide enough for a single car. Trees and cliffs lining the edges. That is why the fastest rally on the American Rally Association calendar is my favorite thus far.

STPR was my first outing in my fathers M-Sport Fiesta R5+. With hopes low due to minimal time testing the car, I began the first stage conservatively. Admittedly the wrong approach, being I overheated the brakes several miles from the finish!

As the mileage grew, so did my confidence. Finishing Special Stage 6 in 5th. By the last stage of the day, I was eager to go faster. Unfortunately, the Waste Management stage provided extreme visibility issues. At moments hitting walls of dust, unable to see anything at 80+mph. This resulted in severe time loss to competitors.

Day 2 brought along different challenges. Confidence level high at the beginning of the day allowed for impressive split times on stage. Results hindered by overheating tires & loss of traction. A setup change during the midday service proved useful. By Special Stage 14, achieving times with seconds difference to Travis Pastrana & Ken Block. Both driving much more capable cars.

The next stage was even more impressive. SS 15 being the power stage meant that all teams were pushing to beat the rest. Crossing the finish, a time of 7:56.7 was awarded. 33.7 seconds behind second and 40.1 behind first. Meaning I had scored my first ARA championship points and finished third on the Power Stage.

The next & final stage of STPR the decision to just make it to the finish was made. With that, I boasted my best ever result of 4th Overall and 3rd in class!

Unfortunately, no write up today… here’s a beautiful sequence of photos from one of the many jumps on this year! 📸

There are 3 outcomes when it comes to Rally: You either win, are the best of the rest, or you crash. All are apart of the journey. But moments like these serve as lessons and humble those involved. Crashing is apart of Rally and adds to the value of success.

Throughout the past 6 months I have experienced the highs & lows of rallying. Though the highs are preferred, the lows of my season have served as vital turning points in my career. This is why I am sharing the accident Patrick Walsh & I were involved in during the Ojibwe Forests Rally.

Though I have plenty of excuses for this, I’m not going to place blame on anything or anyone else except my inexperience. The pictures display the mckennamotorsport M-Sport Fiesta Rally2 against an unforgiving tree less than a mile from the finish of Special Stage 6, Steamboat.

Stage 6 was our second running of Steamboat that day. In light of this, my duty as a driver was to call out sections I believed needed extra caution. Unfortunately I failed to do so.

Approaching the corner where our rally ended, the road surface changed dramatically. Something we made note of. Now on a slippery and muddy surface, my driving style needed to adapt. Earlier braking, turning, and smoother accelerations. All things I was doing quite well until we reached the end of a 400 meter straight. At the end was a medium speed corner. In order to navigate that corner as quickly as possible, I braked later than I should have-considering the conditions. When I braked, the engine stalled, locking the steering wheel and barreling us at high speed into the tree.
Fortunately, Patrick & myself were unharmed. The car did not share the same fate as us. When entering the woods a tree pierced the engine bay on the drivers side, nearly breaking its way through the firewall, and made its way into the turbo. This along with the rest of the damage, the car was deemed unrepairable to restart the next day.

A time I would like to forget but can’t. This accident served as a learning lesson, benefiting me & my career more than forgetting would.

Experience. Experience is everything in Rally. I’ve been told countless times throughout the past seven months - more seat time allows a driver to learn and understand the craft. Most drivers develop their skills over years of racing, sometimes even decades.

Motorsport is ingrained in my DNA. Despite my predisposition to rally, the time I’ve spent racing pales in comparison to the likes of David Higgins 75.

The days prior to the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally, Dom Buckley RSC organized a pre event test at Sweet Lamb Rally Complex. Knowing this, I reached out to David in hopes he would spare his time to offer me the decades of experience he has. Fortunately, he was happy to do so.

David Higgins is and has been a prominent figure in rallying, winning 10 U.S., 2 Chinese, and 4 British championships. Growing up, I watched as he dominated what seemed like every rally. Because of this working with David is among my favorite moments. A highlight I’ll remember for a lifetime.

The day we spent together I felt like I was getting a master class in the art of rallying. Spending hours analyzing and developing pace notes, then putting them to use in real world conditions, followed by discussions of driving technique and reviewing in-car film. Not only did I have the pleasure of meeting & working with a Rally Champion but I was able to fast track years of experience.

Our time together taught me a plethora of things… among them came the realization that Rally Racing is what I want my life to be. I will do everything possible, push myself far beyond the limits, train harder, longer than anyone ever has, be smarter, stronger, quicker, and everything else necessary - to one day, win a WRC - FIA World Rally Championship.

Rally - often considered one of the most challenging forms of because of its daring & inconsistent nature. A single rally race can include upwards of 500 corners, 200 competitive miles and any number of different Special Stages. Referred to as a challenge by the likes of Formula 1 Champions Kimi Raikkonen & Sebastian Vettel.

Today’s highlight features Special Stage 4, Refuge, from the Ojibwe Forests Rally. Round 7 of the American Rally Association championship.

Special Stage 4 was my favorite of the event. Despite being the shortest of the first day. It consisted of long, fast, blind corners, several hundred meter straights and a lot of smiles. Refuge is one of the fastest stages on the and contributed to my best performance, at the time.

Prior to the start Patrick Walsh & I sat in 6th place, 5.8 seconds behind 5th. With no goals other than gaining experience and making it out the other end, we set a blistering time of 5:01. Achieving 4th overall, only behind manufacturer teams, and taking 5th place heading into the midday service.
At the time I was excited with my performance but also knew there was room for improvement. This fed my motivation & lust for more.

A few weeks after the , Subaru Motorsports USA published their event recap. In which my family name would be recognized among the likes of Travis Pastrana & Ken Block. I grew up going to rallies with my father, Vio Dobasu, and watching in awe as Ken & Travis would battle every stage. Always knowing that one day, I would be there with them.

The Ojibwe Forest Rally had allowed my childhood dreams to manifest into reality. But don’t worry, there is more to come! 😉

-Allen D. Dobasu